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Thailand is no longer the Land of smiles.


bob smith

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45 minutes ago, rose33 said:

+1

Went thru immigration line last week in Chiang Mai. Unfortunately, the IO was really rude and screamy. Having come from Australia and Taiwan where everyone is so nice (although in different ways)... It was a total shock to the system. I can't comprehend why you'd welcome a tourist to your country in that way. They make it so obvious that they think we are cockroaches. This will be my last time in Thailand. 

Would love to know more about how and why you were screamed at for no reason when you were no doubt as nice as pie. Please tell.

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6 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Would love to know more about how and why you were screamed at for no reason when you were no doubt as nice as pie. Please tell.

I failed to read her mind that she wanted my four fingers to already be on the fingerprint scanner. So her opening line was a scream that I should put my fingers on the scanner. Kinda like a psychopathic dictator would behave. 

 

I know you really, really, really wanna paint all Thai women as angels and all western women as evil racist slags... That doesn't fly with me... Sorry buddy. 

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23 minutes ago, persimmon said:

I`ve come to the conclusion that the more foreigners a Thai has to deal with , the less friendly they become . Thais instinctively know how to act and show respect , contrast this with some ( not all ) foreigners who , for whatever reason ( cultural ? ) behave in a rude and aggressive way - spoils it for the rest of us .

I think it is not much about the quantity of foreigners but about the quality of foreigners / tourists. Same how specific tourist areas are always less friendly in cheap busy tourist areas or places like khao san road etc.

 

I'm pretty sure Thailand has always been different since the coup, more or less, not that all is to blame to the coup itself. So I actually do not see a recent change, still plenty of smiles for me.

Edited by ChaiyaTH
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21 minutes ago, rose33 said:

I failed to read her mind that she wanted my four fingers to already be on the fingerprint scanner. So her opening line was a scream that I should put my fingers on the scanner. Kinda like a psychopathic dictator would behave. 

Ok then, she screamed at you. You are not ever egging this, it was a scream. Righty ho. I have been in an out several hundred times and never been treated discourteously, not once. Sorry I just don't believe they scream at people for no reason.

 

Quote

I know you really, really, really wanna paint all Thai women as angels and all western women as evil racist slags... That doesn't fly with me... Sorry buddy. 

What the Hell are you talking about?

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A smile from someone you don't know is essentially meaningless and worthless.

 

Who knows for sure what they're smiling about?

 

I say this as a former resident of Appalachia. Smiles are ten a penny walking down any street.

 

But it's usually about loving Jesus - you're just in the way.

 

Me? I like a good kaaaaaa that seems to just trail off. They're still plentiful on the ground.

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1 hour ago, LaosLover said:

A smile from someone you don't know is essentially meaningless and worthless.

 

Who knows for sure what they're smiling about?

 

I say this as a former resident of Appalachia. Smiles are ten a penny walking down any street.

 

But it's usually about loving Jesus - you're just in the way.

 

Me? I like a good kaaaaaa that seems to just trail off. They're still plentiful on the ground.

I don’t think the op cares what they are “really smiling about”.

 

they just want to enjoy their vacation and get through immigration without being ruffled.

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16 hours ago, bob smith said:

I see it everywhere I go. nobody is smiling. Nobody seems happy

It's contagious.

 

They probably caught the 'misery' flu that some of the AN members have.

 

Anyway, nothing like a good 'doom and gloom' story to get the AN forum rolling.

 

Edited by Cricky
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13 hours ago, Stocky said:

Hat Yai mask wearing has dropped to about 2 thirds out and about, whilst most people still do in shops, banks, malls etc. However, you can see from someone's eyes when they smile.

Then I only seldom see someone smile at me under the mask and most I am not 100% sure, indeed few days ago someone gave me a free mask, the thai people are completely scared with this covid epidemic, one of the reason why the population has largely lost its smile in addition to other financial and political problems.

Edited by BE88
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4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

nonsense as there is no way to measure the happiness level of an individual, let alone an entire nation

what those surveys do is rate places based on medical care and education... which does not equate to happiness.

 

If you walk around Hua Him and see all the wealthy stone faced Skandis walking past the poor & silly motorcycle taxi drivers playful joking and wrestling w/each other, you would not have any question as to who was happier... 

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5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Next is this forum: Do you remember when that guy walked into the door and suddenly all was quiet... 

a-man-walks-into-a-bar-wearing-boxers-wi

 

Is there actually a joke to go with this?  I can find the picture on google, but it's always blank.  The title is just "A man walks into a bar wearing boxers with a duck".

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29 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Is there actually a joke to go with this?  I can find the picture on google, but it's always blank.  The title is just "A man walks into a bar wearing boxers with a duck".

I guess best is you ask Bob. ???? 

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On 3/27/2023 at 12:24 PM, josephbloggs said:

Weird, never been screamed at at the airport in 27 years. Never had my passport throw at me either.

Post Covid I have found the IOs to be genuinely friendly. Pre-Covid never found them unfriendly, just doing their job.

Not sure what you are doing to get screamed at.

Like wise , never a problem with any uniform wearers in 30+ years,  Although I have lost count of westerners behaving atrociously at immigration also with police ,  Some people genuinely make me ashamed

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10 hours ago, Skallywag said:

You do not live in the same Thailand I live in.  Happiness is something that many people feel and express where I live in Pattaya.  No not everyone, but Thai people are always quick with a smile or laugh if you smile and laugh with them.

 

Over 5 years, never had a problem with Immigration or police or any Thai. 

Only annoyance here are the old farangs who are drunk and disorderly or want to spew their "opinions" on anyone sitting or standing near them ????

Don't seem to meet many of them anymore    (except on here) 

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On 3/27/2023 at 12:37 AM, Kwasaki said:

Many poor people get help from the govt with money every month, free rice, 5/15 electric free. Etc. 

got a link or source for this as i have many bargirls on TF telling me to send them money cos they are hungry for food....thanks friend! ????

 

ive been telling them to sell their phone if really that hungry--they dont like that answer tho  ????

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ok gents..page 4 deep about the smiles

 

my 2 cents living here PT since 2008

 

I bike daily around city and have a bell and clown horn..i ride same route daily...Ill have the massage grannies making the gesture for the horn, like when a kid sees a truck with a horn........some like to see me..some dont....let it be.....stick with the happy ones...ignore the others...

 

love to see a cute gal in mask "smile" as you see it in the eyes.....man o man! ????

 

im up north so its smokey AF.....who can be happy in that???....times are tough but they only think to the borders...bubble life living in LOS

 

most have debt, covid effects, inflation, tourism down with smoke and covid effects the bottom line..aka cash flow

 

I mirror people and if im starting convo i try to be nice and smile......good gets good.....bad gets bad....they can choose which one

 

LaosLover could attest i was a cranky grandpa last year...that tells me its time to go home, work, and take a break from thainess..

 

if its a good chat ill go with it......no sense in wasting my time with the other.......

 

also tourist areas..down south are full of jaded thais--cranky from culture clash of nasty rude tourists that dont care about thai "ways"

 

ive lived in tourist areas, as i do now, so im local and resent the tourists here, being loud- drunk--rude and flashing money i dont have as im trying to

support myself and save money to return to LOS......its worldwide....locals never like outsiders but NEED that money coming in.......such is life

 

ive also lived in CM--KK--NK.....MUCH nicer people in KK and NK as they are local places.......CM much less......but was bit boring for me in KK and NK as it was too local as in CM i can choose which folks i wanna hang with that day..much more food choices and cultures to mix with--diverse......

 

No one said life is easy and I dont take my "privilege" for granted..I can leave anytime...most thais cant.......i make the effort to remember im the guest...

 

I almost make a daily game out of biking around and using my clown horn to get a thai to smile...as noted some do and some dont...focus on the ones that DO

 

carry on gents! ????

 

 

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On 3/27/2023 at 5:17 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

Did anyone ever really think it was more than a marketing slogan?

It really was a Land of Smiles when I first arrived on the shores of paradise on earth.

It departed long ago though. I wonder if the OP has been in LOS less than 20 years, or just noticed.

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5 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

also tourist areas..down south are full of jaded thais--cranky from culture clash of nasty rude tourists that dont care about thai "ways"

Ever lived in a rural area a 4 hour bus journey from a big city where you were the only farang? I have and the smile was as lacking there as in any tourist town.

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7 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Ill have the massage grannies making the gesture for the horn...

Notice for the noobs and neophytes among us, correctly recognizing this gesture is an essential skill not easily mastered.

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1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:
7 hours ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

also tourist areas..down south are full of jaded thais--cranky from culture clash of nasty rude tourists that dont care about thai "ways"

Ever lived in a rural area a 4 hour bus journey from a big city where you were the only farang? I have and the smile was as lacking there as in any tourist town.

Maybe it wasn't you though. Maybe it was that woman you were with (again).

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