PaullyW

If a mate regularly uses 'up to you', she probably with doesn't much care what hubby does and likewise may not enjoy his company all that much or she may be a traditional type of Thai woman who wants the man to make decisions. She may find it rather unattractive that the man is in effect asking permission

You can find a few options at the high end mall stores that cater to the well off. Emporium is an example. European cast iron import with consequent high price. Thais don't use cast iron, so it's a luxury here

As you have learned, while the literal translation of "mai mee" is "no have", it is widely used as a way of shrugging the person off regardless of whether or not they in fact have the item. In fact you will sometimes get the "mai mee" even when the item is clerarly behind them on the shelves, or before you have even named it.

Basically they are just trying to get rid of you. I think it even happens to Thai customers (as a way of the staff reducing their workload, especially if the item would require that they check, or fetch it from another part of the store). But it happens more with foreigners. Both because being outside the thai hierarchy, it is considered "safe" to disappoint or annoy foreigners, and becaye dealing iwth foreigners is more work/effort - harder to know what they are saying plus they often are seeking less common items.

Often it means "I don't know what you want and am unwilling to make an effort to find out" or even, if you have not yet even named the item, "I assume that dealing with you will be hard and I don't want to make the effort".

"Mai Dai" ("cannot") is the same story. More often means "I don't want to bother", "I don't know what it is/what you want" etc than that it is actually not possible to do whatever.

Patient but firm persistance is the best recourse. Smile and say "Kitwa mee...." (I think you do have...) and keep at it. Since the main impetus is to avoid effort, make it more of a hassle for them to take the "mai mee" or "mai dai" route than to just serve you in the first place.

I do not get "mai mee" I get 5 shop assistants surrounding me and following me down the aisles.

My record is 11 assistants following me and watching me closely. Do they think it's relaxed to shop like that? Their manager must be soo proud.

Shops who don't show the price always have sales who immediatly come with their sawasdee-ka. Can't speak a word english, don't know anything at all.

Why don't they go to school and come working in a shop when they at least know something?

But dare to ask them (even in native Thai) a question outside of color, and they are totally lost!

We don't expect brain surgeons, but please at least do not linger and be annoying following us in a pack so closely that we have to say "excuse me" every time we want to change direction!

It used to upset me also.

Then I realized, it is easier for them to say "Mai Mee" than it is to get up and go show you where it is.

THEY DON'T CARE!

There is no incentive to sell you anything.

No commission, low pay, long hours.

They get lazy.

Was hoping the ASEAN agreement would get some Phillipinas in here to show them how to be a bit more helpful, but apparently, it won't happen.

Get in he habit of finding things yourself.

A picture (on your phone) sometimes helps if you find a clerk that really does try to understand what you are after (rare though)

Not many things make me happier to call some number in Thailand expecting a Thai (who is supposed to be able to speak English but who absolutely cannot) to pick up but instead getting that distinctive Filipino accented English.

"Yes, mister [Firstname], I please hold while I check for you."

Filipinos who make it to Thailand as immigrants are generally much more useful. Of course, being immigrants, they would tend to be more motivated.

Reading his FB page, he was definitely having a hard time with his business and life. It looks like he's had a fun-filled life, too bad it had to end so early like this... RIP, sir

I've been reading many conflicting statements by him about his 'addiction', half are off the wall rants, others are begging his staff to come back.From what he writes, he was being ripped off by his staff, assaulted, bank accounts and FB page hacked... There's apparently much more to this story than the above article dismisses.

There are just simply too many farangs dying in precisely this way under mysterious circumstances. Too, too many.

If criminals would be employing this strategy, it would seem to be working. No questions asked by police. No sign of struggle or forced entry. So on and so on.

Read the story again, there is no other case of a farang falling to his death in Thailand that is precisely, or even remotely similar to this case.

Reading his FB page, he was definitely having a hard time with his business and life. It looks like he's had a fun-filled life, too bad it had to end so early like this... RIP, sir

I've been reading many conflicting statements by him about his 'addiction', half are off the wall rants, others are begging his staff to come back.From what he writes, he was being ripped off by his staff, assaulted, bank accounts and FB page hacked... There's apparently much more to this story than the above article dismisses.

If criminals would be employing this strategy, it would seem to be working. No questions asked by police. No sign of struggle or forced entry. So on and so on.

Right. Except for by the Indians and Khmers and Malays in the south and Laos in the Northeast and Burmese and finally Chinese (teochiu and others if you haven't noticed) and a nation which has contributed scant little to the world and which has become a player largely through foreign immigration (read: Chinese) and western investment.

I agree that at the root of much of what we call Thai culture is fear. It has been true of many cultures. People band together to provide protection from outsiders. The thing is that many cultures (in the past 500 years at least) have moved beyond that fundamental point and have built in other components to their cultures - such as shared values of decency and living, art, writing, music, government. Thailand has nearly nothing other than food, which I admit is fantastic, and some pseduo-Buddhism which is fundamentally misinterpreted and largely misexecuted (like most religions or similar philosophies in many countries, to be fair).

There just isn't much there other than "us, we Thai. them, they not Thai. us vs them." It's extremely basic.

Thais have a deep sense of being Thai.

A common bond which they share based on physical characteristics, common language, religion, and culture.

It provides cultural resilience, empowerment, and a protective layer against cultural intrusion.

If you can't celebrate it, at least respect it.

A nation built on fear.

No.

A nation which has never been colonized.

maybe if you could free yourself from the seat in your local girly bar sometime and meet some other Thais you could get a better picture of the country

I haven't had a drink or been in a bar in years. Doctor's orders to give my liver a fighting chance.

As for my social circles and diversity of experiencesin Thailand, I am the managing director of a multinational here in Bangkok where ive been for many, many years. Have places in Bangkok, Samui and CM. Just got back from a long weekend CSR event where we built a few schools for kids up northeast. I speak, read and write (a bit) of Thai.

Maybe from that you can get an ideas as to my experience.

Right. Except for by the Indians and Khmers and Malays in the south and Laos in the Northeast and Burmese and finally Chinese (teochiu and others if you haven't noticed) and a nation which has contributed scant little to the world and which has become a player largely through foreign immigration (read: Chinese) and western investment.

I agree that at the root of much of what we call Thai culture is fear. It has been true of many cultures. People band together to provide protection from outsiders. The thing is that many cultures (in the past 500 years at least) have moved beyond that fundamental point and have built in other components to their cultures - such as shared values of decency and living, art, writing, music, government. Thailand has nearly nothing other than food, which I admit is fantastic, and some pseduo-Buddhism which is fundamentally misinterpreted and largely misexecuted (like most religions or similar philosophies in many countries, to be fair).

There just isn't much there other than "us, we Thai. them, they not Thai. us vs them." It's extremely basic.

Thais have a deep sense of being Thai.

A common bond which they share based on physical characteristics, common language, religion, and culture.

It provides cultural resilience, empowerment, and a protective layer against cultural intrusion.

If you can't celebrate it, at least respect it.

A nation built on fear.

No.

A nation which has never been colonized.

Thailand is a one trick pony. The only thing approaching a city is Bangkok. In reality though Bangkok is more of a large, densely populated and disorganized village. Thais don't do proper cities with planning and convenience and organization

Some good ideas here. I would add that there has typically been a conspicuous lack of proper male/father figures in many, many families. Also, lacking of high numbers of male role models. So, little boys growing up are raised by only women and emulate women

What is the chance they will catch any Thai such criminals? Or maybe there are none.

A VERY fitting headline!! Yes, more of the hot air we have seen over the past several DECADES. Perfect headline

The biggest structural, long-term problem that Thailand faces is a fairly obvious discomfort with the idea that the elite should make efforts to lift up the the rest of Thais. Nowhere is it more evident than the reluctance to give political power as well as the reluctance to properly educate the general Thai public.

You cannot have a strong nation without a strong middle class. Thailand's elite fail to understand this.

to all you morons who like thai bashing you are a guest in their country try to understand the thai mentality and live by the rules and last but not least do not try and impose your self on them.

It's fascinating that so many farangs here do not question the veracity of the reported statistics - especially those farangs who have lived in the kingdom for any period longer than a few weeks and who should have observed in all facets of their lives in Thailand the unwavering propensity of Thais to do anything in their power and at every opportunity (no matter the circumstance) to save face and lie.

Or, even simpler, the obvious and consistent inability for them to properly undertake any large scale organised activity other than eating. These guys cannot join two pieces of pipe together without it leaking or figure out plumbing so the entire place doesn't smell like feces. But you suspect that they can gather proper national statistics.

If Thais were gathering statistics as accurately as countries like Japan and USA and Germany for example, do you guys think the stats would be

A. Much worse?

B. Much better?

C. about the same?

Amazing. You guys quote the Thai stats like they are mission stats from NASA.

on average over 26,000 people are killed in road accidents in Thailand per year. Divide that by 365 days and that is over 71 people killed per day on average. So either these dangerous days numbers are complete BS or Songkran is the safest time of the year to be on the road. I will go with BS numbers.

Well, I tink your numbers need one more good check.

Road fatalities in Thailand per year are only half of what you claim, approx. 12.000 - 13.000

If you really think Songkran is the safest time of the year, why dont you make a trip from say Khon Kaen via Kalasin, Yasothon to Ubon Ratchathani for example?

Should be fun !!!

I can guarantee you that you will see more than one deadly accident during that one single trip.

I believe that it makes no sense and serves no purpose to make a comment like you did.

on average over 26,000 people are killed in road accidents in Thailand per year. Divide that by 365 days and that is over 71 people killed per day on average. So either these dangerous days numbers are complete BS or Songkran is the safest time of the year to be on the road. I will go with BS numbers.

Why would you think they would be BS? If you stop to think about it, the two major holidays in Thailand, Songkran and New Year's, are the only times that there is any consistent traffic enforcement of the year, so it would make sense they would be the safest times. Plus once everybody gets to their destination, there is little traffic until they return.