I’d like to ask other expats who are married to or in a long-term relationship with a Thai woman if they’ve experienced something similar. From time to time, my wife mentions numbers or financial claims that are clearly impossible.

 

For example, the latest one from today: a small yaba dealer got caught and news stated he has 20,000 million baht (twentythousandmillions) in his possession.

 

As someone who works with numbers and economics, this immediately triggers me because I know it can’t be true. But when I question it or try to explain calmly why it doesn’t add up, it somehow triggers something emotional in her, and the conversation escalates very quickly.

 

What I genuinely don’t understand is the reason:

 

• Is this a cultural thing?

• Do Thai news sometimes use numbers loosely or dramatically for impact?

• Is it related to how numbers, money, or status are perceived or talked about?

• Is there a tendency in local news to exaggerate financial figures because most people don’t question or calculate them?

• Is it about face, storytelling, exaggeration, or something else entirely?

• Or is it simply information being repeated without ever being questioned?

 

I am sure you’ve had similar experiences — or if you have insight from living in Thailand or being married to a Thai partner — I’d really appreciate your perspective.

Just the normal exaggeration, mixed with some porky pies.

All normal here.

BTW, I stopped listening to my wife years ago.