I hear you. I recently moved to Hua Hin and have already had a few comical situations with locals refusing to speak Thai.
In the town house when witnessing my friend's marriage to a Thai woman who couldn't read Thai as she was brought up in the UK, the woman tried to speak to me in English, after I had checked the document in Thai and pointed out that this was the wrong name - it had a Korean guy's name and my friend is from Newcastle!
At a Honda dealer -
How many years warranty?
Looking at my wife - 3 years
My wife, "talk to him - he's Thai and can speak"
To me- 'clever you', to wife - 'can he read Thai too'?
Me to wife - 'let's go, I'm not buying anything from this ****'!
Last week, I went to get photocopies to get my younger daughter's UK passport. I asked for copies of my UK passport and my Thai ID. I asked, in Thai, for confirmation that they understood I wanted the front and back of my ID on the same page. She replied in broken English 'understand immigration need'! In Thai, 'why would immigration want a copy of my Thai ID?' no reply
In Krung Thai bank last month, I had left my bank card in an ATM so went into the branch in Market Village.
'Passport you'
'are you immigration?'
Confused look
gave my Thai ID
got my bank card
'can I get a credit card?'
'please wait, I call head office'
5 minutes chat, confused looks
'yes, but need Work Permit'!
Royal Hua Hin golf club - 'sorry, farang no can' after showing ID card.
Using car park near beach, I gave my ID card to security. When leaving - 'here's your driver's license'