Visiting a cat show the boy liked a kitten that was up for free adoption. Mum at home saw the kitten via Line. Ok we’ll take it, I said feeling good about myself giving home to a kitten. Sorry, foreigner cannot adopt was the reply. So I handed the phone to wife (Thai) while the boy asked questions in Thai about the kitten. Sorry, cannot was the reply despite explaining that we have a house here and live here (ie not tourist). You guessed it, she didn’t change her mind. Following a few choice words where people nearby could hear it we walked away. Of course couldn’t explain to the boy why we couldn’t take it. No big deal we got one elsewhere eventually. The experience didn’t bother me, rather felt good about making her lose face a bit (I could tell) in front of the crowd.
Just another example of their inability to assess circumstances and make decisions for themselves. Sticking to policies blindly and not able to think rationally.