Thai People: There Is Good And Bad Everywhere

[homeownership]

I was sitting in S & P (Coffeshop) and two Thai girls were constantly looking over at My Wife, Son and myself. I thought to myself (<deleted>), sake, can I not eat a little bit of food and have a hot coffee in peace without being gawked at like a freak.

I didn't say anything, firstly I am too polite and secondly I don't like being a jerk, off the web at least.

Eventually one of the girls stood up and walked over our table and and explained that they have bought a cake and there was far too much for them to finish it all off themselves and would we like to join them in finishing it off. They didn't want to split the bill, just to have us as company and not waste the food. Her name was Noc and Nong Boi and they were students, they hoped to become nurses one day and travel around the world and see outside of Thailand, perhaps even visit my home country, England. They wouldn't even hear about me paying for their meal, they were just very decent human beings and I felt genuinely humbled.

I felt ashamed and embarrassed for thinking to myself that the only reason they wanted us to sit with them, was to pay for their meal. This was so far from the truth and it has had a profane impact on my life, in that people don't always tell you what their thinking, so its best to take things on face value.

There is good and bad everywhere and many of the posts on here, will talk about the bad in Thailand, I know I wrote a few of them myself, but it was so humbling to see real niceness and although you might be thinking whats all the fuss about, so they shared their meal with you, get over it. I can tell you both my Wife and myself were genuinely impressed.

[Ulysses G.]

I have had many, MANY more good experiences with Thais, than bad ones. They can be extraordinarily considerate and kind. I love living here.

[Neeranam]

I found out when I had children, the Thai people seemed to change immediately.

Maybe they think we are all Pattaya perverts if single or with one woman and no kids.

[craigt3365]

I was in a coffee shop a few years ago, reviewing my passport to decide when I needed to do my visa run. I was with my wife, and we started talking about something else. We left and I had left my passport on the table.

5 minutes later a guy came running down the mall yelling at me. I was kinda freaked out, but stood my ground. He handed me my passport. I offered to buy him a drink, but he refused and went on his way. This was in Bangkok.

I've had sooooo many moments like this. Unfortunately, the bad moments are the ones we tend to remember.

[Scully]

Sunday night out with on Thai man and one Western man, the table next to us were eating (we were just drinking) and they sent over a selection of food. We all got talking and ended up being one of my best nights in Thailand, and we didn't pay.

There are good honest people here, nice thread for a change.

[Kilgore Trout]

I think this says more about you than it does about Thai people.

Regardless of my thoughts on Thais as a whole, I always give the benefit of the doubt and don't judge a book by its cover.

Suggest you do the same

[Scully]

On Sunday night myself a British man and Vietmanise man went out just for a couple of beers, there is only a couple of tables as it's like a shop stroke bar where people sit and drink. On the other table two Thai couple's were eating sausages and they offered us a taste, next thing a girl nips off comes back with a tray for them and a tray for us.

The Brit had to go home but I ended up having one of my best nights in Thailand

With Thai's

[kevvy]

with all your money you told us you have why didn't you pay for the meal just to say thankyou for them being so kind . What happen to your profile picture? you changed it ...

Anyway it was a good story , as it has happened to my wife and I . We were walking along the beach and came to a family and they offered us to join them , Thai people are so generous

as this would never happen in Aus .

[benalibina]

Whatever you expect you hardly ever get. You more likely to get what you do not expect. Speaking thai helps as well though. They like a joke !

Expectations not fullfilled, makes many bitter 'kon tang chaat' overhere. Bitterness is in fact mostly against oneself but we point it out to other people, the thais.

If only not for the families in law, in most cases !! Then ?

[alexander69]

Most Thais are great, they will give and share.I love it

[kevvy]

I find that most thai people are kind and generous even though they have no money they still want you to share their meals with them , and they dont want anything in return . Love living here , when you see this you feel like it is all worth it living here .

[Thongkorn]

Most people form an opinion on where they live In Thailand, about Thai people. I have moved around Thailand, I do a bit of work in a Thai Hospital on the outskirts of Bangkok, 99% of Thais are friendly, I have found, I try and take the time to speak Thai to them, which makes them laugh, It was interesting the last Songkan, there where Thais, Burmese, Cambodians, and a few other people from different Country's. all got on and had a good time, even though most could not speak to each other, I think your attitude to Thai people, depends on you own attitude and what frame of mind you are in.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Thongkorn

[homeownership]

with all your money you told us you have why didn't you pay for the meal just to say thankyou for them being so kind . What happen to your profile picture? you changed it ...

Anyway it was a good story , as it has happened to my wife and I . We were walking along the beach and came to a family and they offered us to join them , Thai people are so generous

as this would never happen in Aus .

I tried to pay for their meal, they wouldn't accept. I did thank them and sincerely as well. I changed my profile picture because it was of an actual individual instead of a stock photo, either way it was inappropriate to use it in the first place.

A few people have talked about the frame of mind, your in at the time. I think there is definitely some milage in that train of thought.

[homeownership]

I was in a coffee shop a few years ago, reviewing my passport to decide when I needed to do my visa run. I was with my wife, and we started talking about something else. We left and I had left my passport on the table.

5 minutes later a guy came running down the mall yelling at me. I was kinda freaked out, but stood my ground. He handed me my passport. I offered to buy him a drink, but he refused and went on his way. This was in Bangkok.

I've had sooooo many moments like this. Unfortunately, the bad moments are the ones we tend to remember.

So very true.

[cornishcarlos]

There is one woman in our local market, sells plah duk <deleted> (is that how you spell it?).

Anyway, she knows I love it and will never let me pay. She has even come round to our house when I didn't visit her one weekend, just to drop some off !!!

More good here than bad for sure...

[PaullyW]

I have had many, MANY more good experiences with Thais, than bad ones. They can be extraordinarily considerate and kind. I love living here.

That goes for me as well. Actually, it's true for me for EVERY country I've lived and worked in. More interesting might be the percentages across places and the demographic as applied to your interactions. Guaranteed we perceive these things most often from interactions with simple, often very materially poor people.

[robblok]

Of course there are plenty of good people around. I have had many good encounters, mostly outside the tourist area's. I love living here but as with all countries it has its good and bad things.