On occasion, the stereotypes are proven correct.

Same as most do here with Khao Neow, with the whole group sticking their fingers into the rice, then their mouths, and again repeated. Along with sharing a shot glass of Lao Khao or dipping your glass into a communal water jug.

Communicable disease? What's that?

Thai commentator speculates sharing is being done solely to save money, but there seems to be a social component as well. Most of these examples seem to be soft drink/sweets related. Might just reflect awareness of diabetes, of which India has one of the highest incidences in the world), ever think of that? Beats having to get an Ozempic jab every week, now doesn't it?

Those guys are better dressed and groomed than plenty of Western tourists and look pretty middle class to me. Hardly likely they couldn't afford to buy themselves each an ice cream if they were so inclined.

Who are they bothering? Why is this anybody else's business?

Edited May 21May 21 by Gecko123

From Google:

In Indian culture, sharing food or drinks is a profound expression of hospitality, brotherhood, and trust. Rather than viewing it as a lack of resources, it is a deeply ingrained social custom. By passing a single can or dividing a sweet, men build camaraderie and show affection for one another.

To be honest, I wasn't aware of this until just now doing some digging, but I hope this marks one of the last times Indians engaging in this social custom are unfairly denigrated on this forum as being low quality cheapskate tourists.

Edited May 21May 21 by Gecko123

It takes me back to when I was a boy in London in the 1940s. Seeing your mate eating an apple and asking him for the core. 92 still alive and kicking. As my old mum used to say, "You've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die."😀

3 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Thai commentator speculates sharing is being done solely to save money, but there seems to be a social component as well. Most of these examples seem to be soft drink/sweets related. Might just reflect awareness of diabetes, of which India has one of the highest incidences in the world), ever think of that? Beats having to get an Ozempic jab every week, now doesn't it?

Those guys are better dressed and groomed than plenty of Western tourists and look pretty middle class to me. Hardly likely they couldn't afford to buy themselves each an ice cream if they were so inclined.

Who are they bothering? Why is this anybody else's business?

I would consider that many broke drunks seem a bit jealous of the indians who are perhaps stingy (or not), but who seem to be enjoying themselves more then many sour westerners I see here who are toxic. (edit). There is also the fact that many westerners are very self conscious and want to give an image of themselves as rich successful and think that petty details like sharing a ice cream or not, will make them look like lords. But the thai's are far from stupid and know the posers, from the smart ones who will not be cheated and throw cash around just due to a good exchange rate.

Edited May 21May 21 by Sigmund

2 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

By passing a single can or dividing a sweet, men build camaraderie and show affection for one another.

Does this affection for each other carry on with the girl they are trying to share.

Cheap Charlie’s are getting outbid by the brown man. More curry places, less all day breakfast.

That’s gotta burn.

To quote Buddha:

Everything changes.

3 hours ago, Gandtee said:

It takes me back to when I was a boy in London in the 1940s. Seeing your mate eating an apple and asking him for the core. 92 still alive and kicking. As my old mum used to say, "You've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die."😀

We were young hippies with two toddlers. Govt didn't believe my claim for Unemployment Insurance (of course, they were right!).

While we were waiting, both kids dug into the potted plant and ate the dirt. We went in, the kids faces muddy. Approved!

Never did it before or since! We all need exposure to create immunity.

One beer, four street poopers. One bargirl, four street poopers. They share everything to save a couple of Baht.

6 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

In Indian culture, sharing food or drinks is a profound expression of hospitality, brotherhood, and trust. Rather than viewing it as a lack of resources, it is a deeply ingrained social custom. By passing a single can or dividing a sweet, men build camaraderie and show affection for one another.

Well, that explains why you’ll see six Indian guys haggling on the street to all choo-choo train the same Thai working girl for a total of 1,000 Baht. The logic seems to be: if she’s offering an hour of service for that price, and each of them only needs ten minutes, then it’s the same same for her, innit? Nothing bonds best mates quite like sharing everything you can on holiday. Maybe also explains why they buy only 1 pair of underwear and then each of them wears it for only 4 hours a day.

Give it to them Indians, that they just don't give a sh... of what people think outside.

Maybe some would need to ponder on this and stop always trying to sharpen one's image when in society and being so scared to be considered a cheap charlie. IMHO a Cheap Charlie could also be a Smart Charlie - a person who is generally more rich then us, who knows the value of money, does not want to be ripped of and mainly, does not give a sh... of what others think. Remember in Thailand, all of us westerners are Cheap Charlies to some extent. Because if not, we would rather be in Monaco, the Caribean, St Tropez, Miami, the Hamptons or Geneva, spending our dough.

Edited May 21May 21 by SingAPorn

4 minutes ago, SingAPorn said:

Smart Charlie - a person who is generally more rich then us, who knows the value of money, does not want to be ripped of and mainly, does not give a sh... of what others think.

......and if a Smart Charlie managed to hide all that........would that make him a 'Dark Charlie'.........

9 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

From Google:

In Indian culture, sharing food or drinks is a profound expression of hospitality, brotherhood, and trust. Rather than viewing it as a lack of resources, it is a deeply ingrained social custom. By passing a single can or dividing a sweet, men build camaraderie and show affection for one another.

To be honest, I wasn't aware of this until just now doing some digging, but I hope this marks one of the last times Indians engaging in this social custom are unfairly denigrated on this forum as being low quality cheapskate tourists.

You forgot to mention the holding of hands and arms around each other while walking down the middle of the street which I did not dig up but observe over and over and over again by these beaded men in Thailand.

Men walking down the street holding hands is just so eye rolling

For folks who choose to live in a foreign country, it seems a bit small to judge others by our own norms. We wouldn't think anything of a Western family sharing a cup of ice cream. Friends sharing food is customary in India - let's lighten up on the judgment.

Thai people eat on the floor with their hands. OMG, how uncivilized and unsanitary. I can barely tolerate being a guest in their country 😙

Edited May 22May 22 by Wuvu2

22 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

From Google:

In Indian culture, sharing food or drinks is a profound expression of hospitality, brotherhood, and trust. Rather than viewing it as a lack of resources, it is a deeply ingrained social custom. By passing a single can or dividing a sweet, men build camaraderie and show affection for one another.

To be honest, I wasn't aware of this until just now doing some digging, but I hope this marks one of the last times Indians engaging in this social custom are unfairly denigrated on this forum as being low quality cheapskate tourists.

I respect your opinions, however as someone who has often visied India my own observations would indicate the indians residing in Pattaya are mostly of the cheapskate variety.

5 minutes ago, jippytum said:

I respect your opinions, however as someone who has often visied India my own observations would indicate the indians residing in Pattaya are mostly of the cheapskate variety.

The guys in the clip are almost certainly tourists, not residents. LOL, what foreign demographic residing full time in Pattaya would you describe as being high roller big spenders? [sound of crickets]

It's white privilege at play. The days of white guys thinking they have the right to set the cultural norms in a country they are a guest in are over.

9 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Thai commentator speculates sharing is being done solely to save money, but there seems to be a social component as well. Most of these examples seem to be soft drink/sweets related. Might just reflect awareness of diabetes, of which India has one of the highest incidences in the world), ever think of that? Beats having to get an Ozempic jab every week, now doesn't it?

Those guys are better dressed and groomed than plenty of Western tourists and look pretty middle class to me. Hardly likely they couldn't afford to buy themselves each an ice cream if they were so inclined.

Who are they bothering? Why is this anybody else's business?

What a weird post.

You sound wither senile or vaccinated.

6 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

It's white privilege at play. The days of white guys thinking they have the right to set the cultural norms in a country they are a guest in are over.

And racist.

10 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Men walking down the street holding hands is just so eye rolling

I would rather see two men walking down the street holding hands than to come across some small dick, big energy, macho @ss who is open carrying a firearm. 😆😂😆

Where's the Indian communities 10 baht gold neck lace lately. Maybe an insurance company paid a motor bike taxi guy to knock it off so as to stop all the claims of theft for the same item.

On 5/21/2026 at 10:22 AM, Gecko123 said:

From Google:

In Indian culture, sharing food or drinks is a profound expression of hospitality, brotherhood, and trust. Rather than viewing it as a lack of resources, it is a deeply ingrained social custom. By passing a single can or dividing a sweet, men build camaraderie and show affection for one another.

To be honest, I wasn't aware of this until just now doing some digging, but I hope this marks one of the last times Indians engaging in this social custom are unfairly denigrated on this forum as being low quality cheapskate tourists.

Does this apply when they share the ladies/ladyboys of the night? Worked in India over four years and never realised such a custom existed. I think they just don't like spending money.

On 5/21/2026 at 8:23 AM, Oliver Holzerfilled said:

On occasion, the stereotypes are proven correct.

Occasionally, stereotypes turn out to be true. And you feel vindicated in your prejudices, smarty-pants.

13 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Men walking down the street holding hands is just so eye rolling

You can see all sorts of things in your imagination!🤣🤣🤣

1 hour ago, boloaf said:

I think they just don't like spending money.

There's a difference between being skint by nature and being forced to travel on a budget due to limited means.

India's average annual household income is approximately ₹6 lakh ($7,200 USD), while the median household income is significantly lower, closer to ₹3.5 to ₹4.5 lakh ($4,200 to $5,400 USD). Income varies significantly across the country and is strongly divided between rural and urban demographics, as well as by state.

Edited May 22May 22 by Gecko123

5 hours ago, 241195_1469957797 said:

You can see all sorts of things in your imagination!🤣🤣🤣

You have never seen that LOL. Get out more kiddo

9 hours ago, Front Row said:

I would rather see two men walking down the street holding hands than to come across some small dick, big energy, macho @ss who is open carrying a firearm. 😆😂😆

Always the obsession with the size of the dicks of their ideological enemies. Poor soul, life racked with envy and fear.

19 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

There's a difference between being skint by nature and being forced to travel on a budget due to limited means.

I suspect these are call center workers. If you have called telephone support for your bank/insurance company/etc and found you were speaking to someone with an Indian accent it could very well be the fellow holding the cup.