In Thailand, one of Southeast Asia’s most status-conscious yet least equal nations, having dark skin carries generations of cultural baggage.
Advertisement
A dark complexion has long been associated with rural poverty and a low socio-economic standing – a prejudice reinforced by a media culture that often portrays dark-skinned people as unsophisticated, and by a lack of high-level representation in politics and entertainment.
Adverts for whitening creams are everywhere, most of the country’s celebrities and media figures are fair-skinned, and the phrase “scared of dark skin” is still commonly said with a theatrical shiver by those with lighter complexions when hit by the Thai sun.
For many in Isaan – Thailand’s most populous region that’s home to a plethora of farming communities – skin colour is just another way for the wealthy to marginalise the poor.
But change is happening, aided by the internet, a new cohort of stars with darker complexions and younger Thais who are willing to challenge the hang-ups of their elders.
Advertisement
Thai singer Rasmee, whose hits include a satirical song on Thailand’s obsession with Korean culture, said the secret was rejecting “someone else’s idea of perfection”.
