How to handle Thais butting and cutting in public

[TheSpade]

Where does this happen? In 8 years of living in Bangkok it's genuinely not something I've noticed. Maybe it's a rural/suburban problem? Now, dawdling Thais who have a complete lack of spatial awareness, that still gets to me.

In the post-office everyone gets a number and waits, in the 711's never had them try to get past me. ATM's same story, maybe its me maybe its you but I don't see this happening. I might not get out as much as you.

Why are people pretending this doesn't happen when it's a common occurrence that happens EVERY day especially here in BKK.

And before anyone says that it must just be me then nonsense because even when I've yet to reach the queue and am browsing in the 7/11 or other stores I see Thai's doing it to other Thai's.

They just refuse to wait their turn and barge in to the front, stick their stuff down, and hand over cash.

I've never seen a cashier tell them to join the queue.

I've talked to the Thai's I know about it and they say it's common and happens to them all the time too.

Strangely I never see it happening much at the BTS stations when people are queuing for tickets or change. Seems like that is out of bounds but 7/11 and any other store is OK.

[taotoo]

When this happened it annoyed me but not as much as drivers overtaking against oncoming traffic and forcing their way into the queue just ahead of you, so as I have to let that slide, I let this slide too.

Occasionally you don't have to let it slide (especially if it's an obnoxious farang laughing about it with his passengers)...

[Travel2003]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

[angrybird]

Swallow your pride, and put up with it. Never, ever make somebody you don't know lose face. 99 times out of 100, maybe 999 out of 1000, you will get away with it.

Once in a while you will irritate somebody who might strike out at you. It is just not worth the risk. Smile, make eye contact with others who are waiting, and enjoy your life without taking any unnecessary risks.

Spineless.

[kurnell]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either

Yeah right, of course you did, ...

Probably showed his Khao San Special Forces tattoo as well.

It was an anchor and snake actually

[kurnell]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

[A1Str8]

For years it has never really happened to me. I find it interesting because I hear all the stories from foreigners that they have the same problem as you do and understandably never get used to it.

But I swear I can't remember when was the last time it happened to me.

They just dont do it. But if it happens I don't get angry as such things don't affect me. I just see it as it is: he made a childish mistake and cut in front of me. No worries, I am cool with it but I would quickly reestablish order and step before him because that's how it was before he lost his mind and made the mistake.

Sent from one of my devices using the internet

[Banzai99]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

Ah, now I get it, he was 7.

[CharlieH]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

A " Thai boy "? Wow what a hero you are ! I bet that improved your masculinity and self esteem no end .

What a wonderful example you displayed, not so surprising then that so many Thai,s have the opinions they do of ferangs. You must be so proud to have represented so many of us in such a positive caring way.

Thanks for that !

Edited September 5, 2013 by CharlieH

[mamba yuck]

The Russians make Chinese and Thais else look like they have gone to charm school. The Russians push, they shove, they butt in, no excuse me, no i'm sorry

if you had said americans here your post would have been deleted quick smart, just goes to show how impolite and intolerant of free speech americans are read fast because this post of mine WILL disappear.

Edited September 5, 2013 by mamba yuck

[Metapod]

Doesn't happen often to me. Had it happen at the restaurant in the Airport where you buy the raffle tickets to barter for food. Some fat old thai lady almost physically pushed me aside and stole my spot. I didn't do anything as I was quite shocked someone would do that and was tired from a long flight. The chick working ignored the lady and then waved me to come forward. Was funny seeing the old chick get pissed off and I really appreciated the gesture from the worker.

[Travel2003]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

How about this approach: press cancel, hand over the card, with a smile say no no, and point to the spot behind out.

[giggles]

try chinatown for queue jumpers and scramblers

[JLCrab]

I tend to something like this as it spooks them to hear this in Thai from a farang:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZJT2vJMsYc4#t=61

jump to 1:00 if it doesn't automatically

Edited September 5, 2013 by JLCrab

[HeijoshinCool]

The Russians make Chinese and Thais else look like they have gone to charm school. The Russians push, they shove, they butt in, no excuse me, no i'm sorry

And then they show their penis!

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/665698-russian-man-shows-his-penis-to-7-11-cashiers/

He can definitely go in front of me ....

[Lancelot]

Wait till you have to deal the Chinese en-mass ... you will find the Thai's quite orderly and polite.

No disrespect meant to the China folk (OCH) but their competitiveness at the counter has to be seen to be believed!

+1 The Thais are light weights compared with Chinese cutting in front of you...

[cooked]

Just think about landing at an airport. Very few people remain seated until the doors are open. I stay sat and get on the bus last, meaning I get off first. Most of you do it.

Mind you I have (in Europe) scraped my working boot down somebody's shin on to their foot, but never mind. In Switzerland I got up for a lady that obviously had Parkinson's, the lad that grabbed the seat got yanked. ... I mean, this isn't uniquely a Thai problem.

[mamba yuck]

I tend to something like this as it spooks them to hear this in Thai from a farang:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZJT2vJMsYc4#t=61

jump to 1:00 if it doesn't automatically

nice jump trick.

[NoshowJones]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

That's fine you did the right thing, but if it's a Thai chap who then attacks you knowing he has friends nearby, then what? I will never let anyone jump a queue in front of me, but in saying that, I will do all I can to avoid any violence.

[NoshowJones]

Don't let them get away with it, tell them they have no manners DO make them lose face, they will NOT attack you. All that happens is you get that stupid blank look, they think they can do it as nobody normally says anything.

They will only attack you if they have friends nearby.

[NoshowJones]

It is a daily occurrence for me, and I find it amusing when they do it, but I dont let them get in front of me. I will just take a step in front of them, gently persuade them to get behind me by showing them my back, and give the cashier my money as quickly as possible. Some of them are really good at it if they get the cashiers attention and pay before you have a chance to, then the cashier is at their mercy.

If, on a rare occasion, one does sneak in front of me, I have been known to nudge them forward, very gracefully and inconspicuously. If they look back at me and wonder if it was I who nudged them, I just look up at the ceiling and whistle as if saying, "who me? No i didnt do it. I dont know what youre talking about" They know what they did, and there is a price for their impertinence! (joking)

OMG this is soooo funny. I thought I was the only sicko in Thailand who worries about this trivial stuff!

Another one is when I am at a traffic light and all the motorbikes cue up, and theres always that one guy who will pull in front of me, even if I am the first bike in the cue. Im lucky I have a quick bike, I usually cut them off and let them smell my exhaust.

My ex GF was the line cutting pro. She didnt care if there was a 100 year old woman in line, she went straight to the front, and shoved her money at the cashier. I got tired of telling her how rude that was, and just stood my distance whenever she did it. Funny thing was nobody in all the time I knew here ever said anything about it. Could have been because of her nasty scowl that she wore.

No. it's because the Thai people are very tolerant by nature.

[NoshowJones]

Where does this happen? In 8 years of living in Bangkok it's genuinely not something I've noticed. Maybe it's a rural/suburban problem? Now, dawdling Thais who have a complete lack of spatial awareness, that still gets to me.

You never use the buses much in bkk then? a free for all, women are by far the worst pushers in

In Scotland it's the OAPs.

[NoshowJones]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either

Yeah right, of course you did, ...

One of those times, a Thai will have mates nearby.

[kannot]

I tell em to <deleted>*k off to the back of the queue and stop being rude................I really dont care what they think, failing that I tell the staff the same, they all love me!!!

[WitawatWatawit]

Swallow your pride, and put up with it. Never, ever make somebody you don't know lose face. 99 times out of 100, maybe 999 out of 1000, you will get away with it.

Once in a while you will irritate somebody who might strike out at you. It is just not worth the risk. Smile, make eye contact with others who are waiting, and enjoy your life without taking any unnecessary risks.

Spineless.

You sure you haven't posted 3-4 times already in this thread under different names?

My take is that the polite "you go first, sir" Thais far, far outnumber the rude ones. sometimes you can out-manoeuvre the queue jumpers, but if you can't then stuff it, just spend the extra time in the queue talent spotting. It's the old-bull, young-bull attitude. Some of those 7/11 lasses are quite cute.

[kannot]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either

Yeah right, of course you did, ...

Some people do actually do something unlike your good self by the sound of it??

I threw a drunk off the bus in the UK once, dragged him down the aisle told the driver to open the doors and shoved him out with my foot, the applause was funny as he had been abusing folk until I got on, and no Im not some big hero.

[NoshowJones]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

I believe you, but just be careful he does not have friends nearby, if he retaliates then he has, and if you have any sense, then you start running.

[NoshowJones]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

Ah, now I get it, he was 7.

[NoshowJones]

I had a chap jump in front of me at an ATM with a big smile on his face. I pressed 'cancel' and threw his card away. I take no prisoners at Au Bon Pain either.

You guys who clicked "like" on this post, actually believe him?

Or just like the idea of throwing away someone's credit card for this petty little thing?

Right.... it is the Thais we have problems with.............................lol

Well sunshine let me be more specific. I was on the ground floor of the Emporium, lining up behind several people at the ATM next to the escalator. When my turn came to use the machine, a Thai boy, walked straight in front me with a big smile on his face and pushed his card into the machine. Annoyed, I reached over his shoulder and pressed the 'cancel' button and his card popped out. I flicked it across the floor towards the wall (no damage) and made my transaction. The chap oh ho'd and collected his card and I walked away. Don't believe it?? I could care less.

Ah, now I get it, he was 7.

A 7 year old using an ATM??? He obviously wasn't Thai.

[Gsxrnz]

When in Rome.

I let them get in front if me if they physically want to but remember the order that people arrived. When it's my turn in the order of things I either reach over everybody with my items and plonk them on the counter, or verbally (loudly) ask for what I want and squeeze in.

The Thais accept it with good grace. The Russians aren't sure which planet I came from. The Chinese would like to stick a knife in my gut.

Edited September 5, 2013 by Gsxrnz