Don't You Just Love Thai Culture!

[Bicko]

I am sure that many of you will relate to this little tale. I posted it in KF yesterday but thought it worthwhile to share here as well.

I took my Thai wife (then GF) to the Gold Coast of Queensland for the first time about 4 years ago. It was her first trip out of Thailand.

We flew into Brisbane and I rented a car to drive the 100 odd kms to my house. My house had been locked up for about 4 years since my late wife passed away with just the odd visit from my daughter to keep it clean etc.

Anyway we got to my street and i drove along very slowly just checking things out. We got to my house and i had just opened the front door and realised that "Darling" had disappeared. 10 minutes later she turns up with a big grin all over face and very proudly showed me a big handful of chillies. She had spotted them as we cruised along my street. Oh s**t. I had forgotten to tell her that you just don't go into peoples garden and take what you want as they do in the village.

Next thing this poor old doddering bloke on a walking frame comes along the street and calls to me "Is this where that B***dy Asian woman lives. She just pinched my prize chillies.

It took a couple of weeks, several Thai meals and a few boxes of beer to get my neighbours back on side. Fair dinkum mate!!!

[Tilapia]

I am sure that many of you will relate to this little tale. I posted it in KF yesterday but thought it worthwhile to share here as well.

I took my Thai wife (then GF) to the Gold Coast of Queensland for the first time about 4 years ago. It was her first trip out of Thailand.

We flew into Brisbane and I rented a car to drive the 100 odd kms to my house. My house had been locked up for about 4 years since my late wife passed away with just the odd visit from my daughter to keep it clean etc.

Anyway we got to my street and i drove along very slowly just checking things out. We got to my house and i had just opened the front door and realised that "Darling" had disappeared. 10 minutes later she turns up with a big grin all over face and very proudly showed me a big handful of chillies. She had spotted them as we cruised along my street. Oh s**t. I had forgotten to tell her that you just don't go into peoples garden and take what you want as they do in the village.

Next thing this poor old doddering bloke on a walking frame comes along the street and calls to me "Is this where that B***dy Asian woman lives. She just pinched my prize chillies.

It took a couple of weeks, several Thai meals and a few boxes of beer to get my neighbours back on side. Fair dinkum mate!!!

I can relate to that, 11 years ago, I took my wife back for a brief visit, and she ended up fighting over the price of vegetables in the local super-store, with the cashier......she screaming in Thai and the cashier in Danish.....I just laughed, couldent help it.

Regards

[Jai Dee]

Great story Bicko.

The first time I took my wife back to Oz her eyes were everywhere... looking around at the vegetation and muttering "I can eat that... and that... and... etc"

[mrbojangles]

All i can hear from my mrs when we go shopping is "in Thailand 5 baht, why so expensive here". That's for everything she sees, 5 baht for Papaya, chillies, refrigerator, washing machine..........

I hope when we go back to Thailand next week everything has gone up to 10 baht, that'll be interesting

[Zeid]

We will be having a walk somewhere and her hand reaches in a tree and says ""aroy mak mak you want?""

[roietjimmy]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

[highdiver]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

[Joe Walshe]

When my wife, then GF, first came to Ireland we went for a drive in the country. We ended up in a national park and while I sat on a bench in the sun she pottered around in the trees. After awhile, I wondered where she was and went to have a look. She was digging up bamboo shoots from under a bamboo tree.

[Joe Walshe]

On another occasion, while driving around town, she asked why I flashed cars at junctions. I said, I was signalling to them to let them know they could cut in. She had to tell all her Thai friends that this is how we drive in Europe and that traffic moves much quicker because of it.

[roietjimmy]

On another occasion, while driving around town, she asked why I flashed cars at junctions. I said, I was signalling to them to let them know they could cut in. She had to tell all her Thai friends that this is how we drive in Europe and that traffic moves much quicker because of it.

Just the opposite in Thailand. If someone flashes their lights, interpret as "get out if the way I'm coming through". This applies to intersections, overtaking and pedestrian crosswalks.

Edited August 18, 2007 by roietjimmy

[bergen]

In Ubon a few years ago I asked my wt if Tesco/Lotus was open.........

She replied: yes open , but not yet

[Pink Mist]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

they wernt council workers I bet

[pumpuiman]

My wife arrived in the U.S. in the dead of winter. She was quietly looking out the window on the ride from the airport....and after an hour or so asked why all the trees were dead.

She had never seen a tree shed it's leaves before.

[Crow Boy]

I took my then partner back to Australia to meet my parents (aged in their late 60's) for the first time. She wanted to cook a meal for them and did the whole Thai deal. She wanted to do it on her own and took over their kitchen leaving me and my parents to talk in the living room. She then came to tell us that everything was ready so we trooped into the dining room and she had moved the table to one side and put everything on the floor to eat the same way we normally did it at home (Thailand). My mum and dad looked down to see this food carefully displayed on their floor and then looked at me. Without a word, dad and I grabbed the table, carried it back to its normal spot and put everything on it. The little one was upset that we wanted to eat sitting at a table instead of a "proper home style".

CB

[roietjimmy]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

they wernt council workers I bet

Being a yank, not sure I know what a council worker is. Enlighten me. Separated by a common language!!

[Lite Beer]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

they wernt council workers I bet

Being a yank, not sure I know what a council worker is. Enlighten me. Separated by a common language!!

Local government employees.

[pgs]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

they wernt council workers I bet

Being a yank, not sure I know what a council worker is. Enlighten me. Separated by a common language!!

"Council" in this context is local government. Generally a 'shire council'. Size is partially determined by population. Sydney has some 34 local councils within it's boundaries - which is more than double the size of New York.

They control fun things like: street parking & parking meters, rubbish collection, local minor roads, local shop opening hours, local library & swimming pools.

State gov't has the pleasure of being irresponsible with trains / buses / public schools / public hospitals / major roads & highways (not interstate) / water.

[RueFang]

"Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

That cracks me up! My husband visited Oz last year which was his first time out of Thailand and he was forever stopping here, there and everywhere just to stare in fascination at farangs working and said the exact same thing as your wife "I've never seen farang working".

[roietjimmy]

Council worker, i.e. government employee. Thanks.

Assume this implies as in the US, my wife still would not have seen a farang working.

[jackspratt]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

they wernt council workers I bet

Being a yank, not sure I know what a council worker is. Enlighten me. Separated by a common language!!

It's actually an oxymoron

[Krub]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

Best thing I read in a long time

Thanks !

[al warner]

Took my wife on holiday to Oz a few years back. Flew to Brisbane and rented a car up to Noosa. We had only gone a few kilometers north when we came upon a road construction crew hard at work. Well, the wife starts shouting stop, stop. Naturally I stopped immediately thinking she was ill. She grabbed the camera, jumped out of the car and started taking pictures of the guys at work. The men were somewhat shocked to see a Thai lady taking snapshots but took it all in stride doing their best macho man poses. After returning to the car I asked her what in the world that was all about. She said, "never see farang work before, must have photo or nobody Thailand believe me".

they wernt council workers I bet

Being a yank, not sure I know what a council worker is. Enlighten me. Separated by a common language!!

Street sweepers, garbage men that kind of thing.

[macb]

Well I was driving back to the village from Buriram having been for BBQ as we were on the way past the Wat to the village, she suddenly shouted stop stop I slammed the anchors on everyone in the back of the pick up slid into the bulk head (At this time it was dark) The wife jumped out and shouted go back back, I reversed and in the headlights was one solitary Pla Douk, she picked it up carefully and put it in the tailgate. Got back in the truck and said aroi.

[Jimbob1]

I was having a beer in a bar in Pattaya and having a chat to a girl behind the bar ... being all philosophical and all and talking about life in general I mentioned "here for a good time not a long time" ... Without hesitation she replied ... "No No ... you stay long as you like."

Cracked me up !