Thais choose phones over friends

[noitom]

Human engagement avoidance. Thais love this and its imaginary relationships. Never having to be real in nature is right up the alley of Thais. All over the world there are huge chunks of people who are anti-social. They prefer to use a phone and/or fiddle with it in front of other people.

[sirchai]

Please add me on facebook. Thanks.-

Edited September 26, 2013 by metisdead
Unnecessary usage of bold font removed. Stop posting using bold font.

[Emdog]

Leading to a generation (or more) of socially inept, emotional cripples. Unexpected side effect of technology....

[seminomadic]

Don't the managers care or are they busy on their cell phones too? Somebody must pay their wages. Does anyone care what goes on in their company??

Westerner response: Haha, yeah they sure do dislike efficiency here, don't they? From the Thai POV there certainly seems to be a sense of entitlement once you're an employee, a sort of "Look, I CAME to work, okay? Don't go expecting me to be on top of my duties too." They seem to feel entitled to a wage and to do what they want in between punching in and out. It's all about appearance, once the owner/'Pii'/manager come into the picture, smile and wai and be respectful when they walk by, because that's what's important. Knowing and acting your place.... don't even THINK about giving feedback on suggestions for things like improving processes.

Let's not even get started on higher-thinking (really relative term here) attitudes like integrity or interest in the welfare of the business.

Thai response: Khun Buck don't serious.

Edited September 26, 2013 by seminomadic

[HAL9000]

Don't the managers care or are they busy on their cell phones too? Somebody must pay their wages. Does anyone care what goes on in their company??

It depends on the venue. Many are over-staffed because wages are low and family needs work. Have you ever been to Home Pro and been annoyed at the crowd of employees waiting to pounce if you need something? I would expect this type of venue would not be strict about productivity, but on the other hand, I never saw employees on a device ignoring people. I have seen it with the solo vendor booth where there is only one worker, and possibly the owner. These types of shops rarely have paying customers, and I don't blame them for wanting to find something to pass the time away.

[kirk0233]

I suppose phubbing is, in part, the answer for non-reading introverts. Readers have always had the option to avoid small talk with a good book, but gain knowledge in return. Smart phone usage allows for nonsocial behavior in the pursuit of interaction with smiley faces? Strange behavior for what we are told is a collectivist culture which views society as matrix of interdependencies. But most of what is supposed to be asian about asian countries in the abstract seems false; supposedly asians would appreciate the irony of this conclusion.

[tilac2]

You are right, HerbalEd: "phones over friends" is rampant worldwide. The last couple of years I have been affected by this phenomenon: I've had meetings with people in Japan, France, UK, Italy .. etc and many times these people have had their 'devices' active while I have the conversation. They don't even look at me for 90% of the time!!

The modern world has gone completely crazy. More examples:

Everything that you buy is wrapped in plastic.

Everyone carries plastic bottles of water with them because they have been told (on whose authority?) that they must drink 2 litres a day.

Cars and motor scooters are everywhere, even in city centers [Asia/Americas/Europe], and many of them travel at enormous speeds. When they hit you, you will be hospitalized for weeks (as I was).

Many people who are not in cars are on bicycles or are 'jogging': incredibly, these people are allowed on pavements: I have nearly been hospitalized by several cyclists or 'joggers' in the past month.

No-one can speak English properly: it is all "like" "like" "like".

When are we going to return to the "normal" situation we had a few decades ago?

My advice:

throw away (or at least ignore) the Iphones;

give up on the plastic water bottles and the 'jogging';

learn to speak English by reading classic literature: Dickens, Austin, Fitzgerald, Kipling, Wilde, etc etc.

Good luck!

[gtm2k]

Figure this -

Just last week a high school mate was over for a conference in Bangkok - and he finally took out time over the weekend

So we went over to amphawa - and towards the evening we figures there's a boat (foot) massage service there - which takes out along the river for a good 90 mins ride (with 45 mins of massage thrown in) - 350 per head all incl.

While we chatted (covered up for the 15 odd years gap from our last face to face meeting) - a young thai couple just opposite to us spent their entire 90 mins on their phone.

The article talks about a "phubbing" phenomena - but i guess most of these folks are plain addicted to their devices - social media platforms - pretty much the ironical dark side of technology !

[tomyumchai]

we were in the jolly frog kanchanaburi in july and us 3 old gits were totally amazed at the packed restaurant but almost total silence. all you could see was backpackers all stooped over a phone or tablet. their faces were lit up like halloween ghosts by the devices. 1 girl sat there for 3 hours and drank 1 can of coke whilst thumbing away........on a phone.

..........and its almost impossible to get any action in bars anymore as theyre more interested in talking to some gimp from nowhere whos told them they are 'bee-u-tee full girl' on farcebook rather than extracating 1000 baht off of a real human sat next to her with the desire to enjoy her beauty for an hour or more.........oh hum.

[Felt 35]

Total addiction

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/10008707/Toddlers-becoming-so-addicted-to-iPads-they-require-therapy.html

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324263404578615162292157222.html

[tribalfusion001]

I think I was born to be Thai, even though I'm a farang, I'm lazy, I enjoy hot weather, I eat Thai food everyday, I lie all the time and I love phubbing, some of these statements may or maybe not be true, I did say that I lie all the time

[ABCer]

What happens, when Thainess collides with the technology eg. the real world!

'Thainess' is that the imagined personal trait that only a Thai can / could ever possess.

No. It is an imagined National trait that only a Thai can detect!

[ABCer]

no problem for me,after 5mins with the average thai there aint much to say.its not like there going to talk about the latest book theyv read...etc..my age range of course....

About a year ago I made a statement here on TV - Thais do not read! Speaking on a National level rather than individual.

I have seen hordes of people reading books in many other countries. Not in Thailand. Yet the literacy rate here is pretty high. Needless to say I was given a hiding by 'Thai Basher' squad.

In my humble opinion:

- It starts with every Thai baby being born with a Mobile.

- The 'poor' Nation spends lifetime on Mobile phones with both phones and services being expensive.

- If it's not i5 - you are a low class. S4 is for 'poor'. All together it's rather a social status thing.

- Reading books? - What books? Thai Literature is renown for its greatness. Foreign language is a rarity. Translations? - Did you see a text translated into Thai that makes sense?

- Now, if they do not read - what can they talk about? Where would the ideas come from? Just left with food, bowel movement, floods, gossip who sleeps with whom, discuss the Thai soap?

- One perfect proof of all said above is their 'Parties'. No dancing, not even music - just 'karaoke' - a pale palliative to music, singing, talking or any form of interaction.

Yes, I know... old, bitter, hate Thais, should crawl back, go home, etc. But how true!

[Spalpeen]

no problem for me,after 5mins with the average thai there aint much to say.its not like there going to talk about the latest book theyv read...etc..my age range of course....

You've hit the nail on the head. The problem is with people filling shallow empty lives with tweets and selfies. And it's not just a Thai thing either. When I was back in Ireland last year I went to a restaurant with a group of friends and the women sat there texting their friends the whole time.

[Fookhaht]

"What we have here is a failure to communicate"

Strother Martin - Cool Hand Luke

As a further evidence of this handicap in communication in Thailand:

I have friends in more than 30 cultures around the world. Yet Thailand is the only place where, consistently, in a group containing English-language only friends, they will converse in Thai in front of you, excluding you from the conversation, and no one will bother to translate.

The epitome of rudeness in group dynamics. Incidentally, this behavior is at its worst among university professors! (Then presumably, it trickles down from there?)

[rametindallas]

Commercial From Thailand Disconnect to connect

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ae0tzVo8Fw

[cup-O-coffee]

This is by no means only a Thai thing. It is rampant world wide ... esp. in USA.

True, but we are describing a hunger for knowledge. That is an irresitable force within the human spirit which can be good and it can be destructive.

Put into the hands of children, limitless boundaries can be very dangerous and can stunt mental growth. Children are hungry for knowledge. They will strive for it by any means available to them. It is an addiction, yes; and even the most developed person can struggle with the temptation to restrain from relenting unto the question, "Where do you want to go today?"

There is a saying that water attracts its own level. I believe that Thais who phub are simply finding a larger arena with which to spread their ignorance and undeveloped limitations, but that belief is salted with the hope that whilst wading in the limitless ethernet of knowledge, they can stumble upon things which this country has witheld from them in an effort to keep them stupid.

Phubbing is breaking out of 2556 years of oppression and mind control, and a hungry mind will not be denied, whichever course it takes in the ethernet.

Let's just hope for the best; and in themean time, there is nothing wrong with encouraging them to do this, but whilst company is present, to "put the device away and spend some time with your Auntie, or we take the batteries from your device."

[Tech65]

Happens all over the world. Chatting on your smartphone while ignoring the friends next to you. It's not just a Thai trait.

Quoto this message completely.

Everything described in the article also happens all over Europe. Just pay attention to teen agers.

Here we go again. "Thais are like this, Thais do so", opinions from "experts" who most of the times enjoy to describe Thais like different beasts, not like us, they are timid, stupid, never smart, and now attached to their smart phones like monkeys to bananas.

That is hard to read over and over.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Tech65

[elektrified]

I have been floating an idea around my head lately of opening up a restaurant and calling it "Spoon-Feeders". The idea being that you no longer have to be distracted from your "Phoneplay" by the pesky food that you've ordered....how that cumbersome old fashioned way of doing things, like eating your food, must be. Actually having to take your hand off the precious tool in order to eat. Here at "Spoon-Feederds" you can play away to your heart's content....it's simple...the waiter simply spoon feeds you.

After that is up and running I am going to look into "hands-free" texting and talking on you mobile............. for all motor bike riders.... although I have to admit, they seem to be doing OK without that discovery at the moment around the Pattaya area anyway.

There is a very popular restaurant in L.A., California that will give you 15% off your bill if you turn off your mobile device while eating. I saw it on the news. The owner got sick of going around to tables to ask if everything was O.K. with the food and service and more than 50% of people had ear buds in, were talking, and couldn't hear/ignored him.

I get soooo sick of being for example in the post office, standing in the queue having to listen to people talking about what they ate for breakfast...lunch...dinner, etc. on their mobiles or chatting on facebook and not being aware that their queue had been called.

Edited September 27, 2013 by elektrified

[SOEYCHANLOY]

Perhaps it is entirely possible that this behavior is an indication that Thais are indeed capable of expressing themselves as human beings, and that perhaps this is a means to break out of their cultural stiff-necked stubbornness which is intolerant to saying what you've got to say, and instead pounds the human spirit and zeal into a weak, feeble0minded, timid state we see today in most kids.

It is entirely possible that this could bring on a revolution in the next generation or so where the younger set gets fed up with "being honest" via phubbing and begins to fight back at their own culture and tells the old generation "Shut the F..K up and let me finish what I was trying to say, and quit trying to tell me to shut up, or that I cannot do that."

This is an interesting case, but at present, I do not see much use for the kids to not phub as there isn't much to participate in with the idiots around them who treat them like furniture or servants anyways.

most of them are furnitures, servants or id..ts !!

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[jackr]

I wish we could go back to letter-writing and communicating the old-fashioned way... all this progress is just <deleted>.

[jacko45k]

What happens, when Thainess collides with the technology eg. the real world!

'Thainess' is that the imagined personal trait that only a Thai can / could ever possess.

Or simply a trait one perceives in Thais.....

The phrase jumped at me..

"I do it because the people around me wouldn't mind anyway," said a 35-year-old male.

The reality is he would not know whether they mind or not, so hence not really care.

The article was specifically looking at Thais but of course it is a more general occurrence.

[frankold]

very true every where really.i have thai friends who use facebook every  5 mins with a photo of anything or them themselves alone or with friends.it would be no different anywhere in the world now

Thailand per www connected capita has around the highest, if not the highest facebook usage on the planet.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[DocN]

Happens all over the world. Chatting on your smartphone while ignoring the friends next to you. It's not just a Thai trait.

Quoto this message completely.

Everything described in the article also happens all over Europe. Just pay attention to teen agers.

Here we go again. "Thais are like this, Thais do so", opinions from "experts" who most of the times enjoy to describe Thais like different beasts, not like us, they are timid, stupid, never smart, and now attached to their smart phones like monkeys to bananas.

That is hard to read over and over.

Just explain one thing to me: the OP is by a THAI- source, it is about THAIS and it is discussed on a forum named THAIvisa, by people who mainly live in THAIland.

As soon as a I sign up to EGYPTvisa, OUTER MONGOLIAvisa or REST OF THE WORLDvisa, I will gladly discuss these territories.

The "it happens everywhere"- excuse is really getting lame and boring!

Everything happens everywhere, so why discuss anything, huh?!

[cheshiremusicman]

I just returned home from a big builders supply store in Pattaya. As I checked out, every one of the many employees had their heads down busy on their cell phones. They seemed "put out" having to stop their texting/game playing and ring up my purchases. In the USA I had 3 manufacturing companies. I would allow my office employees to take quick important personal calls but would have never allowed what goes on in here in Thailand. Don't the managers care or are they busy on their cell phones too? Somebody must pay their wages. Does anyone care what goes on in their company??

This is one of the things that really 'Pxxxxxs' me off here in Thailand. You go into a shop/store, which has got far too many so called 'assistants' than are required, who then proceed to collect in swarms doing sod all and even then they are on their bloody phones. I personally would take their phones off them when they are supposed to be 'working' and let them have them back when they are off duty.

Goodness knows what would happen, if the phone networks were out of action for a day; I think we'd see mass suicides amongst these mindless morons. Even when they are eating, they have their phones in front of them and it seems that at every moment they are expecting a life enhancing text or other to appear. Do they switch their phones off when they go to sleep? probably not!

To me a phone is a phone, I use it to 'communicate' with people and that's it. One thing for certain is; nobody but nobody is going to mug me for my phone, they wouldn't be seen dead with it.

[djlest]

Take a walk in any Mall in Bangkok, this weekend i counted over 15 people eyes locked into their screens whilst walking or standing next to someone, that was in just 60 seconds!
As humans we have become so detached from reality that we will soon suffer a huge penalty... The Y Generation are not the answer but the question - WHY?

[Fookhaht]

I just returned home from a big builders supply store in Pattaya. As I checked out, every one of the many employees had their heads down busy on their cell phones. They seemed "put out" having to stop their texting/game playing and ring up my purchases. In the USA I had 3 manufacturing companies. I would allow my office employees to take quick important personal calls but would have never allowed what goes on in here in Thailand. Don't the managers care or are they busy on their cell phones too? Somebody must pay their wages. Does anyone care what goes on in their company??

This is one of the things that really 'Pxxxxxs' me off here in Thailand. You go into a shop/store, which has got far too many so called 'assistants' than are required, who then proceed to collect in swarms doing sod all and even then they are on their bloody phones. I personally would take their phones off them when they are supposed to be 'working' and let them have them back when they are off duty.

Likewise, I hate it when you need the services of a service-person, and they act upset when you interrupt them on their personal calls/texting.

I have to hand it to Thai Airways. I sent students to work in their corporate offices as interns, and the company absolutely allows none of this theft of the employer's time, and shirking of customer service due to the personal use of cell phones. One of my students was fired over such an incident, and I, of course, sided with the company. It happens because poor management allows it.