Culture or Something else?

[sqwakvfr]

I have lived in Chiang Mai for over 7 years and “ I will never understand the local people”.  Recently the following interactions have occurred:

 

1. Went to a well known clinic that is part of a major hospital for a bood test.  The clinic opens at 0700 and I showed up exactly at that time.  All the employees seemed upset that I showed up at 0700.  Got the blood test done but the cashier had not come to work yet.  This made the employees ever more upset.  I waited until 0800 when the cashier showed up and paid for the blood test.  The clerk then slammed the receipt on the counter.  I later found out that the clinic employees get to the spend the first hour relaxing because most patients do not show until at least 0800.  I guess “ it was my mistake for showing up when they opened”? 

2. Used to go to a gym that opens at “0700”.  During my time at this gym they would open at 0730, 0800, 0900 and once at 1200.  I asked the employee and eventually the manager about the inconsistent opening times and all got was a smile but no answer.  I found another gym shortly after.

3.  I recently booked a Grab car.  When the car arrived I entered and slipped on the floor mat and hit my head on the door frame.  The floor mat had a slipperysubstance and when I pointed this out to the driver she started laughing.  I guess  this was funny to her. The slippery substance looked like Armour All?  

 

Is admitting to a mistake and apologizing to a foreigner not possible? 

[gomangosteen]

6 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

 

3.  I recently booked a Grab car.  When the car arrived I entered and slipped on the floor mat and hit my head on the door frame.  The floor mat had a slipperysubstance and when I pointed this out to the driver she started laughing.  I guess  this was funny to her. The slippery substance looked like Armour All?

At this point you should have made the tv comedy 'boing' noise and laughed it off with the driver.

 

'sweating the small things'

[Rampant Rabbit]

time is irrelevant to most Thais

[2baht]

21 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

“ I will never understand the local people”.   

The problem only arises when you try! 

[2baht]

24 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Is admitting to a mistake and apologizing to a foreigner not possible? 

Never! Face is more important! 

[bob smith]

26 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

I will never understand the local people

don't even bother going down that rabbit hole mate.

 

their culture is so far removed from ours that it just aint worth it!

 

bob.

[CharlieH]

You are a chess player in a land of checkers. You cant play one with the rules of the other.

[bkk6060]

Jeez, if these are your biggest complaints in 7 years you should be thankful.   Pretty minor stuff to complain about in my opinion.

[2baht]

26 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Jeez, if these are your biggest complaints in 7 years you should be thankful.   Pretty minor stuff to complain about in my opinion.

Novice whingers! 

[OneMoreFarang]

Many of us are in Thailand because it is different from "home", which is mostly somewhere in "the west".

Yes, Thailand is different, in many ways.

What should change:

Thailand should be just like the west - then why would you come?

Thailand should be Thailand in some ways, but like the west in ways I want it to be. - Really

Thailand is Thailand. Accept it.

 

Obviously, I also noticed problems with opening times and lots of other things which are not perfect.

Do I want to wait until they "improve" their lazy behavior?

Or is it so much better to just accept Thailand is Thailand.

 

 

 

[sqwakvfr]

1 hour ago, bkk6060 said:

Jeez, if these are your biggest complaints in 7 years you should be thankful.   Pretty minor stuff to complain about in my opinion.

It is more an observation than a complaint.  I have learned that most locals hate it when a foreigner complains.  Therefore, I I rarely give feedback to the locals.

[brianthainess]

11 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

It is more an observation than a complaint.  I have learned that most locals hate it when a foreigner complains.  Therefore, I I rarely give feedback to the locals.

Up to them init they don't give a rat's ass what you think. 

[Victor Laszlo]

Unlucky Alf's got nothing on this bloke.

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

Good thing it was a blood test and not a prostate exam you might have gotten an extra digit or two for making them start work so early.

[sqwakvfr]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Up to them init they don't give a rat's ass what you think. 

That is why I do not say much to most locals.  All I need to do is buy a product or service.  At times the product and service are not great but there is not much a foreigner can do about that.  This has been the most difficult lesson I have learned.  But at times I wonder why?  The I get back to reality.  

[sqwakvfr]

3 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Many of us are in Thailand because it is different from "home", which is mostly somewhere in "the west".

Yes, Thailand is different, in many ways.

What should change:

Thailand should be just like the west - then why would you come?

Thailand should be Thailand in some ways, but like the west in ways I want it to be. - Really

Thailand is Thailand. Accept it.

 

Obviously, I also noticed problems with opening times and lots of other things which are not perfect.

Do I want to wait until they "improve" their lazy behavior?

Or is it so much better to just accept Thailand is Thailand.

 

 

 

Did most Thai people get the message that the current PM and government want 40 million arrivals this year?  More arrivals mean more problems, more “bad” guys and more chances of cultural misunderstanding and/or misinterpretations.  Some the locals I have met act like they want the borders closed to foreign arrivals,  Sarcastically I asked them “have you ever been to North Korea”?  They did not get the joke.  

[sqwakvfr]

1 hour ago, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

Good thing it was a blood test and not a prostate exam you might have gotten an extra digit or two for making them start work so early.

Now I know 0700 actually means 0730 or 0800?  Schedules and timetables have little meaning or value in LOS.  Unless it negatively  affects them.  For instance if a train or flight is delayed.  

[Bill97]

Take a bath before you go out , Squak

[OneMoreFarang]

12 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Did most Thai people get the message that the current PM and government want 40 million arrivals this year?  More arrivals mean more problems, more “bad” guys and more chances of cultural misunderstanding and/or misinterpretations.  Some the locals I have met act like they want the borders closed to foreign arrivals,  Sarcastically I asked them “have you ever been to North Korea”?  They did not get the joke.  

 

How long have you been here? And you are still surprised that they didn't understand your sarcastic North Korea joke. That tells us a lot more about you than those Thais you complain about.

 

Many countries want the money of the tourists. They don't really want the tourist.

I understand them, living here for decades I see too many annoying tourists. 

[Gandtee]

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

I have lived in Chiang Mai for over 7 years and “ I will never understand the local people”.  Recently the following interactions have occurred:

 

1. Went to a well known clinic that is part of a major hospital for a bood test.  The clinic opens at 0700 and I showed up exactly at that time.  All the employees seemed upset that I showed up at 0700.  Got the blood test done but the cashier had not come to work yet.  This made the employees ever more upset.  I waited until 0800 when the cashier showed up and paid for the blood test.  The clerk then slammed the receipt on the counter.  I later found out that the clinic employees get to the spend the first hour relaxing because most patients do not show until at least 0800.  I guess “ it was my mistake for showing up when they opened”? 

2. Used to go to a gym that opens at “0700”.  During my time at this gym they would open at 0730, 0800, 0900 and once at 1200.  I asked the employee and eventually the manager about the inconsistent opening times and all got was a smile but no answer.  I found another gym shortly after.

3.  I recently booked a Grab car.  When the car arrived I entered and slipped on the floor mat and hit my head on the door frame.  The floor mat had a slipperysubstance and when I pointed this out to the driver she started laughing.  I guess  this was funny to her. The slippery substance looked like Armour All?  

 

Is admitting to a mistake and apologizing to a foreigner not possible? 

Now now, Mother. Settle down.😉

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Is admitting to a mistake and apologizing to a foreigner not possible? 

 

Here... corrected it: 

 

Is admitting to a mistake and apologising to a foreigner not possible? 

 

-------

 

As a generalisation, criticism of any form is poorly tolerated here because a lot of people have not grown up with the tools to handle disappointment, criticism or any form of what could be considered conflict - this is why we see in the news so freqently issues which go from Zero to 100% in an instant... 

 

The examples you provided are one of many we face on a daily basis - a lot of it is 'little stuff' we can readily ignore - but sometimes there are issues we can't. 

 

 

... I often here the excuse.... "Its Thai Culture"  usually when someone wants to get away with doing something wrong !

 

 

In this case of the OP... the throw away excuse would be used...."This is just the Thai way".... or "This is just Thai culture"... but its not... its the Lazy way and it exists due to poor management of a business that has allowed a degree of entitlement to slip in amongst the Thai Staff....   

 

IMO - There is only one solution... and thats to walk away. Reward the positive experiences, walk away from the negative. 

 

IF you have already received treatment, but they are not ready to take your money, no casher...     That shouldn't be a problem... 

Leave your phone number and / or Line details and as you to send them the bank details and you'll transfer later - there is no reason at all that anyone should be waiting for a cashier to show up an hour late. 

 

 

-----------

 

I had one of these silly issues yesterday: 

 

Purchasing 12 bottles of wine at about 4:45 pm... No issues.

I also wanted to add 2 bottles of Cider, but was told I couldn't becase was before 5pm !!!... 

Me: WHAT ???... I can but 12 bottles of wine (Alcohol).. but can't buy Cider because its Alcohol ?????

Staff: Yes.....   

Me: Why ????   

Staff: Because its different Alcohol... 

Me: "I love Thailand" !!!....    Staff laughed....    They knew the utter ridiculousness of the situation - no point arguing, they're just doing their job. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[herfiehandbag]

30 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Now I know 0700 actually means 0730 or 0800?  Schedules and timetables have little meaning or value in LOS.  Unless it negatively  affects them.  For instance if a train or flight is delayed.  

Time, and it's delineation is culturally very different to the Thais. For them, in all activities except those driven by "worldwide norms", notably aviation and broadcasting, the hour and not the minutes are what matters. So something which is supposed to happen at "10 o'clock" means any time during that hour. Time does not seem to bother them, and they can be remarkably patient - except when driving!

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

It is more an observation than a complaint.  I have learned that most locals hate it when a foreigner complains.  Therefore, I I rarely give feedback to the locals.

 

It depends how the 'feed back or complaint' is given..       In the past I've had situations resolved because I've been polite but 'pushy' and got through the 'cannot' and been judged up to someone more senior...  

 

Thai's also complain about a lot of things that aren't right, just as we do - the difference is the articulation of the issue and the response. 

 

The issue itself may not the act of complaining, but the manner with which we as foreigners may enter the discussion of complain in a frustrated or annoyed manner, rather than as a calm and polite discussion.

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

3.  I recently booked a Grab car.  When the car arrived

 

This surprises me...    a Grab Car actually arriving....

 

... How many drivers took the ride then cancelled before you actually had a one that turned up ?????

[newnative]

Bend with the bamboo.

[newbee2022]

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

I have lived in Chiang Mai for over 7 years and “ I will never understand the local people”.  Recently the following interactions have occurred:

 

1. Went to a well known clinic that is part of a major hospital for a bood test.  The clinic opens at 0700 and I showed up exactly at that time.  All the employees seemed upset that I showed up at 0700.  Got the blood test done but the cashier had not come to work yet.  This made the employees ever more upset.  I waited until 0800 when the cashier showed up and paid for the blood test.  The clerk then slammed the receipt on the counter.  I later found out that the clinic employees get to the spend the first hour relaxing because most patients do not show until at least 0800.  I guess “ it was my mistake for showing up when they opened”? 

2. Used to go to a gym that opens at “0700”.  During my time at this gym they would open at 0730, 0800, 0900 and once at 1200.  I asked the employee and eventually the manager about the inconsistent opening times and all got was a smile but no answer.  I found another gym shortly after.

3.  I recently booked a Grab car.  When the car arrived I entered and slipped on the floor mat and hit my head on the door frame.  The floor mat had a slipperysubstance and when I pointed this out to the driver she started laughing.  I guess  this was funny to her. The slippery substance looked like Armour All?  

 

Is admitting to a mistake and apologizing to a foreigner not possible? 

In your case I would leave that disgusting country. Immediately!!🙏

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

In your case I would leave that disgusting country. Immediately!!🙏

 

In your case... I'd go back to school so that I'm capable of a better retort than the well worn, over used, and wholly uncreative "if you don't like it go home"  type of comment.... 

 

 

The Ops criticisms are valid...   for the vast majority of us, not exactly worthy of a dedicated thread, nevertheless, we all encounter the daft, juvenile, pathetic and often ridiculous 'silly stuff' on a regular basis... and its often put down to culture....

 

... But its not culture, more often than not its just a combination of laziness and poor management that some try and mask by throwing out the word 'culture' as if that washes the negative behavior in some manner. 

 

[mfd101]

Time is not money here, which is one of the main reasons why productivity is low, which is in turn one of the main reasons why most Thais live in poverty.

[sqwakvfr]

28 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

Time is not money here, which is one of the main reasons why productivity is low, which is in turn one of the main reasons why most Thais live in poverty.

I think you just summed it up.  I had a professor in college who said “ time is money and money is life”.  This is not true in LOS.  

[sqwakvfr]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

Take a bath before you go out , Squak

I just took a shower.  Thanks for the reminder.