Why Do Thais Gossip So Much?

[HakimKlunker]

...Lets gossip about gossiping!...

I use to make it a game:

Tell one group of people one story; tell a different group different facts.

Then lean back and watch them arguing about who knows it better.

Gossiping seemingly is natural - and entertaining

[oldsparrow]

Social control mechanism.

Counter measure: Thicken the face.

[oldsparrow]

Why do Thais eat so much Thai food? I mean, people back home don't eat this much Thai food! Someone please help me answer this fascinating question.

Because all eaten by Thai is Thai food. And in the next cencury men will say Thai food your hometown people eat is farang food also.

Potato is Farang food.

Chocolate is Farang sweet.

Coffee is Farang drink.

[camerata]

Over the years living in Thailand I've noticed more and more the amount of gossiping that occurrs amongst Thai people, normally between members of the female gender and usually those of an advanced age. There is nothing it seems that delights some of these people more than to spread rumours which can cause harm in the shape of family break-ups, loss of employment etc

If we are talking about political and current affairs gossip, you can find the answer in the book National Identity and Its Defenders: Thailand Today. Basically, Thais don't believe what their own government tells them. So gossip and the rumour mill are all-important.

For general gossip, I think it's just a matter of Thais preferring to avoid conflict, so they don't criticize people to their faces. Instead, they do it indirectly.

[teacup]

Well it must be quite entertaining for them, otherwise they probably wouldn’t do it.

Unless you ask them yourself, as why? But if we do that, one - the person is not likely to answer you truthfully, and two -he/she may start gossiping about you for asking him/her that kind of question.

[oldsparrow]

For general gossip, I think it's just a matter of Thais preferring to avoid conflict, so they don't criticize people to their faces. Instead, they do it indirectly.

***

Great observation, indirect communication and also the pressure release when we can't confront the target directly. A tool for personal management in the office, give a hint so the person won't make a big wrong move and lost face officially.

[MidoriApple]

Completely agreed! Thais mostly avoid the confrontations

Some too coward, some prefer gossipping since it is more fun.

But the (Thai) Chinese also... around me this time...seems so extremely fun gossipping.

Some are just rumour and cause big deal, but anyway, still be fun...

Well, feel really exhausted

I guess foreigners have gotten more of gossipping from Thais..haha..can't help.

But I don't see any better than letting it go, you can't make Thais (also Chinese) stopp gossipping, anyway

So best is getting used to and no wasting your time with these ridiculous stuffs...

[jellymeister]

More interesting than the gossip itself is the content of the gossip....methinks there is very little discussion of social issues, world affairs, economics etc and more mundane things such as the latest lottery numbers, as compared to typcial eurobanter

[G54]

I got the low-down today on more gossip.

Gossip about me

Met someone for coffee and they told me all about me and what I had been up to in the past week. The ladies I had been talking to. The friend I took for dinner. The fact the ex wife and I are again apart from each other after only a couple of weeks getting back together. Where I was over the weekend etc.

And all this from someone who works 200 kliks away and who I have now met twice in person.

Gossip? Some people seem to gossip more than others or should that be sh*t stirring

Still, they must find my antics interesting and be leaving others alone.

[thithi]

because we thai are interested to know other people's lives... said the news reporter on the channel 3.

hah... sometimes it is bad.. i know i know

[oldsparrow]

More interesting than the gossip itself is the content of the gossip....methinks there is very little discussion of social issues, world affairs, economics etc and more mundane things such as the latest lottery numbers, as compared to typcial eurobanter

As a Thai I perceive that GOSSIP means:

"Talking of someone behind his/her back, mostly on negative point (Bad behavior, failure, funny thing etc)"

So it aims at person and only other situation involve sometimes only.

Talking nonsense on other topics is just nonsense chit chat คุยเรื่องไร้สาระ

[Lancelot]

I had it explained to me this way: "Because we Thais don't like confrontation, we gossip about people who misbehave. The word gets around and the neighborhood shuns the miscreants.

Not shure if I believe that but thats what was told to me by a Thai