Starbucks defends logo lawsuit against Thai stalls

[mikemac]

There are lots of these spread out through Thailand. It's not only Starbucks that has this kind of problems. A lot of Thais don't get, don't care what the fuss is about, yet go beserk when others are mimicing their businesses.

Yesterday I was at Starbucks at a mall outside Bangkok. As this is about one and a half hour's drive from where I live, safe to say there aren't many foreigners visiting that mall. And when I was approaching the counter, I heard a girl talk to her boyfriend in Thai behind me. She asked him:

"Why do farangs like to come to Starbucks so much?"

I turned around and asked her in Thai:

"You do know this is an American franchise? So the question is if you don't like foreigners why are you here buying their coffee?"

They left pretty quick after that comment.

People here are easily duped into believing they are the righteous ones and whatever they do is alright because it's their country. True but it ain't all their money and they need to learn, you want to be part of the world, get all that dough, you got to learn to play it by the rules.

"I heard a girl talk to her boyfriend in Thai behind me. She asked him:

"Why do farangs like to come to Starbucks so much?"

I turned around and asked her in Thai:

"You do know this is an American franchise? So the question is if you don't like foreigners why are you here buying their coffee?"

They left pretty quick after that comment."

I wonder why..............

Are we supposed to be impressed by your knowledge of the Thai Lanuage or your obvious people skills?

Amazing ! Even on a non-political topic he is condescending, sarcastic and just plain nasty. Consistent if anything. And another post to his tally.

@ maxme -

"I heard a girl talk to her boyfriend in Thai behind me. She asked him:

"Why do farangs like to come to Starbucks so much?"

I turned around and asked her in Thai:

"You do know this is an American franchise? So the question is if you don't like foreigners why are you here buying their coffee?"

They left pretty quick after that comment."

I am not trying to be condescending, sarcastic and or nasty, but why did you assume the girl did not like foreigners , just because she asked why they like to come to Starbucks so much. Just wondering.

And I wish I could speak Thai good enough to make the statement and ask the question you did.

[maxme]

@mikemac // it's in the tone and looks. One thing is for sure... Thais like to gossip and most often it is quite innocent, it's their culture.

Westerners have their quirkiness so I don't mind that at all but people who talk behind my back, simply because they misjudge my character or my wife's I often correct them as I find that somewhat offensive. No matter if the person in question is Thai or westerner.

Of course I don't go gunnery sergeant Hartman style on their ass, but the mrs said I have a strange definition of satisfaction.

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Edited May 12, 2014 by maxme

[mikemac]

@mikemac // it's in the tone and looks. One thing is for sure... Thais like to gossip and most often it is quite innocent, it's their culture.

Westerners have their quirkiness so I don't mind that at all but people who talk behind my back, simply because they misjudge my character or my wife's I often correct them as I find that somewhat offensive. No matter if the person in question is Thai or westerner.

Of course I don't go gunnery sergeant Hartman style on their ass, but the mrs said I have a strange definition of satisfaction.

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Fair enough .

[NewlyMintedThai]

Rude, aggressive response to a question that was probably not meant in any offensive way.

If I were pre-disposed to answer questions thay were not directed at me by people who are perfect strangers, I would have just said, "farangs probably like Starbucks for the same reason that anyone else does: they must like the coffee".

And yes, I have the language skills to do it. Big deal.

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