Is It Normal To Not Acknowledge You If You Give Them Way?

[wellred]

If I hold a door open for someone or let someone go through first before me I would normally expect a smile or thanks... but I don't think I have seen this once. Is this normal or just a case of no manners needed because I farang?

Just an observation.

[stoneyboy]

Leave your western thoughts behind.

[zzaa09]

Leave your western thoughts behind.

...and his Western sensitivities.

Think too much.

[trainman34014]

Same thing happens when you give way on the road, no acknowledgement.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

yes its normal. If you ever get angry just stick your foot out when they pass.

People say thai's have good manners?

Well yes when they have too (fakeness) BUT a good example of true thainess is when they drive. Hidden behind a silver or tinted window and they will show there true colours. Risking everything to save a few seconds. Never giving way. Flashing there lights at you whilst tail gateing (in other words, get the fck out my way)

Mind you i do the same apart from the flashing and tail gateing.

[Semper]

a good example of true thainess is when they drive. Hidden behind a silver or tinted window and they will show there true colours. Risking everything to save a few seconds. Never giving way. Flashing there lights at you whilst tail gateing (in other words, get the fck out my way)

Have you ever driven a vehicle in your own or other countries? Motorists are the same everywhere.

[nong38]

You should play the same game. If you make eye contact you have lost, a thai walking towards you will not move, no eye contact they will move, try it. Today in Big C walking really slowly ( thai style) in front of lots of locals, walking towards obstacles so they cannot get by etc all the things you see everyday, she gave my mate a really bad look, I laughed, she wont get the message, forgotten tomorrow.

The bottom line is this...They are not aware of what is going on around them...... just remember that, when they walk slowly in front of you, get in front and do the same, exiting escalators or what ever, play them at their own game and smile, same in markets when they are on the motorbike, stop and use the phone, try not to get wound up its a different culture, adapt, now go and try it, works a treat

Edited February 4, 2012 by nong38

[maiphedmaiaroi]

a good example of true thainess is when they drive. Hidden behind a silver or tinted window and they will show there true colours. Risking everything to save a few seconds. Never giving way. Flashing there lights at you whilst tail gateing (in other words, get the fck out my way)

Have you ever driven a vehicle in your own or other countries? Motorists are the same everywhere.

No i havent but i have been a passenger. Thais are rude drivers. If you disagree then obviously you dont drive here.

Im talking 95% of drivers not just the odd one or two.

The only way to give them some manners is to ban tinted windows. Then they will have to pretend to be nice and polite

[colinp]

I've never known a Thai not acknowledge, with at least a nod of their head, when I hold a door open. Walking slowly in front of you is prevalent in every country when browsing/shopping is involved. Learn what is good manners & polite here but don't forget what you've been taught before.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

You should play the same game. If you make eye contact you have lost, a thai walking towards you will not move, no eye contact they will move, try it. Today in Big C walking really slowly ( thai style) in front of lots of locals, walking towards obstacles so they cannot get by etc all the things you see everyday, she gave my mate a really bad look, I laughed, she wont get the message, forgotten tomorrow.

The bottom line is this...They are not aware of what is going on around them...... just remember that, when they walk slowly in front of you, get in front and do the same, exiting escalators or what ever, play them at their own game and smile, same in markets when they are on the motorbike, stop and use the phone, try not to get wound up its a different culture, adapt, now go and try it, works a treat

Im gonna try that next time i go to tesco's. Just stand there with my shopping trolly parked in the centre of the aisle pretending no one else is around.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

I've never known a Thai not acknowledge, with at least a nod of their head, when I hold a door open. Walking slowly in front of you is prevalent in every country when browsing/shopping is involved. Learn what is good manners & polite here but don't forget what you've been taught before.

You havent been out much then

[zzaa09]

a good example of true thainess is when they drive. Hidden behind a silver or tinted window and they will show there true colours. Risking everything to save a few seconds. Never giving way. Flashing there lights at you whilst tail gateing (in other words, get the fck out my way)

Have you ever driven a vehicle in your own or other countries? Motorists are the same everywhere.

Something that is forgotten.

[colinp]

I've never known a Thai not acknowledge, with at least a nod of their head, when I hold a door open. Walking slowly in front of you is prevalent in every country when browsing/shopping is involved. Learn what is good manners & polite here but don't forget what you've been taught before.

You havent been out much then

That's why it is...knew I was missing something

[crazygreg44]

Learn how to smile and at the same time pretend you are not from this world. It works miracles !

[Tywais]

The majority of the time if I hold a door open I get a smile and or a thank you so find the experiences of others posting here rather at odds with mine. Location, attitude, dress ... other reasons why different?

Just stand there with my shopping trolly parked in the centre of the aisle pretending no one else is around.

Ok, that sometimes does get on my nerves.

[GuestHouse]

Have you ever driven a vehicle in your own or other countries? Motorists are the same everywhere.

I've been driving around London and the home counties this week, the road manners, patience and road dicipline is way way better here than back in LOS.

Driving out of a T-junction here is a breeze, there's almost always someone who will slow to let you out the junction and I've not seen one case of drivers squeezing into gaps in the traffic to prevent others getting 2inches ahead.

[maiphedmaiaroi]

The majority of the time if I hold a door open I get a smile and or a thank you so find the experiences of others posting here rather at odds with mine. Location, attitude, dress ... other reasons why different?

Just stand there with my shopping trolly parked in the centre of the aisle pretending no one else is around.

Ok, that sometimes does get on my nerves.

Location....90% of time people dont aknowledge in shopping centres like the mall. Maybe its something to do with only poor people in a uniform should be opening a door for them. So maybe they are shy to say thanks or even make eye contact.

Attitude....I always smile yet most of the time people dont make eye contact to understand the good attitude.

Dress....i always dress smart. probably smarter than most i open the door for yet again no one makes eye contact to notice lol (aprt from pretty girls that is)

[PoodMaiDai]

You must live in Pattaya or Phuket. I've found the Thais in these two places to be ungodly rude.

[flying]

I would say they nod/smile a thanks more times than not if I hold a door/elevator for them.

As for slow moving shoppers.....Nothing I have ever seen in LOS beats Walmart back home.

To top it off you have all these supposedly un-able to walk themselves chubby folks in those little motorized

scooters Walmart provides. Not only cant they find the strength to walk but they drive terribly

[wayned]

You must live in Pattaya or Phuket. I've found the Thais in these two places to be ungodly rude.

Ever think that it's "payback" for how they are treated by the"farang"?

[PingManDan]

YES

[zzaa09]

You must live in Pattaya or Phuket. I've found the Thais in these two places to be ungodly rude.

Farang influence, surely.

Like a virus.

[Ulysses G.]

The majority of the time if I hold a door open I get a smile and or a thank you so find the experiences of others posting here rather at odds with mine. Location, attitude, dress ... other reasons why different?

Just stand there with my shopping trolly parked in the centre of the aisle pretending no one else is around.

Ok, that sometimes does get on my nerves.

Maybe these guys are so weird that the Thais just want to pretend that they are not there and not give them any encouragement to start a conversation.

As for blocking the shopping aisles, plenty of Westerners do that too.

[endure]

Why do you move half way round the world and then expect people to behave in the same way as the place you moved from?

[JurgenG]

In my opinion it should have something to do with the OP appearance and personal hygiene. Ask any Thai and the majority of those leaving near big falang settlements will tell you that falang smell bad.

First western bodies are not used to the local temperature and sweat profusely. Then how many foreigners take at least two showers a day as the average Thai do ? Use deodorant with antiperspirant ?

And the way farang dress !

If the Thai tend to avoid you in the street, maybe there are a few points you should check first

Edited February 5, 2012 by JurgenG

[PattayaParent]

Some do, some don't, same same Farangland.

[robblok]

a good example of true thainess is when they drive. Hidden behind a silver or tinted window and they will show there true colours. Risking everything to save a few seconds. Never giving way. Flashing there lights at you whilst tail gateing (in other words, get the fck out my way)

Have you ever driven a vehicle in your own or other countries? Motorists are the same everywhere.

Actually i have driven in my home country and here and the difference is crazy. I really had to adapt to driving back home when i was there for a visit. It was such a difference in how polite people were. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the law and good driving is enforced in Holland.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Same thing happens when you give way on the road, no acknowledgement.

? It's quite common to acknowledge that..

I do it myself too, in that same way Thais do it, with that pidgin-head-bob greeting behind the wheel.

This seems another great topic for the haters on this forum..

Edited February 5, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[Pseudolus]

Maybe in Thailand, what you all are complaining of is not seen as rude here in Thailand so they are not being rude, and when you react differently, they think you are odd? You can compare cultures, but you can not condemn another one just because it is not the same as yours; try China if you want to see a real difference of culture. On the flip side, imagine a Thai web board saying how bad farangs are because they stick their older relatives in old folks homes and never visit them; or you not sending your mother money every month as a sign of respect whether she needs it or not; or not paying a dowry to your Farang wife's family and worse still expecting them to pay for the wedding; and at the wedding giving someone a toaster as opposed to a handful of cash.

[Mugg]

I suppose I do it (Opening Doors and Giving Way) as a result of my up bringing and culture..Not sure if I ever cared one way or another whether I was acknowledged or not. I am not a mama's boy so I still drink milk straight from the bottle.