On Friday I had a medical situation that saw me spending all day sitting in Chiang dao hospital. By evening it was clear that they could not solve the situation and they referred me to a hospital in Chiang Mai. I decided to drive-by myself, in hindsight not the best option. I ended up in a field, razing a traffic sign and damaging a utility post. Fortunately no personal injuries whatsoever, although the car was badly damaged. After about two minutes the first Thais came to assist. A woman and her husband called the insurance, called my wife,arranged for removal of the car from the field and comforted me.  After a while also the police arrived. They were polite, and very professional. By about 23.00 everything was settled. The thai lady arranged for a transport for me to to the hospital in Chiang Mai. The lady and her husband absolutely refused any contribution for their help. The driver was paid. The good experience (despite accident) continued at nakorn ping hospital in Chiang Mai. Professional,helpful and kind - and able to solve my medical problem.

The next morning we went to the police station to settle matters. Again, the police were friendly and professional.

After reading many stories on the forum expressing bashing thai people I am only too happy to contribute a personal experience which show the good side of Thais!

A heartening story..........other than the concern that you should not have been driving????........you could have killed some total innocents.

Normal Thais are the salt of the earth.

On 6/15/2021 at 9:47 AM, Excel said:

Normal Thais are the salt of the earth.

Yes they are as I had a problem with my Honda cbr650f one day just stopped on me. Thai people came out from their houses and gave me plenty of water until I got it going again. Some things you just never forget.

3 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Yes they are as I had a problem with my Honda cbr650f one day just stopped on me. Thai people came out from their houses and gave me plenty of water until I got it going again. Some things you just never forget.

Exactly, very kind and generous people with their hearts which is why I love living here and have been for so long. It upsets me, and many others like me, to see the way that the regime treats the very people that made Thailand  the place it is.

Not so smart, driving yourself under the circumstances, but yes, generally Thai people will help & give (what they can ill afford) generally country folk & those brought up there.

Unfortunately most of the  the wealthier city kind are more of a closed shop when comes to Farangs

(Very obvious when I play golf ay a predominantly Thai course)

OPs experience is by far and away my usual experience in LOS ... otherwise I wouldn't come back, would I?

Pays to keep your wits about you and some sense of situational awareness, but otherwise Thai people are great.

Bad apples everywhere.

1 hour ago, vandeventer said:

Yes they are as I had a problem with my Honda cbr650f one day just stopped on me. Thai people came out from their houses and gave me plenty of water until I got it going again. Some things you just never forget.

A while back I had a flat tyre and navy officer pulled up and tried to take over while I was in the middle of the wheel change. I thanked him and told him I was OK. In Bangkok a motorcyclist ran into the side of my car. A lady came out of her house and gave me a chair to sit on while the problem was sorted. Just two examples of the many kindnesses extended to me over the years. It does not do to tar everyone with the same brush..

On 6/15/2021 at 9:47 AM, Excel said:

Normal Thais are the salt of the earth.

Normal farang are too.

It's the abnormal in every country you have to watch for.

 

Note however that very nearly every person alive believes that they are normal.

2 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

Normal farang are too.

It's the abnormal in every country you have to watch for.

 

Note however that very nearly every person alive believes that they are normal.

The thread is specifically about Thai people, no one else

In 21 years of living in Thailand, i have only met two really bad Thais.

My lawyer in Hua Hin. She stole my car. A year later she wrote to me begging for some money otherwise she would go to gaol. I hope that she had a nice time in gaol.

The second was a builder who stole my money leaving me with an unfinished house. (He was an American Thai.)

The other tens of thousands of Thais that I have met, worked with, drank and eaten with and had business dealings with - great people and I love them all.

Policemen - I have only been shaken down twice for tea money in 21 years. Traffic cops. One in Bangkok and one in Hua Hin.

The rest of the police that I have dealt with?  Again, very polite, honest and friendly. Yes, I have been involved with quite a few police cases (Bangkok (murder then libel), Hua Hin (vehicular homicide) and Samui (assault and a few cases of theft) and I have only had a good response from all of them.

On 6/15/2021 at 9:29 AM, SchuetzRob said:

On Friday I had a medical situation that saw me spending all day sitting in Chiang dao hospital. By evening it was clear that they could not solve the situation and they referred me to a hospital in Chiang Mai. I decided to drive-by myself, in hindsight not the best option. I ended up in a field, razing a traffic sign and damaging a utility post. Fortunately no personal injuries whatsoever, although the car was badly damaged. After about two minutes the first Thais came to assist. A woman and her husband called the insurance, called my wife,arranged for removal of the car from the field and comforted me.  After a while also the police arrived. They were polite, and very professional. By about 23.00 everything was settled. The thai lady arranged for a transport for me to to the hospital in Chiang Mai. The lady and her husband absolutely refused any contribution for their help. The driver was paid. The good experience (despite accident) continued at nakorn ping hospital in Chiang Mai. Professional,helpful and kind - and able to solve my medical problem.

The next morning we went to the police station to settle matters. Again, the police were friendly and professional.

After reading many stories on the forum expressing bashing thai people I am only too happy to contribute a personal experience which show the good side of Thais!

I'm interest in where you come from. 

In Scotland, Scots people would do exactly the same. In my experience, Thai people would do exactly the same. 

16 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

In 21 years of living in Thailand, i have only met two really bad Thais.

My lawyer in Hua Hin. She stole my car. A year later she wrote to me begging for some money otherwise she would go to gaol. I hope that she had a nice time in gaol.

The second was a builder who stole my money leaving me with an unfinished house. (He was an American Thai.)

The other tens of thousands of Thais that I have met, worked with, drank and eaten with and had business dealings with - great people and I love them all.

Policemen - I have only been shaken down twice for tea money in 21 years. Traffic cops (One in Bangkok and one in Hua Hin.)

The rest of the police that I have dealt with?  Again, very polite, honest and friendly. Yes, I have been involved with quite a few police cases (Bangkok (murder then libel), Hua Hin (vehicular homicide) and Samui (assault and a few cases of theft) and I have only had a good response from all of them.

Wow, I'm met hundreds of bad Thai people, and I am Thai. 

 

I've also met hundreds of bad Scottish people, and I am Scottish.

 

 

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Wow, I'm met hundreds of bad Thai people, and I am Thai. 

 

I've also met hundreds of bad Scottish people, and I am Scottish.

 

 

Come down to Samui - we are more friendly here - and I even have some very good Scottish friends here.

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Wow, I'm met hundreds of bad Thai people, and I am Thai. 

I've also met hundreds of bad Scottish people, and I am Scottish.

I've lived with several Thai ladies that admitted to murdering their husbands.

I've lived with a Brit woman who wanted to murder me, but on the QT.

When I lived in Glasgow all the Scots were really nice to me.

 

Thais are more open and honest.

Scots are more drunk.

IMHO.

Just now, Tropicalevo said:

Come down to Samui - we are more friendly here - and I even have some very good Scottish friends here.

Very friendly in Khon Kaen too. 

Just now, BritManToo said:

I've lived with several Thai ladies that admitted to murdering their husbands.

I've lived with a Brit woman who wanted to murder me, but on the QT.

 

Thais are more open and honest IMHO.

Do you have a death wish?

Just now, Neeranam said:

Do you have a death wish?

Sex with psychopaths is much better, if you have the skills to survive them.

Hint: Always say goodbye using SMS, after you have moved somewhere else.

The normal experience of every day life in Thailand....  the vast majority of people are kind and helpful. 

 

Bashing Thai driving, quality of workmanship, corrupt police and government etc is not the same as bashing the average Thai person.

 

As with any nationality, the kindness and politeness of its citizens generally presents more in common with everyone else than differences - we are all ultimately the same with minor cultural differences which are amplified through lack of a common language... thats all really. 

 

 

-----

 

My recent feel good story apart from the daily exchanged nods and smiles.... 

Wife had a flat tire, call me to go assist. I rocked up on my motorcycle, 2pm in the afternoon. Full on Son (wife had not parked in the shade).... I start changing the tire... a Thai man comes to help.

Halfway though helping he just walks off !!! not a word. (he was someones driver an Khun Nai had just returned with the shopping !!!) - he meant well !

 

 

On 6/15/2021 at 9:47 AM, Excel said:

Normal Thais are the salt of the earth.

AND abnormal ones (phuket thais) are poison of the earth

4 hours ago, natway09 said:

Not so smart, driving yourself under the circumstances, but yes, generally Thai people will help & give (what they can ill afford) generally country folk & those brought up there.

Unfortunately most of the  the wealthier city kind are more of a closed shop when comes to Farangs

(Very obvious when I play golf ay a predominantly Thai course)

With respect, city folk anywhere are a bit "more of a closed shop".   And, again with respect, what kind of generosity do you expect at a golf course?  Golf courses in Thailand are sort of Hi-So in my experience.  But YMMV.

5 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

In 21 years of living in Thailand, i have only met two really bad Thais.

My lawyer in Hua Hin. She stole my car. A year later she wrote to me begging for some money otherwise she would go to gaol. I hope that she had a nice time in gaol.

The second was a builder who stole my money leaving me with an unfinished house. (He was an American Thai.)

The other tens of thousands of Thais that I have met, worked with, drank and eaten with and had business dealings with - great people and I love them all.

Policemen - I have only been shaken down twice for tea money in 21 years. Traffic cops. One in Bangkok and one in Hua Hin.

The rest of the police that I have dealt with?  Again, very polite, honest and friendly. Yes, I have been involved with quite a few police cases (Bangkok (murder then libel), Hua Hin (vehicular homicide) and Samui (assault and a few cases of theft) and I have only had a good response from all of them.

Yes. In my last post I forgot to mention my lawyer who swindled me out of Baht 200,000 and a land developer who did the same.

Years ago, I was teaching at a school in BKK. Morning class, my girlfriend started blowing up my phone, although she knew I was working.  Sensing an emergency, I stepped out of the class to take the call. 
A taxi driver found my magnetic money clip/ wallet in the middle of a busy intersection.  I had no ID or contact information in it, except for the carbon copy receipt for the motorbike, which I wrote my girlfriend’s name and phone number on for the dealer. The damn thing fell out of my pocket riding to work. 
The driver saw it, got out and picked it up, and went through and scrap to find a contact. He called her and she told him I was working and he offered to drive it to my school. I told her I could go to him on my break to save him the hassle. He said he didn’t mind delivering it and would be there in X minutes. When he arrived he handed it to me with all the money in still in it. Long time ago, but between 5000 and 7000 baht, I think. I waied BIG and offered him a couple thousand for a finders fee. He refused the reward. Wouldn’t even take a couple hundred for his troubles and fuel.  No photos, no calling the press. He just waied me back, wished me a good day, and drive away. I was stunned. 
The crazy thing is afterwards, I demonstrated to the class the chances of dropping the money clip and the money not falling out, given the amount of bills. Must have been one in a million. 
I have some bad stories of taxi drivers, but this shows there are both good and bad people everywhere in the world.  I hope I am on the good side, or am reminded to be. And I hope you are all too. Pass it on. 

I'm sure people in every country can be the absolute nicest person on the planet.  In my home country, some people are absolutely amazing.

 

In Thailand, there might be more of them.  

On 6/15/2021 at 9:47 AM, Excel said:

Normal Thais are the salt of the earth.

I agree, as long as most of them do not drive or ride motorbikes.

10 hours ago, keysersoze276 said:

I have some bad stories of taxi drivers, but this shows there are both good and bad people everywhere in the world.  I hope I am on the good side, or am reminded to be. And I hope you are all too. Pass it on. 

One taxi driver asked my parents to get out on top of the elevated highway if they didn't pay him an extra 1000 baht. 

Once I left a folder with all of my family's passports, bank accounts, certificates and the taxi driver wouldn't stop. I had to run down Silom road, jump on a m/c taxi to catch him.

Once, after taking me the wrong way, a taxi driver punched me in the face. I instinctively replied in kind and he then tried to hit me with a tyre lever. If it hadn't been for my Kung <deleted> skills, I'd be dead. 

19 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Yes they are as I had a problem with my Honda cbr650f one day just stopped on me. Thai people came out from their houses and gave me plenty of water until I got it going again. Some things you just never forget.

I had a flat battery on my automatic car coz I'd left the lights on to long, Thai's came to my rescue , by insisting they could bump start it  ????, I sat on the curb in amusement as they tried and tried, refusing to listen to me ''you can not'' Oh well they did try ????

19 hours ago, vandeventer said:

Yes they are as I had a problem with my Honda cbr650f one day just stopped on me. Thai people came out from their houses and gave me plenty of water until I got it going again. Some things you just never forget.

I had a flat battery on my automatic car coz I'd left the lights on to long, Thai's came to my rescue , by insisting they could bump start it  ????, I sat on the curb in amusement as they tried and tried, refusing to listen to me ''you can not'' Oh well they did try ????

I have always said you will never starve in Thailand, (hopefully I will never be in that situation) if you approach them no matter how poor they are, while they are eating outside at home, they will always offer food and almost force you to drink some whisky, They consider you as a local after a few weeks, try that in your home country and OFF would be the last word.

17 hours ago, Neeranam said:

In Scotland, Scots people would do exactly the same.

 

.

 

16 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I've also met hundreds of bad Scottish people.