I would Do Anything for Thais, but I Won't Do THAT!

[2long]

Do you like the Meatloaf tribute in the title?

 

Anyway, after living here for well over 20 years, I have of course become accustomed to many Thai ways, these include the culture, some language, weather, spicy food etc. 

I'm happy to wai people when it's appropriate and several other things that are alien to westerners. But I will not 'offer my food' to people who are just walking by while I eat or come into my house while I'm eating. I know they do it, almost instinctively, from years of conditioning... but it's my food, so why offer it? Also, if it's just a fake gesture, then even more reason not to do it. I appreciate the warmth & generosity of Thai people when they do it, and I admire their culture. But this is one thing I won't do.

 

Is there anything that other members refuse to do, just out of spite, stubbornness or for other reasons?

Edited January 23, 2022 by 2long

[Moonlover]

When I am walking around the village during the day I do occasionally get invited to join the 'boys' for a drink. That is one thing I will not do. I am a very moderate drinker and I do not like have alcohol 'pressed' upon me as the way in Thailand.

 

Evenings only guys and then 2 drinks only which I control, not you. They may consider me a bit antisocial. So be it, those are my rules.

[RichardColeman]

 

35 minutes ago, 2long said:

Is there anything that other members refuse to do, just out of spite, stubbornness or for other reasons?

I certainly wont entertain eating that scrapped up slop off the floor looking crab Somtam - though that may be for health reasons rather than stubbornness 

[Blue Muton]

Lend money. They got the message some time ago.

[heist]

Won't take shots of Lao Khao at 7am when I go to the local to buy a coffee

Edited January 23, 2022 by heist

[Hummin]

I eat my food, they eat their food. Problem solved ????

 

I do not sit on the floor when I eat, and when family visit us, Im happy to eat alone, while they chit chat and eat. 

 

Her family do not drink, and not som many of their neighbours either, so it is not a problem for me to be unpolite, and the village know Im not a drinker to. I also do not go to the local temple, and is also accepted, since they believe Im christian. 

 

Im more social when travelling and visiting friends, than Im home, and enjoy our distanced location away from noisy neighbours. 

[Pravda]

I'd do anything for love, but I won't do cuck 

[bbko]

This happens to me when I'm in the wife's village up in Phetchabun, I'll go from one cousin/aunt/uncle/friend's house to another and they'll invite me to sit, talk, eat & drink, why wouldn't I do the same?  

If the OP is talking about offering food to complete strangers, then I see his point.

 

As for "Is there anything that other members refuse to do, just out of spite, stubbornness or for other reasons?" I won't lend money to cousins, aunts, uncles and after one cousin stole some of my wife's gold while she was in our home about 10 years ago, that cousin isn't allowed in my home anymore even though we are back on friendly terms.

[Caldera]

Sounds petty to me. I've often been invited for a snack and I've often invited others. Nice gesture.

 

Where I draw the line is drinking water from a communal cup or Lao Khao from a communal shot glass. Since long before Covid; I just find it gross.

Edited January 23, 2022 by Caldera

[Screaming]

I used to like to eat Thai food in my Western country but when I moved to Thailand, I stopped eating it. The quality of the food and the cleanliness of the food preparation turned me off to Thai food. If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant. That is because typical Thai food is prepared in the street or on the public sidewalk among the pollution of the city.

[Adumbration]

Hold my penis through my nylon track pants with one hand and pick my nose and eat it with the other.

[Hummin]

24 minutes ago, Screaming said:

I used to like to eat Thai food in my Western country but when I moved to Thailand, I stopped eating it. The quality of the food and the cleanliness of the food preparation turned me off to Thai food. If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant. That is because typical Thai food is prepared in the street or on the public sidewalk among the pollution of the city.

What is typical Thai food? Most of us never eat typical Thai food, but some few do yes. Those who live with family in the villages, but also very few of them live on local food only. 

[it is what it is]

 

sounds like you want to have your cake and eat it, and solving this problem obviously hasn't been a piece of cake for you.

 

i can see how after a hard day bringing home the bacon you'd want to eat in peace, and that having someone help themselves to your food isn't your cup of tea.

 

but in the end of the day i suggest you chill out and take it as a pinch of salt.

[steven100]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

 

I certainly wont entertain eating that scrapped up slop off the floor looking crab Somtam - though that may be for health reasons rather than stubbornness 

agree ....  in fact there's a lot of thai food that looks like the dog just regurgitated it up on the plate imo. 

also, anything with fish sauce in it ....  smells revolting    ! 

[RichardColeman]

Just now, steven100 said:

agree ....  in fact there's a lot of thai food that looks like the dog just regurgitated it up on the plate imo. 

also, anything with fish sauce in it ....  smells revolting    ! 

Fact my wife spends two days on the toilet after eating it is a god indicator to me

[Adumbration]

16 minutes ago, Hummin said:

What is typical Thai food? Most of us never eat typical Thai food, but some few do yes. Those who live with family in the villages, but also very few of them live on local food only. 

I live almost entirely on local food.  Seafood I catch each day myself and fruit, veges and herbs from our farm.  I buy chicken and pork in town at present but once the fence lines are finished I will be raising my own chickens.

 

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, Adumbration said:

I live almost entirely on local food.  Seafood I catch each day myself and fruit, veges and herbs from our farm.  I buy chicken and pork in town at present but once the fence lines are finished I will be raising my own chickens.

 

Well, I understand eating local food can be understood different ????

 

 

 

[userabcd]

58 minutes ago, Screaming said:

I used to like to eat Thai food in my Western country but when I moved to Thailand, I stopped eating it. The quality of the food and the cleanliness of the food preparation turned me off to Thai food. If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant. That is because typical Thai food is prepared in the street or on the public sidewalk among the pollution of the city.

Loads of Thai street food and Thai restaurants serving delicious well prepared tasty meals.

 

Many malls have Thai restaurants serving authentic Thai food, many have their own variation of preparation and taste to them, just as it is with Indian or western food.

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by userabcd

[userabcd]

13 minutes ago, steven100 said:

agree ....  in fact there's a lot of thai food that looks like the dog just regurgitated it up on the plate imo. 

also, anything with fish sauce in it ....  smells revolting    ! 

Same here, cannot stand the taste of fish sauce, it is overpowering and always ask to omit it from my food when ordering.

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, 2long said:

But I will not 'offer my food' to people who are just walking by while I eat or come into my house while I'm eating.

Been here FT around 20 years or more and never had anyone want my food... you mean like want a bite of your hamburger? 

 

The family is always roasting something outside but that is sort of communal property and they offer it to me too when walking past... but in my house? No, never happened... 

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, Screaming said:

I used to like to eat Thai food in my Western country but when I moved to Thailand, I stopped eating it. The quality of the food and the cleanliness of the food preparation turned me off to Thai food. If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant. That is because typical Thai food is prepared in the street or on the public sidewalk among the pollution of the city.

Just a point that some may consider interesting. My wife used to eat a lot of street cart food. She regularly got canker sores, sometimes extremely severe where she needed to visit a doctor. Canker sores that could last weeks and make it very difficult to eat (good for weight loss LOL). Now that street cart food is taboo, she never gets canker sores. We only eat at very clean restaurants now, or at home.

Edited January 23, 2022 by JensenZ

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Screaming said:

I used to like to eat Thai food in my Western country but when I moved to Thailand, I stopped eating it. The quality of the food and the cleanliness of the food preparation turned me off to Thai food. If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant. That is because typical Thai food is prepared in the street or on the public sidewalk among the pollution of the city.

You don't get typical Thai food in the west. What you get is the Thai cuisine adjusted to appeal to the western palate. The same is also true of Indian and Chinese food.

 

I've eaten all three, both in the west, mainly in the UK and in their native countries. I've lived in all three for various lengths and in all cases the food is very different.

 

All Thai food that you are served here is typical and authentic because it is cooked by Thais, for Thais. I do not eat at street stalls. Not because I don't trust the offerings, but because I prefer more convivial surroundings. Generally I find the mall food courts quite acceptable, although sometimes a bit noisy.

[mrwebb8825]

Are you kidding? I became the star of the village by preparing an entire Thanksgiving meal from veggie trays with dip to homemade pumpkin pie and when word got out we had 1/2 the village stopping by for a "taste of America". 

Glad the only turkeys I could find that year were in excess of 15lbs. As I get along with the monks at our local temple we even packaged up most of the leftovers and fed them too. 

 

I get asked quite often now when I'm going to "Cook American" again as it's a chance for them to "travel" w/o needing money. We've done Mexican Night (tamales, tacos, burritos with homemade salsa and guacamole), Italian (pastas that are NOT spaghetti with ketchup), Cowboy Night (smoked meats, chili with biscuits [no, not British cookies]), Tailgate Parties, etc.

[4737 Carlin]

16 hours ago, Screaming said:

If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant.

Don't know where you live but here in CM the malls have food courts full of delicious Thai food.

[Deerculler]

16 hours ago, Screaming said:

I used to like to eat Thai food in my Western country but when I moved to Thailand, I stopped eating it. The quality of the food and the cleanliness of the food preparation turned me off to Thai food. If you go into most malls in Thailand you will find it very difficult to find a typical Thai restaurant. That is because typical Thai food is prepared in the street or on the public sidewalk among the pollution of the city.

I am the same

[steven100]

2 hours ago, mrwebb8825 said:

Are you kidding? I became the star of the village by preparing an entire Thanksgiving meal from veggie trays with dip to homemade pumpkin pie and when word got out we had 1/2 the village stopping by for a "taste of America". 

Glad the only turkeys I could find that year were in excess of 15lbs. As I get along with the monks at our local temple we even packaged up most of the leftovers and fed them too. 

 

I get asked quite often now when I'm going to "Cook American" again as it's a chance for them to "travel" w/o needing money. We've done Mexican Night (tamales, tacos, burritos with homemade salsa and guacamole), Italian (pastas that are NOT spaghetti with ketchup), Cowboy Night (smoked meats, chili with biscuits [no, not British cookies]), Tailgate Parties, etc.

village thai's always love a free feed doesn't matter what nationality is cooked

[Hummin]

7 minutes ago, steven100 said:

village thai's always love a free feed doesn't matter what nationality is cooked

Not only Thais, you see when a bar have free hot dogs, burgers, or appetizers, the bar is full, and when food is gone? Those who you have never seen before, are gone to

[captainjackS]

The only things I refuse to do the "local thai way" are usually related to safety.  For example, using an angle grinder or rotary hammer without safety glasses, electrical (the list of avoidable hazards is too long to write here), riding motorbike or driving the wrong direction on a divided highway in the presence of oncoming traffic.  I think too many people here believe in luck more than risk management.

Edited January 24, 2022 by captainjackS

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, 2long said:

Is there anything that other members refuse to do, just out of spite, stubbornness or for other reasons?

Lend money ....????

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, captainjackS said:

The only things I refuse to do the "local thai way" are usually related to safety.  For example, using an angle grinder or rotary hammer without safety glasses, electrical (the list of avoidable hazards is too long to write here), riding motorbike or driving on the wrong side of a divided highway.  I think too many people here believe in luck more than risk management.

So you also sit on the floor and dip your fingers in to the different  food plates together with the others? 

 

Respect!