We seem to get a lot of negativity concerning Thais on Thai Visa. I’m posting this for an alternative point of view.

 

Not far from my GF’s village, on Highway 1, there is a fresh fruit stall, selling everything in season. Right now, it’s strawberry season.

 

There’s a girl there, I’d say mid-twenties. Speaks excellent English, I think she has a farang boyfriend. She comes 100 km from Phayao to help out on the farm and the fruit stall.

 

I bought strawberries there a couple of days ago, and was quite astonished when for 80 baht, she also threw in a couple of melons and a bunch of longans for free.

 

Went back there today, and asked if there were still strawberries left for 80 baht. She apologized for only having small ones packed, but said there were also larger ones loose. I finished up getting double the amount of strawberries I bought the first time, and she threw in three avocados this time around. She refused extra payment above 80 baht, despite me offering 150 baht, saying it was a gift.

 

It’s not the first time I’ve encountered the generosity of Thais. I can remember my mechanic in Chiang Rai working on a problem I had with the Vios for nearly an hour, then refusing any payment after fixing it.

 

I’ve only met one other TV poster in the flesh. He knows who he is. His GF, an Issan farm girl with one of the broadest smiles I have ever seen on a woman, brought along a beautifully cooked home made banana cake to our first meeting.

 

There’s a caddie at Gymkhana Golf Club in Chiang Mai who gives her time to keeping the accounts and organising the caddies for major events without payment. Her farang boyfriend says she is the kindest person he has ever known.

 

What are your stories of Thai generosity and kindness?

Do you need to upgrade your wardrobe?

 

55555

 

Other than that, I've always found the Thais warm, welcoming, kind, & helpful.... Just pleasant people to be around....

28 minutes ago, pgrahmm said:

Do you need to upgrade your wardrobe?

 

55555

 

Other than that, I've always found the Thais warm, welcoming, kind, & helpful.... Just pleasant people to be around....

Good one, but I am quite well dressed compared to quite a few farangs I have seen. Usually shirt with collar, long pants, shoes and socks.

Perhaps I can turn this into a farang-bashing thread, in my ten years here I seem to have encountered more unpleasantness in that quarter.

Well today a neighbor gave us some fruit I have never had before. And I had a coffee and cake with four Thais and one of them picked up the bill. 

Yesterday another thai brought around 3 banana trees. Last week a friend of the same bloke gave me 3 “sour rot” plants. 

the banana bloke also helped me build the dome for the sour rot, from bamboo that was given to me by a policeman. 
 

Another bloke from the hardware shop in Khok Kloy gave me a papaya tree last week and a mango tree about two months ago. A tiler I had working for me all of last month brought me around 3 durian trees.

 

And another friend of banana bloke gave me a lime tree about a month ago. 
 

if this sounds unbelievable I will take photos tomorrow for proof. 
 

A Muslim woman at the market always throws in a free desert, when I buy something from her. 
 

It is very rare to meet a Thait Azz in Thailand. I think we all know the word for it, sticky sหเt. 
 

I cant even remember how many times I have been invited to have a drink with Thais, just walking past, especially around songkran. 
 

I had a temporary cash flow problem about two months ago, a Thai mate sold an amulet and gave me 10,000. I repaid him but there was no pressure. 
 

I think quite a few on this forum hook up with bargirls, whose job description is to bleed you dry, and obviously their family isn’t going to be much chop either and they are socially isolated as a result, but the general population is quite generous.
And while the rich don’t get taxed a lot, and the poor don’t get much welfare, I think most would be surprised how much the more well off Thais donate to community projects and sponsoring those who are really in need. 

 

The rescue blokes sometimes get a bad rap because of a few bad apples. But they donate their time, and other people donate vehicles and equipment.

 

i know a judge who sponsors a team to cut the roadside grass, pickup roadSide litter and also from the beach. 

 

I also know the banana bloke gave a substantial amount of money to help out a single mother with a disabled daughter.
 

Nobody starves in Thailand. 
And they do like to help out foreigners and take pride in being hospitable.
Nice people. The Thai bashers are sad, and embarrassing.
 

 

Been here 5 years, can't say I have ever encountered Thai's being generous, however I wouldn't expect them to be as I am better off than most in my wife's village.

 

I always tell the boss to give cloths that we don't need and to buy the old neighbour something to eat when she goes to the market.

 

My personal experience with Thai's, (not a Thai basher), to be all for themselves, and hard on each other, only offering help at the last minute to others if ever, like I said, this is my personal experience. An example would be that I went to reverse in a parking spot at the school my daughter goes to and out of nowhere this guy drives straight into the spot and walks off with his kid, real nice, everyone could see from the clear daylight that I was about to reverse into the spot, I didn't get angry, I expect the unexpected in Thailand, if it were in the old country, someone would have more than likely keyed his car, not me, duck and weaving throughout life is my moto, karma.

 

They are accommodating when being served, although most hardly smile, will wai, but might smile when I wai and speak the limited Thai that I know.

 

I could start mentioning about the ones that will try and take an arm and a leg, but won't because I don't want to be called a Thai basher.

I’m in Oz, with my wife of 3 years, she’s been here for 18 months.

She tells me every week that when she wins lotto she will get lights put up on our rural road and buy me 7 (!!!) Mia noi.

I have no doubts about Thais generosity of spirt... ????

I see it all the time and everywhere... 

 

yesterday and most every week, my housekeeper brings fruit. 

 

one that touched my heart was many years ago when we offered to refinish and rebuild my wife's parent's teak home on our property, her dad told me he would not accept unless I had more than XX million baht in the bank for myself... 

 

way too many stories to list. 

48 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I could start mentioning about the ones that will try and take an arm and a leg, but won't because I don't want to be called a Thai basher.

Guess you missed that opportunity... 

 

I would never tell anyone that John did it...

38 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

Been here 5 years, can't say I have ever encountered Thai's being generous, however I wouldn't expect them to be as I am better off than most in my wife's village.

 

I always tell the boss to give cloths that we don't need and to buy the old neighbour something to eat when she goes to the market.

 

My personal experience with Thai's, (not a Thai basher), to be all for themselves, and hard on each other, only offering help at the last minute to others if ever, like I said, this is my personal experience. An example would be that I went to reverse in a parking spot at the school my daughter goes to and out of nowhere this guy drives straight into the spot and walks off with his kid, real nice, everyone could see from the clear daylight that I was about to reverse into the spot, I didn't get angry, I expect the unexpected in Thailand, if it were in the old country, someone would have more than likely keyed his car, not me, duck and weaving throughout life is my moto, karma.

 

They are accommodating when being served, although most hardly smile, will wai, but might smile when I wai and speak the limited Thai that I know.

 

I could start mentioning about the ones that will try and take an arm and a leg, but won't because I don't want to be called a Thai basher.

I'll exclude Thai driving as an example, because they are among the world's most incompetent. No argument.

While there's debate about the various meanings of a Thai smile, IME one of the pleasures of living here is getting a smile from random strangers just because they feel like it.

I can't agree with your statement Thais are hard on each other. My GF is forever helping out at events in the village, not money but her time. When there's a death, all the neighbors band together to cook food for the mourners. Her daughter drives to the village on the weekends with food for the household, including cakes for me. I'm damn sure her income is way less than mine.

the girl at the restaurant I have lunch has given me papayas, bananas, longans, and free food.

2 hours ago, HighPriority said:

I’m in Oz, with my wife of 3 years, she’s been here for 18 months.

She tells me every week that when she wins lotto she will get lights put up on our rural road and buy me 7 (!!!) Mia noi.

I have no doubts about Thais generosity of spirt... ????

 

Especially when you are the one paying for the ticket.   ????

3 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Usually shirt with collar, long pants, shoes and socks.

 

No wonder they're treating you well, they can see that you're nuts. ????

There are two different Smiles to be seen in Thailand. Unfortunately many Farang experience the wrong type of smile. Then they start to believe it is the prevalent type of smile.

10 hours ago, HighPriority said:

I’m in Oz, with my wife of 3 years, she’s been here for 18 months.

She tells me every week that when she wins lotto she will get lights put up on our rural road and buy me 7 (!!!) Mia noi.

I have no doubts about Thais generosity of spirt... ????

 

They sure know how to spoil their man. You sound like you got a live one.

 

With regard to her buying you 7 (!!!) Mia noi, better get into shape up because I am sure you don't want to end up with a heart attack at Mia noi 1 ????

7 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

They sure know how to spoil their man. You sound like you got a live one.

 

With regard to her buying you 7 (!!!) Mia noi, better get into shape up because I am sure you don't want to end up with a heart attack at Mia noi 1 ????

I don't think my GF's generosity would extend to a mia noi or gik, and I'm not inclined to put it to the test. Too old anyway.

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I don't think my GF's generosity would extend to a mia noi or gik, and I'm not inclined to put it to the test. Too old anyway.

 

My wife has been generous twice that she knows of, as for Mia noi, not interested in having one, the short timer every now and again is just fine, one wife, one life, can't imagine having another for long time ????

I was pulled over by a policeman so I asked why did he pull me over, he said speeding, I said "how do you know?", he went red in the face and had no answer, I asked "how much?", he said "up to you", I offered him two hundred baht, he gave me back one hundred and told me to go. Yes they can be generous! ????

8 hours ago, bangon04 said:

There are two different Smiles to be seen in Thailand.

many more in my opinion... and farang often mistake 'hello' for - 'coming on' - - a smile is part of all interactions.. 

I recall when the king died and there was a couple of major events in the middle of pattaya, All the taxis and baht buses were transporting everyone for free.  All the restaurants and food vendors giving away free food/drinks to the crowds.

9 hours ago, bangon04 said:

There are two different Smiles to be seen in Thailand. Unfortunately many Farang experience the wrong type of smile. Then they start to believe it is the prevalent type of smile.

Even crocodiles know how to smile! ????

 

It's easy for foreigners to feel like targets for rip-offs etc. especially if in tourist areas. Out in the provinces and country I have experienced wonderful kindness and generosity from Thais over the years.

A few examples of my experiences:

• Numerous dinners when out with friends of my wife where her friends would insist on paying the bill
• When bicycle touring between Krabi and Nakhon Si Thammarat and sheltering from the rain under a sala in front of a house, the old man owner came out and gave me papaya
• Morning bike rides around the country villages I would often stop for coffee and the curious friendly locals always wanted to know what the farang was doing there. I don't recall ever paying for my coffee as they insisted on paying.
• Free motorcycle services such as oiling the chain and putting air in tyres. I always offer to pay and it's usually declined.  

Two doors up gives us so much foodstuff and takes nothing back I sometimes pretend to be out, this week 3 pineapples from CR. Friend round the corner has had her house bought for her and another given by former rich business associate and same gave her husband I mil towards a new mini van. My mrs just gives me a headache!

10 hours ago, bangon04 said:

There are two different Smiles to be seen in Thailand. Unfortunately many Farang experience the wrong type of smile. Then they start to believe it is the prevalent type of smile.

 

A Killing Smile by Christopher G. Moore

 

a lot more than two............. and many years to learn ( like any subject ) .

Though i have to say,  I am truly amazed  how quickly the farang can come to Thailand and

become an expert on sooooo many things Thai .    

5 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

They sure know how to spoil their man. You sound like you got a live one.

 

With regard to her buying you 7 (!!!) Mia noi, better get into shape up because I am sure you don't want to end up with a heart attack at Mia noi 1 ????

I always tell her I don’t need 7, I only need 5.

1 each night, her and a night off... ????

????

Ive  made my  fair share of adverse comments about Thais,  but Ive  made  more about my own countrymen.

I have also  experienced many incidents of kindness, and generosity from Thais, and had some   really  funny experiences. By that  "funny"  I mean  hilarious.  I especially recall, one day in a department store, I noticed a middle aged Thai man   actually scowling at me. I   kept looking over to him, the scowl remained.   To this day I dont know why, but I  smiled at him.   A big beaming smile. It was just involuntary on my part.       To my amazement,  he smiled back, gave me a  laugh and waved and walked off.  

As for my wifes married daughter, some years ago I heard her speaking badly to her mother.  I ripped into her and told her  if she ever spoke to her mother like that again she would  eat her meals standing up for a long time.   Both her, and her husband,, now appear terrified of me,  Im an old man for goodness sake,  but there is respect there, both ways now.

Absolutely agree, I can't think of another person on earth that's as generous as my Thai wife ....with my money.

I have been living here in Chiang Mai for the past 16 years.

Prior to that, I had been extensively backpacking around Asia, but in particular, using Thailand as a starting and departing point, together with long beach holidays for the                                      10 years before that.

I first came to Thailand in 1964. During the next 20 years, I visited here again, on some 6-8 different occasions.

In all that time, I have never had a problem, anywhere, with any Thai people.

I have never felt unsafe.

I too have experienced many instances of helpfulness, kindness, warmth and generosity  - everywhere I have been.

 

Yes, I have been cheated a little occasionally, yes, I've met some unhappy, disgruntled and rude Thai people, of course I have.

What I have also done, is to meet some pretty obnoxious, argumentative, selfish and ignorant foreigners - both from my own country and other countries around the world.

And I have also met thousands of others who were also pleasant to be with and to know.

 

I believe you meet and mix with those people - irrespective of nationality, that you can converse with and enjoy their company. If you are on the same wavelength, you rarely find a problem. You ignore and avoid the rest. They will always moan and hate - it's in their nature, whether they are here or back in their own country.

 

I don't wish to live anywhere but here. Why would I?

 

 

 

On the whole I have found Thai people to be friendly and helpful. I’ve never had a bad experience in Thailand but I read extensively before I landed in Thailand so was aware of the pitfalls. As a foreigner I’d still be wary of getting involved in any business deals or buying property, but that comment would apply in many foreign countries. You also have to be extra careful with fellow westerners, as many rogues are looking to take advantage of new arrivals. But in the whole Thai people are a very nice bunch.

19 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Usually shirt with collar, long pants, shoes and socks.

What is good about these sartorial accomplishments? 

17 hours ago, orchis said:

the girl at the restaurant I have lunch has given me papayas, bananas, longans, and free food.

Are these the latest euphemistic jargon?