Seeing People Snap Over Very Little Things

[dingdang]

i dont think its arrogance...

[dingdang]

in a tesco i thought of a new game... something between "boxes" and "tetris", just with shopping carts...

[draftvader]

I would hate to live my life like that, I tend to giggle to my self when I watch others lose it. But there is a fine line between getting made a fool of and others taking the p&s.

Where do you draw your line?

Farang tend to go ballistic whenever they lose face and feel they aren't being treated as God's gift to humanity.

Farangs don't have "face" so none to lose. Farangs generally get upset when people are disrespectful. Please don't use the silly, immature concept of "face" on Farangs.

You are joking, aren't you? Never heard "cutting off your nose to spite your face"?

[StreetCowboy]

I would hate to live my life like that, I tend to giggle to my self when I watch others lose it. But there is a fine line between getting made a fool of and others taking the p&s.

Where do you draw your line?

Farang tend to go ballistic whenever they lose face and feel they aren't being treated as God's gift to humanity.

Farangs don't have "face" so none to lose. Farangs generally get upset when people are disrespectful. Please don't use the silly, immature concept of "face" on Farangs.

You are joking, aren't you? Never heard "cutting off your nose to spite your face"?

Maybe he comes from a different West from the one we come from

SC

[PaullyW]

Or perhaps he is not elderly like many of the TV posters who have long ago decided a rigid set of ideas in their deteriorating age for how they will see the world. The ones who say things like "colored" and such. Dinosaurs, so-to-speak.

[Meisgq]

Coming out of a shortened session at Club Insomnia last night, a group of 5 Americans were chanting USA USA USA with no prompting and in a loud and arrogant fashion. I'm American and I'm always amazed at the disrespectful attitude of some of the Americans I've seen abroad. Anyway, I would have said something except there were six of them and they were BIG Americans so I digressed. I was just thinking... If I had instigated a confrontation and got them to unintentionally insult the king, they all would have been in big trouble and probably sent to the hospital... maybe next time? To make this relevant with the op's post, I should have snapped and enjoyed the view afterwards. Funny though, I saw them all get into the same taxi and chanting again, leaving insomnia with no ladies in tow. FYI, Insomnia is a late-night club with a disproportionate number of working girls. What good girl parties until 6 in the morning?

Shawn

Edited July 8, 2012 by Meisgq

[dingdang]

thais have a certain image in their head about foreigners, a very negative one...

what it is like - i dunno, but in it they are superior... and its almost impossible to get them off something they formed in their head, out of the blue, not really logical...

e.g. at the blood donation center... i said min 5 times "blood donation" at the blood donation counter... perhaps because of my looks they sent me to the HIV center... ?

as long as you fit this picture, their world is fine... so, if you are a very rude person, or a drinker or a prostitute from a western country, all ok...

but when you are polite and friendly, it doesnt add up with their picture and they have to take action...

i dont think, that it will bring you any "advantage", to be polite, happy and friendly... it angers them only more...

if you can, play the dumb one, helpless, cry, or show anger, look unhappy... they will calm down...

im not saying they are all that, but imo a vast majority...

Edited July 8, 2012 by dingdang

[Meisgq]

In America, we expect all tourists to know some English. Come to think of it, I never had any communications issues with tourists due to language. If you're in Thailand, learn the language. It's the least you can do... Or are you superior and expect everyone to understand your language? It's their country and you're here trying to screw their women. I'd be pissed too.

Shawn

[smokie36]

thais have a certain image in their head about foreigners, a very negative one...

what it is like - i dunno, but in it they are superior... and its almost impossible to get them off something they formed in their head, out of the blue, not really logical...

e.g. at the blood donation center... i said min 5 times "blood donation" at the blood donation counter... perhaps because of my looks they sent me to the HIV center... ?

as long as you fit this picture, their world is fine... so, if you are a very rude person, or a drinker or a prostitute from a western country, all ok...

but when you are polite and friendly, it doesnt add up with their picture and they have to take action...

i dont think, that it will bring you any "advantage", to be polite, happy and friendly... it angers them only more...

if you can, play the dumb one, helpless, cry, or show anger, look unhappy... they will calm down...

im not saying they are all that, but imo a vast majority...

What a crock of it....just enjoy yourself and behave the same as you would at home. The only difference is a language barrier. That's it.

[canuckamuck]

Snapping makes you look like a mannerless oaf in the west, and even more so here.

The key to keeping things shifted to your favor is to rely on your foreignness to be a wildcard. Don't let them see your a chav, even if you are, and in most case you will be treated well. Excepting of course the businesses that are completely incompetent. but even the locals get nothing much out of them.

Thailand is actually a great place to develop patience, which is something that will add to your quality of life. It is much better than walking around with a chip on your shoulder. Which is the main reason you see people snap because they got a drop of mustard on their cheeseburger combo.

[Sayonarax]

"Why don't you speak ENGLISH?!?!"

Im sure Thai's on holiday in your country say the same thing in reverse..

Thais are known to be yes man and do nothing people. Sometimes people hit their limit and all hell breaks lose, happens everywhere.

[StreetCowboy]

thais have a certain image in their head about foreigners, a very negative one...

what it is like - i dunno, but in it they are superior... and its almost impossible to get them off something they formed in their head, out of the blue, not really logical...

e.g. at the blood donation center... i said min 5 times "blood donation" at the blood donation counter... perhaps because of my looks they sent me to the HIV center... ?

as long as you fit this picture, their world is fine... so, if you are a very rude person, or a drinker or a prostitute from a western country, all ok...

but when you are polite and friendly, it doesnt add up with their picture and they have to take action...

i dont think, that it will bring you any "advantage", to be polite, happy and friendly... it angers them only more...

if you can, play the dumb one, helpless, cry, or show anger, look unhappy... they will calm down...

im not saying they are all that, but imo a vast majority...

What a crock of it....just enjoy yourself and behave the same as you would at home. The only difference is a language barrier. That's it.

Do you not have a language barrier at home?

You can borrow mine, if you want

SC

[JusticeFT96]

Everything seems to be irritating me at the moment, internet going fast and slow, people driving bikes and cars as if they were mentally challanged, people pushing in front of you in queues, paying a fortune for beer or wine that would cost a quarter of the price in the UK, personal things at home and being followed in the shops as if your about to steal something. Just last week was out with the wife in Central, 2 things nearly made me lose it. Firstly we were trying to find a pair of sunglasses to send to her cousin, she wanted a few photos to see what they were like and then she would choose and we would buy and send. Went into 1 shop, I had 4 people following me around, picked out a few sunglasses, asked if I could take the photo as its not for me its for her cousin who wants to look before she buys. They looked at me as if taking the photo was a way of getting the glasses for free.

I was told I could take a photo if I was going to buy them, I just looked at them and said are you serious? Shook my head, said pathetic and walked out, cost them 9,000 baht. Lastly I was in Central tops, picked up a bottle of wine to put into my near full shopping trolley and the lady at the counter said you pay here, I said no thanks ill pay with the rest of my stuff, she said no you have to pay here, I said no I dont I come here 3 or 4 times a week and I never pay here. No sir alcohol has to be bought here, I said no it doesnt as my voice started to get stronger, I said I am not using my card 2 times in 2 mins in the same supermarket, I have enough problems with the bank blocking my card thinking its being used fraudulently. I put the wine in my trolley walked off and paid at the normal counter, I really felt like she thought I was going to steal the wine, wife complained to the manager, I havent seen her back there since.

The land of smiles isnt what everyone makes it out to be, great for a holiday but after 2 years here I really cant see myself wanting to live here for the rest of my life. Got my heart set on Florida now.

Edited July 9, 2012 by JusticeFT96

[meand]

I notice the Thai employees at my company get on power trips, or at least that would be the only way to explain some of their behavior. They want to show me that we are in Thailand, and we must do things their way, or else. Ok. The interesting part is, the Thai employees i'm speaking of have a job description to support me -- that is just part of their job, nothing I can do about that, and they truly seem to conveniently want to forget that. Anyway, I understand there is a fine line in this situation between them holding their own, and actually doing their job well, but it would definitely seem to me in the end that there is fault on both sides though. Whoever blows up loses, that is my opinion anyway. And that is normally the foreigner

Edited July 14, 2012 by meand

[barky]

I can at times see why the Farangs can get a little upset here in Thailand but we are not so laid back as the locals are and we do not accept the way they do thing so over here.

What really winds me up is when I am in a shop either bein gserved or waiting inline when a local will just shout at what they want, or push to the front and expect to get served immediately. To make things worse the person who is serving also accepts this as a way of life and says not a word but serves them. This has also happened in my bank and at immigration. This is not a Farang thing the locals do the same to each other. No manners.

However I do except that there some Farang who (probably with the aid of alcohol)are not at all tolerant to others.

It's difficult to consider anyone else when throughout your whole life you are consumed with self. This is not just peculiar to Thais, but it's pretty well the norm here.

[barky]

Everything seems to be irritating me at the moment, internet going fast and slow, people driving bikes and cars as if they were mentally challanged, people pushing in front of you in queues, paying a fortune for beer or wine that would cost a quarter of the price in the UK, personal things at home and being followed in the shops as if your about to steal something. Just last week was out with the wife in Central, 2 things nearly made me lose it. Firstly we were trying to find a pair of sunglasses to send to her cousin, she wanted a few photos to see what they were like and then she would choose and we would buy and send. Went into 1 shop, I had 4 people following me around, picked out a few sunglasses, asked if I could take the photo as its not for me its for her cousin who wants to look before she buys. They looked at me as if taking the photo was a way of getting the glasses for free.

I was told I could take a photo if I was going to buy them, I just looked at them and said are you serious? Shook my head, said pathetic and walked out, cost them 9,000 baht. Lastly I was in Central tops, picked up a bottle of wine to put into my near full shopping trolley and the lady at the counter said you pay here, I said no thanks ill pay with the rest of my stuff, she said no you have to pay here, I said no I dont I come here 3 or 4 times a week and I never pay here. No sir alcohol has to be bought here, I said no it doesnt as my voice started to get stronger, I said I am not using my card 2 times in 2 mins in the same supermarket, I have enough problems with the bank blocking my card thinking its being used fraudulently. I put the wine in my trolley walked off and paid at the normal counter, I really felt like she thought I was going to steal the wine, wife complained to the manager, I havent seen her back there since.

The land of smiles isnt what everyone makes it out to be, great for a holiday but after 2 years here I really cant see myself wanting to live here for the rest of my life. Got my heart set on Florida now.

I can sympathise with you on your shopping probs, EG: I tend to do my clothing shopping at Central Chit Lom twice a year only ,but buy in bulk (about 20,000 to 30,000 baht each time). As you may know the mens clothing is separated into brands. So because I buy different things from different stalls I have to go round and round the trading floor to check and compare things, then around to do fittings, then around to gather all of the separate sales assistants together and all go enmasse to the pay-point. Last time I had 6 staff entow. Totally inefficient for staff and time consuming and tiring for the customer. I saw two Central floor managers and asked them 2 to 3 three times to observe and discuss the process. They could see clearly how slow and inefficient their system was but the best they could do was to laugh at me. You know I spend several hundred thousand baht per year in Central stores, particularly Chit Lom and the best their management can do is to laugh at customers' suggestions on how to improve efficencies and customer satisfaction. Welcome to Thailand:-)

[barky]

Yes. I have even seen people turn violent, though that is a rare sight. Some also get very vociferous too.

Thailand, Thai logic (??) and the Thai way can be very frustrating at times and can drive you up the wall and be very stressful if you allow it to be. The idea is to know and understand it and back away when you are hitting that brick wall. Life is too short to get stressed out. Yet many are unable to see their own bad reactions are a waste of time.

Count to ten, turn away, take a deep breath and try a different tack later.

After all, we are here to enjoy life, are we not?

Yes, the best method is just to avoid as many Thais as you can. Only interact with the ones that you must.

Hmmm. It would seem to me that if one's goal in life was to avoid Thais, then one would consider living in a country other than Thailand. Lots of Thais in Thailand, no? Does it really take a rocket scientist to figure this out? But then Thailand is not renown for having particularly bright expats.

But it is known for its expats who try to wear their PC like a badge. PC don't work here. nobodys' interested.

You can easily find all over the world where Thais for example don't make ANY attempt to mix with the local non-thais. They keep to themselves in their own groups, Thai restaurants, shops, clubs etc etc. So, the term of not being a bright expat would certainly be appropriate for a Thai overseas based on your argument.

[thaibeachlovers]

In America, we expect all tourists to know some English. Come to think of it, I never had any communications issues with tourists due to language. If you're in Thailand, learn the language. It's the least you can do... Or are you superior and expect everyone to understand your language? It's their country and you're here trying to screw their women. I'd be pissed too.

Shawn

What a strange post.

You expect tourists to learn the language of whatever country they intend to spend a couple of weeks in, LOL.

IMO, if they want to promote LOS as a tourist destination, they better have people that understand the language of the people they are seeking to come here, just as Chinese is being taught in Australian schools now.

Given that the THAI sex industry is huge and the farang side of things is insignificant in comparison ( you do know that, don't you ), why would Thais be offended if tourists wish to indulge in P4P?

[maxme]

I would hate to live my life like that, I tend to giggle to my self when I watch others lose it. But there is a fine line between getting made a fool of and others taking the p&s.

Where do you draw your line?

Farang tend to go ballistic whenever they lose face and feel they aren't being treated as God's gift to humanity.

Farangs don't have "face" so none to lose. Farangs generally get upset when people are disrespectful. Please don't use the silly, immature concept of "face" on Farangs.

SPeak for yourself. I get very aggrieved when I am offended through lack of respect. There is nothing 'foreign' or 'asian' about the concept of face. The way that it is applied, and the importance attached to it, may vary, but the concept is universal.

SC

Brits are known to have a temper but I think it comes down to control. If you can't handle the game then don't play the game.

[KunMatt]

I was in Index a couple of weeks ago in Ubon when I walked up to my gf who was standing near a large elderly Texan guy totally berating a young Thai guy about the availability of stock and what was available to take home on the day, shouting and swearing his head off. He was standing with a pregnant Thai lady so I assumed they were a couple and the guy he was screaming at worked there, but I was was soon told the Thai lady was the employee and that the Texan guy and the guy he was yelling at were a couple.

I was kinda mixed between "Good for him for being out and being himself" and "What a total c**t".