A few things I've noticed from watching Thais this week

Post by **Ricohoc** » May 4, 2012, 5:53 am

Overall, I find the vast majority of merchants in Udon try hard to communicate. I even had an owner at a hardware/lumber shop on Prajak Road ask me to tell him what certain items in his shop were called in English.

As a visitor in this country, I feel that much of the responsibility to communicate falls on me. If I want to make this my home, and I do, it is my responsibility to assimilate. If merchants want my business, they will at least try to communicate with me. My good experiences far outweigh any bad ones, and I am hard-pressed to even be able to recall any bad ones.

Post by **ronan01** » May 4, 2012, 7:28 am

I think it is a bit much to expect Thais to speak english. It is up to non-thai to learn to speak thai. I can imagine the reaction here if a thai wrote to the neews paper complaining about the lack of thai speaking staff at Macca's in oz.

Post by **merchant seaman** » May 4, 2012, 8:06 am

Half the workers at all the Mcdonald's in Dallas, Texas can't speak English, so why should they in Udon?

Post by **noosard** » May 4, 2012, 8:11 am

I am surprised with the attitude of most of these posts
I speak little thai and when i try more often than not confuses the issue
Staff at the fast food joints are not the smartest and that is anywhere worldwide
Yesterday we are having a lot of dirt (din) delivered about 5 truck to come backs into the gate column which by the way was only finished last month, well as you can imagine I am a bit annoyed (pist) at this but say nothing no need boss of the job tears a new ahole off the driver lots of yelling in thai.outcome driver not get paid for this month ie not farang's fault for only making a 5m gate opening
the village I live in accepts that I am different, doing my own work and helping them with some of theirs
they want to talk to me but like I said my thai is limited at best but a smile and laugh helps the world go round
sure there are times you met idiots and have to play their game but forget them smile and enjoy LOS

Post by **fatbob** » May 4, 2012, 9:57 am

I think the longer you stay here the more pi--ed off you get with the Thai attitude of give me give me, always good to escape for breaks as often as you can to keep a fresher outlook.

Post by **gardener** » May 4, 2012, 11:22 am

semperfiguy wrote:The classic rant for me has to be my usual trip through the drive-thru at McDonalds to order one vanilla ice cream cone and one chocolate dip cone for my wife and me.

It seems a little lazy to me using the drive-thru for a couple of 9bt ice cream cones.

Post by **merchant seaman** » May 4, 2012, 11:28 am

most likely use more gas with the car engine running while trying to explain what you want in English to someone who can only understand Thai then what the ice cream cost. Thai Forum classic rant, "farlang using drive through for 9 baht ice cream and can't speak Thai."

Post by **nkstan** » May 4, 2012, 2:18 pm

jackspratt wrote:
nkstan wrote:7 years and you never expected any of these responses and reactions?Probably trying to not sound or act cynical because some butt face would tell you,that ''if you don't like it what you doing here?''

IMO,Thais have little or no respect for falangs in general!If they can't get something from you,you are a useless entity in their eyes!They are all aware that you need a set amount of funds to live here,so you are a mark in any situation that they can put together.Plus they are aware that Thais will not take your side as that would be a confrontational and face losing situation and they might have to deal with the ''family'',whereas you have no one to back you up!

I have been here 14 years with about a total of 3 months outside the country and I live very happily here with a few exceptions,mostly related to being behind the curve and ignorant of the worthless Education system,I do that by being polite,smiling ,saying hello to every Thai that I make eye contact with,but never never attempting to engage them in conversation,which,IMO,would be like inviting a''known thief'' to stay at your house while your gone.

They do not want us here,just our ''droppings''!

IMO,if you are raising children here,and don't have to be here,you are doing them a great harm!
How sad.

Probably would be for some personalities

Post by **parrot** » May 4, 2012, 2:26 pm

Along the lines of "A few things I've noticed from watching Thais this week"

Thai kids (some very dark skinned as well as light skinned) dressed as though it were going to snow....while the outside temperature is 95 degrees. I haven't seen one this week, but it hasn't been more than a few weeks since I've seen a girl driving a motorcycle with a furry collared-coat.......in 90+ degree weather. Today two young men were eating their noon bowl of extra spicy noodle soup, dressed in long-sleeve sweat shirts.......while sitting in a steaming-hot tin-roof shop.

Post by **lee** » May 4, 2012, 2:44 pm

It always amazes me to see the construction workers over here wearing wool balaclavas, rubber boots, long sleeve jackets and long trousers in 35+ degree heat . If I were to wear that lot I think I'd pass out!

Post by **harmonyudon** » May 4, 2012, 2:51 pm

How about this then?
A tourist in the desert.

Post by **harmonyudon** » May 6, 2012, 11:28 am

A rather expensive new car entered a hotel, a well dressed young nice lady walked to the reception
and booked and paid for a room,walked back to her car opened the door and we saw a younger thai man inside.
After 1 hour she (they) checked out again and a farang sitting with me in the lobby made a joke wondering why she
did not barfine him...... :-" :-" :-"

:-"

Post by **colinLHR** » May 13, 2012, 8:28 pm

I posted the first original post on the fore mentioned topic, it's not meant to be having a go, just merely what is '''Falang'' are perceived as and what we are generally thought of.

Wed 9 th May - woke up early out in Garden at 6.15 am, neighbours go past staring and then laughing I ask what's so funny the reply was "" we didnt think Falang can wake up before 10am''

Wed 9th May (afternoon) - a couple of elders at small temple near Nong Prajak talk to my eldest son (mixed race) what do you want to do when your older? My sons reply I want to be pilot for Nok Air ( don't know why Nok Air , think its the colour scheme of the Aircraft).Now guess the reply he got , '' my son your not Thai so you cannot be pilot,but you can be tv star or move to Europe. Can you f***ing believe that he is 6 years old and born in Udon and lived everyday in udon!!!

Will he ever be seen as equal and respected or just a novelty product of east- west relationship????

Don't get me

Post by **harmonyudon** » May 16, 2012, 2:40 pm

Beleive or not:

One Thai man take care some mistresses and for each of them he
build a house of at least 2-3million baht,excluding the value of the land.
He bought for himself the most expensive BMW available in TH and after
approx. 6 monts he did not like it and swap into the most expensive
mercedes.

He sometimes go out in Udon, but not to farang-establishments.
Twice I went out with him with some Thai friends.

So, its not only farangs who like (to play with) Thai-isaan beauties.
Perhaps a significant difference is that, i think/feel, this man does not
care if he loose money or not.

Post by **merchant seaman** » May 16, 2012, 3:48 pm

He must be very rich.UP2HIM I guess

Post by **steve_udonhardware1** » June 4, 2012, 2:16 am

nkstan wrote:7 years and you never expected any of these responses and reactions?Probably trying to not sound or act cynical because some butt face would tell you,that ''if you don't like it what you doing here?''

IMO,Thais have little or no respect for falangs in general!If they can't get something from you,you are a useless entity in their eyes!They are all aware that you need a set amount of funds to live here,so you are a mark in any situation that they can put together.Plus they are aware that Thais will not take your side as that would be a confrontational and face losing situation and they might have to deal with the ''family'',whereas you have no one to back you up!

I have been here 14 years with about a total of 3 months outside the country and I live very happily here with a few exceptions,mostly related to being behind the curve and ignorant of the worthless Education system,I do that by being polite,smiling ,saying hello to every Thai that I make eye contact with,but never never attempting to engage them in conversation,which,IMO,would be like inviting a''known thief'' to stay at your house while your gone.

They do not want us here,just our ''droppings''!

IMO,if you are raising children here,and don't have to be here,you are doing them a great harm!

Hi nkstan, this maybe be irrelevant by now. But, IMO I think people in all countries are somewhat distrusting of foreigners. I think most Thais do put forward an effort to be polite to each other and foreigners. Respect is another matter entirely. Thais show respect to their elders because they have earned it through experience. And Thais respect their family and friends through relationships. No offence, but are we asking for something we haven't earned. You seam to show similar politeness and courtesy to Thais, but do you respect them or their culture, "known thief" and "droppings". You obviously have more experience with Thais. IMO, Thailand is like to mountains, would it not be easier to come to it then have it come to u, Muhammed. Now that I have put my two cents into where it doesn't belong, again. I bid everyone adieu.

Post by **randerson79** » June 4, 2012, 4:03 pm

Recently there has been a onslot of Loud speaker trucks driving around promoting the up coming election. I counted 8 that went in front of the house yesterday. And I was gone about 8 hours!
I live in a gated community with a guard house in the front. On the way back from the market I asked the guard why he allowed the LOUD trucks in the gate. He says with a straight face............ Because they give me whiskey!!

Post by **MALC** » June 4, 2012, 8:48 pm

you are spot on mr nkstan.i have been marreid for 10yrs my thai wife had a good job in uk. i took her 9yr old daughter to uk put her through school.came here a few yrs ago bought a house.anway last yr we had a fall out.my wife said to me us thai;s dont want falalang in our country go home.and she also said thai always side with thai.her words not mine.we would never dream of saying that to them.either here or in our own country.

Post by **akwoodworker** » June 4, 2012, 10:23 pm

I stay in chiang peng and for the most part the people are very polite, they stop by and ask what I have eaten and how I am doing. I started building a workbench doing the mortise and tenons by hand and some thought I was crazy while others were impressed. My wife had a wall build around mom and dads house so I helped and a monk stopped and smiled. I spent some time at ban tat and when I returned they all wanted to know about the experience. This year will be the test though, energy costs to live in Alaska leave me the choice to stay here and be broke ( retired) or live in Thailand and save money. All in all we are oddities here and how we assimilate results in there perception of us.

Post by **SJP17** » June 5, 2012, 12:20 am

Ive never really felt unwelcome in Thailand including Udon , ive had a couple of instances with rogue tuk tuk drivers in Bangkok , and also had the passport guy be very unfriendly due to my worn passport that had been threw the wars , ive payed a good few fines for no helmet , no licence , and a speeding one on the way to Nong kai , but it never really bothered me that much , and now i try to always where a helmet , and avoid the other penalties ,

Ive always felt ive been treated quite well in general , ill agree that you do have to pay out quite a bit if boozing with the thai family , but they do share the grub and often give me shots of thai whiskey and lao kow , i usually pay for the beer and barbque , but its not that expensive asd we dont drink that much.

There was one other occasion when i was playing pool and we were having a bet on the side 100 baht a game , i lost the first and second games , so had handed over a 200 baht , then i got my game together and one three in a row , but on the final game when i held my hand out for my 100 baht , the guy just started saying no money sorry