Southern Thai People

[ChiangMaiThai]

I've lived in the South, in Bangkok and in the North. I've spent time travelling in Issan. But I've lived most of my life the past few years in Chiang Mai.

Now I'm back travelling in the South. The first thing that hits me, apart from all the development and all the foreigners, is how unfriendly and impatient most of the Thais are- especially the men. I had forgotten. Compared to Northern Thailand, it is a truly a completley different culture. Have to say I prefer the easy going and friendly Northern Thais.

My two cents anyway.

[Nampeung]

Frankly I find your comments ridiculous. The southern Thais are, imho, some of the warmest in the country But we can't make mass generalisations obviously so maybe you've just met the wrong people

[Tod Daniels]

My two cents anyway.

And you certainly should be entitled to get some change back from the insightful and discerning 'two-cent' generalization you so glibly tossed out there.

You don't say where you were in the "south", so it is difficult to know exactly what area you were in. If you were in a known tourist area your opinions and perceptions may have merit, as tourists tend to make any culture more "mercenary".

I have traveled the glorious "Land 'O Thais" quite a bit. On a whole, I found the people inhabiting the south of thailand; Songkhla, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Chumphon to be no less friendly than I found any of the native inhabitants. Once you get outside of the well defined tourist areas in this country, for the most part, the thais are really pretty good people just trying to make a living.

Having been to Chiang Mai and the northwest more times than I care to count, I would say the people from the south are right on par with there northwestern brethren.

Again, known tourist areas are exempt from my glib generalization. Any place with an influx of foreign tourists will not be the norm.

[ChiangMaiThai]

I'm on Samui now. So of course all the tourists have influenced the attitudes of the locals. It's not even really like Thailand here anymore. But I also lived in a small fishing village in Nakon Si Thammarat for one year. Of course there are friendly Southern Thais and of course it is a generalization, but as a whole the Thais in the North are more polite and patient than the Thais in the South. If you understand the dialects, just a brief listen to Southern Thai reflects the mindset down here. In comparison to the Northern dialect, the Southern dialect is much faster and more aggressive.

[sbk]

Did you realize that the local population of native Samui people is around 40,000 and that the total island population (not counting tourists) is well over 100,000? So, in all likelihood, all those unfriendly people are not even native.

As for the stereotypes, well the fact of the matter is that the southerners consider the northerners superficial and more likely to stab you in the back while smiling in your face. Southerners pride themselves on their more direct behavior and their 'take no crap' attitude.

So, perhaps superficially they appear unfriendly but the fact of the matter is that once they get to know you they can be the friendliest, most helpful and generous people I have ever met.

Guess it depends on how much you want to buy into the whole north-south divide and the prejudices about other regions that it are so commonly perpetuated.

[surface]

I've found the people from Nakhon Si Thammarat to be very hospitable and friendly. Been to some bars here in Bangkok that cater to southern Thai's (deep south perhaps), and while the younger guys were friendly, there were a few older guys that seemed to have it in for me. Maybe it's a generational thing.

[CarlBkk]

The southern Thais do have a certain reputation amongst other Thais from central, NE and the north...and in my opinion it's not unfounded. The southern Thais are tough as a general rule, and by this I mean less compassionate, more strongminded, less polite and more aggressive. Other Thais consider them also to be untrustworthy, but I cannot comment on this and it may be a negative attribute that all regions throw at each other.

Out of all the people I've known, girls I've dated and people that have worked for me or with me, the Southern Thais certainly do have that tough attribute in common which differs them from other regions. Most definitely the hardest to get along with and the ones where conflict/craftiness came out quickest. Several of my Thai friends who have southern relatives will also admit to these traits being obvious and generally true.

[JimmyTheMook]

Out of all the people I've known, girls I've dated and people that have worked for me or with me, the Southern Thais certainly do have that tough attribute in common which differs them from other regions. Most definitely the hardest to get along with and the ones where conflict/craftiness came out quickest. Several of my Thai friends who have southern relatives will also admit to these traits being obvious and generally true.

I agree fully with the above and most Thai folks including my family dislike Southern Thai's.

[Sarge]

been in the north, south and central thailand (outside the tourist track), and yes you do notice difference in customs, behaviour and of course physical looks. I wouldn't say that southerners are less friendly than others, all Thai are pretty friendly people compared to other nationalities. I did notice people in CM are somewhat slower moving, sedate speakers than other provinces but friendly all the same. However if you we must have a league table of cordiality then none beats Isaan people. It's far the more amenable region to live in terms of people's attitude. This is the province you get stared at most, almost everyone smiling at you, wanting to speak to you and go out of their way to help you. Sometime, when going to shopping centres with my young luk-khrung daughter they make me feel like a minor rock star. No joke.

[seville]

To add to what SBK said, southern people are more likely to be direct with each other so they are certainly going to be the same with tourists. Watch them with each other and how they speak to one another. Very little waiing and not nearly as many Kops and Ka's being thrown on the end of a sentence.

My Aunt always gives me big smiles when I wai to older Thais who show up on the beach that I've never met before, because we just don't wai that much in the south, but I never know if someone who has just showed up is a VIP.

As my boyfriend puts it, " Southerns speak strong, but speak true." How many times have you had a waiing smiling Thai person say, Yes Yes and then not be able to provide you with what it was you were asking for. I'd rather have a simple no.

Dealing with westerns in the south is more difficult as well. The main reason is the jump in cost of everything. Westerns and even Thai people that have been in the north come down and are shocked by how expensive everything is. I understand, but people get down right loud and nasty about it. I don't even want to count how many times in a day I have a westerner come up to me and ask me, "why". It gets really old.

[lannarebirth]

My Ayutthaya raised gf, who spent a few years in the south, but now lives in the north ranks regional Thais for honesty/sincerety thus:

Best --- 1)Southerners 2) Ayutthaya/Ang Thong 3) Northeastermers 4) Northerners --- Worst

Most other aspects of Thai life she gives the nod to her own central region.

[YaiJung]

I would agree that Southern Thais are a rather straight forward bunch(something I appreciate coming from a western culture). I also find them to be very proud people...they aren't prone to groveling or brown-nosing. While there might not be as much wai-ing and other formalities, my gf(southern thai) it seems can walk up to just about anybody she has never met(while in the south) and they will start chatting away like they have been friends for yrs. In that respect I'd rate them as pretty darn friendly.

They can be stand-offish or aloof when it comes to tourists and I think they sorta detest the way other Thais seemingly kiss ass so much.

[Nampeung]

Agree Yai Jung and with many others on this topic. South Thai people are unique and wonderful. Thay are warm and similar to Issan people in a way through their friendliness and fab nature

Edited July 21, 2008 by Nampeung

[Mosha]

I'm on Samui now. So of course all the tourists have influenced the attitudes of the locals. It's not even really like Thailand here anymore. But I also lived in a small fishing village in Nakon Si Thammarat for one year. Of course there are friendly Southern Thais and of course it is a generalization, but as a whole the Thais in the North are more polite and patient than the Thais in the South. If you understand the dialects, just a brief listen to Southern Thai reflects the mindset down here. In comparison to the Northern dialect, the Southern dialect is much faster and more aggressive.

My Southern Thai wife. (NST) says the Bangkok and Northern people speak soft because they don't speak the truth. The Southern Thais speak loudly because they are more honest. Her words not mine

[kat]

I love Southern Thais, and it was the place where I felt the most comfortable in the Country.

[linglhom]

In my experience I have found Southern Thais to be human beings....

Need I say any more than that?

[RueFang]

As for the stereotypes, well the fact of the matter is that the southerners consider the northerners superficial and more likely to stab you in the back while smiling in your face. Southerners pride themselves on their more direct behavior and their 'take no crap' attitude.

So, perhaps superficially they appear unfriendly but the fact of the matter is that once they get to know you they can be the friendliest, most helpful and generous people I have ever met.

Guess it depends on how much you want to buy into the whole north-south divide and the prejudices about other regions that it are so commonly perpetuated.

Completely agree with you sbk.

Most farang who live here with their Thai partners will be influenced by their opinion of people from other regions but unless you have personally lived in an area for an extended period of time, you can't really judge... my southerner husband has his own judgements about people from Isaan but I don't buy into it as it seems to be more habitual prejudice then anything. Every city/area in the world has the same north/south dislikes...in my original city of birth we considered south-siders (south of the river) less educated and rougher...complete b.s. but that's what all generalising is in the end.

[Mosha]

I can think of one English guy who lives in Kamphaeng Phet who thinks Southerners a great. He had a bad motoring accident in Phato Changwat Chumpon, a couple of years back. The locals did their damdest to pull him from the wreck. My wife with her usual poor attitude of anyone north of Prachuap Kiri Khan said he was lucky he had his accident in the south. Anywhere else they would steel his money.

Edited July 21, 2008 by Mosha

[NotNew2You]

Compared to Northern Thailand, it is a truly a completley different culture.

You stumbled around in the dark and hit the nail on the head somehow. Yes, being ethnically and culturally Malay, they are completely from the "Thais" in other parts of the country. That being said, I have always found them very pleasant during my travels in and around Pak Tai.

[t.s]

my longest standing thai relationship is with a southern thai family i have known for over 10 years, and i find them to be freindly, generous and very loyal to those they consider their freinds and family. they also go to great lengths to make our connection understood with others in their extended family and community which fosters trust and other relationships locally

that said, they are very reticent with strangers and do not suffer fools lightly. having watched the tourist scene develop around them, and also having derived a large part of their income and assets through the tourist industry, they have remarkable instincts about who is actually worth their time and freindship.

[t.s]

Did you realize that the local population of native Samui people is around 40,000 and that the total island population (not counting tourists) is well over 100,000? So, in all likelihood, all those unfriendly people are not even native.

As for the stereotypes, well the fact of the matter is that the southerners consider the northerners superficial and more likely to stab you in the back while smiling in your face. Southerners pride themselves on their more direct behavior and their 'take no crap' attitude.

So, perhaps superficially they appear unfriendly but the fact of the matter is that once they get to know you they can be the friendliest, most helpful and generous people I have ever met.

Guess it depends on how much you want to buy into the whole north-south divide and the prejudices about other regions that it are so commonly perpetuated.

this is pretty much exactly what i was saying.

[samran]

moronic anti-muslim comments have been deleted.

[samran]

After 9 odd months in Hat Yai and Pattani back in the 1990's the southern Thai's there were more like Australians in many respects. Direct, to the point, and didn't really stand on formality. It is a refreshing change from the stuffy politnes and walking on eggshells that you have to put up with in 'central thai' culture.

After a decade away, I spent a couple of days down in Hat Yai over Songkran, and I must say it was nice to get back there.

[girlx]

I agree that in general people from Isaan are the friendliest of the lot. They are a lot more fun- always dancing and singing etc., and they show a genuine interest in farangs... That is not to say that Southerners are not friendly, but it takes longer with them. They are more guarded, and as others say, more proud. This can definitely come off as less polite, and there are a lot of them who are downright gruff. Despite either side's reputations though, I think they are equally likely to stab someone in the back, and not necessarily just foreigners- I have seen Thai people in both areas stab each other in the back.

[simon43]

... Yes, being ethnically and culturally Malay...

[\quote]

Well, that would really only apply to the Thais who are living in the far south of Thailand, (Yala, Pattani etc). In central south (eg Phuket, NST, Surat Thani, Chumpon etc), the local population do not fit into that category at all. If we consider the Muslim population in these regions, then these are ethnic Thai muslims, living in the region for hundred of years and with an allegiance to Thailand. Their roots might typically be from Persia, India or China.

But I've certainly heard it said by Bangkok Thais and Issan folk that southern Thais have a 'black heart'. For sure, there is a huge difference between Issan and southern Thai people!!

Simon

[RakJungTorlae]

I date 2 girls from down south one was extremely kind, other one was a complete nut case. So I haven’t figured it out yet.

[imaneggspurt]

I spent a week travelling around the south a couple of years back,didnt seem different to any other part of thailand to be honest,.food was a little different i seem to recall,. not unpleasant,.

[zaza]

aren't we all human being after all?

All kind of manners apply to all ;good or bad.

Please ;stop ranking people on categories and patterns that only fit your misconception or limited exposure to a certain area or race!

So; how about a loud applause for me gals and lads

[Austeyr]

I used to work as a tour leader here in Thailand for quite a number of years. Our trips included trekking through the northern parts of Thailand, biking through the rice bowl areas of rural Thailand to kicking back on the beaches in the South. I really cant say i have noticed too much difference between the Thai's throughout the country this is mainly due to the fact most Thai's you meet probably dont originate from the province you are visiting anyways. I find that you have a greater chance of meeting not so friendly Thai's in high denisty tourists areas such as Phuket, Ko Samui, Koa Sarn rd and Chiang Mai. Which is totally understandable if you have seen the way certain tourists treat Thai's.

[-noodles-]

i have had a few Thai girls tell me that the southern Thais are jai ron (hot heart).