Are You Naive?

[Moonrakers]

Well, i think the Thai language itself is designed in away that makes information ambiguous (or misleading) here, and the culture also seams to contribute.

If you take the trouble to learn enough Thai you'll come to realize just how naive that statement is.

I think what he might be getting at is that Thais will generally only tell you something if you ask.

For example.

John says, "Will the courier come pick up the package today?"

Khun Pui replies "Yes"

In this context neither is wrong but I believe John was hoping for an answer more like "Yes, the courier will come at 2 pm today".

While its natural for farangs to automatically provide an answer similar to the second one, its not natural for Thais to do so IMO when talking to a farang.

I experience this alot on the phone:

Me: May I speak with John please.

Sec: No he's not in now.

Leaving me to investigate when he will be in whereas a simple "He's not in right now, he should be back at 2 P.M.", would make the conversation go much smoother..

A minor thing which can become irritating, and something that just a little training will correct.

[PhilHarries]

I experience this alot on the phone:

Me: May I speak with John please.

Sec: No he's not in now.

Leaving me to investigate when he will be in whereas a simple "He's not in right now, he should be back at 2 P.M.", would make the conversation go much smoother..

A minor thing which can become irritating, and something that just a little training will correct.

You're lucky, I phoned our site office one afternoon.

Me : May I speak to Jan please?

Sec. : No.

Click, burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...........

[kmart]

Being a cynic has served me well here in the Land Of Smiles.

Sometimes, you cannot be cynical enough here, or in other parts of Asia too.

I think the written / legal language here is very ambiguous. Most modern Thai companies that we have contracts with are written in English, as the customers themselves are more comfortable with this, too.

[vagabond48]

John says, "Will the courier come pick up the package today?"

Khun Pui replies "Yes"

In this context neither is wrong but I believe John was hoping for an answer more like "Yes, the courier will come at 2 pm today".

While its natural for farangs to automatically provide an answer similar to the second one, its not natural for Thais to do so IMO when talking to a farang.

I can see myself stopping a Thai and asking "do you have the time? or can you give me the time?" and to either question, a simple "yes" could be correct and they could continue on their way because, I didn't follow up with the most important question "what time is it please?". Funny.

[pampal]

I only believe Dick Cheney

[JetsetBkk]

BTW, I checked at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gullible and the word gullible seems to be missing from the dictionary .

the language moderators haven't removed the word from merriam-webster yet.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gullible

Oh dear, you didn't actually check, did you?

[Marvo]

BTW, I checked at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gullible and the word gullible seems to be missing from the dictionary .

the language moderators haven't removed the word from merriam-webster yet.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gullible

Oh dear, you didn't actually check, did you?

I think it would be a good idea if someone who knows their way around the web could check more of the dictionary sites and report back.

[mommysboy]

Hi,

I just latched to this for a while, and realized the amount of untrue information that i have to deal with. It might sometimes be straight forward lies, but more commonly the cause seams to be lack of abilities at the source.

What are your experiences about untrue (or misleading) information here?

/Hans

Well welcome to freewill !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, unfortunately you can't believe most of what you read these days, and see, and hear.

IMHO there has never been an era where hype, and spin has triumphed over substance.

[madjbs]

Thai Visa is a very unhealthy spot for naive people. And being cynical is nothing to be proud of, skeptical yes, but cynical......

[vagabond48]

BTW, I checked at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gullible and the word gullible seems to be missing from the dictionary .

the language moderators haven't removed the word from merriam-webster yet.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gullible

Oh dear, you didn't actually check, did you?

Of course, can't have words mysteriously disappearing from our daily language, can we?

Actually, I was curious about their definition of gullible.

[hans1977]

Yes, and maybe that is one of the reasons why i sometimes used to think that the gap between knowledge and wisdom increases day by day; that would be mainly because the increased amount of knowledge everywhere, but i think it's not as clear about the wisdom whether it's just on a slower increase or actually decreasing.

I remember someone got known by telling people that "knowledge without wisdom is a disaster". I hope that what i just wrote about the increasing gap is just an illusion!

Another thing. I have seen this outside Thailand as well, but here they seam to be so proud to even say it, "easy, easy", as well. The substance got defeated again, i suppose...

/Hans

Hi,

I just latched to this for a while, and realized the amount of untrue information that i have to deal with. It might sometimes be straight forward lies, but more commonly the cause seams to be lack of abilities at the source.

What are your experiences about untrue (or misleading) information here?

/Hans

Well welcome to freewill !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, unfortunately you can't believe most of what you read these days, and see, and hear.

IMHO there has never been an era where hype, and spin has triumphed over substance.

[kmart]

Somebody once called me gullible and I believed them.

[vagabond48]

Somebody once called me gullible and I believed them.

No, really?

[mommysboy]

Yes, and maybe that is one of the reasons why i sometimes used to think that the gap between knowledge and wisdom increases day by day; that would be mainly because the increased amount of knowledge everywhere, but i think it's not as clear about the wisdom whether it's just on a slower increase or actually decreasing.

I remember someone got known by telling people that "knowledge without wisdom is a disaster". I hope that what i just wrote about the increasing gap is just an illusion!

Another thing. I have seen this outside Thailand as well, but here they seam to be so proud to even say it, "easy, easy", as well. The substance got defeated again, i suppose...

/Hans

Hi,

I just latched to this for a while, and realized the amount of untrue information that i have to deal with. It might sometimes be straight forward lies, but more commonly the cause seams to be lack of abilities at the source.

What are your experiences about untrue (or misleading) information here?

/Hans

Well welcome to freewill !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, unfortunately you can't believe most of what you read these days, and see, and hear.

IMHO there has never been an era where hype, and spin has triumphed over substance.

Well written, very astute.

Of course the human folly is to want 'nice things', to think the best, and give the benefit of the doubt, but this is surely understandable and even endearing.

But IMHO opinion you now can't believe anything, and that even extends to science, and economics.

Unbelievable really.

[tomuk76]

I believe everything george bush, the uk press and the boy who cried wolf says! does that make me naive?

[Marvo]

I believe everything george bush, the uk press and the boy who cried wolf says! does that make me naive?

I'm not sure naive is the word you're looking for there...

Now let me think of a descriptive word that may be more appropriate

[Plus]

Try to get the information from figuring out what people think rather than from what they say. With majority of Thais it's not too difficult to be a mind reader, you just need some practice, they themselves do it all the time, it's the rules. They also quite appreciate if you "get it" and they don't need to explain everything.

Of course it doesn't work on TV nearly as well.

[hans1977]

Thanks.

Yes, it's hard to know what to believe those days. It's boring too, which might be the good thing about it if most people think so; assuming they'd not continue like this by then.

I think science is sort of reliable, but it's difficult to know what science is, or not, since new things gets added all the time and things might get removed as well. Also, there are people using "science" purely to their own benefit to "prove" their excellence (usually to be able to sell something). Was that what you were thinking about?

I have never considered to believe in economics; it's a good platform from many points of view, but i think that people rather use it to cheat as much as they can to the benefit of themselves.

/Hans

Yes, and maybe that is one of the reasons why i sometimes used to think that the gap between knowledge and wisdom increases day by day; that would be mainly because the increased amount of knowledge everywhere, but i think it's not as clear about the wisdom whether it's just on a slower increase or actually decreasing.

I remember someone got known by telling people that "knowledge without wisdom is a disaster". I hope that what i just wrote about the increasing gap is just an illusion!

Another thing. I have seen this outside Thailand as well, but here they seam to be so proud to even say it, "easy, easy", as well. The substance got defeated again, i suppose...

/Hans

Hi,

I just latched to this for a while, and realized the amount of untrue information that i have to deal with. It might sometimes be straight forward lies, but more commonly the cause seams to be lack of abilities at the source.

What are your experiences about untrue (or misleading) information here?

/Hans

Well welcome to freewill !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, unfortunately you can't believe most of what you read these days, and see, and hear.

IMHO there has never been an era where hype, and spin has triumphed over substance.

Well written, very astute.

Of course the human folly is to want 'nice things', to think the best, and give the benefit of the doubt, but this is surely understandable and even endearing.

But IMHO opinion you now can't believe anything, and that even extends to science, and economics.

Unbelievable really.