Do You Offer Other Westerners A Friendly Smile (or Other Acknowledgement) When You Make Eye Contact?

[garro]

Do you offer other westerners a friendly smile (or other acknowledgement) when you meet? I know that I probably don't have much in common with many of these guys, and that the only thing we share it that we are not Thai, but it seems the polite thing to do - after all I smile when make eye contact with a Thai.

I did stop for a while after becoming irritated by having other westerners constantly give me cold stares - one guy even tutted and said turned to his Thai girl-friend/wife and said 'falang'. I soon returned to the smile though as it is nice to be nice, and it seems to irritate the morons. I might start giving them a wai too, just to see their faces.

[qwertz]

I used to until a woman called the police and accused me of trying to get off with her.

[sgtpeppers]

The westerner with one arm, I wave at him every time I see him driving past.

[sylviex]

did stop for a while after becoming irritated by having other westerners constantly give me cold stares - one guy even tutted and said turned to his Thai girl-friend/wife and said 'falang'.

Heh. Humans are a wonderful species to observe.

I do sometimes, but many foreign men studiously avoid eye contact with me. Some look anything from annoyed to enraged by my very presence (I know why; they know why). Their Thai partners will sometimes send furtive, apologetic glances. It often seems better to just try to pretend not to see them, but that is a strain in itself.

I have adopted the vague smile in the general direction approach.

Foreign women are different. We interact more naturally, it seems, and sometimes exchange knowing 's and 's, despite being strangers.

[TheDon]

When i walk past them and they look at me, they look scared shitless.

[garro]

When i walk past them and they look at me, they look scared shitless.

Scared and flabbergasted are easy to get mixed up.

Edited July 26, 2008 by garro

[TheDon]

When i walk past them and they look at me, they look scared shitless.

Confused and flabbergasted are easy to get mixed up.

Probably because they know if I wanted to end there life, I could do it any time I want

[MonkeyHouse]

Why smile at people when they dont smile back, i learnt along time ago not to smile at sour faced farang (95% of farang in bkk, unless there drinking beer)

[MonkeyHouse]

When i walk past them and they look at me, they look scared shitless.

I bet you only weigh 50kgs and just hide behind that avatar pic!

[garro]

Why smile at people when they dont smile back, i learnt along time ago not to smile at sour faced farang (95% of farang in bkk, unless there drinking beer)

I thought like this briefly, but why would I want to become one of them.

[Maigo6]

No.

[TheDon]

When i walk past them and they look at me, they look scared shitless.

I bet you only weigh 50kgs and just hide behind that avatar pic!

Yeah my arms weighs about 50 kgs. 10 years of steroid abuse mate

[MonkeyHouse]

Why smile at people when they dont smile back, i learnt along time ago not to smile at sour faced farang (95% of farang in bkk, unless there drinking beer)

I thought like this briefly, but why would I want to become one of them.

Dont get me wrong, i like smiling but not at farang as i know 9 times out of 10 i wont get one back so why bother? I smile at thais as they have a nice smile to give me in return plus they wont think im strange for doing it.

[lannarebirth]

I almost always smile at westerners and most other people I encounter. The westerners almost never smile back, most of the others do.

[garro]

I suppose some of the westerners may have grown up in areas where making eye contact, or even worse smiling, could get you beating up. It is a pity that they can't lose this attitude when they come to Thailand.

[chivo]

i don't give any 'special treatment' smile to farangs.

nor do i give a sour look.

because we are both whitey's in an eastern land, any special acknowledement feels like a statement of "hey we're white guys in asia!"

tho i will certainly smile or say hello back if prompted.

so, i have no particular excitement nor displeasure at seeing a farang.

i do have more of a tendency to smile or say hello at thai people tho because the nature of most thais i know is more personable and friendly.

as for the farang guy who called the other westerner a farang, i assume he was just trying to be funny. emphasis on' trying'. you could have one upped him if your thai was good enough...

[garro]

i don't give any 'special treatment' smile to farangs.

nor do i give a sour look.

because we are both whitey's in an eastern land, any special acknowledement feels like a statement of "hey we're white guys in asia!"

tho i will certainly smile or say hello back if prompted.

so, i have no particular excitement nor displeasure at seeing a farang.

i do have more of a tendency to smile or say hello at thai people tho because the nature of most thais i know is more personable and friendly.

as for the farang guy who called the other westerner a farang, i assume he was just trying to be funny. emphasis on' trying'. you could have one upped him if your thai was good enough...

Why would I want to one-up a complete stranger who I'm only smiling at out of politeness?

It has nothing to do with 'special treatment', just common decency.

[MonkeyHouse]

When i walk past them and they look at me, they look scared shitless.

I bet you only weigh 50kgs and just hide behind that avatar pic!

Yeah my arms weighs about 50 kgs. 10 years of steroid abuse mate

Well any problem from you bro and i would pop both or your 50kg arms with my gun.

[mizzi39]

I guess like anywhere else it depends and boils down to reading a persons body language. Some people simply do not want to be acknowledged or bothered, but i am always willing to give a friendly smile and even make small talk. After all mom and dad taught me good manners as a child.

[midasthailand]

Always, it doesn't hurt to be nice, but then I smile at all the Thais as well. What is there not to smile about?

[chiangmaibruce]

Hmm interesting issue and one i guess most of us notice. I have my theories as to what is going on.

I hadn't considered that reason Garro (re: people from countries where EVERYONE studiously avoids eye contact) but it probably does apply to some.

I still crack up when I remember something that happened to me in Manhattan once. At that time the Australian consulate there had a monthly (very informal) booze session for any Australians in town on business. When the beer ran out the Aussies all raucously flooded out into the corridor and waited for the elevator. This was early friday evening and of course the lift was already 3/4 full of stern-faced stressed-out New Yorkers just wanting to get home. And we all know of course that the only appropriate behaviour in a lift is to face the front and stare at the numbers changing (ie. floors being passed)

So half way down the Aussies at the very front turned around and faced everyone with big grins on their faces and asked "so how was everyone's day?". You could have heard a pin drop. The startled (slightly shocked, vaguely terrified) looks on the New Yorkers faces. Priceless.

Sorry, you would have to be there

[JOHN2]

Always, it doesn't hurt to be nice, but then I smile at all the Thais as well. What is there not to smile about?

How lovely.

[Kerryd]

I do, if they are willing to make eye contact. I will look at (who ever), and often notice that the other person will look down or away and pretend not to see me.

I just shrug and carry on. I'm usually on my way to somewhere and don't have time (or inclination) to worry about it.

[Jingthing]

I smile at some people, and I avoid eye contact with others (most) people, based on my mood and mostly the vibe I feel from the other person. To me, this has nothing to do with a person's race.

[jietjon]

I smile at some people, and I avoid eye contact with others (most) people, based on my mood and mostly the vibe I feel from the other person. To me, this has nothing to do with a person's race.

Better to keep eyes focused on what lies ahead, and what you are doing that day. Eye contact can raise undue problems, best to lookaway, peeps

[teacup]

Well at least for me……I couldn’t smile to anybody without the eyes contact first, then I can tell for sure if I’m smiling to a person not a pole or something…….hence avoid looking dumb/stupid in public.

I usually…..

First make the eyes contact, …..freeze the moment of 2 secs, ….then curl my right corner lip upward by 1 cm.

I wouldn’t know if my smile is received as a friendly type or not , couldn’t tell much when looking into the farang’s small eyeballs.

And I voted - most of the times

[intumult]

I always get the impression that many other 'Farang' are scared to make eye contact never mind smile or be civil.

The cold stare or total avoidance of any recognition seems to be the norm in so many cases.

I was out with a fellow Farang on Friday night. We got talking and it seems I am the first fellow 'Farang' that has spoken to him and he has been here for 4 years.

Yet when I go to BKK or Pattaya I find other people to be a lot friendlier and sociable.

[intumult]

I suppose some of the westerners may have grown up in areas where making eye contact, or even worse smiling, could get you beating up. It is a pity that they can't lose this attitude when they come to Thailand.

Nah, Garro. Many are simply unsociable tw*ts.

[typhoon]

Do you offer other westerners a friendly smile (or other acknowledgement) when you meet? I know that I probably don't have much in common with many of these guys, and that the only thing we share it that we are not Thai, but it seems the polite thing to do - after all I smile when make eye contact with a Thai.I did stop for a while after becoming irritated by having other westerners constantly give me cold stares - one guy even tutted and said turned to his Thai girl-friend/wife and said 'falang'. I soon returned to the smile though as it is nice to be nice, and it seems to irritate the morons. I might start giving them a wai too, just to see their faces.

I try to smile at most farangs I see around, but some just look at me as if I was from planet zog. Strange lot!!!!!

[cobra]

It states right here in the guide, ... never make eye contact ...

But I try to be accessible, really, and I do smile albeit in a Charles Manson-ish way,

and it probably doesn't help when I'm wearing my PLEASE F.. WITH ME tee shirt,