Amazing Thailand

[carlosacao]

I just felt that I had to share an experience that I had today.

I needed to go to a resort to pick up a package that a friend from Bangkok sent me through somebody else that stayed there a few days ago. Never been there, I had some directions and I was on the road to Mae jo on my way there when I felt that maybe I missed an street where I needed to turn and not knowing if the street name sign would be in English, I decided that it was better to stop and ask for that street just in case. I parked my car and go into a video rentals shop and I asked a lady there if she knows that street. Luckily she happens to speak o.k. English, but she doesn't know the street so she asked me for the resort phone number and she calls for directions. She spends at least 5 minutes talking to the resort and she draws a map; I begin to feel that this place might not be so easy to find after all. She then tells me that she can go with me to show me where it is as long as I bring her back. At first I wonder if my hearing is going bad, but it's for real. She goes with me, we find the place after about a 15 minute drive and about 8 to 10 km distance. I pick up my package and I take her back. After dropping her off I go to a nearby market to get some sweets and fruits to give to her as a token of my appreciation. Anyway, I was fiberglasted, this woman (happens to be the owner of the shop) left her shop for half hour to help me and jumped into a car with a complete stranger). I had seen some other acts of kindness from Thai people to me, but this one really impressed me. I know it would be very unusual to expect something like this from the countries where we come from, but it seems to be more typical here. As it turned out, it would have been not easy at all for me to find that resort on my own, that place was really hiding out there in the middle of nowhere and the street signs were only in Thai. Obviously when the lady was talking to the resort she realized that it would not be easy for me to find and she decided to go the extra mile for me. By the way, before anybody think that the lady maybe was trying to use this situation as an opportunity to start something else, let me say, absolutely not, she is a middle age woman that had no agenda whatsoever, just an act of kindness.

Maybe others may want to share these type of experiences here? Lets do a positive thread about Thai people for a change!

[krading]

Anyway, I was fiberglasted,

I guess that just 'reinforces' the good opinion you have of Thais.

[Ulysses G.]

I had something simular happen to me in Pattaya recently. I was looking for the bus station in the wrong area and the owner of a shop where I was asking directions jumped in her car and drove me 20 minutes to the right location. This is Pattaya which everyone is claiming is a terrible place.

The truth is that this kind of thing has happened to me numerous times all over Thailand. that is why I love the place!

[antony77]

Nice things like this do happen here occasionally. but during our long stay in New Zealand they happened all the time

I just felt that I had to share an experience that I had today.

I needed to go to a resort to pick up a package that a friend from Bangkok sent me through somebody else that stayed there a few days ago. Never been there, I had some directions and I was on the road to Mae jo on my way there when I felt that maybe I missed an street where I needed to turn and not knowing if the street name sign would be in English, I decided that it was better to stop and ask for that street just in case. I parked my car and go into a video rentals shop and I asked a lady there if she knows that street. Luckily she happens to speak o.k. English, but she doesn't know the street so she asked me for the resort phone number and she calls for directions. She spends at least 5 minutes talking to the resort and she draws a map; I begin to feel that this place might not be so easy to find after all. She then tells me that she can go with me to show me where it is as long as I bring her back. At first I wonder if my hearing is going bad, but it's for real. She goes with me, we find the place after about a 15 minute drive and about 8 to 10 km distance. I pick up my package and I take her back. After dropping her off I go to a nearby market to get some sweets and fruits to give to her as a token of my appreciation. Anyway, I was fiberglasted, this woman (happens to be the owner of the shop) left her shop for half hour to help me and jumped into a car with a complete stranger). I had seen some other acts of kindness from Thai people to me, but this one really impressed me. I know it would be very unusual to expect something like this from the countries where we come from, but it seems to be more typical here. As it turned out, it would have been not easy at all for me to find that resort on my own, that place was really hiding out there in the middle of nowhere and the street signs were only in Thai. Obviously when the lady was talking to the resort she realized that it would not be easy for me to find and she decided to go the extra mile for me. By the way, before anybody think that the lady maybe was trying to use this situation as an opportunity to start something else, let me say, absolutely not, she is a middle age woman that had no agenda whatsoever, just an act of kindness.

Maybe others may want to share these type of experiences here? Lets do a positive thread about Thai people for a change!

[thrilled]

I really believe it's not the country but the person.She knows your A foreigner.

So she went out of her way to help you in her country.I would have rewarded

her for doing it.She may have lost some business.

[Donnyboy]

Nice things like this do happen here occasionally. but during our long stay in New Zealand they happened all the time

[Pawpcorn]

It's so refreshing to see a thread running here that is discussing the positive sides of Thailand and Thais...

I happen to believe that the vast majority of Thais are very kind hearted people, and I find this, and see this, almost every day I live here. I just passed my 3 year mark of living here non-stop on the fifteenth of July, and still no regrets, especially compared to my home town of Los Angeles, California, now mired in 11.6% unemployment, worst since the Second World War.

Anyway, the event that came to mind on this topic here was... in my very early days of being here, when I was still mired in the rush rush rush mental lifestyle of America/California... I was in the Pantip Plaza area... and I had just missed catching the bus home... and thus I was stupidly RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF PETCHABURI ROAD, trying to catch up with the bus (figuring I'd knock on the door if I caught up with it!)... while simultaneously bouncing my big heavy bag with books and computer on my shoulder... (I know, I was an idiot, terribly out of sync with the Thai lifestyle, at that point in time!!!)

The bus seemed to slow down, then speed up, then slow down again, caught in the rush hour traffic, seemingly playing cat and mouse with me, always with the possibility of catching it... then advancing again, out of reach. While this bizarre display was being played out... I heard this motorcycle beeping his horn behind me. I figured he was just helping reinforce what a complete idiot I was being, telling me to get out of the way... but finally I turned around to look at him, to my complete surprise, he handed me my electric razor which had bounced out of my bag, onto the street way back when. This kind gentleman had stopped his bike, picked up my razor, than made all the efforts necessary to return it to me. (Hard to picture this happening in Los Angeles, to be sure.)

I thanked him the very best I could, (and gave up the chase, hailing a taxi so I could get home in time to teach the evening English class).

I've never forgotten this man's selfless act of kindness; symbolic of the start of my learning about the kind spirit in the accepting, fun loving, kind and gentle people that are the Thais.

BTW, I've since learned how to slow down... quite considerably... Kun Kiikiiat (I'm lazy) nowadays... and much less stressed.

[AnaisNin]

Wow, I am impress with your story.

In America, entering a stranger's car is the last thing you would do.

[Donnyboy]

Wow, I am impress with your story.

In America, entering a stranger's car is the last thing you would do.

unless your the car jacker

[coolxten]

I just felt that I had to share an experience that I had today.

I needed to go to a resort to pick up a package that a friend from Bangkok sent me through somebody else that stayed there a few days ago. Never been there, I had some directions and I was on the road to Mae jo on my way there when I felt that maybe I missed an street where I needed to turn and not knowing if the street name sign would be in English, I decided that it was better to stop and ask for that street just in case. I parked my car and go into a video rentals shop and I asked a lady there if she knows that street. Luckily she happens to speak o.k. English, but she doesn't know the street so she asked me for the resort phone number and she calls for directions. She spends at least 5 minutes talking to the resort and she draws a map; I begin to feel that this place might not be so easy to find after all. She then tells me that she can go with me to show me where it is as long as I bring her back. At first I wonder if my hearing is going bad, but it's for real. She goes with me, we find the place after about a 15 minute drive and about 8 to 10 km distance. I pick up my package and I take her back. After dropping her off I go to a nearby market to get some sweets and fruits to give to her as a token of my appreciation. Anyway, I was fiberglasted, this woman (happens to be the owner of the shop) left her shop for half hour to help me and jumped into a car with a complete stranger). I had seen some other acts of kindness from Thai people to me, but this one really impressed me. I know it would be very unusual to expect something like this from the countries where we come from, but it seems to be more typical here. As it turned out, it would have been not easy at all for me to find that resort on my own, that place was really hiding out there in the middle of nowhere and the street signs were only in Thai. Obviously when the lady was talking to the resort she realized that it would not be easy for me to find and she decided to go the extra mile for me. By the way, before anybody think that the lady maybe was trying to use this situation as an opportunity to start something else, let me say, absolutely not, she is a middle age woman that had no agenda whatsoever, just an act of kindness.

Maybe others may want to share these type of experiences here? Lets do a positive thread about Thai people for a change!

I had a similar experience in Bangkok, where I was trying to get to the northern bus station, and thought it was a good idea to walk to it from the Moh Chit station. When I asked an old man where it was, he offered to walk me there. It turned out be a 30 min walk. I felt very grateful since I would have never figured it out having to walk through the park.

Laos is another great country with extremely nice people. My friend and I took the bus to Phonsavan, and we boarded the bus in shorts and tanks tops. We didn't know that Phonsavan at night would be freezing cold, where you could see your breath in the air. All of our stuff was packed under the bus, but the people sitting around us offered us blankets and their jackets.

[IanForbes]

Wow! Great stories! I agree with the one about New Zealand as well. I used to take yearly trips to New Zealand and the generosity of the people amazed me. I've had a few similar experiences in Thailand, but not to the same extent as the OP.

But, then I started thinking of my own family. My mother often helped strangers and I've grown up doing the same thing. I've lost count of the times I've opened my home to strangers. I've been bitten a few times but that goes with the territory and I haven't changed. I still squire strangers around and help those who seem a little lost. I think I believe in karma.

There was good but sad movie called "Pay it forward" that reminds me of this topic.

[PoeDogg]

If she is not attached, take her out for food/drinks.

[benton]

Anyway, I was fiberglasted,

I guess that just 'reinforces' the good opinion you have of Thais.

Big story..maybe he is 'flabby-gasted'

[basinboy]

We came across a small act of kindness a few weeks ago when staying at a guesthouse in Chiang Mai.

My wife asked the lady owner if there was anywhere she could get some pants taken up.

The owner asked her to put them on and then pinned them to the required length. She said she would get them done. She turned up an hour later...job done, in answer to "how much" she said "it didn't take me long...no charge"

Kind and at the same time business savvy.

[montrii]

I'm pleased to be able to add my 2 cents here. 4 years ago I was working in tsunami relief in Phangaa. I'd had to go up to Bangkok, and naturally came back into Phuket airport, where I took a van into town to get a bus back up to my work, about 3 hours north. The van stopped at a main office and the passengers were put into cars depending on where they were going. I was the only one going to the bus station. I had my laptop (a good one) with me, but forgot it when I got out of the car. I bought the bus ticket north and then went to grab something to eat, had a couple of free hours. While eating I realized my laptop wasn't there. Naturally, I freaked--it had everything in it, including the stuff I was working on for the Thais. Thought I might have left it at the ticket office, but all of them there said I'd come in with just one bag. They were all really concerned, though. I realized I must have left it in the car that brought me there, but had no idea of what the firm's name was, or much idea of where the main office was. One of the motorcycle drivers got really interested--I'll never forget him, a white-haired guy named Chaa--and said he'd try to help me get it back. So I hopped on the back of his bike and he took me first to one travel agency which wasn't open--it was Sunday--and then another, which was. We explained the situation to the lady there at the desk, and she took a half hour or 45 minutges of her time to track the laptop down, first calling the airport to find out what company vans picked up passengers at the time I came in, then calling the different companies until she got one which remembered me. They, in turn, called the guy who was driving the car that had taken me to the bus station, and, amazingly, in about 20 minutes he showed up with the laptop, for which I gave him a nice tip, of course tipping my other two helpers generously. But by then I was late for the bus. Chaa said not to worry, he knew the guy driving the bus. He called him, and then I hopped on the back of his bike again and we rode halfway up the island of Phuket to where the bus had stopped and was waiting for us. All's well that ends well, but this incident, which could have easily been a disaster, really brought a smile to my heart in the land of smiles.

[IanForbes]

That's another great story, Montrii. You said you were helping the Tsunami victims so maybe you were getting some good karma payback.

[Thakkar]

I have been the recipient of kindness from strangers in many places—Hawaii, Nigeria, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India (where as a passerby was guiding me somewhere on foot happened to pass his home and insisted I have an impromptu lunch with him before he takes me to my destination). London is one of the only places where I encountered out and out unfriendliness almost everyday that I was there.

But we're talking about Thailand and I've shared my stories in previous posts. Here's one I just remembered when reading about Powpcorn chasing his bus: I had a flight to catch. A taxi I'd booked to wait for me at a pre-arranged place was pulling away as I was arriving (I was late). As I chased after taxi waving wildly, a car behind me honked, asked me to get in and helped me chase down the taxi. The driver, a young lady my family and I had seen around the area but never spoken to, assured me that if we fail to flag down the taxi, she'd drive me to the airport herself as I'd expressed concerned about missing my flight.

Khao Soi and Tuk Tuk ripoffs notwithstanding, kind people are everywhere and I've been fortunate to encounter more than my fair share.

[neverdie]

I remember a similar type story to these back in Australia.....actually theres a film about it, a story where a man helps people broken down in the outback........its called 'Wolf Creek' .....theres truely some amazing people out there, just make sure you keep an eye out for the wackos

[jtp]

I remember a similar type story to these back in Australia.....actually theres a film about it, a story where a man helps people broken down in the outback........its called 'Wolf Creek' .....theres truely some amazing people out there, just make sure you keep an eye out for the wackos

Oh,my car has broken down,why yes,i will take a ride back to your cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere,oh my that is a lovely looking collection of machete's you have sir...

[carlosacao]

I really believe it's not the country but the person.She knows your A foreigner.

So she went out of her way to help you in her country.I would have rewarded

her for doing it.She may have lost some business.

I did think about giving her money, but I felt clearly that she would not accept it, most likely she would feel insulted, so I got her some sweets and fruits instead. She did have someone helping her at the shop, so she didn't lose any business, but still, she went out of her way big time. Happy to be in Thailand

[carlosacao]

Nice things like this do happen here occasionally. but during our long stay in New Zealand they happened all the time

New Zealand? Hummm........ What did you say New Zealand's immigration requirements are?

[FairwayJack]

Last week my normally reliable car stalled on the #1 highway (electrical short). The police helped me push it to the shoulder and were very polite and helpful. Car started again in 15 mins and I was on my way again. I thought I was toast but this experience gave me a very positive impression of the Bangkok Police force

[carlosacao]

It's so refreshing to see a thread running here that is discussing the positive sides of Thailand and Thais...

I happen to believe that the vast majority of Thais are very kind hearted people, and I find this, and see this, almost every day I live here. I just passed my 3 year mark of living here non-stop on the fifteenth of July, and still no regrets, especially compared to my home town of Los Angeles, California, now mired in 11.6% unemployment, worst since the Second World War.

Anyway, the event that came to mind on this topic here was... in my very early days of being here, when I was still mired in the rush rush rush mental lifestyle of America/California... I was in the Pantip Plaza area... and I had just missed catching the bus home... and thus I was stupidly RUNNING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF PETCHABURI ROAD, trying to catch up with the bus (figuring I'd knock on the door if I caught up with it!)... while simultaneously bouncing my big heavy bag with books and computer on my shoulder... (I know, I was an idiot, terribly out of sync with the Thai lifestyle, at that point in time!!!)

The bus seemed to slow down, then speed up, then slow down again, caught in the rush hour traffic, seemingly playing cat and mouse with me, always with the possibility of catching it... then advancing again, out of reach. While this bizarre display was being played out... I heard this motorcycle beeping his horn behind me. I figured he was just helping reinforce what a complete idiot I was being, telling me to get out of the way... but finally I turned around to look at him, to my complete surprise, he handed me my electric razor which had bounced out of my bag, onto the street way back when. This kind gentleman had stopped his bike, picked up my razor, than made all the efforts necessary to return it to me. (Hard to picture this happening in Los Angeles, to be sure.)

I thanked him the very best I could, (and gave up the chase, hailing a taxi so I could get home in time to teach the evening English class).

I've never forgotten this man's selfless act of kindness; symbolic of the start of my learning about the kind spirit in the accepting, fun loving, kind and gentle people that are the Thais.

BTW, I've since learned how to slow down... quite considerably... Kun Kiikiiat (I'm lazy) nowadays... and much less stressed.

Great story Pawpcorn, I understand what you mean about Los Angeles, I lived there for 25 years until a couple of years ago when I moved to Thailand and never had any situation that can get close to these stories; of course, there are great people anywhere and you can find an angel anywhere, but it will be more likely in some places rather than others; in Los Angeles people get told never to talk to strangers, I do remember a couple of occasions where I approached someone to ask for directions and they just run away from me like if they were running for their lives, oh well, life in the big city.

Here is another story: one night, a few months ago I was in Bo Sang waiting for a songtawn (bus) to go to Chiang Mai and I had already been waiting for half hour; a couple of ladies from a food stall next to me had also been looking out for a songtawn for me, they wanted to make sure that I would not miss it and I could see that they were talking about me and getting a little worry; then one of the ladies brought a man with a motorcycle and told me: I called my husband, he'll take you to chiang mai! He did and after I arrived I wanted to give him money, but no way, he totally refused. Another random act of kindness in the land of smiles!

[IanForbes]

When I used to rent a second hand motorcycle I sometimes had problems. Either the spark plug would die or I'd get a flat tire. In every occasion there was a Thai person who stopped to help me. Some offered tools and others actually did the fixing themselves. After that I started carrying a tool kit and have helped others. As the movie said... "Pay it forward".