Tourist Rant

[sbk]

It all started around 4 am when someone up on the road behind our place started leaning on their horn. I was sound asleep, it sort of woke me up but not enough to get up and go look. Then the dogs started going crazy barking. So, my husband gets up and goes out back to see what is up. He hears the lady at the top of the hill behind our place shout out something in Thai. Worried that something is wrong, he goes up to have a look. The lady sells gas out of those big barrels with the pump, locked up for the night obviously.

Out in front of her place is an older French couple (yes, hubby can tell the difference), leaning on their horn. The Thai couple that owns the small gas pump are out on their balcony telling them they are closed. "Closed!" Says the French guy "Why? We want gasoline!" They argued with my husband when he told them that the place was closed and to leave. "But we want gasoline!" They kept exclaiming. As if that was enough reason to come wake up everyone in the neighborhood leaning on their horn.

My husband said the really amazing thing was that the guy seemed surprised that the place was closed! And couldn't grasp that they wouldn't open up at 4am because he wanted gas. Finally, after being told to leave and saying he wouldn't go because he wanted gas, my husband (who has learned the ways of farang so has no problem with confrontation ) told him to Eff off. And if he didn't he'd be back with his gun. We don't actually have a gun, but my husband was tired of arguing with this idiot at 4 o'clock in the morning.

Worst thing was, my husband said, they were an older couple and didn't appear that drunk. He said they spoke quite clearly, drove like they were fairly sober.

Just felt they were entitled to wake up people up because they wanted something.

What is it with people on holiday that think the world owes them something?

[malcolmswaine]

Well done your husband

[sbk]

I always let him deal with stuff at 4 o'clock in the morning. Somehow, it seems like a man's job to me

[John 1]

I try very hard not to be racist but there were French that explains a lot of things, they could have been Germans and then look out.

[Mark Wolfe]

Sbk wrote:

Out in front of her place is an older French couple (yes, hubby can tell the difference)....

How can he tell? Was it the beret and the pencil-thin mustashe (on the man) and the brown paper shopping bag with French bread sticking out that the woman had? Or was it the acrid stench of the Gauloises?

(edit to fix quotes)

Edited December 14, 2007 by Mark Wolfe

[Boo]

maybe it was their accent or maybe they spoke in french to each other. I don't know but I'm sure I could id someones natoinality from either of these senarios even though I am not french nor speak it but I understand enough to know when it is being spoken. The accent, I suppose could be belgium but pretty close. I wonder why sbk's husband wouldn't be able to use the same identifiers!

[pointofview]

maybe it was the smell of garlic

[endure]

Sbk wrote:

Out in front of her place is an older French couple (yes, hubby can tell the difference)....

How can he tell? Was it the beret and the pencil-thin mustashe (on the man) and the brown paper shopping bag with French bread sticking out that the woman had? Or was it the acrid stench of the Gauloises?

(edit to fix quotes)

No, it was the onions.

[suegha]

It's easy to identify where people are from as there are several clues, language and accent are not the only things! As for the beret and french bread, that would be a dead givaway!

[sbk]

hah! Onions

No, he can differentiate accents. Could've been Belgian but the likelihood is that they were French. And they will most likely be exactly the kind of people who then complain about how unfriendly and aggressive Thai people are. Failing, of course, to report that they woke up an entire neighborhood at 4am on the insistence that someone open up and sell them gasoline.

[LeungKen]

They are not going to be happy when they cannot buy a Pernod or a bottle of wine.

That'll teach the noisy buggers..........

[pointofview]

They most likley needed the petrol to start a fire on a picket line somewhere - so the evidence weighs heavily to them being french.

the french do stand up for their civil liberty

[Lite Beer]

S I hope your better half did not learn his English from a lady such as your self?

Too many EFs.

[Mark Wolfe]

Out in front of her place is an older French couple (yes, hubby can tell the difference), leaning on their horn.

Sure it's information, but given that Thaivisa moderators are hair-trigger sensitive about offending anyone and certainly casting aspersions on race or nationality, I wonder what the actual reason was to include the assumption that they were French (they could have been from Canada). "An older foreigner couple" could have sufficed.

But the story takes on a different flavor when thinking of the villains as being French (or any nationality, "Bloody [insert nationality]! Just like them!).

Even Homer nods, eh SBK?

[sbk]

Wow, so I guess as a mod I can't even state someone's nationality without being judged. What a ridiculous point, there are constant references to nationalities on this forum without such aspersions being cast on the poster.

And in fact, if you'll read just this forum you will read constant negative references towards Thai people, some people inferring that because they are Thai they are stupid, which is what Boo and I both assumed you were trying to imply about my husband. Pot Kettle Black, my dear sir.

[zorro1]

hah! Onions

. And they will most likely be exactly the kind of people who then complain about how unfriendly and aggressive Thai people are.

And they would be right in this instance. I will get my gun? com on now that was way out of line considering they weren't trying to rob them. Its about as unfriendly and aggressive as one can be

[Mark Wolfe]

And in fact, if you'll read just this forum you will read constant negative references towards Thai people.

Why then can't a person post a negative comment about a company without it being deleted? And a truthful comment, like the bait-and-switch pulled recently by a certain property company?

As for SBK's better half, I was making a point -- if it were me, I'd allow much more leeway in the content of posts.

And as for the elderly couple with the French accent...they must feel that they are in a Third World country where First World citizens are by the natural order of things, superior and can demand that the peasants do their bidding day or night.

And as long as everyone was awake, you should have offered him some gas at 500 baht a liter.

[Dingojoe]

hah! Onions

. And they will most likely be exactly the kind of people who then complain about how unfriendly and aggressive Thai people are.

And they would be right in this instance. I will get my gun? com on now that was way out of line considering they weren't trying to rob them. Its about as unfriendly and aggressive as one can be

Yeah but how arrogant is that though, waking up everyone thinking they deserve service at that time.

I might have fired a couple of shots into the air, but i only got a water pistol

[OlRedEyes]

Dunno what's the point of the story. A small incident. Trying to balance the scales?

[sbk]

Actually, it was just a story about what I considered to be amazingly bad behavior. I doubt the French couple, who were unnamed btw, will come onto ThaiVisa and threaten legal action, Mark, which is often the case when unsubstantiated accusations are made against businesses by anonymous posters.

And zorro, may I suggest that I come and get you next time someone wakes us up at 4am demanding service and refusing to leave? Then perhaps you can deal with it? My husband asked them to leave many times and they refused. He tried nice, he tried rude. They refused to go and kept leaning on their horn demanding service. He doesn't have a gun, he wouldn't have used one on them regardless, but if they won't leave what suggestion do you have?

And I suggested to the lady the next day that she should have sold them gas at 500 baht a liter and she said "I didn't want the money, I just wanted to sleep!"

[Dingojoe]

hah! Onions

. And they will most likely be exactly the kind of people who then complain about how unfriendly and aggressive Thai people are.

And they would be right in this instance. I will get my gun? com on now that was way out of line considering they weren't trying to rob them. Its about as unfriendly and aggressive as one can be

Yeah but how arrogant is that though, waking up everyone thinking they deserve service at that time.

I might have fired a couple of shots into the air, but i only got a water pistol

Dam French there everywhere, and where were they when they took Iraq?????

just joking people, i met a French person once, thats all i am going to say about that...........

[Gimbo]

Dam French there everywhere, and where were they when they took Iraq?????

just joking people, i met a French person once, thats all i am going to say about that...........

They where just about everywhere else. But they do not invite CNN allong when to go around the world with their military

http://www.ambafrance-au.org/article.php3?id_article=310

[zorro1]

.

And zorro, may I suggest that I come and get you next time someone wakes us up at 4am demanding service and refusing to leave? Then perhaps you can deal with it? My husband asked them to leave many times and they refused. He tried nice, he tried rude. They refused to go and kept leaning on their horn demanding service. He doesn't have a gun, he wouldn't have used one on them regardless, but if they won't leave what suggestion do you have?

Dont wake me at 4 am I got a gun

You can not deal with irrational people unless you are trained. Its also dangerous as they can be unpredictable and I will never forget around 6 years ago when I was nearly run off the road by a maniac. I had a really bad day already and my blood was boiling so I tailgated him until I pulled up next to him at a red light. I hopped out of my car to give him an earful and he slowly lifted a real gun at me, spat on my car, smiled and drove away. You just never know.

Your hubby did all he could do

[Stevethongsala]

I try very hard not to be racist but there were French that explains a lot of things, they could have been Germans and then look out.

French or not is not the problem With me these f...... would have taken my fist in their mouth.

I lived one year in Germany before and i saw a lot of things but i don't care about nationality. We are in Thailand now ! I respect all the people who respect me. It's simple and it's all

[Mark Wolfe]

Stevethongsala wrote:

With me these f...... would have taken my fist in their mouth.

I just love to hear people whose first reaction is to violence. These sorts of people are emotionally bankrupt and immature.

This elderly couple was boorish, to be sure, but their actions hardly rise to the level necessitating such violence.

Leave your brutish arrogance at the border before entering the Kingdom.

(I suppose Steve now wants to put his fist in my mouth...)

[Stevethongsala]

(I suppose Steve now wants to put his fist in my mouth...)

I respect only the persons who respects me! And the words remain words ......

I'm not an agitator and certainly not a donor of lesson

My opinion is closed now

[sbk]

Stevethongsala wrote:

With me these f...... would have taken my fist in their mouth.

I just love to hear people whose first reaction is to violence. These sorts of people are emotionally bankrupt and immature.

This elderly couple was boorish, to be sure, but their actions hardly rise to the level necessitating such violence.

Leave your brutish arrogance at the border before entering the Kingdom.

(I suppose Steve now wants to put his fist in my mouth...)

Mark, you keep using the word elderly. Nowhere did I say elderly. I said "Older". Check again and you'll see. "Older" on this island, means late 40's to early 50's. Hardly elderly. And boorish is an understatement. I imagine, if this event had taken place outside your front door, your opinion would be very different to merely "boorish". My reaction is more along the lines of astoundingly arrogant, self-centered and selfish. As well as idiotic. But then of course, I was the person woken up, not you.

[Dingojoe]

Stevethongsala wrote:

With me these f...... would have taken my fist in their mouth.

I just love to hear people whose first reaction is to violence. These sorts of people are emotionally bankrupt and immature.

This elderly couple was boorish, to be sure, but their actions hardly rise to the level necessitating such violence.

Leave your brutish arrogance at the border before entering the Kingdom.

(I suppose Steve now wants to put his fist in my mouth...)

Mark, you keep using the word elderly. Nowhere did I say elderly. I said "Older". Check again and you'll see. "Older" on this island, means late 40's to early 50's. Hardly elderly. And boorish is an understatement. I imagine, if this event had taken place outside your front door, your opinion would be very different to merely "boorish". My reaction is more along the lines of astoundingly arrogant, self-centered and selfish. As well as idiotic. But then of course, I was the person woken up, not you.

Well said skb, you tell em.

[zzdocxx]

Good heavens.

Comes to mind the attempt to pickpocket TVer Prakanong, and he said they were Indian. Followed a raging debate having to do with that.

Don't quite know what to think.

[Mark Wolfe]

An older couple for most means elderly, unless you are a teenager, then it could mean 25.

I agree with your adjectives, but my point was that however you feel about it, the notion that it fits the bill for a physical beating is wrong.

And I notice that the "fist in mouth" poster appears to stand by his words. It's a childish, football hooligan attitude, but then it takes all kinds to make a world....

Edited December 16, 2007 by Mark Wolfe