Sometimes, being a farang in Thailand feels a lot like being a celebrity.  Take it from someone who knows nothing about being a celebrity– the experiences are nearly identical.

Living in Thailand, especially in a city like Suphan where foreigners are few and far between, everyone wants in on your business. People are always wanting to know who you are, and what you story is, and where are you going, and do you have a lover?  And people look at you a lot.  And not discreetly, either.  This isn’t like when you’re staring at someone in a daze, and just as they catch you in the act you quickly shift your attention to some intensely fascinating ceramic mug to avoid the embarrassment of having been (GASP!) looking at someone!  I’m talking about shameless, full-on, bug-eyed staring… often paired with some very dramatic pointing and lots and lots of giggling.

Of course, in Suphan we white folk stick out like extremely irritated thumbs.  So there’s that.  But you can’t tell anyone to “take a picture– it’ll last longer,” because they probably already have.  I’ve been living in Thailand for seven months now, and this is one phenomenon that will never stop being hilarious to me.  Just imagine seeing some Asian tourists in Boston and asking if you could take a photograph with them- you know, because they’re Asian.  WHAT?!?!?   This doesn’t happen in the U.S.  It would be rude!  Racist, even. But in Thailand, you could be visiting a beautiful temple, admiring a lovely sea vista, mesmerized, perhaps, by a man twirling a flaming baton on his pinky-toe from the top of an 8-story human pyramid… and somehow you often end up feeling like the foreigners are the main event.

The first time this happened to me was at the aquarium during my first weekend in Suphanburi.  People were prancing around dressed as giant Nemo-fish and sharks– offering up hugs and Kodak moments to happy families– but this woman wasn’t interested in these characters.  Oh, no… she wanted to pose with me.  And her baby thought I was an alien.

Then there was a trip to Erawan Falls.  My friend Micah and I were just about to begin our trek back down the falls when a Thai couple approached us.  The guy wanted a picture with me, the girl with Micah.. you know, because we’re foreign.

Here’s a shot of me with some Thai kiddies at a temple in Saraburi:

And a monk at the Sala Kaew Ku Sculpture Park in Nong Khai who paused in his viewing of the massive Buddhist/Hindi statues for a photo opp with yours truly…

Monks aren’t allowed to touch women… hence the awkward distance in this picture

Naturally, when these people ask to take a picture with me, I ask them to take one on my camera as well.  I thought that this shot with the monk was nicely symbiotic– I usually avoid taking photographs of monks because it feels too invasive, but he asked first! How could I deny a monk such a gift? 🙂

And I must admit, though awkward, it is flattering.  And Thai people alwaysask.  It might be considered rude in the States, but folks there don’t seem to have any qualms about sneaking photos of unsuspecting people with their iPhones and posting them on Facebook; no doubt with some snarky and condescending remark alongside for the world to laugh at.  The Thais always ask, and it always seems entirely innocent.  I do wonder, though, what becomes of all of these photos?  Do you have a Facebook album dedicated to your farang-sightings?  Are you saving up for a photo collage?  Or am I posted on your refrigerator via magnet?  Just another one of the great mysteries of Thailand.

But, I’ve saved the best for last!

My sister, bro, bro-in-law, and cousin had a run-in with the Thai paparazzi like I’ve never seen before!  It all started while we were exploring Railay Island. The late-afternoon sun was at just that perfect spot in the sky so to make the Andaman Sea look like an ocean of glittering diamonds,and the massive limestone cliffs jutting out of it were silhouetted against the blue.  We agreed that it would be a nice place to get a group shot, so we asked a Thai man if he’d mind taking a picture for us.  After showing him how to work my sister’s camera, the five of us wrapped our arms around each others’ shoulders, smiled, and said “cheese!”  We thanked our cameraman, and just as we were waiing him goodbye, two Thai women in wide-rimmed sunhats ran on up to us and asked for a photo.  So, the seven of us posed for another shot. We again thanked everyone, and just as we were about to part ways another three ladies ran over wanting in on the photo, too.

And that’s when the sky opened up and a storm of Thai people gave way.  We were swarmed.  People were running up to us from all corners of the beach– diving in front of us, throwing up the deuces,flailing their arms in the air as they yelled at Cameraman to “Wait!!!”  All of the sudden we had gone from taking our own family picture to being the centerpieces in a Thai family’s vacation photo. I couldn’t stop laughing… it was a freaking riot!  I can’t even imagine what my siblings were thinking.  Dan managed to escape the mob so he could snag a shot of the insanity as well:

one big happy family!

Once the madness died down, it still wasn’t over. Then we had to take the small-group shots:

Who has a gorgeous farang girl on either side of him??? THIS guy.

Ever wonder what it feels like to be famous?  To have fans and tabloids all after you for a photo opportunity?  Well, a visit to Thailand, might just be a quicker and easier way to scratch that itch than actually making a name for yourself.  It’s a bit awkward in the way that so many things that I don’t totally understand here leave me feeling a little bit awkward, but it is so harmless, and flattering, even.  As the crowd dispersed, the women in the sunhats kept on telling Erin, Danielle, and I that we were “suay maak”… very beautiful girls! And honestly– who doesn’t like to hear that?