Strangers talking on baht buses in these "interesting" times

[Jingthing]

How can I put this?

Well, here goes.

I ride the baht buses a lot. 

Quite often people will engage strangers on the buses. What country are you from? That sort of thing. 

Russians and Chinese people not so much, but I don't speak their language anyway.

So focusing here on conversations in English.

Have other people noticed something I've noticed a lot more lately?

People talking about what's happening in the USA. Not just about politicians, but about things like gun violence, health care, how "great" America really is (or isn't).

Let's face it most people in the world don't closely follow stuff happening in India or fill in the blank. But people all over the world often know more about news in the USA than many Americans.

As an American I find this interesting and also awkward. While I might be interested sometimes in talking to strangers about my country, I'm not exactly looking for arguments or conflicts on a bus.

 

I'll give you a recent example.

 

Then I invite others to comment about what's happening with this, do they agree with me international people are talking a lot more about the USA recently, and their feelings and experiences about all that. (Without getting into a political debate per se. Other places for that on this forum.)

 

Overheard a conversation between a Swede and a Canadian man (both middle aged). They quickly started talking about the USA after a brief chat about how wonderful both of their nation's welfare states were performing. They talked in technical details about the recent U.S. election. They had theories about how and why the U.S. was divided. At one point, they both mocked the idea that the USA was the "greatest" country. They talked about how ignorant Americans are generally. 

 

I shut my trap. Depending on an American's politics they might have been very angry about what they hear or sympathetic and embarrassed about the situation in our country, and a large range in between. 

 

Sometimes you hear partisan red hat style Americans aggressively engaging foreigners seeking their approval. So far I've only heard polite responses to that but one wonders how those same people would talk if they didn't know Americans were listening. That's pretty weird. I've never met one Russian trying to convince me that Putin is great. There are limits.

 

So is this thing that I think is going on now because I have personally noticed it, is that my random experience, or have other's noticed it?

Edited November 8, 2018 by Jingthing

[sirmud63]

i think maybe you should get out a bit more mate . 

[JimmyTheMook]

Brah, you that Perv always trying to talk me?

[theguyfromanotherforum]

What do you expect when the world police is on the news channels 24/7? I grew up in a communist country yet everyone I knew spoke English, not Russian. We were mostly shown American movies on national TV.

 

Do you expect 2 strangers of different nationalities to discuss Albanian political affairs?

 

Anyhoo.... you're in Pattaya. Did you expect to hear some intellectual convo from the barstool?

 

  

 

 

[bendejo]

Coverage of the "news" centers on El Naranjo, in the US and abroad.  I get my news from a few web sites, the only televised news I watch is Al Jazeera, and even they usually lead off with something going on in DC.  The past few weeks the it's been starting with the Kashoggi thing, which of course leads back to...

My point is regardless of the country of origin, you-know-who is the center of attention.  I think a lot of people on this planet are concerned what this man-baby with so much power means for the rest of the world.

And then there is Fox News, which, you may have noticed, does not have an international edition -- all that Reich-wing idiocy goes out across the world.  I'm certain people are shocked to hear that some cities in their country have areas where there is no police and murder is rampant.  With crud like this on worldwide broadcast it is no wonder even non-Americans are taking such an interest.  Some people from UK recently asked me if Jeanine Pirro is actually satire.

And then there's the whole business of alienating allies and romancing of dictators...

 

Since June 2015 the US media has become a reality show, including coming attractions: "I'll have a firm opinion on this next Tuesday,"  "I will be making an important announcement next Thursday" etc.  Time and channel doesn't matter.

 

 

[n210mp]

Bored again JT? hahahaha but thanks for many great topics!

[KittenKong]

The main reason I drive my car round Pattaya now is because it allows me to avoid overhearing daft conversations on bahtbuses. Silence is golden.

[Spidey]

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Sometimes you hear partisan red hat style Americans aggressively engaging foreigners seeking their approval. So far I've only heard polite responses to that but one wonders how those same people would talk if they didn't know Americans were listening. That's pretty weird. I've never met one Russian trying to convince me that Putin is great. There are limits.

 

My next door neighbour is a Trump supporter, but otherwise a really nice guy, he's an American, I'm a Brit. Trump, for us, is the elephant in the room, we just don't talk about him.

 

Just about every Russian I've ever met sings the praises of Putin. I remember meeting a young Russian guy in a club in Samui. He was living and working there. Very switched on and Westernised. I thought he, at least might have something negative to say about Putin. Nope, absolutely loved the guy.

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, n210mp said:

Bored again JT? hahahaha but thanks for many great topics!

I'm easily amused, but thanks for asking.

Generally I avoid these conversations. 

Avert eye contact. Stare into mobile. Repeat.

 

But sometimes I'm tempted to pipe in.

Like the other night when an aggressive old American man spouting xenophobic ideology was talking to a Swedish couple in pigeon English as if he was talking to a non-English speaking child. I really felt like saying -- Dude, they're Swedish. They speak English much better than you and you sound like a moron. Have some dignity and speak in proper sentences, you old fool!

 

But I shut up. 

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

My next door neighbour is a Trump supporter, but otherwise a really nice guy, he's an American, I'm a Brit. Trump, for us, is the elephant in the room, we just don't talk about him.

 

Just about every Russian I've ever met sings the praises of Putin. I remember meeting a young Russian guy in a club in Samui. He was living and working there. Very switched on and Westernised. I thought he, at least might have something negative to say about Putin. Nope, absolutely loved the guy.

Yeah I'm aware most Russians like Putin but I've yet to see a Russian approach a non-Russian on a baht bus and start talking about how great Putin is. 

[Spidey]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Yeah I'm aware most Russians like Putin but I've yet to see a Russian approach a non-Russian on a baht bus and start talking about how great Putin is. 

I'm yet to see a Russian on a baht bus that speaks English.

[champers]

Didn't your mother tell you to never speak to strsngers?

[i claudius]

Ah baht buses ,have not been on one for nearly 14 years . those were the days ,now i am stuck in an air conditioned car ,listening to music . ????

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, KittenKong said:

The main reason I drive my car round Pattaya now is because it allows me to avoid overhearing daft conversations on bahtbuses. Silence is golden.

you clearly don't drive around with your Mrs next to you giving you ear ache. Lucky man.   I feed mine a steady stream of  dried Mango in the car just to shut her up. 

[Spidey]

15 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

you clearly don't drive around with your Mrs next to you giving you ear ache. Lucky man.   I feed mine a steady stream of  dried Mango in the car just to shut her up. 

I let mine drive and turn the music up. Works for me.

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

I let mine drive and turn the music up. Works for me.

Bloody hell mate, my hero.  I wouldn't let her near the wheel,  I'd be dead in a week.  

[Spidey]

Just now, Pilotman said:

Bloody hell mate, my hero.  I wouldn't let her near the wheel,  I'd be dead in a week.  

She used to drive a truck for a living and always drives better than me when I'm in the car. However, 3 weeks ago, came back from the market with a wing mirror hanging off and a sorry story about a crazy scooter driver. 2 nights ago came back from the market again with the front drivers side wing completely stoved in, a real mess. Again, all the scooter riders fault. Apparently a cop had seen the accident and when the rider started giving it the "My shoulder hurts, you have to take me to hospital" the cop came over and told him he was drunk and he'd better get himself to hospital. Only in Thailand!

 

Off to Korat and Buriram next week with a mate and his girlfriend, and have hired a car. I think I'll stick the girls in the back and share the driving with my mate.

[BritManToo]

Never met anyone, Thai or foreigner, that mentioned America who wasn't American.

What you lot get up to just doesn't bother the rest of the world.

 

[Spidey]

Just now, BritManToo said:

Never met anyone, Thai or foreigner, that mentioned America who wasn't American.

What you lot get up to just doesn't bother the rest of the world.

 

Most Thais think that America is part of Australia, or vice-versa.

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Never met anyone, Thai or foreigner, that mentioned America who wasn't American.

What you lot get up to just doesn't bother the rest of the world.

 

Do you ride the baht buses?

[i claudius]

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

I let mine drive and turn the music up. Works for me.

Me to half the time .lovely to just look at the world passing by

[KittenKong]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

you clearly don't drive around with your Mrs next to you giving you ear ache. Lucky man.

I'm single and I live alone. Always have done, always will do.

[Emster23]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Never met anyone, Thai or foreigner, that mentioned America who wasn't American.

What you lot get up to just doesn't bother the rest of the world.

 

I'm American, and plenty of folks from other countries have asked me about Trump. They seemed surprised when I tell them I think he is an existential threat to democracy and the world (if he gets his way). I ride baht buses. I don't go to bars.

[Jingthing]

12 minutes ago, Emster23 said:

I'm American, and plenty of folks from other countries have asked me about Trump. They seemed surprised when I tell them I think he is an existential threat to democracy and the world (if he gets his way). I ride baht buses. I don't go to bars.

Yes, I think in the majority of cases these days when an American meets another American abroad, or an American meets a non-American, that the current president (no need to call names) is usually very high on people's minds, usually at the TOP of their minds to talk about. Is this person pro or con? What does he think about the situation? In many cases of course people are reticent to bring it up for the fear that they will disagree with the person. So it's more polite to NOT talk about it. But it's most usually there whether discussed openly or avoided.

 

I'm going to amend this comment. I should say SOME nationalities. For example, Thai people in my experience are very rarely interested in matters outside of Thailand. 

 

So it's more like when an American meets a nationality like a French person.

 

But back to the OP, what seems new to me is hearing random people that are NOT Americans starting to talk about the USA very quickly. That seems like a big change. 

 

I have a theory as to why.

 

Whether people have agreed or disagreed with the USA's role in the world as the so called "leader of the free world" there is little doubt internationally that the current dominant U.S. leadership party has radically WITHDRAWN from that. So the world in general is dealing with an identity crisis. Who is your Daddy now? 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Jingthing

[Enoon]

10 hours ago, sirmud63 said:

i think maybe you should get out a bit more mate . 

 

I would have thought that the contents of JTs post (and many others of his) indicate that he does get out.....a lot.

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Enoon

[Enoon]

41 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

 

Whether people have agreed or disagreed with the USA's role in the world as the so called "leader of the free world" there is little doubt internationally that the current dominant U.S. leadership party has radically WITHDRAWN from that. So the world in general is dealing with an identity crisis. Who is your Daddy now? 

 

The informed world recognises a dictator when they see one.

 

Something happened that has not happened before.

 

For the first time they see a coarse, vulgar, abusive, demonstrably unhinged, bullying, aggressive, spiteful, vicious megalomaniac (who revealed themselves so from the outset) in charge of the US and its power.

 

America put him there.

 

All the old ideas (however mistaken) that might have existed about the inherent "down home" goodness of America and it's "dream" are now well and truly gone.

 

No wonder they are talking about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Enoon

[allanos]

37 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, I think in the majority of cases these days when an American meets another American abroad, or an American meets a non-American, that the current president (no need to call names) is usually very high on people's minds, usually at the TOP of their minds to talk about. Is this person pro or con? What does he think about the situation? In many cases of course people are reticent to bring it up for the fear that they will disagree with the person. So it's more polite to NOT talk about it. But it's most usually there whether discussed openly or avoided.

 

I'm going to amend this comment. I should say SOME nationalities. For example, Thai people in my experience are very rarely interested in matters outside of Thailand. 

 

So it's more like when an American meets a nationality like a French person.

 

But back to the OP, what seems new to me is hearing random people that are NOT Americans starting to talk about the USA very quickly. That seems like a big change. 

 

I have a theory as to why.

 

Whether people have agreed or disagreed with the USA's role in the world as the so called "leader of the free world" there is little doubt internationally that the current dominant U.S. leadership party has radically WITHDRAWN from that. So the world in general is dealing with an identity crisis. Who is your Daddy now? 

Utter nonsense!

[malibukid]

i just tell everyone i am a Canadian now, eh.

Edited November 9, 2018 by malibukid

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, allanos said:

Utter nonsense!

Are you riding the baht buses often?

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, malibukid said:

i just tell everyone i am a Canadian now, eh.

I have done that in the past in situations where I reasonably fear having my food poisoned (such at an Iranian restaurant in Malaysia) but these days I just suck it up if asked and spit it out and then watch the "interesting" reactions. I don't seek out situations where the question of nationality comes up, but of course, it often does.