I've been going to the gym for about 3 months and usually see the same faces there. I often see farangs but for some reason most avoid eye contact.

In the gym today I had the locker next to a farang again he avoided eye contact I even said "how are you". Nothing................. as if I wasn't even there. Same last week met this guy that I see all the time, at the entrance, said hi he just looked at me.

There are exceptions, one guy returned my greeting and we had a bit of a conversation.

Yet the Thai's often great me with a wai.

Why do these people do that? Are they so caught up in their little world of avoiding talking to anyone that they ignore anyone trying to be friendly.

It's not as if I'm trying to be their best friend, just a friendly hello would be nice. I always wait until I have seen them a couple of times before I say anything.

I posted this on another forum first by mistake, so if anyone has seen it there, sorry to make you read it twice.

The Gym,huh,maybe they think your gay,trying to hit them up,not saying you are of course only a thought.

The gym.........yeh...........try Tesco.

I think that there's another thread running with a similar topic.

What I'm suprised at is that anyone could really give that much of a damn that they'ld come onto Thaivisa and post about it.

Also, If people were tending to avoid me, I'd probably take a look at myself first, before complaining, that is my appearance, personal hygiene and so on.

Aww shucks, feeling rejected, need a hug ? Come here to get some reassurance that your really a nice guy?

Best of luck with that, the regulars here will soon educate you no doubt.

Edited May 4, 201412 yr by CharlieH

The gym.........yeh...........try Tesco.

Your still upset at that Costas,come on mate stop turning it over again and again in your mind,listen to some of that calming chanting music or something.

Yeah, I expected the "gay, unwashed" response.

My Gf hasn't mentioned a smell although she did wonder about the rear approach !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

^ Actually, most gays are usually quite particular about their hygiene.

Ah ! The Miserable Git Brigade. Seems to be rather large numbers of them here. Karma gets 'em in the end though; we had one in our village who would never speak a word to anyone and suddenly he got very ill and went into Hospital....nobody except his wife visited him. He then died and his wife had to go around begging the neighbours to go to his funeral because there were no mourners.

Maybe they are shy or don't speak English.

I have the same thing happen to me no matter where I go. They will not even make eye contact. Judging from the people who post on his forum I'm not surprise, many are not worth the time of day.

Sorry Steve but if you were talking to me at the gym just as i was getting changed at my locker i would ignore you too. Its a bit suss champ haha.

My favourite of the fellow farangs at the gym is when they walk in slow motion it cracks me up.. Put a mirror there and its ultra slo-mo maybe even rewind.

Sent from my c64

With "how are you" I would put you either as Christian Missionary but in the Gym more as gay and would depending on your size ignore you or run as fast as I can.

Every case I responded to a friendly farang outside tourist area I regret it, these inside tourist areas tried to explain Thailand to me...I also regret to speak with them.

The few normal looking farangs I see sometimes in the supermarket complete ignore each other, so it seems they had similar experiences already.

mate, there are always those that think they are above everyone else and that their sh*t dont stink.You probably arent wearing trendy enough clothes for them, strangely enough most around here will smile and acknowledge you but if they dont I dont really give a rats, they arent worth it anyway. They probably wouldnt realize if their ar*e was on fire with their noses that far up in the air, I find "well f*** you too" generally gets a look or if in close proximity "did you fart or just sh*t yourself", especially if others are around, bit of embarrasment does wonders.

Yeah, I've noticed the same. There's quite a few farangs who will say hi or whatever at the grocery store, but many will try to avoid you like the plague.

I actually find it kind of sad. Us Westerners in Thailand make for a pitiful example of immigrants. You go to a large multi-cultural city out West, say Toronto, and you'll notice the immigrants of each nationality all somewhat stick together, and help each other out. If you're from say Turkey and just off the plane, you can goto "Little Istanbul" or where ever the Turks hang out, and you'll easily find fellow Turks to talk to, and help you get settled. If needed, help you get a residence, bank account, SIN#, job, whatever.

Many people seem to keep themselves to themselves, fair enough although if someone said Hi/Hello/How are you/ etc. to me, I`d always give an answer, and a polite one at that.

Don`t let some others reluctance to respond put you off being friendly.

I`ve met some decent interesting people around the world, all just starting off with Hi or similar.

In my culture whenever one enters a lift one looks at everyone in the eye and says hello and everyone says hello back.

The same when we enter a room in a public place. The rules of politeness are very strict and almost everyone respects them.

When I first arrived in Thailand I did the same as I would in my culture and this caused me years of misery.

I know someone will insult me for saying this but I will say it all the same:

There are so many farrang pedophiles, cheap whore chasers, drunks, fakes, perverts and the mentally ill I avoid contact with any foreigner until i know who/what they are.

My ex wife and I knew a very nice, cultured British gentleman. He seemed to be the best of people so we wondered why he would take such a pay cut to work in Thailand when he had such a successful life in Britain.

One night we stopped for a late dinner at an all night restaurant in Siam Square and in the corner, in the dark was this man and he was being intimate with a 16 year old boy. We then understood why he was here.

There have been so many disappointments, so many times stabbed in the back, so much pain that I finally accepted to do what most other Europeans do here and not make contact until I know enough about the other farrang.

All those who like to pretend that all is perfect here may now feel free to throw their insults.

And the is the answer why some farangs aviod others.. Because thailand is a magnet to sicko farangs like that. Sad but true.

Sent from my c64

Why would Thais great (sic) you with a wai at the gym?... Yes, the receptionists maybe (SOP) but the other gym goers?.... do you spend a lot of time looking at yourself in the mirror?

Outside of certain areas, I rarely talk to other foreigners very often any more. Too often the first thing you hear right after "Hiya mate" is "I've hit a bit of a hard streak lately (yadda yadda yadda) could sure use a few bath to tide me over." Various versions of the same story, over and over again. Wife left me. Got robbed. Account hacked. Gecko ate my passport.

The other line is often something like "Have I got a deal for you ! I'm looking for a partner to invest (yadda yadda yadda)".

It seems the second it looks like you may be "approachable", they decide you're probably also a soft touch. It seems to happen more often when it involves complete strangers, whereas if I met someone through someone else (a friend of a friend), it rarely happens. Same for meeting people that come into my buddy's shop. But run into someone on the street, at a market/mall, or in a bar ? Completely different story.

I see that around my neighborhood, too. It doesn't bother me anymore, though; I think they're mainly just sad and miserable and maybe even afraid. If I'm nice to them, regardless, that's how I want to be. On the other hand, I've heard bits of their conversations now and then, and...

No, no need to go into it.

I've been going to the gym for about 3 months and usually see the same faces there. I often see farangs but for some reason most avoid eye contact.

In the gym today I had the locker next to a farang again he avoided eye contact I even said "how are you". Nothing................. as if I wasn't even there. Same last week met this guy that I see all the time, at the entrance, said hi he just looked at me.

There are exceptions, one guy returned my greeting and we had a bit of a conversation.

Yet the Thai's often great me with a wai.

Why do these people do that? Are they so caught up in their little world of avoiding talking to anyone that they ignore anyone trying to be friendly.

It's not as if I'm trying to be their best friend, just a friendly hello would be nice. I always wait until I have seen them a couple of times before I say anything.

I posted this on another forum first by mistake, so if anyone has seen it there, sorry to make you read it twice.

Sorry it was me. I am shy and I don't speak english. How can I make it up to you? Well, I have an idea....and I will bring Costa Cordalis!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I try to avoid making friends at the gym or it will become a hassle having to greet people everyday. Hate it bring troubles most the times. But in your case I think he wants to blend in with the Thai not another tourists or foreigner.

Edited May 4, 201412 yr by ARISTIDE

Maybe you should choose a gym where only thais are using ,this way you can be waied at .

The friendly guys in my gym always enter the steam bath just after me....and if you talk to them you cannot get rid of them....

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

In my culture whenever one enters a lift one looks at everyone in the eye and says hello and everyone says hello back.

The same when we enter a room in a public place. The rules of politeness are very strict and almost everyone respects them.

When I first arrived in Thailand I did the same as I would in my culture and this caused me years of misery.

I know someone will insult me for saying this but I will say it all the same:

There are so many farrang pedophiles, cheap whore chasers, drunks, fakes, perverts and the mentally ill I avoid contact with any foreigner until i know who/what they are.

My ex wife and I knew a very nice, cultured British gentleman. He seemed to be the best of people so we wondered why he would take such a pay cut to work in Thailand when he had such a successful life in Britain.

One night we stopped for a late dinner at an all night restaurant in Siam Square and in the corner, in the dark was this man and he was being intimate with a 16 year old boy. We then understood why he was here.

There have been so many disappointments, so many times stabbed in the back, so much pain that I finally accepted to do what most other Europeans do here and not make contact until I know enough about the other farrang.

All those who like to pretend that all is perfect here may now feel free to throw their insults.

.

Jus curious. How on earth did you and or your wife know the boy was 16?

Simply amazing.

But good for you and the ex wife!

In my culture whenever one enters a lift one looks at everyone in the eye and says hello and everyone says hello back.

The same when we enter a room in a public place. The rules of politeness are very strict and almost everyone respects them.

When I first arrived in Thailand I did the same as I would in my culture and this caused me years of misery.

I know someone will insult me for saying this but I will say it all the same:

There are so many farrang pedophiles, cheap whore chasers, drunks, fakes, perverts and the mentally ill I avoid contact with any foreigner until i know who/what they are.

My ex wife and I knew a very nice, cultured British gentleman. He seemed to be the best of people so we wondered why he would take such a pay cut to work in Thailand when he had such a successful life in Britain.

One night we stopped for a late dinner at an all night restaurant in Siam Square and in the corner, in the dark was this man and he was being intimate with a 16 year old boy. We then understood why he was here.

There have been so many disappointments, so many times stabbed in the back, so much pain that I finally accepted to do what most other Europeans do here and not make contact until I know enough about the other farrang.

All those who like to pretend that all is perfect here may now feel free to throw their insults.

My god that would freak me out. What culture says hello to everyone in the elevator?

Yeah, I've noticed the same. There's quite a few farangs who will say hi or whatever at the grocery store, but many will try to avoid you like the plague.

I actually find it kind of sad. Us Westerners in Thailand make for a pitiful example of immigrants. You go to a large multi-cultural city out West, say Toronto, and you'll notice the immigrants of each nationality all somewhat stick together, and help each other out. If you're from say Turkey and just off the plane, you can goto "Little Istanbul" or where ever the Turks hang out, and you'll easily find fellow Turks to talk to, and help you get settled. If needed, help you get a residence, bank account, SIN#, job, whatever.

Like you said; immigrants of each nationality. I tend to only associate with Americans, Canadians and Australians as I can relate to them easily. Europeans and British are just so different that the only similarity we share is white skin. I'm friendly but just feel indifferent towards strangers and what common interests do we have?

I find a lot of immigrants here to be somewhat from the lower spectrum of success in their home country while I'm driven and motivated to work hard.

Why would Thais great (sic) you with a wai at the gym?... Yes, the receptionists maybe (SOP) but the other gym goers?.... do you spend a lot of time looking at yourself in the mirror?

It is a time till I went into public gyms back in Farangistan, but than everyone was very focused on what they were doing and wai while bench pressing seems a bit difficult. The best you could get from a friend was a friendly "grmpf"....

with constant people coming and going you would be too busy with wai-ing to get anything done.

In my culture whenever one enters a lift one looks at everyone in the eye and says hello and everyone says hello back.

The same when we enter a room in a public place. The rules of politeness are very strict and almost everyone respects them.

When I first arrived in Thailand I did the same as I would in my culture and this caused me years of misery.

I know someone will insult me for saying this but I will say it all the same:

There are so many farrang pedophiles, cheap whore chasers, drunks, fakes, perverts and the mentally ill I avoid contact with any foreigner until i know who/what they are.

My ex wife and I knew a very nice, cultured British gentleman. He seemed to be the best of people so we wondered why he would take such a pay cut to work in Thailand when he had such a successful life in Britain.

One night we stopped for a late dinner at an all night restaurant in Siam Square and in the corner, in the dark was this man and he was being intimate with a 16 year old boy. We then understood why he was here.

There have been so many disappointments, so many times stabbed in the back, so much pain that I finally accepted to do what most other Europeans do here and not make contact until I know enough about the other farrang.

All those who like to pretend that all is perfect here may now feel free to throw their insults.

My god that would freak me out. What culture says hello to everyone in the elevator?

In my culture it would seen more as a bit rude to speak to unknown people without reason.....I would also like to know which friendly culture is greeting everyone? Maybe a friendly place for holidays....