How To Tolerate Thai People

[Loz]

I read that there are those who say you can measure the size of a man by the size of the things he lets annoy him. I try and live by that, but sometimes I get riled a bit.

When my bike got nicked I was cool. But when I sold it and bought a basher so people would leave it alone I was wrong. Now I had 3 "mysterious" flat tyres. and the clock housing cracked apart and yesterday the gear selector had been ragged so much its splines were run smooth. I calmly took it to the local shop, I like the guy. First job I asked of him he quoted me 800bht and when I went to pick it up he said, 40 baht. Then explained he'd found an easier way to solve the problem. I returned later with a big bottle of german beer and I've trusted him ever since.

So when the locals knack my bike, I look forward to giving the bike chap a little work. I did catch myself thinking about torching the bike park when my bike was not their... but it was a fleeting thought. I'm used to the silliness of it all.

Caught some kids messing with my car though, that didn't end so well for them. some things, you just don't tollerate.

[zzaa09]

Get out of Khao San Road, bro, and you'll find most foreigners here in LOS are clean.

Ah another Thailand veteran......Old Hand, obviously.

actually a great number of foreigners in Thailand are dirty filthy bast*rds Closer to reality

dude..Dude?

[cdnmatt]

One of the easiest things one can do to tolerate any neighbor is not live so close that you can hear what goes on inside their house.

That's actually one of the things I love about living in my neighborhood, and in Thailand. Then again, maybe because I'm up in Issan, and not in Bangkok. Nonetheless, I love actually knowing my neighbors, even if I can hear them taking a loud shit, or arguing. Back in Vancouver, Canada, during the entire year i stayed there, I think I nodded to one pair of neighbors once, and that was it. Here, I somewhat live with them, see them many times a day, talk to each other all the time, help each other out where we can, etc. I like that.

[Moonrakers]

I'll see Matt's hawking problem

And raise him: The person in the apartment above you making som-tam at 4 A.M.

[nocturn]

The Chinese, every morning they hack their guts out.

It would drive anyone crazy.

My new neighbor is Thai-Chinese.

If I had audio recording equipment, I would upload "evidence" of the noises he makes in the shower every morning and evening. I guarantee that everyone on this forum would consider it to be the most foul thing they've ever heard.

But -- as I said -- he's actually a really good guy. And now that we're "friends", I kind of tolerate him.

it sounds like he is indeed a lucky man. Are you sure he is not kind of tolerating you. you come off as a rather superficial bigot. or jealous.

[rubin]

yes, do punch this thai's face or better burn his house down. He deserves that. What an animal, indeed, making nasty noises in the morning. Disturbing royal farang's breakfast.

[dantilley]

I live in decent house with aircon and windows can open, if I so desire

Me too, in fact I don't think I've ever come across a house with windows which are sealed closed.

[zzaa09]

My wife makes exactly the same sounds in the bathroom, i didnt like it at first but Im used to it now and it seems many Thais do it so it must be normal?

I believe this activity is an Asian thing...for the most part.

[Beetlejuice]

You know what? The older I get, the less tolerate of people I become and that includes every nationality.

Nasty horrible things, can't stand them near me. Much prefer my pet dogs and cats anytime.

If not for having to meet females from time to time for a mating ritual, humans that is, not my pets, although my ginger pussy can be quite fanciable after a gut load of cheap Leo beer, then I would be quite happy living alone on a desert Island somewhere, where I would be left alone to hawk, gurgle, fart, pick my nose and scratch my ass in peace without anyone complaining.

The simple truth is that when we live too near people, they will eventually become irritating to us in one way or another.

My number one irritant at the moment are my Thai neighbors. They are a married couple both in their early 30s. Always having domestic battles and the guy when he raises his voice, which echoes right through our house, sounds exactly like a Thai language version of Donald Duck.

I keep praying and hoping that one-day they will shot each other and disappear, but no such luck as yet.

It is a strange fact that we cannot live without people, but we cant live with them either.

[nocturn]

have another beer mate.

[nocturn]

heh, the better half's dad does that every morning when he stays here. Goes on for about 10 - 15 minutes straight. Honestly, I think that would be one of the smallest things to tolerate if you live around Thai people. Then again, I live with 6 of them.

The one thing that gets me is the sheer laziness. For example, we have the whole family living here now -- mama, little sister, her husband, and little brother and papa about 50% of the time. I said I understand mama hit a bad run of luck, so it's fine if she lives with us, but only under the condition that she works. I'll pay rent and utilities, but other than that you're on your own, and don't expect a free ride in life off my hard work. So everyone's in agreement, and sounds good!

Since little sister recently got married, mama had some sinsot money, invested into a guau-tiao stall, and setup shop on the street corner about 50 feet away. Great, I thought, and she was out there all day working hard. Obviously too hard though, because that only lasted a week. Now she setup the front of the house with the table & chairs, and the stall just outside of the gate She just hangs out inside all day now, watches TV, plays with the neighbors baby, and waits for someone to pop their head in our house saying they're hungry. Oh, for fuc_k sakes... that's not quite what I meant by work, but whatever.

And that's just one example, but that type of mentality tends to drive me somewhat insane. And if you bitch, you'll just get a "mai bpen rai" in return. And speaking of that, the whole "mai bpen rai" thing is a pain to tolerate sometimes too.

"Honey, dog got hit by a car" -- "mai bpen rai"

"Honey, there's maggots in the kitchen" -- "mai bpen rai"

heh... I think the hawking sounds aren't much of a worry.

lol still laughing

why is that funny?

[markone1]

Ive got a chronic cough due to acid reflux and cough my guts up every morning, there isnt too much i can do about it.

I think some people myself included get wound up by things we wouldnt back home, the OPs initial issue being one.

[jazzbo]

I have no real problem tolerating the Thais ... as for the 'farang' contingent, no problem, I just avoid them ...

[robblok]

How do I tolerate them? Easy, I don't live around them.

I chose to live around Nana and Pattaya. If my neighbour isn't a rotund British/German/Australian chain smoking Pensioner with a mad as a cut snake Issan Princess on his arm, or a scummy English teacher scraping by on 25,000K per month, I chose not to live next to them.

Problem solved.

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*how did I go on the stereotypes?

Im insulted... aren't the Dutch worth mentioning

[zzaa09]

You know what? The older I get, the less tolerate of people I become and that includes every nationality.

Nasty horrible things, can't stand them near me. Much prefer my pet dogs and cats anytime.

If not for having to meet females from time to time for a mating ritual, humans that is, not my pets, although my ginger pussy can be quite fanciable after a gut load of cheap Leo beer, then I would be quite happy living alone on a desert Island somewhere, where I would be left alone to hawk, gurgle, fart, pick my nose and scratch my ass in peace without anyone complaining.

The simple truth is that when we live too near people, they will eventually become irritating to us in one way or another.

My number one irritant at the moment are my Thai neighbors. They are a married couple both in their early 30s. Always having domestic battles and the guy when he raises his voice, which echoes right through our house, sounds exactly like a Thai language version of Donald Duck.

I keep praying and hoping that one-day they will shot each other and disappear, but no such luck as yet.

It is a strange fact that we cannot live without people, but we cant live with them either.

Curmudgeonly. How simply refreshing....

[TigerWan]

My neighbor built his house one monthafter I moved into my rented property. He hates cats and since he has no walls with which to keep them out, he thinks nothing of poisoning them when they wander in.

I get the constant fire a motosai tire was added, i got it out ,and dragged it to the Or bor tor and filed a complaint. Someone came around and the fires stopped until new neighbors arrived and became a recycling dump burning off the excess. I complained and it stopped.

You have to keep complaining 4, 5 times if it takes. Politely but insist. and never shut up Like you're talking to your Congressman. Stuff gets done.

The worst trait I almost feel like comitting violence over is the smirk when you get bad news. Sorry ,managa is gone so I canna hep u.. SMIRK.

If then one item alone doesn't describe the gulf between East and West...

One of the easiest things one can do to tolerate any neighbor is not live so close that you can hear what goes on inside their house.

[carmine]

I find the title of the topic rather strange. In short, we're in their country. Isn't it up to them to tolerate us, which incidentally is exactly what they do. Tolerate us. If you choose to live in someone elses country you have to basically accept it as it is or find somewhere more suitable for you.

[JurgenG]

I find the title of the topic rather strange. In short, we're in their country. Isn't it up to them to tolerate us, which incidentally is exactly what they do. Tolerate us. If you choose to live in someone elses country you have to basically accept it as it is or find somewhere more suitable for you.

Weird isn't it ? Many foreigners are delusional regarding their status in Thailand. Instead of trying to fit in, they keep on whining "back home we do like this, back home we do like that ..." And when eventually someone tell them if back home is so much better, why don't you go back there, then comes "Thai apologist, rose tinted glasses blah blah blah ...."

I really admire the mods, handling grown up people who act like 6 years old shouldn't be easy every day.

[doggie888888]

I find the title of the topic rather strange. In short, we're in their country. Isn't it up to them to tolerate us, which incidentally is exactly what they do. Tolerate us. If you choose to live in someone elses country you have to basically accept it as it is or find somewhere more suitable for you.

My sentiments exactly. Why stop at "tolerate"... you'd be happier accepting Thais for what they are in their own country, warts and all.

I'd be fairly offended in my own country if some foreigner came and opined about how difficult our ways are and reluctantly have to "tolerate" us. I'd be the first to say: bugger off.

[surayu]

Weird isn't it ? Many foreigners are delusional regarding their status in Thailand. Instead of trying to fit in, they keep on whining "back home we do like this, back home we do like that ..." And when eventually someone tell them if back home is so much better, why don't you go back there, then comes "Thai apologist, rose tinted glasses blah blah blah ...."

No i don't find it weird at all, i will tell you why as well.

Many of us, not all though, will always step up and try to change what is not fair to say the least, because someone still believe there are values people should stick with during their life.

Other people, made a different choice, as soon as they are inside something, doesn't matter how wrong or bad it is, they feel the need to accept that without even thinking a second if it's the right thing to do, what is all that about? Are these individuals worry that standing up against injustice will have bad comsequencies in their own life, so they live in a submissive state all their life? Or are they just plain bad and hoping to be able to have a share of the pie by whom is more corrupted? Last option would be someone unable to see that because it has being created like that.

The problem is not Thailand or thai people, the problem are the many injustices that all foreigners and locals are subjected to everydays.

Whoever is able to see that, has a moral duty to do something about it.......always respecting the law.

[Jingthing]

This is for the most part a forum for EXPATS, foreigners, etc. Of course there are Thais posting here as well, and that's great, but the point of view is without a doubt mostly a foreigner's perspective on Thailand. So I don't find the question weird in general, but in particular the question seems more about loud human noises than nationality per se.

[inthepink]

Weird isn't it ? Many foreigners are delusional regarding their status in Thailand. Instead of trying to fit in, they keep on whining "back home we do like this, back home we do like that ..." And when eventually someone tell them if back home is so much better, why don't you go back there, then comes "Thai apologist, rose tinted glasses blah blah blah ...."

No i don't find it weird at all, i will tell you why as well.

Many of us, not all though, will always step up and try to change what is not fair to say the least, because someone still believe there are values people should stick with during their life.

Other people, made a different choice, as soon as they are inside something, doesn't matter how wrong or bad it is, they feel the need to accept that without even thinking a second if it's the right thing to do, what is all that about? Are these individuals worry that standing up against injustice will have bad comsequencies in their own life, so they live in a submissive state all their life? Or are they just plain bad and hoping to be able to have a share of the pie by whom is more corrupted? Last option would be someone unable to see that because it has being created like that.

The problem is not Thailand or thai people, the problem are the many injustices that all foreigners and locals are subjected to everydays.

Whoever is able to see that, has a moral duty to do something about it.......always respecting the law.

Ignoring the fact that making strange noises in the shower has nothing to do with justice, I'd be willing to bet my life savings (paltry as they may be) that not one of the self-righteous posters on here who see their role in Thailand as social reformers ever did anything about injustices in their country of origin.

[surayu]

Ignoring the fact that making strange noises in the shower has nothing to do with justice, I'd be willing to bet my life savings (paltry as they may be) that not one of the self-righteous posters on here who see their role in Thailand as social reformers ever did anything about injustices in their country of origin.

Inthepink, if you had paid enough attention then you would have noticed that the response you quoted, was answering another particular post which was having a much larger contest than the bathroom area

I am sorry to tell you that you also lost your bet, however, have no fear, i am not going to claim any of your life savings...just be glad you weren't doing a bet against one of the sheeps as i doubt they would care much about you, even if you are on their side, but that shouldn't surprise you much, it's just someone's way to be.

[inthepink]

Ignoring the fact that making strange noises in the shower has nothing to do with justice, I'd be willing to bet my life savings (paltry as they may be) that not one of the self-righteous posters on here who see their role in Thailand as social reformers ever did anything about injustices in their country of origin.

Inthepink, if you had paid enough attention then you would have noticed that the response you quoted, was answering another particular post which was having a much larger contest than the bathroom area

I am sorry to tell you that you also lost your bet, however, have no fear, i am not going to claim any of your life savings...just be glad you weren't doing a bet against one of the sheeps as i doubt they would care much about you, even if you are on their side, but that shouldn't surprise you much, it's just someone's way to be.

I think the meaning of your sheep comment got lost in translation somewhere.....

My post above was slightly tongue in cheek but I am 100% sure that the vast majority of expats that moan about injustices in Thailand were never politically active in their home country.

By the way, what country are you from and what exactly did you do about the injustices that exist/ed there?

[mstribling]

As long as I'm drinking I usually don't have any problems.