Thai Tempers Getting Shorter?

[imjustagirl]

Was a little shocked a week ago when i was verbally attacked by a Thai man on the bus transfer from the surrat Thani train station to the port for the boat to Samui. I have lived in Thailand 5 years now and was quite offended and surprised at this mans frayed temper....

This 'gentleman' of around 40's age was on the bus trying to sell accomodation and taxis as per the norm. he worked his way up the bus and got to me. He started his chat of where was i staying to which i said i had a house so didnt need accomodation...he then became agitated and said i should visit his hotel. I said perhaps and then he started quizing me on where on samui i was and pushing to sell a taxi. I said no thanks i am taking a song tow. He then looked even more irate but lean ed over to speak to the lady next to me. I leaned behaind him to my friend on the seat opposite when she asked what he wanted and was explaining (whispering) when he went into a rant! He started shouting that he was working and i should shut up and give him respect and that if i didn't like it i should go back to my home country and get out of thailand. He then stomped off to the front of the coach.

I was rather embarrassed and very surprised as was the first time tourist next to me (a young girl) and watched as he sulked at the front and got the bus to stop and let him off! Now, i am more thick skinned than to let this upset me but i did think what kind of impression does this kind of attitude leave in the minds of new visitors.... As i was just returning from an amazing trip to Burma where the people were so friendly and unstressed, i wonder if the farang exposure is totally destroying the pleasant disposition of the people of 'the land of smiles'

This was not the first time of course i have seen short tempers and anger but this was most definately the first time i saw it explode for absolutely no reason...It does seem that lately many locals seem to be getting very short tempered and quite aggressive...is it just me or is anyone else seeing this?

[sbk]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

[cognos]

its not just in LOS...i say it big time in China too, where people in general have frayed tempers..in North America too, where the me first, instant gratification syndrome is alive and well

[imjustagirl]

i did conclude that he must have been having a really crappy day...but i have been thinking about it and wonder if all our tourist bad behaviour is having an effect in the way of changing what is or is not acceptable behaviour in the eyes of Thai people that are around it all the time...kind of like an accent rubbing off on people who have never been to a country...i really hope not, i loath the rude attitude that us farangs often display without thought and love the Thai attitude of mai pen rai and smile...message to the locals - please dont change, i love your smiley happy attitude!!!!

[bkkjames]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

[robblok]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Those kind of guys really hate it when you tell new tourist about cheaper options. They really seem to loose it when you help someone for free.

[wintermute]

I'm sure those few people you met were totally representative of the population of 60 million living in Thailand.

[sbk]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Nope, thats not what I said. I said tourists can be rude, pushy and arrogant and the guy could have been having a bad day. sure, he might have just been a jerk too.

But having been in the tourist business for 20 years I can tell you from personal experience that after a while, you get tired of it. Nor did I say that the OP had done anything wrong, did I? Just said that after a while, one's tolerance level reaches its peak and it isn't necessarily the badly behaved ones that set it off.

Sorry if you don't like to hear that part or if it doesn't suit your conception of "bad thai man, good farang".

[Latindancer]

I have been thinking about it and wonder if all our tourist bad behaviour is having an effect in the way of changing what is or is not acceptable behaviour in the eyes of Thai people that are around it all the time...kind of like an accent rubbing off on people who have never been to a country...i really hope not, i loath the rude attitude that us farangs often display without thought and love the Thai attitude of mai pen rai and smile

I fear this may in fact be the case.

[bkkjames]

I'm sure those few people you met were totally representative of the population of 60 million living in Thailand.

For most tourists, they don't get to meet the other 59.5 million that aren't connected to the tourism industry in one way or another be it a taxi driver, tuk tuk driver, massage tout on the street and so on, so not really relevant is it.

[teatree]

Could the whispering have caused him to think you were insulting him behind his back?

Still an over-reaction in any case.

[bkkjames]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Nope, thats not what I said. I said tourists can be rude, pushy and arrogant and the guy could have been having a bad day. sure, he might have just been a jerk too.

But having been in the tourist business for 20 years I can tell you from personal experience that after a while, you get tired of it. Nor did I say that the OP had done anything wrong, did I? Just said that after a while, one's tolerance level reaches its peak and it isn't necessarily the badly behaved ones that set it off.

Sorry if you don't like to hear that part or if it doesn't suit your conception of "bad thai man, good farang".

Well SBK, the reason the guy got pissed off was the OP didn't want his services. Was she being rude by saying no?

It's a bit like if I approach someone unsolicited in my business to see if they want our services and they say no thanks, I yell at them.

Feel free to keep defending the few bad apples if it makes you feel better.

[needforspeed]

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Very good

[wintermute]

I'm sure those few people you met were totally representative of the population of 60 million living in Thailand.

For most tourists, they don't get to meet the other 59.5 million that aren't connected to the tourism industry in one way or another be it a taxi driver, tuk tuk driver, massage tout on the street and so on, so not really relevant is it.

They could easily avoid the detritus by planning things out ahead of time. Or if the touts pursue just wave them off and walk faster. Pretty simple really. I can't tell you the number of times i've seen tourists stop and try to argue like it's a debate in parliament or something. The fact is most tourists just aren't that bright but the cheats here are also terrible liars and easy to spot a mile away.

[mca]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Nope, thats not what I said. I said tourists can be rude, pushy and arrogant and the guy could have been having a bad day. sure, he might have just been a jerk too.

But having been in the tourist business for 20 years I can tell you from personal experience that after a while, you get tired of it. Nor did I say that the OP had done anything wrong, did I? Just said that after a while, one's tolerance level reaches its peak and it isn't necessarily the badly behaved ones that set it off.

Sorry if you don't like to hear that part or if it doesn't suit your conception of "bad thai man, good farang".

I left the hospitality industry because I moved to KK and because, yes, I got burned out dealing with people who, as you said, were rude, pushy and arrogant.

But it's a sure bet I wasn't going to stand at the front desk and blast off at a guest. Completely unprofessional.

[ianh68]

This email in the current Stickman column caught my eye:

A real worry in times of chaos or tragedy.

One of the disadvantages of making progress in the Thai language is that I can discuss more subtle and delicate matters with Thai people. With only a little prompting, they reveal the general Thai feelings about farang: They really, really don't like us. That's not news to you, but what worries me is this. In a time of massive grief and chaos, striking out against other Thais is still verboten - but foreigners would be fair game. Especially from Thai men seething with resentment against farangs. Resentment because we have more money and we take so many of their women. Resentment that has been building for many years. Thai men will aim their anger and hostility at lone farang, rather than at other Thais. It worries me a lot.

[imjustagirl]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

maybe he got upset that i said 'song tow' too loudly and may have thought I had spoilt his pitch and the other tourists may all do the same.....instead of taking the expensive taxi service he was touting (not that a newbie tourist would have a clue what a song tow was...)

Anyways it was more the letting rip on someone who wasnt rude in anyway (if i had been cheeky then hats off i would have earned a dressing down)...just hate the idea that idiots like this will leave new visitors with a bad taste in their mouths

[imjustagirl]

They could easily avoid the detritus by planning things out ahead of time. Or if the touts pursue just wave them off and walk faster. Pretty simple really. I can't tell you the number of times i've seen tourists stop and try to argue like it's a debate in parliament or something. The fact is most tourists just aren't that bright but the cheats here are also terrible liars and easy to spot a mile away.

this bloke kinda had a captive audience on the bus....i felt like a naughty schoolgirl told off by teacher and trapped in class hahaha

[sbk]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Nope, thats not what I said. I said tourists can be rude, pushy and arrogant and the guy could have been having a bad day. sure, he might have just been a jerk too.

But having been in the tourist business for 20 years I can tell you from personal experience that after a while, you get tired of it. Nor did I say that the OP had done anything wrong, did I? Just said that after a while, one's tolerance level reaches its peak and it isn't necessarily the badly behaved ones that set it off.

Sorry if you don't like to hear that part or if it doesn't suit your conception of "bad thai man, good farang".

Well SBK, the reason the guy got pissed off was the OP didn't want his services. Was she being rude by saying no?

It's a bit like if I approach someone unsolicited in my business to see if they want our services and they say no thanks, I yell at them.

Feel free to keep defending the few bad apples if it makes you feel better.

Feel free to re-read my post.

[sbk]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Nope, thats not what I said. I said tourists can be rude, pushy and arrogant and the guy could have been having a bad day. sure, he might have just been a jerk too.

But having been in the tourist business for 20 years I can tell you from personal experience that after a while, you get tired of it. Nor did I say that the OP had done anything wrong, did I? Just said that after a while, one's tolerance level reaches its peak and it isn't necessarily the badly behaved ones that set it off.

Sorry if you don't like to hear that part or if it doesn't suit your conception of "bad thai man, good farang".

I left the hospitality industry because I moved to KK and because, yes, I got burned out dealing with people who, as you said, were rude, pushy and arrogant.

But it's a sure bet I wasn't going to stand at the front desk and blast off at a guest. Completely unprofessional.

It is, and the guy was out of line. But I don't think its indicative of a general trend in Thai behavior, nor necessarily in all people involved in the tourist trade. Twas just an explanation for this guy's bad behavior and certainly not an apology nor a whitewash. guy deals with jerks and blew his top over a stupid small thing. He should quit and find something else less stressful to do, assuming he has another job to go to.

[bendejo]

This is why I avoid places that get a lot of tourist traffic. In these areas we're sure to attract this sort of cr_ap as well as various rip-off artists. There is this attitude that foreigners come to the kingdom to distribute money, otherwise go home. In the parlance of the working girls "farang no gip mun-nee farang no good!" Also, from stories I hear about that run from Surat Thani to the docks there are worse things you could have encountered.

Of the three popular islands in the area I've only been to Koh Tao. I ran up against the worst attitude toward foreigners I've yet to encounter in Thailand, and figured it'll just get worse on Phangnan or Samui, so I didn't go to other islands. I've spent a lot of time in Chumphon; there is one guy at the night market who has a very long stall (easy to pick out, he's the only one with a stall that is 10 meters long) who has this Koh Tao attitude (as I call). Miserable SOB, I refuse to give him my business.

[ManilaLover]

Behind the smiling facade here is a whole lot of piled up anger and frustration in almost everybody, imagine when it's not done and seen as 'loosing face' to relieve anger what happens ? It stays inside and accumulates, and it can stay there for long time. Until any little spark lit the bomb they can explode easy.

Participating in traffic is the most easy way to find this out, when eg. you point a cardriver on the fact that he almost killed you by some stupid movement he made he easy get totally mad at you shouts like an idiot as if you just did big unjustice to him. Also they never learned about responsibilities, not used to be pointed on his responsibilities always sabai sabai and maipenrai, a totally twisted ego and 'pride', guess pointing someone on his/her responsibility became extremely dangerous in this culture.

So, or adapt yourself to 'if you almost got killed ? maipenrai' or just tell him the truth and risk to be shot. The true face of Thailand.

When you just honk at someone in traffic he/she feels like attacked by evil spirits and immediately honks back to scare them off (like the fireworks at a cremation or funeral)

Be careful, a young German has been shot dead 2 weeks ago outside Chiangmai after something same.

[Birdman]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were completely appalled.

maybe he got upset that i said 'song tow' too loudly and may have thought I had spoilt his pitch and the other tourists may all do the same.....instead of taking the expensive taxi service he was touting (not that a newbie tourist would have a clue what a song tow was...)

Anyways it was more the letting rip on someone who wasn't rude in anyway (if i had been cheeky then hats off i would have earned a dressing down)...just hate the idea that idiots like this will leave new visitors with a bad taste in their mouths

"Yes, if we don't like it here, we can go to another country............" would have helped to boost your ego. But it was better to stay quiet.

Such behaviour can happen from time to time. I heard about that since ever. He probably could sell nothing and was under financial pressure or similar. Whatever the reason, it's completely unacceptable and not justifiable at all. But it was an exception not the rule.

[PhilHarries]

i wonder if the farang exposure is totally destroying the pleasant disposition of the people of 'the land of smiles'

Yes that's it, blame Jonny Foreigner.

If the Thais don't like all those dirty, unkempt, pushy (now there's a laugh, foreigners pushy?), rude and disrespectful farangs then why don't they just shut up shop, isolate their country like a warmer version of North Korea and live in splendid isolation?

If you work in any branch of the service business you have to get used to dealing with that most capricious of species General Public. Most specimens of this sub-order of Homo Sapiens are gentle and mild mannered individuals but many are unpredictable and prone to unreasonable behaviour like not wanting that which is on offer or wanting something they have paid for. If you can't deal with these types you are in the wrong business, that's why I'll never work in a job that entails contact with General Public.

[ivowatson]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

Hmmm, blaming the tourists again for not buying unwanted services.

Had the same experience on Ko Samet, group of us were checking into the resort and some guy at the front desk starts pushing his "You go fishing tomorrow, yes - over and over again" To which I delicately replied, you go fish, I go eat.

Nope, thats not what I said. I said tourists can be rude, pushy and arrogant and the guy could have been having a bad day. sure, he might have just been a jerk too.

But having been in the tourist business for 20 years I can tell you from personal experience that after a while, you get tired of it. Nor did I say that the OP had done anything wrong, did I? Just said that after a while, one's tolerance level reaches its peak and it isn't necessarily the badly behaved ones that set it off.

Sorry if you don't like to hear that part or if it doesn't suit your conception of "bad thai man, good farang".

Apparently, it's not only the Thai tempers that got shorter but all over the world. Me too, I'm afraid.

[carmine]

The guy deals with tourists every day, probably gets a load of crap and let loose on you. Anyone who deals with tourists every day will have bad days, weeks or months. Many tourists are very badly behaved, very rude and very pushy and after awhile (speaking from personal experience here) some days you just feel like telling em to eff off. Suspect you just were on the receiving end of a whole load of ire that had bottled up. If its any consolation, he totally lost face for shouting at a young woman and I am sure most Thai people on the bus were compleley appalled.

I think it's fairly safe to assume that the overwhelming majority of tourists that are very badly behaved do so in the evening whilst under the influence and in the late hours, and not so in "daytime transit" or on tours.

I work in the tourist industry. Sometimes people are dificult but you have to turn the other cheek and remember the majority are very nice people, oh and they pay my wages....else find another job

Please no more of this "losing face third world mentality BS". I cringe at the stupidity of it all

Just my thoughts

[imjustagirl]

i wonder if the farang exposure is totally destroying the pleasant disposition of the people of 'the land of smiles'

Yes that's it, blame Jonny Foreigner.

True, but i mean that a much larger portion of the average public that are visiting are more 'difficult' when they are on holiday...so they kind see the worst of us e.g too much beer, too much sun and girls .... everyone knows holiday makers are hard work...i am more raising the question of is the actual tolerance for us dropping.

[bkkjames]

i wonder if the farang exposure is totally destroying the pleasant disposition of the people of 'the land of smiles'

Yes that's it, blame Jonny Foreigner.

True, but i mean that a much larger portion of the average public that are visiting are more 'difficult' when they are on holiday...so they kind see the worst of us e.g too much beer, too much sun and girls .... everyone knows holiday makers are hard work...i am more raising the question of is the actual tolerance for us dropping.

NO, its just that when brighter days were upon the tourism industry money was easier to come by.

[farangnahrak]

I'm sure many of the Thais in the bus were embarrassed/shocked that a fellow Thai treated you as such.

That said, I find the Thais in Bangkok not so friendly compared to those outside the cities. Probably all that stress, smog, colored shirt people, traffic, high education, and Asoke/Nana tourists making them lose their smile . . .

[tonywebster]

possibly the xenophobic mindset that everything bad in Thailand is caused by foreigners is starting to sink in to the brainwashable masses, and they are starting to take out any little problem in their sceptic puss filled lives out on any foreigner.

Disclaimer: before all the thaier than thai posters come in here and start defending everything thai, I am not calling all Thais lives sceptic and puss filled