Uniquely Thai Habits / Customs

[Mason45]

Thais are all born with the same disease NCO (Never Consider Others) and theres no cure.

A Thai squeezes a pimple and applies a dressing more appropiate for a shrapnel wound.

When you're estimating the fuel consumption and cost for a vehicle full of Thai people,

you allow for the kms/litre multiplied by the price per litre and then add on 30% for

the Thai short cuts.

[Hope Immanence]

Some funny observations above: well done!

Buying new chairs/lounges/stools and leaving the plastic on it

Buying a car without having the mechanics checked...

Using the same gaudy interior fittings/signage/flower arrangments/color scheme at seminars, workshops etc.

[whistleblower]

Proudly declaring to all that they have never been colonised, whilst omitting that every bordering country has sacked Thailand at least once each. And they have only 'never been colonised' because they gave away vast chunks of land in a peace deal.

[sanook2me]

Walking down sois to local shops in jim jams (uni age girls) wearing face packs and walking to same local 7 - 11 or similar...

When it rains 2 things.... 7 -11 plastic bag on ya noggin to protect against the polluted rain...

using leafs stuck under the rear number plate to stop the spray....

Ladies sitting side saddle on motorcycles

Wear your best shoes to walk/travel to work then putting on office slippers when at work

Ladyboys selling wedding photographs/studios in department stores

Shop workers following you around!! gggrrrrrrhhhhhhhaaaaahhhhhhhhhaaaaaaggggryyyyyrrrrrgggrrraaa Number 1 pet hate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Godolphin]

Thai men using tweezers for facial grooming.

[bina]

most of what was written in these past posts are all things that we have here also:

new chairs/lounges/stools and leaving the plastic on it

never been to little old ladies' houses in haifa have you? the chairs have plastic on them from day one, still on them 30 years later...

any normal person turns jeans and stuff inside out to dry on the line so it doesnt fade; good shoes go to work, slppers or taking shoes off while at the desk (ministery of interior in israel, many women do that, guys dont)

plastic bags against rain, cause no such thing as a rain coat (here that is) and it protects your hair do or fancy hat

not asking directions? an israeli male thing also, for that matter a male thing in general

practically everything listed is not specifically thai, perhaps third world? perhaps middle eastern also (similar to stuff here what can i say...)

particularly thai: when opening new bottle of vodka, husband pours out a libation to all the ghosts/land gods and spirits, and he does it w/o making a big fuss about it. its just part of daily routine with a simple 'saddhu' said.

salty toothpaste

preferring green peaches, unripe mangoes, and eating sweet fruit with hot peppers and salt (i know, bulgarians eat watermelon with salt and salty cheese, but still...)

an attention to visual detail in decor, drawing, painting, food serving and flavour (layers of colours in segue jelly), but no attention to dress (at least bannork types like hubby)

putting food in your child's or wife's or husband's mouth out of love

asking about numbers that appear in your dreams, not about symbols (the freudian stuff) for the lottery

cant think of any major things although my kids will often walk in the house and see something and say: mom, thats such a thai thing to do (about hubby or our house decor/lack of , food presentation-beautiful)or whatever.

[Magoomba]

Thai men using tweezers for facial grooming.

Or two 1 baht coins to do the same. I find it funny that seems to be the entire purpose for the wing mirrors on cars bikes and trucks.

Not to forget the messengers who groom themselves in almost anything reflective.

Finally the whole idea of luck. As an example my Tee Ruk told me recently her brother had bad luck and crashed his pickup while driving drunk.

[mca]

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days.

Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

I sympathize LB. You're in KK too right?

A few weeks back a granny in the soi behind mine kicked the bucket so out came the Motorhead PA system for 3 days straight. That in itself was bad enough but the worst aspect was they played the same song over and over and over again. Just one song on a loop. Some haunting type melody with the Thai version of the flute.

Fr*gging nightmare. I now know how those terrorists arrested and tortured with a hood over their head and white noise pumped into their lugs must feel.

[mahtin]

I sympathize LB. You're in KK too right?

Me 3.

Roosters, dogs, fireworks and funerals, and the inlaws live opposite wat with special holiday tannoy.

I've invested in that house but in no hurry to live in it.

[mrtoad]

Answering the telephone when at the top or bottom of an escalator.

Police wearing Hello Kitty on their uniforms.

Creating Hubs.

Taxi drivers who don't know where some of the major roads in the capital are.

150 baht ATM fees.

[mca]

^^I had that the other day mahtin with the gratin (sp) festival and donations. Hours upon hours of "Khun Yai Paengsri 20 baht..... Saatoo! Khun Yai Somjai 100 baht......Saatoo! Khun Yai Daeng 50 baht....Saatoo!" each one followed by a bang on the old gong.

At least have a filter for donations by only announcing the names of people who chipped in at least a grand for Gods sake!

Edited November 10, 2009 by mca

[Mason45]

^^I had that the other day mahtin with the gratin (sp) festival and donations. Hours upon hours of "Khun Yai Paengsri 20 baht..... Saatoo! Khun Yai Somjai 100 baht......Saatoo! Khun Yai Daeng 50 baht....Saatoo!" each one followed by a bang on the old gong.

At least have a filter for donations by only announcing the names of people who chipped in at least a grand for Gods sake!

The classic one I like is that every Thai Ive met are experts when they give opinions on the goings on in Pattaya but when questioned they vehemently deny ever being within 50 kms radius of the place.

Taxi drivers give you a running commentary on their perceived persecution of Thaksin whether you can understand Thai or not.

A motor accidents takes place the bystanders form a huddle and start talking, no one even considers rendering assistance to the victims. By the time the BIB's arrive at the scene at least 6 people come forward as witnesses and everyone gives a different account on what actually occured.

Its ok for a Thai to tell lies but he'll throw a wobbly if he knows that you're lying to him.

[ThailandLovr]

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days.

Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

I sympathize LB. You're in KK too right?

A few weeks back a granny in the soi behind mine kicked the bucket so out came the Motorhead PA system for 3 days straight. That in itself was bad enough but the worst aspect was they played the same song over and over and over again. Just one song on a loop. Some haunting type melody with the Thai version of the flute.

Fr*gging nightmare. I now know how those terrorists arrested and tortured with a hood over their head and white noise pumped into their lugs must feel.

Yeah, that Thai version of the flute music makes me crazy. Eardrum rupturing/piercing "musical" version of insanity. I once was at a funeral and after about 30 minutes of the bleeping flute, I had to walk down the soi and scream! Yes, I really did it. Blew me over the edge. It is beyond me.

Edited November 10, 2009 by ThailandLovr

[Lite Beer]

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days.

Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

I sympathize LB. You're in KK too right?

A few weeks back a granny in the soi behind mine kicked the bucket so out came the Motorhead PA system for 3 days straight. That in itself was bad enough but the worst aspect was they played the same song over and over and over again. Just one song on a loop. Some haunting type melody with the Thai version of the flute.

Yep. A KK Village . All quite now but I know 6.am in the morning start again. Go to bed with every window closed and ear plugs inserted . But it don't work.

If you can't beat them, join them. I shall have to pop over and have a beer.

[ballzafire]

Banks of loud speakers blasting out distorted music at funerals from 6 am for a few days. Got one 2 doors away and have got a headache

Weddings, funerals, house warmings... I've suffered through it all.

Thank goodness for foam ear plugs, tho...

[mca]

I can imagine telling the wife "I've had enough of this", storming round the neighbours to complain and rolling home shit faced at 7 am singing this with an empty bottle of Pipers under the arm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OD_VYh9OIY

[ballzafire]

... 150 baht ATM fees.

Neither a custom nor a habit.

More of just a plain insult to foreigners by the greedy Thai banking cabal...

[wintermute]

Here's one..

I live in a condo building full of middle/upper middle class Thais and without fail they will take the car to go out to eat when the restaurant is within direct and easy walking distance. Sometimes even sitting in mild traffic for 10 minutes to get some place where they could have walked in less than 5 minutes.

Edited November 10, 2009 by wintermute

[dumball]

4 or more Thai in a group all talking about a different subject and shouting to be heard above the others , shouting on a cell phone because the other party is a long way away .

[mahtin]

shouting on a cell phone because the other party is a long way away .

My mother used to do that on a rotary dial land line

[wintermute]

I forgot another Thai quirk. Thai people love paperwork and useless bureaucratic filing systems. A simple lease agreement requires a ream of signatures and complex paperwork that's at least 7 pages long when in the U.S. a similar task would require around 2 pages.

[Tonto21]

Foot prints on the toilet seat ??

Ha ha ha ha, Yes! My first encounter with this. (Foot prints and toilet seats) I had not been in Thailand long and was driving to Chiangmai from Pattaya. I stopped with my girlfriend for rest at a service station. As I was walking into the toilet area, a man was being carried out, with a nasty cut on his head and looking worse for wear! I didn’t speak any Thai at this time, so I didn’t have the foggiest what was going on. Long story short, I got back to the car and we start to drive away, I say to my g/f “I don’t know what happened to the men who got hurt”

My g/f said, without missing a beat, “he fall down toilet” I say No Naa, “he would have fallen off the toilet not down it” She looked at me for a long time...... thinking......and says, OK “he fall off toilet”..........”but first he foot fall down toilet, then he fall off and he hit his head on wall”

[dumball]

Tonto21 , I just about fell off my chair , funniest thing I have heard on TV in a long time .

[Lite Beer]

Tonto21 , I just about fell off my chair , funniest thing I have heard on TV in a long time .

Ha Ha. I hope he cleaned his bum first.

[mca]

Foot prints on the toilet seat ??

Ha ha ha ha, Yes! My first encounter with this. (Foot prints and toilet seats) I had not been in Thailand long and was driving to Chiangmai from Pattaya. I stopped with my girlfriend for rest at a service station. As I was walking into the toilet area, a man was being carried out, with a nasty cut on his head and looking worse for wear! I didn't speak any Thai at this time, so I didn't have the foggiest what was going on. Long story short, I got back to the car and we start to drive away, I say to my g/f "I don't know what happened to the men who got hurt"

My g/f said, without missing a beat, "he fall down toilet" I say No Naa, "he would have fallen off the toilet not down it" She looked at me for a long time...... thinking......and says, OK "he fall off toilet".........."but first he foot fall down toilet, then he fall off and he hit his head on wall"

You may well laugh Tonto but once while using an upcountry petrol station crapper I started to wobble a bit in the crouched position. I put my hand on the concrete trough for water to steady myself. The trough was a bit rickety on its foundations itself so I slipped and my arse fell straight into the toilet with my legs straight out in front of me.

The horror. I must have spent half an hour just washing my nether regions in the shower when I got home.

[Tonto21]

Foot prints on the toilet seat ??

Ha ha ha ha, Yes! My first encounter with this. (Foot prints and toilet seats) I had not been in Thailand long and was driving to Chiangmai from Pattaya. I stopped with my girlfriend for rest at a service station. As I was walking into the toilet area, a man was being carried out, with a nasty cut on his head and looking worse for wear! I didn't speak any Thai at this time, so I didn't have the foggiest what was going on. Long story short, I got back to the car and we start to drive away, I say to my g/f "I don't know what happened to the men who got hurt"

My g/f said, without missing a beat, "he fall down toilet" I say No Naa, "he would have fallen off the toilet not down it" She looked at me for a long time...... thinking......and says, OK "he fall off toilet".........."but first he foot fall down toilet, then he fall off and he hit his head on wall"

You may well laugh Tonto but once while using an upcountry petrol station crapper I started to wobble a bit in the crouched position. I put my hand on the concrete trough for water to steady myself. The trough was a bit rickety on its foundations itself so I slipped and my arse fell straight into the toilet with my legs straight out in front of me.

The horror. I must have spent half an hour just washing my nether regions in the shower when I got home.

Thanks for that I think.....I hope to shake that image by the end of the day, Ha ha

[bifftastic]

shouting on the phone to someone a long way away....africans do that too. So does my mate! (English)

paperwork/beaurocracy FRANCE!!! not only do you have to wait 6 months for your house price to be agreed but then you have to go to the Notaire's office at the same time as everyone else involved in the deal (could easily involve 5 or 6 family members from different parts of the country) in order to sign the papers!

Map reading skills/lack of..... In Phuket, about to set off for a drive, study map (in Thai and English) together with Thai girl, everything appears to be fine, she points successfully at where we're going, where we are now, traces route with finger, I'm hopeful.

In the car and off we go.....

(map upside down) Honey?...you can read map? 'yes' you sure? 'yes! i tell you already!' ok ok...... 1st junction (map still upside down) Honey which way?

'mai loo map mai dee' (smack in the face for laughing)

maybe not specifically Thai but made me laugh, and it was my fault we were late too!

oh and i too now have the unfortunate image of mca with his arse in the pan and his legs sticking out in front of him in my mind! cheers!

Edited November 10, 2009 by bifftastic

[cognos]

Proudly declaring to all that they have never been colonised, whilst omitting that every bordering country has sacked Thailand at least once each. And they have only 'never been colonised' because they gave away vast chunks of land in a peace deal.

Thais LOVE love RAMA 5 for saving Thailand..by giving away the leaves of the artichoke( to Burma, Cambodia, China, Vietnam..), leaving the bare artichoke( LOS as we now know it)

[cognos]

having a major River ( The Mekong ) that does not serve (anymore) as a natural border, as LOS got chopped up in the 1860's

[daveh]

I forgot another Thai quirk. Thai people love paperwork and useless bureaucratic filing systems. A simple lease agreement requires a ream of signatures and complex paperwork that's at least 7 pages long when in the U.S. a similar task would require around 2 pages.

I'm not sure of the last time you signed a lease in the States, but when I rented an apartment in California four years ago, the number of signatures and initials was greater than when I actually bought a house later on.

Another Thai trait seems to be the use of anamanapia. My wife does this and she has a degree in finance, so I doubt it is related to education. However, it could be related to the language barrier. Personally, I think it's cute.