I am at a loss, why do Thai, most of them, do strange things. Leave the protective plastic wrapping on there new cars, new furniture etc until it looks a complete mess, and still do not remove it! Why? Put the Bonnet up on there Car when haven driven a long distance! Why? Donate thousands of Baht to the Monks for Good Luck, it is the Monks who are lucky! Why ? Heavily Tint the Windscreen so you can not see out of it, Why? Change Tyre's on the Car because they are two years old, may have only done 20,000Km, Why ? Put up with corruption at all levels, and expect it! Why ?. And the list goes on.

I really love this country, probably partly because of its "Peculiarities" But still wonder why ?? "Please Explain"

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But Davo ... if we told you ... it would take the fun out of the 'self-discovery' ...

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Put yourself in the position of a Thai and ask the same questions about a Westerner?

95% of the peculiarities of a people is their culture.

But I;ll try to give my 2 cents on some of your peculiarities:

- tinted windows: the windows are tinted to keep the sun out. Some people are well aware of the fact that apart from the sun the views on the interior and the driver stays out and yes, they'll start to behave like invisible. The fact that they hardly have any view to the outside world causes them to drive like crazy.

- changing tyres every 2 years? That's more some marketing-policy os the B-Quick, ACT, Bridgestone and all the other tyre-shops. One says, you should change your tyres every 70.000 km and another says you should change them every 2 years. Personally I change them when the profile is under a safe minimum (less than 2 mm) or if the tyre starts showing cracks.

- Corruption is a part of Thailand's macro- and micro-economy. Without corruption everything will come to a standstill. Everybody is used to do so and everybody is anxiously waiting to be in the position to benefit from corruption.

- Leaving plastic on seats, tv's, in cars, furniture, fridges means: I just bought it....it's still new! Of course, after a few weeks, the products with the partly removed plastic looks scruffy. I even find protection foil on a 4 yo remote of an airconditioning asking my self why I can't read the display.

- Donating fortunes to monks is as donating fortunes to the Pope or Allah. All donators expect something in return. Christians pay of their sins and Buddhists try to buy some luck. I respect both "views" but I'll deal with my own sins and having luck is a matter of .... well luck.

I love this country too and yes, there a lot more peculiarities.......

You’re In A Country where people will cover their mouths while using a toothpick or cellphone, but will unabashedly ram a finger knuckle-deep in a nostril, mining for dining, while having a conversation with you, or taking your order.

YIAC where chicken feet cost more per kilo than boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

YIAC where the first thing you do when you buy a new motorbike and weed wacker is… remove the mirrors and safety guard.

YIAC where grown men drive around with plastic bags tied on their heads when it rains because their mothers told them, if they don’t, they’ll catch cold.

YIAC where people build a three million baht house, then put a 50 gallon plastic trash can in each bathroom, fill it with water, and use a plastic ladle to flush the toilet.

YIAC where folks butter and jam their bread, before dropping it in the toaster.

YIAC where after building said house, they bust up floors for installing plumbing, and cut walls for electric.

YIAC where, rather than replace the 20 baht taillight on their motor scooter, people hang a 50 baht “reflective” DVD over it, and happily drive down the wrong side of a pitch black curvy road at 3 in the morning. Drunk.

YIAC where the driver must wear a helmet while driving said scooter, but the rest of the extended family clinging on, including newborns and small children, don’t need to.

You want logic?

I can live with most of them, but I draw the line at dipping my fruit in chili salt.

I can live with most of them, but I draw the line at dipping my fruit in chili salt.

... or my sausage ...

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I can live with most of them, but I draw the line at dipping my fruit in chili salt.

... or my sausage ...

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Is that dipping your sausage in your fruit or your sausage in chili salt?

Anyone coming to any of our home countries from a widely different culture will have just a long a list of what crazy things you people do there.

And they often have a real point.

That's why exposure to another culture is so mind-expanding, makes you realize there are very few real "right and wrong" in the world, many things are "just the way we do things here" often with no rhyme or reason.

And before you talk about rationality, look at all the things done in our own country that are not in our own self-interest, diet, entertainment education, man is rarely a rational creature.

Anyone coming to any of our home countries from a widely different culture will have just a long a list of what crazy things you people do there.

And they often have a real point.

That's why exposure to another culture is so mind-expanding, makes you realize there are very few real "right and wrong" in the world, many things are "just the way we do things here" often with no rhyme or reason.

And before you talk about rationality, look at all the things done in our own country that are not in our own self-interest, diet, entertainment education, man is rarely a rational creature.

Hang on just a minute, whilst I agree with what you say, surely some basic common sense should be the order of the day! where the hell is it in Thailand !. nowhere! that is why is is a" slowly" developing nation. We have many issues that need-to be addressed i our so could western culture, but,generally we are "OK" things need to be NOT excepted if any country is to grow!

Very easy to bury head in the sand, look at Africa, etc. we as western individuals need to do something about it! try and change things!

Anyone coming to any of our home countries from a widely different culture will have just a long a list of what crazy things you people do there.

And they often have a real point.

That's why exposure to another culture is so mind-expanding, makes you realize there are very few real "right and wrong" in the world, many things are "just the way we do things here" often with no rhyme or reason.

And before you talk about rationality, look at all the things done in our own country that are not in our own self-interest, diet, entertainment education, man is rarely a rational creature.

Hang on just a minute, whilst I agree with what you say, surely some basic common sense should be the order of the day! where the hell is it in Thailand !. nowhere! that is why is is a" slowly" developing nation. We have many issues that need-to be addressed i our so could western culture, but,generally we are "OK" things need to be NOT excepted if any country is to grow!

Very easy to bury head in the sand, look at Africa, etc. we as western individuals need to do something about it! try and change things!

Get off your high horse. Just because you may have more money doesn't make you more developed, your attitude clearly shows that.