Responding To Thais In Retail Who Diss You In Thai To A Coworker Right In Front Of You

[robblok]

I wouldn't insult them, if you have misread the situation or misheard you will look like a <deleted>.

Try to learn some polite phrases add Khup at end, Thais generally have more respect if your polite, and will be even more humble as opposed to you being confrontational

Khor Todt : Excuse me

Pud E tee : Say again

Besides these two basic sayings, theres loads of polite ways in Thai to show your unhappy and keep you looking cool and collected, and not like some hot head .

Arai Wai as suggested is actually pretty rude to strangers in a social situation.

You pretty much answered your own question to start with, Learn some basic Thai and use it.

All the staring etc will just make you look silly, and eventually you will get it so wrong your end up in a shitty situation that quickly escalates over nothing.

Also remember they are shop staff bored out of there wits, you as the foreigner are possibly the only source of entertainment they may get all day.

I would use the arai wa for sure if i was sure they were taking the piss. If they are not polite with me why should i be with them. I'm a client but i would make sure that what i heard was an insult.

Arai Wa is really way too rude to use in most situations described here - and it's definitely NOT a nice phrase to direct at children as an earlier Poster indicates he often does.

When using insults inappropriately one will usually end up making a fool of oneself, rather than expressing displeasure at a young member of staff in a retail establishment.

If you are SURE you have been insulted use phrases which demonstrate that you will not sink to their level; it's far more appropriate and even more embarrassing to the offender.

Examples :

"Pood dee dee noi" (speak more politely)

"Thammai pood yang nan" (why do you say such things?)

Patrick

I like to be a bit more blunt then you , kinda depends on the person and situation. But i don't let people walk over me when they insult me.

Just imagine "hey a hole"

your response "could you talk a bit more politely"

Wonder who looks foolish there.

But in the end its up to everyone to decide what is an appropriate reaction, and that of course depends on who you are. But what you are saying is the least confronting for sure.

[ivan96822]

Next time, just pull out a stick of dynamite, snap out a lighter, and walk around the counter toward the clerk.

[Jingthing]

Next time, just pull out a stick of dynamite, snap out a lighter, and walk around the counter toward the clerk.

Edgy ...

[candypants]

I then repeat to her " Som Nom Nah" whilst holding the wife's hand so she knows we are somehow related?

"Your tits are well matched"????? ............ that would embarrass most girls, I'm sure.

I may have spelt it wrong but the literal translation as far as I am aware of what I wrote is " Sh!t happens", could be different tones.

Cheers

Thought it meant what goes around comes around

more to the effect of serves you right, but it is a classic example of someone being offended (albeit justifiably in this instance, but no less accidentally) by something they did not understand correctly

[Radar501]

Okay, you've wasted the clerk's prescious time but finally you have found the perfect fit shoe. She is then rude to you, so you give her the STARE.

You now know the size of your shoe. As with most things in Thailand, if they sell the shoe at this store, there will probably be a thousand other stores within a hundred metre radius that sell exactly the same thing.

Watch her STARE as you walk into the store next door and make the purchase there.

[Morden]

Despite all of the TIT posts, I don't see why we should put up with obvious disrespect from people from whom we want to buy something. Any customer is entitled politeness and help and gratuitous bad remarks about someone whom they assume can't understand what they say just isn't acceptable. The shop, to say the least, doesn't deserve custom.

You need to think about the circumstances. Some of the skinny 40 degree drinkers at out soi shop decided that it was fun to call me fat. By comparison with them I am certainly well covered. Not wishing to start a village feud, I would just take my purchases and leave with no further conversation. Eventually they became bored with the game and gave up.

Out in the sticks here, despite there being plenty of foreigners, leery lads sometime like to say 'farang' as we pass by, not to us but about us and so that we can hear. When you look around, they are having a silly snigger at their cleverness. The appropriate response is 'Khun Lao'. Without fail, they will go very quiet, look at each other and grimace as they attempt to engage their brains to work out the implications of the response.

[candypants]

Despite all of the TIT posts, I don't see why we should put up with obvious disrespect from people from whom we want to buy something. Any customer is entitled politeness and help and gratuitous bad remarks about someone whom they assume can't understand what they say just isn't acceptable. The shop, to say the least, doesn't deserve custom.

You need to think about the circumstances. Some of the skinny 40 degree drinkers at out soi shop decided that it was fun to call me fat. By comparison with them I am certainly well covered. Not wishing to start a village feud, I would just take my purchases and leave with no further conversation. Eventually they became bored with the game and gave up.

Out in the sticks here, despite there being plenty of foreigners, leery lads sometime like to say 'farang' as we pass by, not to us but about us and so that we can hear. When you look around, they are having a silly snigger at their cleverness. The appropriate response is 'Khun Lao'. Without fail, they will go very quiet, look at each other and grimace as they attempt to engage their brains to work out the implications of the response.

Again, you are trying to be smart, but your thai is wrong,

why would you want to call them Mr Lao, do you mean khon lao?

[Morden]

Despite all of the TIT posts, I don't see why we should put up with obvious disrespect from people from whom we want to buy something. Any customer is entitled politeness and help and gratuitous bad remarks about someone whom they assume can't understand what they say just isn't acceptable. The shop, to say the least, doesn't deserve custom.

You need to think about the circumstances. Some of the skinny 40 degree drinkers at out soi shop decided that it was fun to call me fat. By comparison with them I am certainly well covered. Not wishing to start a village feud, I would just take my purchases and leave with no further conversation. Eventually they became bored with the game and gave up.

Out in the sticks here, despite there being plenty of foreigners, leery lads sometime like to say 'farang' as we pass by, not to us but about us and so that we can hear. When you look around, they are having a silly snigger at their cleverness. The appropriate response is 'Khun Lao'. Without fail, they will go very quiet, look at each other and grimace as they attempt to engage their brains to work out the implications of the response.

Again, you are trying to be smart, but your thai is wrong,

why would you want to call them Mr Lao, do you mean khon lao?

Again? What do you mean?

What I say to them does the job. Beyond that I don't care whether your command of Thai is better than mine or not.

[OxfordWill]

I like to be a bit more blunt then you , kinda depends on the person and situation. But i don't let people walk over me when they insult me.

Just imagine "hey a hole"

your response "could you talk a bit more politely"

Wonder who looks foolish there.

But in the end its up to everyone to decide what is an appropriate reaction, and that of course depends on who you are. But what you are saying is the least confronting for sure.

The guy who replies in your hypothetical situation is obviously an adult, and makes the original guy look foolish and immature.

Think about it- what would you say to a child? Would you tell the child something blunt? No, you would answer like above. What's worse to an adult who is trying to offend you, than being made to feel like a child?

Unfortunately, I think you actually believe the opposite. I think you believe that the non-foolish response is to raise to his bait hook line and sinker? Correct me if I am wrong..

Edited January 29, 2013 by OxfordWill

[Jingthing]

Okay, you've wasted the clerk's prescious time but finally you have found the perfect fit shoe. She is then rude to you, so you give her the STARE.

You now know the size of your shoe. As with most things in Thailand, if they sell the shoe at this store, there will probably be a thousand other stores within a hundred metre radius that sell exactly the same thing.

Watch her STARE as you walk into the store next door and make the purchase there.

Sizing is pretty variable and it's foolish to rely on a specific number. I've found the best fit for me between three numbers here.

[robblok]

I like to be a bit more blunt then you , kinda depends on the person and situation. But i don't let people walk over me when they insult me.

Just imagine "hey a hole"

your response "could you talk a bit more politely"

Wonder who looks foolish there.

But in the end its up to everyone to decide what is an appropriate reaction, and that of course depends on who you are. But what you are saying is the least confronting for sure.

The guy who replies in your hypothetical situation is obviously an adult, and makes the original guy look foolish and immature.

Think about it- what would you say to a child? Would you tell the child something blunt? No, you would answer like above. What's worse to an adult who is trying to offend you, than being made to feel like a child?

Unfortunately, I think you actually believe the opposite. I think you believe that the non-foolish response is to raise to his bait hook line and sinker? Correct me if I am wrong.. Im guessing you are a yanqui

Wrong guess, im Dutch.

But i guess you pretend to be or are an upper class Brit with a stiff upper lip ? It would be a sissy remark then its better not to say anything at all. I believe in standing up for myself.

[ivan96822]

Despite all of the TIT posts, I don't see why we should put up with obvious disrespect from people from whom we want to buy something. Any customer is entitled politeness and help and gratuitous bad remarks about someone whom they assume can't understand what they say just isn't acceptable. The shop, to say the least, doesn't deserve custom.

You need to think about the circumstances. Some of the skinny 40 degree drinkers at out soi shop decided that it was fun to call me fat. By comparison with them I am certainly well covered. Not wishing to start a village feud, I would just take my purchases and leave with no further conversation. Eventually they became bored with the game and gave up.

Out in the sticks here, despite there being plenty of foreigners, leery lads sometime like to say 'farang' as we pass by, not to us but about us and so that we can hear. When you look around, they are having a silly snigger at their cleverness. The appropriate response is 'Khun Lao'. Without fail, they will go very quiet, look at each other and grimace as they attempt to engage their brains to work out the implications of the response.

Again, you are trying to be smart, but your thai is wrong,

why would you want to call them Mr Lao, do you mean khon lao?

Again? What do you mean?

What I say to them does the job. Beyond that I don't care whether your command of Thai is better than mine or not.

You come across as very weak.

Thailand, Iraq, Brazil, California, Texas: if someone insults you and you barely lift a finger, I hope you're in your 60s.

You remind me of Piggy from "The Lord of the Flies." Why would you share this information with others and invite others to open game on you?

In all due respect, you should be a little more direct with those "friendly" folks making comments about your appearance. It won't kill you or get you banished from the village.

Edited January 29, 2013 by ivan96822

[Morakot]

I like to be a bit more blunt then you ,

Unfortunately, I think you actually believe the opposite. I think you believe that the non-foolish response is to raise to his bait hook line and sinker? Correct me if I am wrong.. Im guessing you are a yanqui

Wrong guess, im Dutch.

But i guess you pretend to be or are an upper class Brit with a stiff upper lip ? It would be a sissy remark then its better not to say anything at all. I believe in standing up for myself.

What a windup! Classic stuff!

Btw Robb, the t-shirt "model" was purely coincidental a Dutch man.

You may sit down again.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Morakot

[Jingthing]

He's the proverbial Flying Fighting Dutchman!

[OxfordWill]

You managed to quote me before I self edited out the yanqui bit.. !

Gotta love culture.

[robblok]

You managed to quote me before I self edited out the yanqui bit.. !

Gotta love culture.

Its in your culture to attack the US guys, i just caught you with your pants down.

As for me being a fighting Dutchman, i haven't been in a fight since i was 18 and if you see my comments on tough guys in general you will see i will try to avoid fights. But i won't let people walk all over me either. Anyway such a remark is a far cry from a fight. I prefer to keep things verbal, but wont act like a complete wuss either.

Edited January 29, 2013 by robblok

[robblok]

I like to be a bit more blunt then you ,

Unfortunately, I think you actually believe the opposite. I think you believe that the non-foolish response is to raise to his bait hook line and sinker? Correct me if I am wrong.. Im guessing you are a yanqui

Wrong guess, im Dutch.

But i guess you pretend to be or are an upper class Brit with a stiff upper lip ? It would be a sissy remark then its better not to say anything at all. I believe in standing up for myself.

What a windup! Classic stuff!

Btw Robb, the t-shirt "model" was purely coincidental a Dutch man.

You may sit down again.

I am just amazed that others like me feel that that guy a former prime minister looks like a............ many in our country felt ashamed for the guy. Some even compared him to Harry Potter.

Edited January 29, 2013 by robblok

[Morakot]

He's the proverbial Flying Fighting Dutchman!

Gotta love culture.

Hmm... impossible to make port; doomed to sail the oceans forever.

A fitting allegory for the feeling of being caught in the uncertainty of cultural misunderstandings.

Jingthing's shoe story brought it all out.

[Morakot]

I prefer to keep things verbal, but wont act like a complete wuss either.

Miaow!

[tingtongtourist]

One time i thought about to try and translate a snappy western term in Thai if i ever did need:

"Mai koi doo eng nah khrap? baahn mai mee grajok ler?"

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

Dont know if it makes sense to Thai ears but is very blunt so i think they could understand the same way as english.

A bit much and probably best to use as joke with Thai friends you already know or only if someone really insult you bad about physical stuff

certainly ive never had any call to try, since Thais see no great offence in being called certain negative things, i also dont see any point to be heated up about things like that, also never notice they say anything bad about me...to my face..as yet!

Still i understand the OPs story as i know how rude the smartar$e shopkeeper/vendors can be at those places.

But still you really need to understand 100% what they did say to you before you try anything like this. Like in the case of Mr JT, is hard to make up any sensible reply that will match their insult when you dont know exactly what has been said

.

[OxfordWill]

doo tua-eng - "look at yourself"

doo-eng is "look for yourself"

[OxfordWill]

You managed to quote me before I self edited out the yanqui bit.. !

Gotta love culture.

Its in your culture to attack the US guys, i just caught you with your pants down.

As for me being a fighting Dutchman, i haven't been in a fight since i was 18 and if you see my comments on tough guys in general you will see i will try to avoid fights. But i won't let people walk all over me either. Anyway such a remark is a far cry from a fight. I prefer to keep things verbal, but wont act like a complete wuss either.

Hang on a minute.. I have some Dutch friends.. they enjoy attacking yanks just as much as us brits..

...I smell a rat..

[Morden]

Despite all of the TIT posts, I don't see why we should put up with obvious disrespect from people from whom we want to buy something. Any customer is entitled politeness and help and gratuitous bad remarks about someone whom they assume can't understand what they say just isn't acceptable. The shop, to say the least, doesn't deserve custom.

You need to think about the circumstances. Some of the skinny 40 degree drinkers at out soi shop decided that it was fun to call me fat. By comparison with them I am certainly well covered. Not wishing to start a village feud, I would just take my purchases and leave with no further conversation. Eventually they became bored with the game and gave up.

Out in the sticks here, despite there being plenty of foreigners, leery lads sometime like to say 'farang' as we pass by, not to us but about us and so that we can hear. When you look around, they are having a silly snigger at their cleverness. The appropriate response is 'Khun Lao'. Without fail, they will go very quiet, look at each other and grimace as they attempt to engage their brains to work out the implications of the response.

Again, you are trying to be smart, but your thai is wrong,

why would you want to call them Mr Lao, do you mean khon lao?

Again? What do you mean?

What I say to them does the job. Beyond that I don't care whether your command of Thai is better than mine or not.

You come across as very weak.

Thailand, Iraq, Brazil, California, Texas: if someone insults you and you barely lift a finger, I hope you're in your 60s.

You remind me of Piggy from "The Lord of the Flies." Why would you share this information with others and invite others to open game on you?

In all due respect, you should be a little more direct with those "friendly" folks making comments about your appearance. It won't kill you or get you banished from the village.

You come across as not fully understanding the subtleties of getting on with local people. You don't react the same way regardless of the situation and you do not out-face your neighbours unless the matter is serious.

Perhaps I might understand your post better if you improved your English. I'm referring to your second sentence. I apologise if you are not a native speaker of English but, with due regard to your advice regarding dealing with my neighbours, I tell you it doesn't make sense.

[p_brownstone]

But i won't let people walk all over me either. Anyway such a remark is a far cry from a fight. I prefer to keep things verbal, but wont act like a complete wuss either.

Speaking purely personally but if I ever find that a comment from a Clerk in a Retail Store upsets my mental or emotional equanimity for a even second (let alone make me feel they were "walking all over me") I would immediately and carefully re-evaluate my sense of personal worth.

They are basically menials, paid a relative pittance to give Service - if they choose to try to enliven their dull existence with a rude or insolent remark at my expense it is well below my level of interest and any response would be aimed only at demonstrating that to them.

To engage in exchanging insults merely lowers you to their level, and unless your Thai is fluent you will almost certainly use an inappropriate word or phrase - simply giving them more amusement at your expense; keep the high ground with your reaction and certainly do not get drawn into a verbal battle.

Patrick

[Morden]

But i won't let people walk all over me either. Anyway such a remark is a far cry from a fight. I prefer to keep things verbal, but wont act like a complete wuss either.

Speaking purely personally but if I ever find that a comment from a Clerk in a Retail Store upsets my mental or emotional equanimity for a even second (let alone make me feel they were "walking all over me") I would immediately and carefully re-evaluate my sense of personal worth.

They are basically menials, paid a relative pittance to give Service - if they choose to try to enliven their dull existence with a rude or insolent remark at my expense it is well below my level of interest and any response would be aimed only at demonstrating that to them.

To engage in exchanging insults merely lowers you to their level, and unless your Thai is fluent you will almost certainly use an inappropriate word or phrase - simply giving them more amusement at your expense; keep the high ground with your reaction and certainly do not get drawn into a verbal battle.

Patrick

Good points. I'll practice!

[rgs2001uk]

One time i thought about to try and translate a snappy western term in Thai if i ever did need:

"Mai koi doo eng nah khrap? baahn mai mee grajok ler?"

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

Dont know if it makes sense to Thai ears but is very blunt so i think they could understand the same way as english.

A bit much and probably best to use as joke with Thai friends you already know or only if someone really insult you bad about physical stuff

certainly ive never had any call to try, since Thais see no great offence in being called certain negative things, i also dont see any point to be heated up about things like that, also never notice they say anything bad about me...to my face..as yet!

Still i understand the OPs story as i know how rude the smartar$e shopkeeper/vendors can be at those places.

But still you really need to understand 100% what they did say to you before you try anything like this. Like in the case of Mr JT, is hard to make up any sensible reply that will match their insult when you dont know exactly what has been said

.

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

This doesnt even make sense to me in English, never mind Thai.

[Payboy]

He's the proverbial Flying Fighting Dutchman!

You mean he's definitely not the average Smoke n' Fly type of peaceful Dutchman?

[tingtongtourist]

One time i thought about to try and translate a snappy western term in Thai if i ever did need:

"Mai koi doo eng nah khrap? baahn mai mee grajok ler?"

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

Dont know if it makes sense to Thai ears but is very blunt so i think they could understand the same way as english.

A bit much and probably best to use as joke with Thai friends you already know or only if someone really insult you bad about physical stuff

certainly ive never had any call to try, since Thais see no great offence in being called certain negative things, i also dont see any point to be heated up about things like that, also never notice they say anything bad about me...to my face..as yet!

Still i understand the OPs story as i know how rude the smartar$e shopkeeper/vendors can be at those places.

But still you really need to understand 100% what they did say to you before you try anything like this. Like in the case of Mr JT, is hard to make up any sensible reply that will match their insult when you dont know exactly what has been said

.

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

This doesnt even make sense to me in English, never mind Thai.

One time i thought about to try and translate a snappy western term in Thai if i ever did need:

"Mai koi doo eng nah khrap? baahn mai mee grajok ler?"

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

Dont know if it makes sense to Thai ears but is very blunt so i think they could understand the same way as english.

A bit much and probably best to use as joke with Thai friends you already know or only if someone really insult you bad about physical stuff

certainly ive never had any call to try, since Thais see no great offence in being called certain negative things, i also dont see any point to be heated up about things like that, also never notice they say anything bad about me...to my face..as yet!

Still i understand the OPs story as i know how rude the smartar$e shopkeeper/vendors can be at those places.

But still you really need to understand 100% what they did say to you before you try anything like this. Like in the case of Mr JT, is hard to make up any sensible reply that will match their insult when you dont know exactly what has been said

.

"you never look at yourself? your house has no mirrors?"

This doesnt even make sense to me in English, never mind Thai.

Am well used to explaining Western humuor to Thais, didnt think id have to do it here

Ok so..someone tells you something like..

"with a face like that you'd make a good advertisement for birth control."

"you liked your first double chin so much you got a second one"

you say back..

"ever had a look at yourself in the mirror buddy?...you got no mirrors in your house?"

get it?

[Morakot]

get it?

Is it contagious?

[robblok]

Speaking purely personally but if I ever find that a comment from a Clerk in a Retail Store upsets my mental or emotional equanimity for a even second (let alone make me feel they were "walking all over me") I would immediately and carefully re-evaluate my sense of personal worth.

They are basically menials, paid a relative pittance to give Service - if they choose to try to enliven their dull existence with a rude or insolent remark at my expense it is well below my level of interest and any response would be aimed only at demonstrating that to them.

To engage in exchanging insults merely lowers you to their level, and unless your Thai is fluent you will almost certainly use an inappropriate word or phrase - simply giving them more amusement at your expense; keep the high ground with your reaction and certainly do not get drawn into a verbal battle.

Patrick

I am certainly not fluid, but i can say enough to get the point through. I often have conversations in Thai, though not yet at a high level unfortunately. Just the standard conversations, the moment i get out of my field of expertise im lost. But diner talk and normal conversations about everything under the sun with a taxi driver.

Friendly banter at the post office / customs office. No problems. I certainly know enough and understand a lot. I am not easily drawn into a verbal battle, but like i said i won't let them walk all over me either.

I give you an example, i was buying a vacuum cleaner and saw one in home pro but did not know where the rest were so i asked a sales clerck if there were more like this one (meaning vacuum cleaners). They got pissed off that i selected an other more expensive model from an other brand, said something why did the guy ask for this and not buy the one i recommend i don't make money on this one. I told them i can my my own selection and i don't care where they get the commission from.

I won't let them force something on me that i don't like.