Thai escalator phenomenon (culture shock)

[urban legend]

An escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.
We all know what they are and what they are used for what intrigues me is the lack of movement while the good native people of Thailand remain motionless while being transported one floor to the next .I'm at no point against this action it's just so different back home her where everything is 100mph .
Prehaps other Udonites can add to this or add any other insignificant way of life that's different from back home

[parrot]

I was at the old complex 10+ years ago.....observing life as my wife shopped. A youngish girl came in with her oldish mom, wrapped in a sarong and flip flops. They approached the escalator....the old woman balked, the young girl encouraged....back and forth......until finally the old woman gingerly stepped on the escalator and grabbed on for dear life. It appeared to be the very first time she had ever encountered such a beast.

Reminds me of the old movie where an elderly country couple travels to Bangkok for the first time. They rent a small room for the night. When it comes time to sleep, the husband tells the wife to 'turn off the light'....to which the woman rises up and tries to blow out the light on the ceiling.

[gudtymchuk]

Looks like most Thai's have learned how to get on and off the escalator. Now I wish they would learn to move away instead of congregating for a chat just off the amazing device

[BarnicaleBob]

In the land of smiles nobody is in a hurry, they just enjoy the ride.

[pienmash]

Whilst in the compek i did notice rather un savoury looking character loitering near the said escalators and imo positioning so can see the shapely forms of young ladies ....i find this activity totally disgraceful as did the police officer that took me away ,,,, he obviously didnt know i was conducting research for this thread .

[KB_Texas]

Whilst in the compek i did notice rather un savoury looking character loitering near the said escalators and imo positioning so can see the shapely forms of young ladies ....i find this activity totally disgraceful as did the police officer that took me away ,,,, he obviously didnt know i was conducting research for this thread .

Heh, you needed to prep for your research with the proper equipment.
http://www.tbotech.com/spyglasses.htm
http://www.pro-tech.uk.com/detail__avia ... es_67.html

Then you could have just looked cool instead of attracting unwanted attention. :-"

KB

[pienmash]

Funny you should mention glasses ,,,,,, i once got chastised for wearing mirrored glasses in a previous occupation ,,mind you they were super glued to my shoes !!!!.....

Back on topic ,, some people do have a fear of escalators , lifts / elevators etc,,, not keen on the latter myself... but it beats puffin n pantin on the stairs i suppose

[Laan Yaa Mo]

Urban Legend has hit on an intriguing topic once again. Until another poster mentioned it a few years ago, I had not noticed the lack of movement by Thais on the escalator. But, it is all true. Even the majority of supposedly more sophisticated Sino-Thais in Bangkok dare not move once they set foot on the beast.

What about The Mall or Klangs 1&2 in Khorat? Same response. I think this is also true in Chiang Mai, and probably also in Khon Kaen. Does anyone have any information about Khon Kaen or Phitsanuloke?

The only place I have yet to see this phenomenon is Sukhothai, but they is probably because so far as I know they do not have escalators.

Thanks, Urban Legend, for bringing this to our attention.

[jimboLV]

Well in the USA people generally don't walk on an escalator. I have in a few cases when I was in an extreme hurry. One reason is that the steps on an escalator are steeper than a regular, not motorized stairway. That becomes painfully obvious when they aren't running and you are forced to walk.

Moving sidewalks with no steps are a different matter, like the ones at Swampy. Those I always walk, having to elbow my way past the Asians.

[Jed]

I'm quite sure that they view it as a motorized conveyance that one gets on, and then is conveyed from A to B.

Now, why would anyone choose to walk on something designed specifically to transport one?

Enter the West, and the need to encourage people to exercise who are no longer active in their daily lives.

Besides, what's the rush, and how much time is saved? Relax, enjoy the view, rise, and think of England?

[parrot]

On moving sidewalks, there's generally enough room for passing (even with a suitcase in tow).....and there are usually signs that say something to the effect "Those on for a free ride only, please stay left/right". And at Suvarnaphumi, for example, you're often talking about great distances (relatively speaking)....airplanes to catch......etc........so I can understand the need for some people to want to move quickly (or catch a free ride with the electric vehicles).
But at a store, we're talking about the equivalent of one or two flights of stairs on an escalator. If I was about to pull an "Al Roker" while at the store, I might beg forgiveness as I rushed past someone on the escalator, but more often than not, there's enough scenery to keep my attention for a 20 second ride.

[davecryan]

Funny you should mention glasses ,,,,,, i once got chastised for wearing mirrored glasses in a previous occupation ,,mind you they were super glued to my shoes !!!!.....

Back on topic ,, some people do have a fear of escalators , lifts / elevators etc,,, not keen on the latter myself... but it beats puffin n pantin on the stairs i suppose

Elevators..........when I lived in Jomtien there was a story going round about a Farang and his wife , who brought her 60 year old Mother to the 'big city' for the first time. They waited on the ground floor for the lift and when the doors opened they entered...........at the 6th floor the Mother exited the lift and looked around for her flip-flops....they were still on the ground floor

[trubrit]

But at a store, we're talking about the equivalent of one or two flights of stairs on an escalator. If I was about to pull an "Al Roker" while at the store, I might beg forgiveness as I rushed past someone on the escalator, but more often than not, there's enough scenery to keep my attention for a 20 second ride.

It is the only way I know of getting both a worms eye view and a bird's eye at the same time . :-"

[jackspratt]

But at a store, we're talking about the equivalent of one or two flights of stairs on an escalator. If I was about to pull an "Al Roker" while at the store, I might beg forgiveness as I rushed past someone on the escalator, but more often than not, there's enough scenery to keep my attention for a 20 second ride.

It is the only way I know of getting both a worms eye view and a bird's eye at the same time . :-"

You depraved old bugger.

I reckon Admin should call the police and report you.

[Funman]

I remember one morning I went to the Big C on Posri Rd just after they opened for the day. I got on the escalator at the end closest to the car park entrance driveway. I started going up on the right hand one and just about then a mid 40's aged Thai woman obviously in a hurry got on the 'down' side. She glanced over at me as I was going up and continued to climb the stairs all the while looking down as I continued to watch. To her credit she managed to climb 3-4 stairs before she fell flat on her face. Now was this her 1st encounter with one (doubtful) or is this just another example of "TIT"?