Thai Logic Has Got Me Again.........sigh!

[utalkin2me]

What gets me, and this happens about once a month and continually astonishes me, is that you can be going somewhere on say "highway 3". First, I realize Thais seem to ignore those numbers for the most part, but they are there! Second.... there is going to be a highway 3 necessarily going 2 ways, right? Maybe one east, one west. But if you put that information in, eg "3 West" that is just a total stumper, like not even close. The "3 West, then left on the 241"..... completely unintelligible. I don't get it, never will.

Edited May 1, 2013 by utalkin2me

[rubberduck]

DSC01163.jpg

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I also believe in the K.I.S.S. syndrome, keep it simple stupid......and this is what I had in mind with my masterpiece.

Sorry if I am breaking the rules by having Thai writing on the map, but I figured that it would be impressive to the immigration people.

Just thought I would show how I used "The Gate" as an easy landmark.

Also just to reiterate.....you cannot find my place on google maps......they don't consider us important enough.

Cheers.

I like your map, especially the blue dots in the purple road, it's so psychedelic !!!!!!

But are you not affraid of some Project X party with thousands of Thaivisa members rushing to your home now to party ?

[sbf]

Some years ago, a Thai girlfriend was taking her new car back up country for Songklan. I having just flown in a few hours earlier, was happy to sit in the passenger seat and take a rest. As we left Bangkok heading north she pulled the car off the road, and sat there looking attentively back down the road towards the city. After a few minutes I asked why we were waiting, and she replied that she was waiting for a bus which was going to her city to come past so that she could follow it as she didn't know the way.

My current wife is equally poor with maps, something I find interesting as I am the son of a geography teacher. I think that probably some of these problems are to do with lack of good geography lessons. However that said I do not recall ever getting more than slightly lost on our many jaunts around LOS. This I believe is due to her ability to stop and ask, and almost always we get a polite and friendly reply from the locals who normally provide reasonably accurate directions to our destination. So as I am studying the maps my wife often reminds me that we are never lost whilst she still has a tongue in her mouth.

[Wat dee]

Me and the mrs bought a bed in SB furniture and when asked to draw a map, she drew what could be considered the most primitive map ever with very little details on.

I told her they would never understand and just put down her number to call as it would be easier. Be fair, the boys who delivered the bed found the house and didn't need to call once.

Maybe it's easier to not over complicate things and you will be surprised.

Leally?

[jacko45k]

I guess she is right....Thais don't feel comfortable with maps.

Mine would not pay attention if I brought one out, it was obvious she didn't really understand what she was looking at.

I bought a Maps of Thailand book and we refer to it sometimes and she has improved a lot.

[StreetCowboy]

Some years ago, a Thai girlfriend was taking her new car back up country for Songklan. I having just flown in a few hours earlier, was happy to sit in the passenger seat and take a rest. As we left Bangkok heading north she pulled the car off the road, and sat there looking attentively back down the road towards the city. After a few minutes I asked why we were waiting, and she replied that she was waiting for a bus which was going to her city to come past so that she could follow it as she didn't know the way.

My current wife is equally poor with maps, something I find interesting as I am the son of a geography teacher. I think that probably some of these problems are to do with lack of good geography lessons. However that said I do not recall ever getting more than slightly lost on our many jaunts around LOS. This I believe is due to her ability to stop and ask, and almost always we get a polite and friendly reply from the locals who normally provide reasonably accurate directions to our destination. So as I am studying the maps my wife often reminds me that we are never lost whilst she still has a tongue in her mouth.

I can't believe that you let your girlfriend ask for directions. What kind of a man are you? THe only kind worse are those that ask for directions themselves. I didn't get to where I am today by asking for directions.

SC

[raybal5]

I find it amusing that they even asked you to draw a map...very, very few Thais could complete that task. Thais are for the most part useless with maps...it's just not a concept they can get their heads around. A friend of mine wrote a whole PhD dissertation (which he later published as a book) on how the very concept of maps had to be introduced to Thais by foreigners (and it still hasn't caught on/sunk in)...and he's Thai, haha! Though he was educated overseas (which is ALWAYS the key to Thais thinking critically/seeing the big picture!).

My bf freaks out if I ever ask him to look at a map. He can't use one very effectively.

[draftvader]

DSC01163.jpg

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I also believe in the K.I.S.S. syndrome, keep it simple stupid......and this is what I had in mind with my masterpiece.

Sorry if I am breaking the rules by having Thai writing on the map, but I figured that it would be impressive to the immigration people.

Just thought I would show how I used "The Gate" as an easy landmark.

Also just to reiterate.....you cannot find my place on google maps......they don't consider us important enough.

Cheers.

Thanks. When are you out next?

[raybal5]

What gets me, and this happens about once a month and continually astonishes me, is that you can be going somewhere on say "highway 3". First, I realize Thais seem to ignore those numbers for the most part, but they are there! Second.... there is going to be a highway 3 necessarily going 2 ways, right? Maybe one east, one west. But if you put that information in, eg "3 West" that is just a total stumper, like not even close. The "3 West, then left on the 241"..... completely unintelligible. I don't get it, never will.

You are speaking in a code that they do not use. In Australia we don't talk like that (which looks to me like an American way of speaking). Remember that you are not in your home country where most people use your shortcut coded language. Australians giving the same directions would say Go along highway 3 heading west towards xxxxx. Then turn left onto highway 241 heading (south) towards yyyyy. Just a few words different but take away the shortcut coded language and it becomes clearer.

You need to use the local words and terminology. An example of this - believe it or not we do sort of have dialects within Australia. When travelling around Japan by rail we met a Sydney couple who complained that they had terrible trouble finding out which track the train they needed would leave from. We are from Melbourne and when we asked which platform a train was leaving from, the Japanese always told us the correct one. But for the poor NSW couple, them asking what track a train was leaving from created confusion. Just one word made all the difference.

[canuckamuck]

If they could just get the fact that the roads have names or numbers, directions would become a lot more efficient.

Ask a Thai the name of any highway on a map, (with the names of the highways printed clearly on it) and chances are high that they will not understand what you are asking, and will not see the benefit of knowing the name of the highway. What they more likely know is that it is the highway that goes from one city to another and that's what they will call it

I think the government has labeled all the highways for the benefit of foreigners only.

[F4UCorsair]

About ten years ago I lived in Bali, in a village (and that's doing it a favor!) named Gobleg/Goblek in the mountains up from Bedugul on the road to Singaraja, or more accurately described off the road to Singaraja. I needed a refrigerator so went to an electrical retailer in Singaraja and bought one. I had no idea of the street/road name, if there was one, so on the advice of a bystander with some English skills, just gave them the name of the property owner, Pak Cenik, expecting that within a couple of days I'd be back there to have them follow me to the property with the refrigerator. The very next day, sitting on my veranda enjoying a coffee and looking over the valley, a pickup arrived, driver and jockey, and a refrigerator on the back. Maybe they're not as silly or as easily confused as we think?

[Dancealot]

DSC01163.jpg

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I also believe in the K.I.S.S. syndrome, keep it simple stupid......and this is what I had in mind with my masterpiece.

Sorry if I am breaking the rules by having Thai writing on the map, but I figured that it would be impressive to the immigration people.

Just thought I would show how I used "The Gate" as an easy landmark.

Also just to reiterate.....you cannot find my place on google maps......they don't consider us important enough.

Cheers.

Ah thanks for sharing the famous map.!

I see the mistake now. Next to the red drawing you wrote plahdtuh 100m, which translates to me as steamed makeral(100m(Makeral) of them).

Therefore i see no gate.

[corkythecat]

Quote "What a load of crap! I married a Thai village girl 10 years ago. For nine of those years, she has been running 2 very succesfull shops, at the same she has got herself a lawdegree. (just for the hell of it). Reads an average of 2 books a week, real books like heavy classics! Got a more flexible intellect than most farangs I know."

mmmm.. a sample of ONE, Shades of Ramachandran, the exception proves the rule.

Shops ? Define shops in your context, on four wheels ?

Law Degree, LL.B, which university ?

Classics "Mother Goose" is a classic Oh !, Heavy Classics, examples please I want to emulate her, as my diet is only Non-Fiction

Real Books...what no pictures and balloon speech ?

She must have problems with a partner who uses "crap" as a response and "got herself".

Not surprising is your evaluation of your farang aquaintances

Have a nice day.

Edited May 2, 2013 by corkythecat

[utalkin2me]

What gets me, and this happens about once a month and continually astonishes me, is that you can be going somewhere on say "highway 3". First, I realize Thais seem to ignore those numbers for the most part, but they are there! Second.... there is going to be a highway 3 necessarily going 2 ways, right? Maybe one east, one west. But if you put that information in, eg "3 West" that is just a total stumper, like not even close. The "3 West, then left on the 241"..... completely unintelligible. I don't get it, never will.

You are speaking in a code that they do not use. In Australia we don't talk like that (which looks to me like an American way of speaking). Remember that you are not in your home country where most people use your shortcut coded language. Australians giving the same directions would say Go along highway 3 heading west towards xxxxx. Then turn left onto highway 241 heading (south) towards yyyyy. Just a few words different but take away the shortcut coded language and it becomes clearer.

You need to use the local words and terminology. An example of this - believe it or not we do sort of have dialects within Australia. When travelling around Japan by rail we met a Sydney couple who complained that they had terrible trouble finding out which track the train they needed would leave from. We are from Melbourne and when we asked which platform a train was leaving from, the Japanese always told us the correct one. But for the poor NSW couple, them asking what track a train was leaving from created confusion. Just one word made all the difference.

Speaking in a code they don't use? It is their highway... it is labeled "3" on maps and on the road too (yet, I assume they just ignore those numbers, part of my point).... and if you say "take highway 3 to get here" it is total confusion. In essence, I guess I agree with you.... just not sure why they even number the highways if these numbers are not recognized or used in any way.

Then, if you say something like "3 north" that is just total absurdity to them.... like martian directions as you allude to. I'm still amazed, but who cares really, i certainly don't anymore lol.

Edited May 2, 2013 by utalkin2me

[XINLOI]

David48, on 01 May 2013 - 07:46, said:

I somehow don't think that we will ever get a government representative to the Farm to check my where-a-bouts!

Just a small part of the journey to the gf's Parents Farm.

Or quite some way like this

Happy to draw them a map ... though doubt they'll be dropping by for a beer.

Love it and no they won't find you

[Keesters]

Thai Logic...is there even such a thing?

Many many years ago I was on a bus from Bangkok to Pattaya. In front of me was a farang and his so obvious pick up. I mean all she needed was a price tag!

As we left Ekamai the farang asked his GF "how far is it to Pattaya?"

"Two hours" she replied.

"No, not how long, how far, how many kilometers?" he questioned.

"It takes two hours" she said. "I don't need to know how many kilometers it is. I'm not buying the diesel!"

So to answer my own question. Yes there is logic. As far as farang goes; maybe we ask too much.

[utalkin2me]

Thais are totally, 100% useless when it comes to directions. They use "landmarks" (that THEY know of) and "lefts" and "rights". It is totally ridiculous.

The reason I KNOW I am right is because it will take them 5 minutes to give directions, whereas 2 foreigners could have done the same thing in 5 seconds in their country (eg left on culver, right on broadway, and it'll be on the left after 100 meters).

The place it gets REALLY bad and unintelligible is when they give directions from a BTS station. Again, they use landmarks, which can be hideously ineffective. I seriously don't understand what is so hard about putting a "exit to the North side of Sukhumvit" in there, and then a "walk west on Sukhumvit". They have lived here all their lives, but they don't know which direction is north from a BTS station?

Thais can't effectively give directions. They are not capable. They don't think in terms of direction, which is actually necessary. NOTICE the word directions itself has the word DIRECTION (eg North, West etc) embedded within it. But, they think only in terms of landmarks. Ineffective, no two ways about it.

Further, aren't Thais supposed to be compelled to do some sort of military service here? Well, in the military, you can't say "turn left at the big tree"!!! What do they learn when they are in the military? Jumping jacks?

There was a thread in the GPS forum saying all Thais should start giving GPS coordinates if they want farang business. I agree. I know it will never happen, but if they want to do themselves a favor, they should try it. "Left after the big 7-11" just does not cut it.

And I wont go into the difficulty of giving them directions. I can give them perfect directions, with all the direction and information they need in there, and they look at it like it is written in Swahili or something.

Edited May 2, 2013 by utalkin2me

[StreetCowboy]

Thais are totally, 100% useless when it comes to directions. They use "landmarks" (that THEY know of) and "lefts" and "rights". It is totally ridiculous.

The reason I KNOW I am right is because it will take them 5 minutes to give directions, whereas 2 foreigners could have done the same thing in 5 seconds in their country (eg left on culver, right on broadway, and it'll be on the left after 100 meters).

The place it gets REALLY bad and unintelligible is when they give directions from a BTS station. Again, they use landmarks, which can be hideously ineffective. I seriously don't understand what is so hard about putting a "exit to the North side of Sukhumvit" in there, and then a "walk west on Sukhumvit". They have lived here all their lives, but they don't know which direction is north from a BTS station?

Thais can't effectively give directions. They are not capable. They don't think in terms of direction, which is actually necessary. NOTICE the word directions itself has the word DIRECTION (eg North, West etc) embedded within it. But, they think only in terms of landmarks. Ineffective, no two ways about it.

Further, aren't Thais supposed to be compelled to do some sort of military service here? Well, in the military, you can't say "turn left at the big tree"!!! What do they learn when they are in the military? Jumping jacks?

There was a thread in the GPS forum saying all Thais should start giving GPS coordinates if they want farang business. I agree. I know it will never happen, but if they want to do themselves a favor, they should try it. "Left after the big 7-11" just does not cut it.

And I wont go into the difficulty of giving them directions. I can give them perfect directions, with all the direction and information they need in there, and they look at it like it is written in Swahili or something.

Sounds to me like you've got problems understanding and giving directions, then. Maybe you should go somewhere where people share the same approach to directions as you do.

I thought the point of the discussion on this thread was actually that Immigration Dept ask you to draw a map to your abode as a way of testing your bona fides

SC

[JulesMad]

Landmarks are the best way to give directions in Thailand

BUT, farang use very different landmarks then the Thai people (most of us can not read Thai....)

The one that ALWAYS cracks me up, especially in BKK and big(ger) cities, is the use of 7-11's. Turn left/right at 7-11 is the most used direction and when someone asks me where I live, I always say "near 7-11" (especially if I do NOT want them to know where I live....)

[utalkin2me]

Thais are totally, 100% useless when it comes to directions. They use "landmarks" (that THEY know of) and "lefts" and "rights". It is totally ridiculous.

The reason I KNOW I am right is because it will take them 5 minutes to give directions, whereas 2 foreigners could have done the same thing in 5 seconds in their country (eg left on culver, right on broadway, and it'll be on the left after 100 meters).

The place it gets REALLY bad and unintelligible is when they give directions from a BTS station. Again, they use landmarks, which can be hideously ineffective. I seriously don't understand what is so hard about putting a "exit to the North side of Sukhumvit" in there, and then a "walk west on Sukhumvit". They have lived here all their lives, but they don't know which direction is north from a BTS station?

Thais can't effectively give directions. They are not capable. They don't think in terms of direction, which is actually necessary. NOTICE the word directions itself has the word DIRECTION (eg North, West etc) embedded within it. But, they think only in terms of landmarks. Ineffective, no two ways about it.

Further, aren't Thais supposed to be compelled to do some sort of military service here? Well, in the military, you can't say "turn left at the big tree"!!! What do they learn when they are in the military? Jumping jacks?

There was a thread in the GPS forum saying all Thais should start giving GPS coordinates if they want farang business. I agree. I know it will never happen, but if they want to do themselves a favor, they should try it. "Left after the big 7-11" just does not cut it.

And I wont go into the difficulty of giving them directions. I can give them perfect directions, with all the direction and information they need in there, and they look at it like it is written in Swahili or something.

Sounds to me like you've got problems understanding and giving directions, then. Maybe you should go somewhere where people share the same approach to directions as you do.

I thought the point of the discussion on this thread was actually that Immigration Dept ask you to draw a map to your abode as a way of testing your bona fides

SC

That's true. But, mind you, it would be like saying I have problems assimilating with other morons. So, in that case, you have a point. I am just pointing out an obvious deficiency..... why in the world would I need to go somewhere else? Do you need to go somewhere else every time you point out an inefficiency?

Saying something like "go left at the bottom of the stairs at prom pong BTS" isn't even a viable direction, so I am not sure what there is to even argue about. You will have problems with that, and any human will have problems with that. Get the point?

There are good, efficient ways to give directions, which should have been taught to us all. And there are ways to give directions poorly and inefficiently. If the masses do it the wrong way, as they do, you are right, and I need to learn how to be stupid and understand and give stupid directions. lol, so.... great point. Nobody can argue that "exit the north side of sukhumvit" is difficult or esoteric. It is easy and there is no ambiguity. Just because others can't do it doesn't make me wrong - they are wrong in that no human, intelligent or unintelligent, can follow their directions when they say "turn left" and give no bearing whatsoever.

Edited May 2, 2013 by utalkin2me

[Scully]

Maybe it's got more to do with your wife than all thai people as you/she assumes?

Nope, it has to do with Thainess.

I received an email with the addresses for two schools. The wife and I head out to go to the furthest school first. Before this we discussed where the two schools were, the nearest one is on soi 107.

This is the conversation as we are driving.

Wife - That is soi 107 there.

Me - Oh that is close to our house.

Wife - Why you want to go 107?

Me - I don't, I said it is near our house.

Wife - That will take wrong direction.

Me - I know, I was just saying the other school is close to the house.

Wife - some more nonsense

Me - start drawing a map for her

Wife - still confused

Me - explain it 5 different ways

Wife - Oh I think you go that way to get to another school

Me - seriously annoyed by now

I have these same goofy conversations with many Thai's. I stopped asking my wife to ask Thai's where something is, instead of a simple "it is in isle three" or even "F if I know", there is always a 10 minute conversation, at the end of which my wife still doesn't know where the item is.

We use to drive around villages looking for small rice mills for the farm, as they were cheaper than the large mills.

Ask a Thai person where something that they don't know it's whereabouts, they will tell you give you directions anyway. I didn't believe my girlfriend at the time but after months of looking for all the local mills and asking directions we were given made up directions on several occasions.

Rather than say I don't know, they tell a little white lie to save face, I am not Thai bashing it's just what they do, there is no malice in it and if I hadn't seen and heard it on several occasions I wouldn't believe it either.

Thai logic, you need to be laid back in Thailand and sadly many Westerners don't have it and end up with high blood pressure.

[utalkin2me]

Landmarks are the best way to give directions in Thailand

BUT, farang use very different landmarks then the Thai people (most of us can not read Thai....)

The one that ALWAYS cracks me up, especially in BKK and big(ger) cities, is the use of 7-11's. Turn left/right at 7-11 is the most used direction and when someone asks me where I live, I always say "near 7-11" (especially if I do NOT want them to know where I live....)

Right. It is fun when you don't like the person. I will admit. Give them the same type of directions they give you, and sit back and enjoy, lol.

If you actually want to see the person however, I'd like to give good, solid directions, with landmarks as an aid no doubt.... but I find the more solid the directions are, the more bewildered the person becomes.

[utalkin2me]

Maybe it's got more to do with your wife than all thai people as you/she assumes?

Nope, it has to do with Thainess.

I received an email with the addresses for two schools. The wife and I head out to go to the furthest school first. Before this we discussed where the two schools were, the nearest one is on soi 107.

This is the conversation as we are driving.

Wife - That is soi 107 there.

Me - Oh that is close to our house.

Wife - Why you want to go 107?

Me - I don't, I said it is near our house.

Wife - That will take wrong direction.

Me - I know, I was just saying the other school is close to the house.

Wife - some more nonsense

Me - start drawing a map for her

Wife - still confused

Me - explain it 5 different ways

Wife - Oh I think you go that way to get to another school

Me - seriously annoyed by now

I have these same goofy conversations with many Thai's. I stopped asking my wife to ask Thai's where something is, instead of a simple "it is in isle three" or even "F if I know", there is always a 10 minute conversation, at the end of which my wife still doesn't know where the item is.

We use to drive around villages looking for small rice mills for the farm, as they were cheaper than the large mills.

Ask a Thai person where something that they don't know it's whereabouts, they will tell you give you directions anyway. I didn't believe my girlfriend at the time but after months of looking for all the local mills and asking directions we were given made up directions on several occasions.

Rather than say I don't know, they tell a little white lie to save face, I am not Thai bashing it's just what they do, there is no malice in it and if I hadn't seen and heard it on several occasions I wouldn't believe it either.

Thai logic, you need to be laid back in Thailand and sadly many Westerners don't have it and end up with high blood pressure.

I agree with you in part. Half the time they are trying to give you the directions.... but they simply can't. They are unable. Sad but true.

[corkythecat]

Perhaps they are way in front when it comes to logic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuzzy_logic

[vijer]

Thai Logic...is there even such a thing?

Many many years ago I was on a bus from Bangkok to Pattaya. In front of me was a farang and his so obvious pick up. I mean all she needed was a price tag!

As we left Ekamai the farang asked his GF "how far is it to Pattaya?"

"Two hours" she replied.

"No, not how long, how far, how many kilometers?" he questioned.

"It takes two hours" she said. "I don't need to know how many kilometers it is. I'm not buying the diesel!"

So to answer my own question. Yes there is logic. As far as farang goes; maybe we ask too much.

Yes, that goes towards Thai curiosity, or lack thereof. Which appears to be the case for his GF. Although she may have been very curious about how much money the farang had and if he was interested in marrying her and if he was going to help her family. Lots of curiosity there I am sure.

[Konini]

I find it amusing that they even asked you to draw a map...very, very few Thais could complete that task. Thais are for the most part useless with maps...it's just not a concept they can get their heads around. A friend of mine wrote a whole PhD dissertation (which he later published as a book) on how the very concept of maps had to be introduced to Thais by foreigners (and it still hasn't caught on/sunk in)...and he's Thai, haha! Though he was educated overseas (which is ALWAYS the key to Thais thinking critically/seeing the big picture!).

I bought a freezer from HomePro and they drew a map on the invoice (based on the map on the back of the business card) for the delivery boys.

[utalkin2me]

I seriously would bet if you drew a cross on a piece of paper, and drew in the Thai word for "North" on the tip of the cross, and asked 100 random Thais to fill in the other three directions (ie east west south in Thai), about half would get it correct. Half may be giving them too much credit? Not only do they not know maps, or how to look at them (they get embarrassed when you pull out a map because they have no clue), they don't know what north south east and west are at all. They do, but can't put them in correct relation to one another, so the knowledge does them no good.

[utalkin2me]

First, let's decide what is the best way to communicate directions. It is easy enough to deduce because the people who's lives depend on accurate and fast directions are the police and the military. Lives are at stake here. What is an example of what they say?... "I'm going west on figueroa crossing 127th street". Bam. In a few words you have got direction, and exact location, and if you must tell somebody where to go, the same applies of course. Really, it is a no brainer to figure the most efficient way to give directions. Glad we've got that figured

Thais don't do this, they use landmarks. Landmarks are actually great, only as an aid though. They put all their eggs in one basket with the landmarks though. Will not work in many cases; when there is only one of something, and it is big.... not so bad of a landmark.... but if there is more than one, and it is small.... not so good. They are thusly doomed from the get go. Example....

Let's say there is a small town south of a large highway. IF that is all, they do good enough..... they will point in the direction you need to go, and say "turn left at highway". That works, good for them. Let's now say there are TWO highways to the north this time both with nondescript intersections. So now the Thai points them north, but he wants them to turn left at that second highway, not the first. So, his mind is spinning, how to convey to them that you must turn at that second highway.... hmmmm. HE REMEMBERS! They sell watermellon after a left turn on the second highway, so he says "turn left can buy watermelon". Wow, these are some good directions, if I know where the watermelons are, assuming there aren't watermelons somewhere on the other highway.....

Now.....those highways discussed above have numbers, right? Let's say they are the highway 29, and highway 30. So, he COULD point them north and say "turn left highway 30", but that would not make any sense whatsoever?!! lol.

Another poster said it is my problem because I can't communicate directions. That is kind of bs because THEY can't communicate directions among themselves. I have never seen people talk about directions for so long, and then be lost again in like 100 meters after getting the "clarification".

Also, look at the highway signs.... they emphasize cities, not highway numbers. That is because they would have no idea what to do with the number. They don't quite get that there is a highway 3, and it goes 2 ways.... north and south for example. So they just ignore it and look for city names. The signs are in essence spoon feeding them where to go, and of course this does not work because once they get kinda lost, they have no idea where , for example, the ocean is, if they are going to the beach. Really, drive to Pattaya. 90% of the way there ask a Thai to point toward the ocean. Seriously, try it. All this is evidence that they feel maps are just a way to rip them off for 60 baht of their hard earned money.

I still want somebody to tell me why Thai men are not learning to use maps and direction in the military.

Edited May 2, 2013 by utalkin2me

[canuckamuck]

Sometimes the signs show cities that are behind you, but they do add a u-turn symbol for clarity.

[Pacificperson]

I love the use of landmarks that are no longer in existence. "Turn left where the gas station used to be." By local rules, it should have been gone for at least ten years to be used as a proper landmark. I remember a conversation not to long ago. Where I told someone to turn where the Cowboys football field used to be, and they responded no that it was where the Angles football filed used to be. Huh? OK, where the Angles football field used to be.

It used to bother me, but after having lived on this rock for 25 years, I can keep up with them. As for the people who have been here for a year and will only be here for another year, who gives a hoot?

Edited May 2, 2013 by Pacificperson