Advice: The service was so bad I calmly insisted we leave and go elsewhere

guess what happened?

That's right even though I never raised my voice or used any foul language (and picked up the cheque at both places) and the place I took them to was Thai, not Falang, and much, much better .... well my girlfriend gave me dirty looks and practically refused to eat anything at the better restaurant while her best friend tried to keep me from noticing and our regular tuk-tuk driver (she thinks he's her friend and I don't want get into that) played both sides against each other when we each left to go to the washroom.

Now I'm getting the silent treatment.

So... who's got them best answer for how to fix this?

Ditch them all and start over?

Ditch them all and start over?

Ditto. What's your real problem that would allow you to tolerate all of this?

Tuk Tuk driver in the mix??????????????

Tuk Tuk driver in the mix??????????????

It is usually a Tuk Tuk driver or a "brother".

Tuk Tuk driver in the mix??????????????

It is usually a Tuk Tuk driver or a "brother".

My money's on the Tuk Tuk driver being the husband the OP's girlfriend.

You took your tuk tuk driver to dinner? What a nice bloke

Just ignore it and pretend everything was fine. That's what we do when our 12 year old daughter starts sulking.

If the sulking has no effect, she stops.

Seriously? The silent treatment for moving restaurants?

Just enjoy the peace and quiet

You took your tuk tuk driver to dinner? What a nice bloke

The Tuk Tuk driver or the OP?

I love it when my girlfriends give me dirty looks. Bonus when they talk dirty.

Ditch them all and start over?

Ditto. What's your real problem that would allow you to tolerate all of this?

Tuk Tuk driver in the mix??????????????

Only in that he has her as a regular customer for driving her. He's not physically involved - there are lots of falang ex's but he's definitely not in the picture in any way.

He's not physically involved - there are lots of falang ex's but he's definitely not in the picture in any way.

I'm sure I noticed a thread for post of the year earlier.

You took your tuk tuk driver to dinner? What a nice bloke

Yes. He as been taking us everywhere for a fortnight. I've just moved into an apt and need everything from dishes to towels and all my clothes were cold weather and way too big for me so I'm buying a warm weather wardrobe.

The products he sells as a sideline makes a permanent barrier between him and her.

So he's been taking us on day-long shopping trips and out to 'the lake' for 400B per day (I tip to 500 - plus I buy one of his sideline products that she highly disapproves of).

For this occassion, the King's birthday, they all had the day off. He picked us up a 3 locations, took us to 2 restaurants (sort of supported my decision to leave) and dropped us at 2 spots - all without any charge as I bought him food and drinks (probably less than 500B).

Anyway, as I said, he isn't with her - she's just a valued customer. As for the other falang who aren't currently in CM... only time and Buddha can tell if any are important.

I think the silent treatment is the least of your worries mate.

Good luck

So this is not a long term relationship by the sounds of it??

That being the case; life is too short to put up with childish behavour. Once the sulk and silent treatment are brought into play you simply say I'll be in a pub, give me a call when you are finished with your tantrum

Welcome to Thailand.

Thais don't complain and see such situations as loss of face.

Wait until you buy your first white goods from Homepro and your partner 'sides' with the spotty assistant who tells her not to buy a particular item. The fact that you, with your worldly experience know tons more than the spotty youth, it won't matter - he is Thai and you are the Farang,

The second restaurant probably didn't pay a commission to her or her "Tuk-tuk driver".......

You took your tuk tuk driver to dinner? What a nice bloke

Yes. He as been taking us everywhere for a fortnight. I've just moved into an apt and need everything from dishes to towels and all my clothes were cold weather and way too big for me so I'm buying a warm weather wardrobe.

The products he sells as a sideline makes a permanent barrier between him and her.

So he's been taking us on day-long shopping trips and out to 'the lake' for 400B per day (I tip to 500 - plus I buy one of his sideline products that she highly disapproves of).

For this occassion, the King's birthday, they all had the day off. He picked us up a 3 locations, took us to 2 restaurants (sort of supported my decision to leave) and dropped us at 2 spots - all without any charge as I bought him food and drinks (probably less than 500B).

Anyway, as I said, he isn't with her - she's just a valued customer. As for the other falang who aren't currently in CM... only time and Buddha can tell if any are important.

I didn't consider that you could top the previous post, Ron, but this must be promoted to compete in 'post of the year'.

With all due respect, your girlfriend whatever her real age is, acts like a 5 year old kid who didn't get the toy that she wanted. At the restaurant she refuses to eat, then the protest continues by not talking to you.

So the best answer for how to fix this: when dealing with a child, act accordingly. Let her give you the silent treatment. After just a little while, she is going to start talking to you again anyway and will forget this whole thing. But if I were you I would let her know when the treatment is over: I love you but I want a woman on my side not a kid. So unless you want to make me feel like you are my daughter, stop acting like this.

You seem like you haven't been in Thailand very long and are putting up with a load of shit from a "girlfriend", mate girlfriends here are a dime a dozen dump her and play the field for a while till you get your head straight.

You took your tuk tuk driver to dinner? What a nice bloke

The Tuk Tuk driver or the OP?

How can the tuk tuk driver take the tuk tuk driver to dinner. Unless they are both tuk tuk drivers??

OP, it sounds like you're the customer and she's the ...........well nevermind. You're paying, so as long as you're footing the bill, up to you. I agree with jdinasia, she needs the boot. BTW, you might want to stay away from tuk tuk drivers wares, it could lead to big problems.

Pay her to leave like most blokes do.

Never do dinner with a hooker and her friend and her tuktuk friend.

Assuming this is a real situation and not a wind up, the OP has been given the right advice. Move along. She is a serial wife and knows this game better than you.

Assuming this is a real situation and not a wind up, the OP has been given the right advice. Move along. She is a serial wife and knows this game better than you.

Your clarivoyance is truly amazing. You must be right. Every Thai that ever had to work in a bar for money is secretly married to one or more of the several tuk-tuk drivers she uses. None of them were good wives traded in by their husbands on a new model and found themselves skill-less in Thailand having to go it alone. And the kid I met yesterday was just playing the part of her 14 year old daughter who lives with her obviously not ex-husband in Sukhothai (she's just up here as part of the scam and they traded in the upgraded ticket I was scammed out of when I realized how bad the bus she was going to go on was and insisted in getting her a better one). Also her facebook page that dates back 4 years is a just part of the setup. Like all those pictures of the actress playing her daughter and all the interested falangs who've slept with her sympathizing with her being unhappy due to her situation and making laughable promises in the hopes of getting laid again next time they're in CM.

Yep they are all bad.

A dime a dozen - or maybe, just maybe, it just the ones that let you treat them like kleenex that are like that, eh!

If you can't handle the truth....don't ask the question.

Move on!

If you can't handle the truth....don't ask the question.

Move on!

More clarivoyance - seems to be a lot of it here - and, btw

I DIDN'T!

I asked how to handle a standard Thai / western culture issue which stems from the concept of Face.

If you dump every Asian because of a culture class issue you don't handle well, make no effort to fit within the culture you have chosen to live in or, IMHO, if you don't know about / accept the Asian concept of Face then you won't be able to comprehend the question and your opinion is of no value to me.

uh oh ... I didn't realize this was a "But my ex-BG is different!" thread ... I am out.

and as a parting note to the OP .... You are in quite real danger if you are involved with an ex-BG and getting "stuff" from her tuktuk connection. Don't just dump her. Pack your stuff, leave that town, do not look back.

edit -- BTW my advice was in-line with how any rational Thai man who was picking up the bill would handle it. Don't pull the "culture" card when you do not understand the culture.

You picked up the cheque, didn't raise your voice, paid for two different places and now she won't talk to you.

She should be on your side and pleased she's met a man with values and some cash. I'm afraid this is not 'true' loss of face, rather the emotional blackmail game has begun and as you are new here, it sounds as if she's testing your strength or weakness.

My opinion, you probably do realise what's going on and old enough to do whatever you want about it.

- plus I buy one of his sideline products that she highly disapproves of).

The dude sells amway? Cool!

- plus I buy one of his sideline products that she highly disapproves of).

The dude sells amway? Cool!

Is that what illicit substances are called now? Amway?