22 hours ago, jak2002003 said:

 

OP, I don't know what nationality you are... but in my experience the kind of people that do this sort of thing are Americans.  

I don't know what Americans you're  talking about but in New York we don't go around like some fruitcake saying hi to people we don't know. More than likely we would tell you to GFYS. 

the person that glared at you when you said hi- was probably  russian--its not "normal " to be friendly ....i experience this when i say hi or goodmorning, at my condo...

2 hours ago, transam said:

I do walk around with a smile on my face, that is true, but I rarely talk unless I am asked something..

You see, I have left farangland negativity behind...Have you...?

I have just had a walk around town and not one Thai was walking around smiling, so, you are on your own in that respect

also very sad for the above american, who thinks friendly people are "fruitcakes"..

It is a good topic and one that puzzled my Thai wife as she would inquire:"Why you farang not smile at each other..?"

 

After a few seconds of thought I replied..

 

"It's because we are a bunch of psychopaths who have been continually going to war against each other for centuries."

28 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

I don't know what Americans you're  talking about but in New York we don't go around like some fruitcake saying hi to people we don't know. More than likely we would tell you to GFYS. 

Well, those fancy big city folk are more educated than the country boys.  

 

 

18 hours ago, Denim said:

Mum told me not to talk to strangers.

 

Good advice.

 

If TV forum represents a cross section of the kind of nutters that are out there , talking to strangers might prove a potentially unpleasant experience. Why take the risk.

In a village or small town, there will be few farangs. Deliberately ignoring another farang, is not the same as disregarding countrymen at home.

It's just a nod and a smile to acknowledge that we are farangs in a foreign country, and need go no further.

 

I guarantee, however, that a farang will not studiously ignore a beautiful woman of any origin.

23 hours ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

First it is racist and stupid to assume people speak English because they appear to have a white face. This isn’t America. What is “Hi!”? Something a child says. In England was once considered polite to greet passersby “How do you do?” Various cultures here, all have different standards. I was told if a stranger smiles at you in Russia you call a policeman. A Russian man wears a grimace, not a silly grin.

Everyone in my Condo is very friendly, we greet each other, help the old people with their packages, mostly Thai. Well last year before the AirBnB ban I got on the elevator and was surprised by an unfamiliar couple. The woman was in a full Birka, with only slots of a metallic eye mask showing. . I got the feeling I wasn’t supposed to say Hello to her. Was I wrong?

Then you have the Foreign weirdos who think they are superior and avoid all contact with other aliens for whatever reasons. I just bow subtlety to people. If they want to talk I’ll leave it up to them.

Why is it racist to greet someone, if you really want to do so, in the only language that you speak?  It is  racist to assume that you know an individual's nationality simply by looking at them and then trying to speak in what you presume to be their language!

Hi is a fairly common greeting in many languages; except Japan where I am assured it means 'yes', and in Hong Kong (depending on tone used) can mean 'c**t'.

People tend to ignore these greetings based on the fact that they have been preyed upon in the past by some shyster trying to sell them something, or someone begging money with a vaguely plausible sob story.

I was having a coffee next to the border crossing to Myanmar in Maesai about 2 weeks ago , lots of ferlung wandering about.  One old lady looked my way . I said Sawasdee khap. She stopped walking and asked where I was from , I said England , to which she said " Well speak English then "  Ignorant beatch ! And folk think I am rude when I say In Lotus " Look out Johny Foreigner , hide behind the fresh meat counter " I have heard all the BS I need to over the past 13 years but I am not rude when I hear a polite Hi !

10 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

It is a good topic and one that puzzled my Thai wife as she would inquire:"Why you farang not smile at each other..?"

After a few seconds of thought I replied..

"It's because we are a bunch of psychopaths who have been continually going to war against each other for centuries."

Thais dont walk around smiling at each other either and neither do they go around saying hello to strangers .

   After a few seconds you gave a response about wars , you really should have given it a bit more thought and came up with something logical

Just read this article, thought it would fit in with the general drift of this topic.

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/not-rude-just-french-fired-waiter-claims-discrimination-065218693.html

 If you are out and about and an unknown foreigner you come across says some thing like Hi or hello to you , how do you react .

 I nod and smiled back  

2 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Thais dont walk around smiling at each other either and neither do they go around saying hello to strangers .

   After a few seconds you gave a response about wars , you really should have given it a bit more thought and came up with something logical

"Should"?

 

I don't obey orders from you about should or would or could.

 

I shall amend my statement to "contumacious psychopaths",

4 minutes ago, toofarnorth said:

I was having a coffee next to the border crossing to Myanmar in Maesai about 2 weeks ago , lots of ferlung wandering about.  One old lady looked my way . I said Sawasdee khap. She stopped walking and asked where I was from , I said England , to which she said " Well speak English then "  Ignorant beatch ! And folk think I am rude when I say In Lotus " Look out Johny Foreigner , hide behind the fresh meat counter " I have heard all the BS I need to over the past 13 years but I am not rude when I hear a polite Hi !

Why would you want to speak to an English speaking person in Thai , when English is both your first language ?

   Are you fluent in Thai , could you hold a conversation in Thai ?

What did you want to say to her, anyway ?

1 minute ago, Odysseus123 said:

"Should"?

I don't obey orders from you about should or would or could.

I shall amend my statement to "contumacious psychopaths",

The reason that you gave as to why felangs dont say hello to each is nonsense and its nothing to do with any wars , and the classification for being regarded as a psychopath is NOT not saying hello to strangers in the street .

Just now, sanemax said:

The reason that you gave as to why felangs dont say hello to each is nonsense and its nothing to do with any wars , and the classification for being regarded as a psychopath is NOT not saying hello to strangers in the street .

 

Just now, sanemax said:

The reason that you gave as to why felangs dont say hello to each is nonsense and its nothing to do with any wars , and the classification for being regarded as a psychopath is NOT not saying hello to strangers in the street .

This forum has not been set up just for you.

 

Whether you think it is nonsense is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned altho' your attitude goes a long way in explaining my response to my wife..

 

Who wants to deal with belligerent,aggressive foreigners who are generally pissed, anyway?

 

Who wants World War 3?

31 minutes ago, sanemax said:

I have just had a walk around town and not one Thai was walking around smiling, so, you are on your own in that respect

Aaaaah mon ami...Perhaps they saw you coming....

Usually, I smile and say like you do hi, many times I got the negative experiences like you.

3 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

 

This forum has not been set up just for you.

Whether you think it is nonsense is neither here nor there as far as I am concerned altho' your attitude goes a long way in explaining my response to my wife..

Who wants to deal with belligerent,aggressive foreigners who are generally pissed, anyway?

Who wants World War 3?

Are you suggesting that the Third world war may break because one foreigner didnt reply to another foreigner in Thailand ?

   If there is indeed the possibility of WW3 breaking out, then I will nod and smile at every passing felang in Thailand

3 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Are you suggesting that the Third world war may break because one foreigner didnt reply to another foreigner in Thailand ?

   If there is indeed the possibility of WW3 breaking out, then I will nod and smile at every passing felang in Thailand

You can't be that concrete in your thinking..or can you?

 

Anyway eye contact,a nod and a smile is usually returned both in my country and in Thailand and I prefer it that way.

 

Over and out.

3 hours ago, sanemax said:

That was probably in your back-packing days , when it was quite interesting to meet people from other Countries , these days, with social media , you can talk to people from other Countries anytime , its nothing special these days .

 

Yes, you can talk to people anytime.

 

Meeting is still special.

 

meet¹

miːt/

verb

verb: meet; 3rd person present: meets; past tense: met; past participle: met; gerund or present participle: meeting

1. 1.

   arrange or happen to come into the presence or company of (someone).

 

 

Provided he is presentable I will always acknowledge him, a foreigner or a Thai.

IMO, being unpresentable is bring grossly overweight, having a lot of tattoos, and/or

a lot of facial hair.

On 25/03/2018 at 3:19 PM, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

First it is racist and stupid to assume people speak English because they appear to have a white face. This isn’t America. What is “Hi!”? Something a child says. In England was once considered polite to greet passersby “How do you do?” Various cultures here, all have different standards. I was told if a stranger smiles at you in Russia you call a policeman. A Russian man wears a grimace, not a silly grin.

Everyone in my Condo is very friendly, we greet each other, help the old people with their packages, mostly Thai. Well last year before the AirBnB ban I got on the elevator and was surprised by an unfamiliar couple. The woman was in a full Birka, with only slots of a metallic eye mask showing. . I got the feeling I wasn’t supposed to say Hello to her. Was I wrong?

Then you have the Foreign weirdos who think they are superior and avoid all contact with other aliens for whatever reasons. I just bow subtlety to people. If they want to talk I’ll leave it up to them.

I will never acknowledge a woman with a fully covered face and only slits for the eyes, it won't go into all the reasons.

12 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Provided he is presentable I will always acknowledge him, a foreigner or a Thai.

IMO, being unpresentable is bring grossly overweight, having a lot of tattoos, and/or

a lot of facial hair.

Ahh, right, so fatties, beardo weirdos, and tats are out...

Skinny, clean shaven, no earrings, no tats is in...

Gotchya.

I aint fat, but remind me to avoid you at all costs, just in case I have to poke you in the eye.

actually this probably happens because many have the same experience as OP.

 

after xx times just trying to be decent and in return you get this 'cold shoulder' as they say,

then you will think

" fxxx these <deleted> if they gonna be like that"

 

 then you will also be the one who is walking on and look at the floor because not to give them the satisfaction.

 

anyway, honestly,

these arrogant turds answering on first few pages and those saying " why would i acknowledge them"

well, tell me: would you really want to know them?

 

no, its better they ignore you 

 

you can walk around them like a piece of soi dog turd on the street

On March 25, 2018 at 2:03 PM, sanemax said:

I put my head down, pretend to have not heard him and walk in the other direction . I have no desire to talk to strangers , 90% of the time, they want something 

What a sad world you must live in.

OK here is my story and apologies to those who have heard it but it's been a while:

 

I was walking in Central Park New York City late 1970's on a Sunday when the main road on the west side West Drive was closed to traffic. Walking. Jogging,. Bicycles. In-line skates etc.

 

I was walking south when to my left I saw a couple with a young boy sitting a bit off the road on a bench. I said a big HELLO! without breaking stride and he said a big HELLO! back.

 

He was John Lennon.

Maybe, just maybe they didn't speak English. 555 

I see very few farang here in Korat, but invariable I will speak to them and most are receptive. Ignore the naysayers on here, I think the majority have miserable lives. Keep doing what you are doing as it is the only way to live life.

3 hours ago, lovelomsak said:

I came back to this thread and reread many of the posts then it dawned on me. To ask a question of those here about their soacial habits in Thailand

  In your village or town where you live,how often in a day do you nod your head or give a smile to a Thai that pass's you in the market  on the street or meeting on motorcycle's?  I do every time I leave the house

   So why not nod smile say hello to foreigners also?

 

Be bloody hard work smiling at every single white person you pass in Pattaya or Bangkok, and again why would do you feel the need to?is there some great comraderie you need to display as a white person in Thailand? And as to your point you nod smile and wave at every Thai person in your village or town and while walking through a crowded market..really? All of them every day all the time? You must be retired I got no time to be doin that shit all day, sorry.

Remember, all your friends were strangers until somebody spoke to the other one.