Why Do Thais Look In The Opposite Direction When Walking?

[Artisi]

Q: Which way do you LOOK when crossing a ONE-WAY street in Thailand?

A: BOTH ways.

Peter

Shouldn't that be 4 ways, front -back- left and right - remember this is thailand

[xyborg]

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I did not say "all Thais" I said the ones who dont look where they are going are stupid, applies the world over.<br />How do you know I hold a low opininon of Thais from my post?<br />How do you know I have had a bitter experience?<br />Sure you arent one of these people who dont look where there walking???

<br /><br />ok..smart guy!<br />i just quote what you said "beacuse they're stupid" that all.<br />i don't know anything about you that's why i asked. nothing more..nothing less.<br />don't need to make it such a big issue. it's boring...you know!! <img src="style_emoticons/default/saai.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="saai.gif" /> <br />christ..some people!!!! <img src="style_emoticons/default/saai.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="saai.gif" /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

If you're that bored maybe you should go for a walk down the high street maybe you'll bump into me.

[Laughing Gravy]

there not the brightest people

This is certainly a new angle on Thai bashing, now they can't walk in an acceptable manner....It's &lt;deleted&gt; unbelievable.

Why when anyone has a different observation on the difference in western and Thai ways of doing something, like walking it's Thai bashing? It is just a difference of culture and opinion. What is &lt;deleted&gt; unbelievable is the fact people cannot question, discuss or ask sensible questions and find out answers on things that happen in Thailand, especially as we mostly live here and Love the country.

That doesnt mean we can't question or inquire about differences.

Just for the record western people walk fast and this can freak Thais out, is this also &lt;deleted&gt; unbelievable and western bashing, no it isn't. thais want to know the same thing. why do wsterners walk fast.

Many people have given answers to the OPs question, but what really does get me when anyone who questions the cultural or sociological differences and gets slated for it.

Just to remind those people who have forgot. Questioning and providing constuctive feedback (many will say it is criticism) is a good thing and produces progress.

And to the OPs question, I find it frustrating that people don't look where they are going, especially when they run into a car or motorcycle. Heck why doesn't someone flame me for caring about life. I have pulled more than a few people back off the road before they were going to to look like a fly on a car windscreen. I have had the response that I should't do that, as I made them lose face.

Well sorry I don't give a flying Phileas Fogg. Maybe I did make them lose face, but at least they still have a face on them and are walking round smiling today. Come on guys questioning things is ok, it is not always Thai bashing.

[Thaddeus]

<br /><br /><br />

Are you cold?

[londonthai]

time is not that important for thai - they have a different perception of it.

that's why they walk slow and don't bump into each other. They observe life around and that's make them happy people.

westerners do walk fast concentrated on moving from one place to the other, they don't bump because use all their thinking into it. Walking that way is not very relaxing and can be even a source of stress and doesn't make us happy. We are time obsessed and that's lowers our quality of life. We can learn their way of moving and thai can lean the western style.

[Laughing Gravy]

time is not that important for thai - they have a different perception of it.

that's why they walk slow and don't bump into each other. They observe life around and that's make them happy people.

westerners do walk fast concentrated on moving from one place to the other, they don't bump because use all their thinking into it. Walking that way is not very relaxing and can be even a source of stress and doesn't make us happy. We are time obsessed and that's lowers our quality of life. We can learn their way of moving and thai can lean the western style.

Exactly and wise words, but that is not Thai or western bashing. It is just an opinion, that I happen to agree with. This shows we are different and we can learn from each other. Discussing it is a great thing. I walk fast for a reason. My dad had long legs and as I use to hold his hand, it was walk fast or get dragged along. Old habits die hard.

Thais observe life around and that's make them happy people. I agree with that up to a point. When they bump into someone and especially a car they are not that happy.

Edited September 30, 2007 by Laughing Gravy

[chiang mai]

Add to all of that, looking but not seeing. How many times have you been driving when a vehicle/bike is coming towards you on a dangerous track that is likely to cause an accident when at the last moment the driver has "realized and noticed" and made a radical change of course. I've seen it numerous times and have always wondered what is going through their minds in that type of situation.

[frankpelagic]

On from that, the motor bike taxi clowns who inhabit every street corner, and stand up and amble in front of you, then stop, making you have to get off the sidewalk to get past them.

[gmac]

The old saying "Out of sight out of mind" seems to be firmly entrenched in the Thai mentality, how many times have you noticed oncoming pedestrians look at you then look away and continue straight at you,as if thinking "I dont see you so you better move aside".

The same applies to their behavior on the road .

So move out of the way then, problem solved.

Not so, that is problem avoided,problem solved is Thai and farang alike to show common courtesy and respect for the rights of others.

Expect a Thai to show common courtesy? It's not in their culture!

[johwel]

I usually look in a different direction when I see a difficult situation with an oncoming pedestrian. It is just to avoid the "dance effect" of everyone trying to give way. It always works for me as the approaching pedestrian can decide which way to turn without the doubt of which way I would turn. On the contrary, if someone approaches me and he/she looks in a different direction, I take it as my responsibility to decide which way I should turn, assuming he/she will walk straight.

I think Thais do it for the same reason; to avoid facing an oncoming stranger eye-to-eye, and maybe for a dance!

[chiang mai]

The old saying "Out of sight out of mind" seems to be firmly entrenched in the Thai mentality, how many times have you noticed oncoming pedestrians look at you then look away and continue straight at you,as if thinking "I dont see you so you better move aside".

The same applies to their behavior on the road .

So move out of the way then, problem solved.

And where do you draw the line at that type of approach may I ask?

[roietjimmy]

The old saying "Out of sight out of mind" seems to be firmly entrenched in the Thai mentality, how many times have you noticed oncoming pedestrians look at you then look away and continue straight at you,as if thinking "I dont see you so you better move aside".

The same applies to their behavior on the road .

So move out of the way then, problem solved.

Not so, that is problem avoided,problem solved is Thai and farang alike to show common courtesy and respect for the rights of others.

Expect a Thai to show common courtesy? It's not in their culture!

Common courtesy? In some cultures it's "common courtesy" to offer your wife to a guest, in others to let out a great belch after eating, in others to bow and commit suicide if you really screw up, in some shake hands and in Thailand to Wai and forge ahead no matter what the obstacle. Common courtesy is only common from the viewpoint of a particular individual. A little like "common sense" which we know is uncommon.

[chiang mai]

I usually look in a different direction when I see a difficult situation with an oncoming pedestrian. It is just to avoid the "dance effect" of everyone trying to give way. It always works for me as the approaching pedestrian can decide which way to turn without the doubt of which way I would turn. On the contrary, if someone approaches me and he/she looks in a different direction, I take it as my responsibility to decide which way I should turn, assuming he/she will walk straight.

I think Thais do it for the same reason; to avoid facing an oncoming stranger eye-to-eye, and maybe for a dance!

Best advice thus far in this thread. That's exactly what most Asians do and it does work, most of the time!

[xyborg]

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<br />Are you cold?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Use proxy website to look here and it does this maybe the site is cold? but I aint.

[Quark]

Well, I never noticed Thai people looking another way when they are walking but I have experienced the problem of trying to get out of a lift (or off a bus/train) and being pushed back in! Is it the Thai way? Not particularly, as it happens everywhere.

Another thing that annoys me is when people are standing and doing whatever then suddenly decide to move off in a particular direction without checking if anyone is near them. Again, it's not just here in Thailand that this occurs. Wing mirrors, anyone?

One thing I have noticed here though is that when you walk past Thai people sitting around (in an uncrowded area) they will wait until you have passed by them and taken several steps before they try their English and ask "You come from?" Maybe they just have to try to remember that phrase and/or pluck up the courage to use it - which takes a few seconds.

Anyway, despite many frustrations experienced in living here over the past five years, I would rather be here than in my home country which used to be affectionately nicknamed 'Blighty' and which now would be better being nicknamed 'Blighted.'

The Quarky one

[mark henry]

This phenomenon reminds of another strange thing I've noticed.

On several occasions, I've been walking back to my condo on the RHS of the road (against the traffic). Invariably, any songtaew that comes toward me (in the opposite direction) toots the horn & slows down as if expecting me to get aboard. I think to myself, "If I'm walking in one direction, why on earth would he think that I would want to go in the opposite direction?"

The answer came one day when I was on a songtaew, heading toward Pattaya. I saw a man walking on our side of the road & going in the opposite direction to us. The songtaew tooted, the man signalled it to stop, he got on & away we went. He was clearly walking the opposite direction for at least 500m before the songtaew tooted.

Can someone please help me understand this? :D

Perhaps he wanted to go in the oposite direction but could'nt cross the road cos too busy and there were no bridges!? It's possible.

[chiang mai]

Since we're headed off topic anyway:

Why do sunglasses sales folks try to sell sunglasses to people who are already wearing them?

Why do girls outside massage parlors always ask if I want a massage, when I'm walking hand in hand with my wife?

Why do taxi drivers ask if I want a taxi when I make a point of carrying my car keys in very obvious display?

Why,when I walk out of a restaurant, does the tout standing outside the restaurant next door always seem to ask me to go eat at his place?

Why, when you are reversing out of a tight spot and have almost completed the turn will all on coming vehicles squeeze through the almost non existent space behind you rather than stop or wait?

Because common sense amongst Thai's is not a prized personal attribute!