You Know You'Re Becoming A Local When...

[Riggi]

I found myself doing a couple of things the other day that I would have never imagined myself doing a year ago and I thought to myself "I must be starting to become a local"...

1. you chew up the little splinters of chicken and pork bone in your food because you couldn't be bothered picking them out.

I used to pick all the little pieces of bone out, but now often find myself just chewing and swallowing them because it is too much effort to pick them all out.

2. you ride your motorcycle the wrong way on the shoulder of the highway for 2-300 metres to get to an intersection because if you rode in the right direction you'd have to go 2 or 3 kms before you could make a U-turn. eg. From Makro I need to head north to go home, so will now just ride on wrong side up til the airport turn off and then turn right onto the highway at the lights there

I would never have done this when I first started riding in Thailand (maybe on a quiet street, but not the super highway). In fact I used to get annoyed with riders who did this.

Now I do this quite regularly and it seems perfectly sensible to me to do this rather than have to ride away from where I'm going.

Any other changes in behaviour or shifts in perspective from other forum members?

[bkkjames]

I started to be able to stand around for hours and just stare at things.

Also learned how to type on my bb while walking down the stairs of the bts station.

Oh and not to forget this useful one, ignoring the natural line-up at 711 and start barking my wishes to the cashier before she is done serving the person in front of me. I don't get served faster doing this-but I sure do feel local.

[sceadugenga]

You stop returning the wai of checkout girls?

[kennalder]

You call that road a "superhighway".

[TPI]

I've found that I have a taste for "larp moo" and "cow neow", cooked insects aren't so bad ( a bit oily) and "jork" is a really nice breakfast, especially with liver and tinned cat fish!

[ozzieovaseas]

AWWW, but have you ever fallen asleep on a bus home and managed to wake up 2 minutes before having to get off at your stop.ER?

[sceadugenga]

You think riding a motorbike with an umbrella up is normal.

[pomchop]

You park your car in the middle of the street to chat with a friend or run into the store and don't seem to notice or care that you have backed up traffic for several blocks. And nobody blows their horn.

You drive with one wheel in the shoulder dirt because the oncoming drivers take their half of the road out of the middle.

You think nothing of drivers passing you on both sides of your car or having six cars turn right in front of you though you have the" right of way."

You immediately reply "mai me" to the checkout girls at big C even though you're really not sure if they asked you for a date or if you have a member card.

You take your cash register receipt to the mysterious big C premium desk hoping that you win a bag of fried seaweed....and get excited if you win a can of coke.

You think it's perfectly normal that you can buy two cases of beer at big C between 11 am and 2 pm but you cannot buy one case.

[BuckarooBanzai]

You park your car in the middle of the street to chat with a friend or run into the store and don't seem to notice or care that you have backed up traffic for several blocks. And nobody blows their horn.

You drive with one wheel in the shoulder dirt because the oncoming drivers take their half of the road out of the middle.

You think nothing of drivers passing you on both sides of your car or having six cars turn right in front of you though you have the" right of way."

You immediately reply "mai me" to the checkout girls at big C even though you're really not sure if they asked you for a date or if you have a member card.

You take your cash register receipt to the mysterious big C premium desk hoping that you win a bag of fried seaweed....and get excited if you win a can of coke.

You think it's perfectly normal that you can buy two cases of beer at big C between 11 am and 2 pm but you cannot buy one case.

[rodcourt49]

You stop returning the wai of checkout girls?

..you stop giving a wai the old sheila cleaning the toilets..

[rodcourt49]

You park your car in the middle of the street to chat with a friend or run into the store and don't seem to notice or care that you have backed up traffic for several blocks. And nobody blows their horn.

You drive with one wheel in the shoulder dirt because the oncoming drivers take their half of the road out of the middle.

You think nothing of drivers passing you on both sides of your car or having six cars turn right in front of you though you have the" right of way."

You immediately reply "mai me" to the checkout girls at big C even though you're really not sure if they asked you for a date or if you have a member card.

You take your cash register receipt to the mysterious big C premium desk hoping that you win a bag of fried seaweed....and get excited if you win a can of coke.

You think it's perfectly normal that you can buy two cases of beer at big C between 11 am and 2 pm but you cannot buy one case.

..give way to the LEFT in a roundabout !!!

[rodcourt49]

You think riding a motorbike with an umbrella up is normal.

..check out these dudes on the rubbish truck

[tingtongfarang]

2. you ride your motorcycle the wrong way on the shoulder of the highway for 2-300 metres to get to an intersection because if you rode in the right direction you'd have to go 2 or 3 kms before you could make a U-turn,

Next step is using the mirrors to squeeze zits or plucking facial hairs out while waiting at the red light,

I hated motocycs using the side walk but sorry to say it did,nt take me long to start doing the same in traffic jams

[doggie888888]

This one is for the ladies. You know you're becoming local when you think the motorcycle boys are quite attractive or when you start flirting back at the security guard at your apartment.

[sceadugenga]

Or when you stop asking male farang you meet if they have a Thai wife?

Edited September 21, 2011 by sceadugenga

[wileycoyote]

You understand what they tannoy at airports /BIG C

[Tonto21]

Yes OP, point number 2, I have to do this, (400m) when going to CM from my home…..Today a copper was riding towards me…….He smiled at me, obviously way too much hassle to flag me over.

Some more from the top of my head; I now no longer hold a door open for the next person….Say goodbye when leaving or slow down when monks are crossing the road! Oh…….and my eye's no longer fill-up when talking to someone with monster garlic breath.

[Paul888]

You park your car in the middle of the street to chat with a friend or run into the store and don't seem to notice or care that you have backed up traffic for several blocks. And nobody blows their horn.

You drive with one wheel in the shoulder dirt because the oncoming drivers take their half of the road out of the middle.

You think nothing of drivers passing you on both sides of your car or having six cars turn right in front of you though you have the" right of way."

You immediately reply "mai me" to the checkout girls at big C even though you're really not sure if they asked you for a date or if you have a member card.

You take your cash register receipt to the mysterious big C premium desk hoping that you win a bag of fried seaweed....and get excited if you win a can of coke.

You think it's perfectly normal that you can buy two cases of beer at big C between 11 am and 2 pm but you cannot buy one case.

Some classics.

Worry when you start to have that puzzled totally oblivious look on your face after commiting multiple traffic offences that put other road users in danger and upon hearing the sound of somebody's horn.

[David006]

how about always reaching for the bum gun whenever you take a seat any loo anyplace...

when in Canada always put a bucket of water and a bowl next to the big white telephone at mums place...lol

[Monkeypants]

You know you are becoming a local when

The footprints on the toilet seat are your own.

(from a thread posted a long time ago)

[sunholidaysun1]

You know you are becoming a local when :

You start believing the Thais rather than the crap that is spouted out on here by know-it-alls.

Enough said !!

[woralak]

You know you are becoming a local when :

You start believing the Thais rather than the crap that is spouted out on here by know-it-alls.

Enough said !!

They always come back even if it's to post CRAP.

[Roota]

When you sleep on the table and eat on the floor.

[Joel Barlow]

When you sleep on the table and eat on the floor.

I like this one best, and there were a few pretty funny ones.

good to see something going on here.

I dunno, how far gone local are you when you ask where to buy a toothbrush,

on your local TV forum?

[billd766]

You think riding a motorbike with an umbrella up is normal.

You mean it isn't?

[Joel Barlow]

sure it is! but it's also an acquired skill...

[stiggy]

you become immune to noise.

[pomchop]

You no longer own a checkbook.

You pull up to a gas station and are not surprised when somebody pumps your gas for you.

You think it is normal that a lady on a motorbike picks up your laundry at your home, cleans, folds and delivers it back to you in two days for less than the cost of a coffee at starbucks.

You think it's normal for people to walk around in hot as hell weather covered from head to toe in long sleeves, long pants, a floppy hat and a scarf over their face.

[sceadugenga]

If something costs more than 100 baht you have to think about whether you need it.

[extexthai]

you become immune to noise.

Oh isn't that the truth...and also, without missing a step, without slowing down at all....step out of your shoes at the doorway and never even think about it. ett