Hallooor . . .hallooor . . .

[Beardog]

After telling them wrong number on second call back , turning off the mobile works for me.

[richard_smith237]

How are these people that you don't know getting your number?

Wrong numbers, that's how.

I dialed a wrong number on Mother's Day. A lady answered and said "Hello?". So I said "Hello Mum, happy mother's day!". She said "Oh, thank you very much. Who are you?". So I said "It's me, Jetset in Thailand". [Yes, even my mum calls me 'Jetset']. She said "But I don't know any 'Jetset'". So I said "Is this "013........" and she said "Yes, it is". So I said "But that's my mum's number". And she said "No, it's mine."

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I'd written one digit down wrong on the number I'd stuck next to the land-line phone.

But a really enjoyable wrong number - we were both laughing our heads off by the time I said "Cheerio".

This reminds me of a similar story of a mistake I made while making the phone call within Thailand to a Thai friend.

It was around the time that the 8 was being included in the cell numbers…

Throughout the first part of the transition period I just hit the call register and used reply when I wanted to call one of my Thai friends…

However, for some reason (after clearing the call register perhaps) I selected my friends number edited in the 8 to his number and called him, what followed was something like this…

Me: Hey, xx its me, how’s things, you up for beer later ?

Friend: sure, where are you ?

Me: At home, but where do you reckon for beer?

Friend: Where is home?

Me: what do you mean?

Friend: Where are you?

Me: At home.. hold on… Is this xx ?

Friend: sure it is, where are we going to meet up for beers then ?

Me: Hold on a second, who are you?

Friend: This is me…

Me: OK ok ok, Can you get xx and tell him I called…

Friend: sure but what about beers…

Me: OK, I’m trying to get hold of xx, if you are one of his colleagues and you’ve picked up his cell, can you mention I called?

Friend: Its me, lets catch up for a beer.

Me: Who is me, can you tell me your name…

Friend: Its me, stop messing around, who are you? Where are you

Me: OK, IF I called the wrong number I’m very sorry bye….

(Seconds later I checked the number and re-dialed).

Me: Hey, xx its me, strangest thing just happened…

Friend: Laughter – its me again !

Me: Oh, I do apologize, I’m trying to contact my friend, On this number, its programmed into my phone so I don’t understand why its not going thought to him, I’ll contact AIS.

That evening my friend called me – his number came up…

I explained to him about the crossed line issue, and that someone with a good sense of humor and good English (and with a similar voice) was messing with me when I called him….

It took a few days to work out that I’d but the 8 in the wrong position so the number was 098xxxxx… instead of the 089xxxxx ……

I must have really wound up the guy who’s wrong number I was dialing because over the course of a couple of days, I’d dialed him 4 times. But when my friend called me, the number showed the on the same caller ID tag. Strange……

Anyway, I forgot that I’ve made silly mistakes *(such as this), but again, the Helloooorrr thing still is blooming irritating…

Edited March 11, 2008 by richard_smith237

[simon43]

Yo OP,

Get a life mate.

Learn some Thai and culture.

[\quote]

Hmm, lived in Thailand since 2002, speak/read/write Thai, work as a volunteer translator for the Thai police, married to a Thai.... nope, hasn't helped - they are still saying 'hallooorr'

Almost completed my MA in Thai Culture at Chula . . . nope, still hasn't helped - they are still saying 'hallooorr'

Any other suggestions?

Simon

[AnotherATM]

Firstly, I must say that if this is the ONLY thing that pisses you off in Thailand, I think you are a very lucky man and I'd settle for it.

This is usually down to wrong numbers. Nowadays I rarely answer if the name of the caller doesn't appear from the contact list on my phone as my Thai is extremely limited. However, sometimes, if I'm feeling a little naughty, I reply with 'Hellorr' with a Thai accent, as is the way. Then, after the 'Hellorr' response I ask, 'coon ben kai?' (who are you?). If the response is still indistinguishable I start ranting in English. Perhaps some Shakespeare, which I can do pretty confidently, or something from the opening lines of Genesis (the first book of the bible, not the band), with the occasional 'kao jai, mai?' and perhaps a giggle or two, or even a grunt or bark thrown in. If they don't hang up on me reasonably quickly I finish with a 'mai benrai, sawadee krup' and I hang up.

Moral: make a game of it and the only thing that pisses you off in Thailand will become a pleasurable excursion in your day and you will be the happiest Farrang in the land.

Personally there are a hundred things a day that piss me off....What's your secret?

[eefoo]

Yo OP,

Get a life mate.

Learn some Thai and culture.

Hmm, lived in Thailand since 2002, speak/read/write Thai, work as a volunteer translator for the Thai police, married to a Thai.... nope, hasn't helped - they are still saying 'hallooorr'

Almost completed my MA in Thai Culture at Chula . . . nope, still hasn't helped - they are still saying 'hallooorr'

Any other suggestions?

Simon

Great response. And a very restrained one too. Personally, I'd have got a bit upset with someone who calls me 'Yo' telling me to get some culture.

BTW - I get the hallooor stuff as well - and it annoys me too

[TheDon]

Some people just get anoyed by stupid things, I mean come on

[game4shame]

I get irritated by thais saying 'haaah?' over the phone (as in 'what?' or 'ay?' etc).

don't know why but it really gets on my tits.

[simon43]

What sort of nonsense do they teach you about 'Thai Culture'?

How to use the bum squirter?

[\quote]

Exactly! Maybe I'll do my thesis on the correct use of bum squirters, including case studies of the terrible results if applied incorrectly...

Simon

PS - typo, should be MA in Thai Studies, but the thesis subject is still ok for my lecturer...

Edited March 11, 2008 by simon43

[zorro1]

Hmm, lived in Thailand since 2002, speak/read/write Thai, work as a volunteer translator for the Thai police, married to a Thai.... nope, hasn't helped - they are still saying 'hallooorr'

Almost completed my MA in Thai Culture at Chula . . . nope, still hasn't helped - they are still saying 'hallooorr'

Any other suggestions?

Simon

What sort of nonsense do they teach you about 'Thai Culture'?

How to use the bum squirter?

oh please do tell

[gunnyd]

I do the "Gino's Pizza, can I have your name and phone number please?" I usually reserve that for the second call. First I do the you have the wrong number bit. And it's not just limited to Thais. A few days ago I had someone from India calling my mobile. They spoke English so I did the wrong number bit twice before using my Gino's Pizza shtick.

GunnyD

[spasticated]

<br />I'm a peaceful sort of guy <img src="style_emoticons/default/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /><br /><br />But there is one thing that sends me into a blind fit of rage...<br /><br />That's when a Thai person telephones me and insists on chanting 'halloor, halloor, halloor' until I put the phone down on them....<br /><br />When they call I answer 'hallo' or 'sawadee krap;<br /><br />they say 'halloor'<br /><br />I say 'Hallo, yes?' or 'sawadee' again or 'dy yin mai?' or whatever..<br /><br />they say 'halloor'<br /><br />now I'm getting a litle impatient 'Hallo, yes, hallooooooooooo'<br /><br />they say 'halloor'<br /><br />I put the phone down on them.<br /><br />What are they waiting for me to say? Is there a hidden phrase that I need to use to encourage them to say something else? (I can think of a few choice phrases, but when I've used them before it hasn't worked!)<br /><br />Simon<br />

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

Just keep saying "Hallooooooor" back and see how many times u can do it then just keep saying it until they hang up.

[PhilHarries]

Just reply with the standard sound that makes up 75 % of thai conversations...err err err err err

I thought it was khrap.......khrap.....khrap..khrap.......khrap.....khrap.

Maybe that's the correct answer to hallooor. So the conversation would go along the lines of "Halloor......khrap.......Hallooor......khrap..khrap........Hallooor........

etc"

[micksterbs]

I have to sympathise with the OP. Our lindline number is one misplaced digit out from the local radio station's. We get quite a few wrong numbers a day, especially in the evenings. My Thai is practically non-existent at the mo so after I've exhausted my limited vocabulary and switched to English and the "hellooors" are still coming, I usually just say "Byeeeeeeeee" and put the 'phone down. Nine times out of ten, they ring again though. I'm sorry to say that hearing the frequent "hellooors" on Thai soaps has started to give me a nervous tic.

[LoveDaBlues]

Back in the states my phone number was just one digit off of the local Pizza Hut. At least once every couple of weeks I'd get a call from someone wanted to place an order; either for pick-up or delivery. For years I'd take the orders......yea evil I know........ ..........but you can only take so much of idiots who cannot dial the correct number....... .......wasting MY time.......

[TheDon]

i prank call people with arni soundboards, its quite fun, not very mature, but fun.

Google Arnold sound board and have some fun, even look it up on youtube and listen to other people doing it

[Jefferson]

Take your phone to Nokia care and have the microphone fixed.

[Eric1949]

Look fellas, I don't know why no one else has figured this out.

Hallooor...hallooor is the Thai secret service lingo for password...password, they will not answer untill you give them the daily password.

You can trick them though, just give them a ring, when they pickup, say Hallooor...hallooor and they will reply with the days password.

Voila! you now have their password for the next time they call you.

[micksterbs]

I think it's almost as annoying as the frequent use of "mai" on Thai TV ads, some of which have been on for over a year. Hmm, mai?

[barky]

This is so going to turn into a everything I hate about Thailand thread. "Halloor" is obviously taken from the English language as a short form for answering the phone. Every Thai says it, it's not just them doing it to p off the stupid farang on the other end. Perhaps they can't hear you? Perhaps they can't understand your poor Thai accent? Just some suggestions.

You are right of course, a very insightful, balanced and considered reply. I saw it too, there was a wave of anti-halooor building up here that needed to be hit on the head. I say if they don't like haloor then go home!

No don't go home. Hang up! Just don't bother. Don't put yourself through the hassle. Unless your actually expecting a call from a Thai for some particular reason its pretty well safe to assume your time is just going to be wasted.