Do many Thais appreciate a person going out of their way....

[jacko45k]

Generalising, I would say they are not big on showing emotions, and gratitude seems to be included in that.

Yes some of their day to day behaviours seem totally self absorbed.....

But it seems to vary region to region, I get the thankful 'wai' in the village a lot.

[dotpoom]

I was here about two years and met a lady who worked in a massage shop. She wasn't that good looking and was about 43 years old at the time. I started to go with her because she was a down to earth person, it was my first relationship here. When the massage shop's takings would drop in the low season her Lady boss would bring down from her home area in Issarn some 16 and 17 yr. old girls to get the customers in by putting them sitting outside the shop and giving massages, as a result the lady I was going with never got any work.So rather than "support" her every month I decided to open up a massage shop for her. In total it cost around 350,000 Baht. Business was OK for about 3 months and then went down badly so I suggested I get some "flyers" printed for her and she could give them out around the Soi's and the bars.............she wanted 300 Baht to do this. I pointed out to her that this was to increase business for her....not for me....but she just said that was the going rate for doing this. I decided to close the shop then even though it meant getting little for the key money. She threatened me with all sorts of stuff even with the police when I said I was looking for a buyer for the contents of the shop. She got her friend to write me a nasty letter saying how mean I was for not giving her money every month. ...."The joys of Luv"

[benalibina]

I was here about two years and met a lady who worked in a massage shop. She wasn't that good looking and was about 43 years old at the time. I started to go with her because she was a down to earth person, it was my first relationship here. When the massage shop's takings would drop in the low season her Lady boss would bring down from her home area in Issarn some 16 and 17 yr. old girls to get the customers in by putting them sitting outside the shop and giving massages, as a result the lady I was going with never got any work.So rather than "support" her every month I decided to open up a massage shop for her. In total it cost around 350,000 Baht. Business was OK for about 3 months and then went down badly so I suggested I get some "flyers" printed for her and she could give them out around the Soi's and the bars.............she wanted 300 Baht to do this. I pointed out to her that this was to increase business for her....not for me....but she just said that was the going rate for doing this. I decided to close the shop then even though it meant getting little for the key money. She threatened me with all sorts of stuff even with the police when I said I was looking for a buyer for the contents of the shop. She got her friend to write me a nasty letter saying how mean I was for not giving her money every month. ...."The joys of Luv"

Tell this to folks back home, they think you are making this all up.

[NoshowJones]

Mr. 332, you seem to have a very negative view of Thais and Thailand, judging by the content of this and other threads you've started. So what really happened to you? Get burned by a bargirl or two?

Never had a need or desire for bargirls.

Just my observations from a number of years of living within the society.

So do you only have negative observations about Thailand?

No need for a prostitute is NOT negative

I have never said anything about prostitutes, and not being an overweight, tattooed, facial haired, ugly person. I have never had the need to use them.

[benalibina]

Mr. 332, you seem to have a very negative view of Thais and Thailand, judging by the content of this and other threads you've started. So what really happened to you? Get burned by a bargirl or two?

Never had a need or desire for bargirls.

Just my observations from a number of years of living within the society.

So do you only have negative observations about Thailand?

No need for a prostitute is NOT negative

I have never said anything about prostitutes, and not being an overweight, tattooed, facial haired, ugly person. I have never had the need to use them.

To make the stereotype complete, you forgot to mention.....old.

[glegolo]

I find this thread to be quite stupid and only valid if you live your life in a tourist-ghetto like most of you, and you seldom meet normal thais in this country....Many times you probaly find the worst amongst the worse people in your places...

What kind of bullshit is that.I have helped or tried to help numerous times, and always finds gratitude and rememberancefrom people..... I will be remembered for being nice and helpful nothing more. So when i later fell off my bicycle and fainted, I was being picked up by thai people from that particular village and brought to the hospital..... Yes they arereally a strange kind of breed this thai people..... Luckily I wasn´t down in the USA or England, than I probably would have been dead by now..

Glegolo

[Benmart]

I remember a story, maybe even from on here about 2 years ago, about a guy living in a rural village. He set out on a mission to clean up the place. Hired a big grass cutter and painted all the playground, cleaned up the whe whole place. Hoping to lead by example. He was delighted with the result.

then he got sick.

the locals called around.

To enquire as to when he he will be cutting the grass again.

If it was on here, can someone find it for me? I'd be interested in reading it again.

That was me....what do you want to know? Other than I havent helped since....Everything has returned to normal, the place is again overgrown and trash everywhere.

The grounds are only used now for grazing cows.

The kids can no longer play football or enjoy as they used to....But on every sunday the local hoods with beefed up cars terrorise the place doing burnouts all bloody afternoon....I sold all the ride mowers except the ones I need for myself......

Thanks for doing what you did. Unfortunately, there appears to be a lack civic pride, neighborhood involvement and community ownership in Thailand, as well as elsewhere.

Parks, green recreation areas and other community venues seems to take second seat to commercial, tourist and non-secular enterprises. Enrichment of life, for some, seems to mean the accumulation of wealth and other material trappings.

I just returned from Phnom Penh and saw more parks, urban green areas and playgrounds for kids than I have here (I live in Chonburi). The playgrounds, it turns out, are often maintained by the parents of the children that use them. And this is a country much less developed than Thailand?

Anyhow, again thank you for what you have done. To quote a friend, "There are those that do and those that let 'em".

As for the local hoods. Their cars break down, they need constant maintenance, they are fuel hungry, they consume money and they sometimes crash. Somehow they seem to be the losers.

Keep up the good work my friend.

[weegee]

I remember a story, maybe even from on here about 2 years ago, about a guy living in a rural village. He set out on a mission to clean up the place. Hired a big grass cutter and painted all the playground, cleaned up the whe whole place. Hoping to lead by example. He was delighted with the result.

then he got sick.

the locals called around.

To enquire as to when he he will be cutting the grass again.

If it was on here, can someone find it for me? I'd be interested in reading it again.

That was me....what do you want to know? Other than I havent helped since....Everything has returned to normal, the place is again overgrown and trash everywhere.

The grounds are only used now for grazing cows.

The kids can no longer play football or enjoy as they used to....But on every sunday the local hoods with beefed up cars terrorise the place doing burnouts all bloody afternoon....I sold all the ride mowers except the ones I need for myself......

Thanks for doing what you did. Unfortunately, there appears to be a lack civic pride, neighborhood involvement and community ownership in Thailand, as well as elsewhere.

Parks, green recreation areas and other community venues seems to take second seat to commercial, tourist and non-secular enterprises. Enrichment of life, for some, seems to mean the accumulation of wealth and other material trappings.

I just returned from Phnom Penh and saw more parks, urban green areas and playgrounds for kids than I have here (I live in Chonburi). The playgrounds, it turns out, are often maintained by the parents of the children that use them. And this is a country much less developed than Thailand?

Anyhow, again thank you for what you have done. To quote a friend, "There are those that do and those that let 'em".

As for the local hoods. Their cars break down, they need constant maintenance, they are fuel hungry, they consume money and they sometimes crash. Somehow they seem to be the losers.

Keep up the good work my friend.

Thanks for that.....

I still have a ride on here that I completely rebuilt for the guy helping "The father Ray Foundation"....but i believe he has disappeared. If anyone is interested PM me

[332]

I just returned from Phnom Penh and saw more parks, urban green areas and playgrounds for kids than I have here (I live in Chonburi). The playgrounds, it turns out, are often maintained by the parents of the children that use them. And this is a country much less developed than Thailand?

Only in wealth and what suffers from that. The people and their mentality are light years ahead.

Everytime I go to Cambodia it is a breath of fresh air. The people want to learn, want to progress, want to develop, they understand how beneficial it is to them. Walk down a street in the evening and almost every shop house has a lesson going on inside - be it English, math, science. I've never once seen that in Thailand.

Come back here and it is Thailan numbah 1, Thai numbah 1, Thai the best, you no Thai you no understan. By people with a menthol stick up their hooter and who can't add 5 + 7 without using a calculator two or three times.

IMO the systematic conditioning before the age of reason is one of the main obsticals for Thailand's future progression. It's sad.

[Benmart]

I just returned from Phnom Penh and saw more parks, urban green areas and playgrounds for kids than I have here (I live in Chonburi). The playgrounds, it turns out, are often maintained by the parents of the children that use them. And this is a country much less developed than Thailand?

Only in wealth and what suffers from that. The people and their mentality are light years ahead.

Everytime I go to Cambodia it is a breath of fresh air. The people want to learn, want to progress, want to develop, they understand how beneficial it is to them. Walk down a street in the evening and almost every shop house has a lesson going on inside - be it English, math, science. I've never once seen that in Thailand.

Come back here and it is Thailan numbah 1, Thai numbah 1, Thai the best, you no Thai you no understan. By people with a menthol stick up their hooter and who can't add 5 + 7 without using a calculator two or three times.

IMO the systematic conditioning before the age of reason is one of the main obsticals for Thailand's future progression. It's sad.

My observations as well. Cambodians, at least those that I met, seem to have a grasp that education, language proficiency and community involvement is essential for progress, both individually and as a country.

I had little children, barely able to speak, come up and say "Hello mister", "Bye-bye". Every Tuk-Tuk driver spoke English well enough to get me to my destination and many carried on a lively conversation without prompting. Same with shop owners, flower vendors, hotel and restaurant staff, street vendors, etc.

The people there have less and seem to be happier than their Thai counterparts that lament having an older generation Smartphone. What they don't realize is that the "smarts" don't come from fancy gadgets alone, but from forward thinking, earnest, diverse and out-of-the-box education. The Cambodians I met seem to have realized that.

I've looked into moving there and it's not off my radar.

Remember, a smile is a frown turned upside down.

Edited June 14, 2014 by Benmart

[Dap]

I remember a story, maybe even from on here about 2 years ago, about a guy living in a rural village. He set out on a mission to clean up the place. Hired a big grass cutter and painted all the playground, cleaned up the whe whole place. Hoping to lead by example. He was delighted with the result.

then he got sick.

the locals called around.

To enquire as to when he he will be cutting the grass again.

If it was on here, can someone find it for me? I'd be interested in reading it again.

That was me....what do you want to know? Other than I havent helped since....Everything has returned to normal, the place is again overgrown and trash everywhere.

The grounds are only used now for grazing cows.

The kids can no longer play football or enjoy as they used to....But on every sunday the local hoods with beefed up cars terrorise the place doing burnouts all bloody afternoon....I sold all the ride mowers except the ones I need for myself......

Wow! I tip my hat to ya senor

Why?....i am just a normal person, who tried to make a difference by trying....never again !

The "tip o' the hat" was respectfully offered simply because you did extend it from your heart

with no renumeration expected or required. You are the people I am pleased to have around

me as it adds to my own daily smiles. Possibly done for naught in the long run, but ...

I expect those village kids were blown out and will remember the cool times they had. Even

though we will never see the (long run) consequences of our actions (good or bad), oftentimes

it does matter to more than can ever be known.

I reiterate ... very cool weegee

[Mightycabage]

One of my lady's old friends who I would run into on nights out would always ask me for a drink. I'd usually buy her a drink when I'd see her around as she was always financially troubled and was a long time friend/acquaintance.

One night I just wasn't in the mood, nor was I even ordering a drink for myself as I just stopped by one of my usual watering holes. She asked me for a drink at least ten times and she wouldn't understand the answer, "No, not tonight."

Suddenly a service staff (friend of mine too) shows up with a drink she apparently ordered when I wasn't paying attention and when he presents the bill for her, she just points at me. He gives me a bewildered look and I motion to him that I'm not covering the bill.

She was forced to break out a hundred baht and pay up, and by doing so she lost all face that night. A couple minutes later she broke into tears and kept whimpering about how she could not believe her "brother" would not buy her a drink...

[332]

Cool story bro.

[techboy]

I have found just the opposite. Have even received warm notes of graritude. No hard feelings when my situation changed and was unable to help. Cannot corroborate your observation.

[332]

Was just talking to a British educated (Secondary school and tertiary level) Thai and he laughed when I brought it up.

His take was that many Thais (born and raised here) only act to advantage themselves. Which might mean financially or making a social setting easier for themselves by smiling and lying. Even giving - making merit - is to advantage themselves later on.

With many Westerners they will go out of their way to disadvantage themselves for reasons alien to many Thais. Tell the truth when it disadvantages them to do so, give things to people with out any expectations of merit further down the line, hang around the scene of an accident they were involved in, etc etc. Many Thais see this as beyond foolish and is why many consider Westerners to be stupid - They will purposefully disadvantage themselves for no good reason.

That was his take on it.

We went for lunch and I was driving him back to his house, an oncoming car wanted to turn right, across my lane, with waiting cars behind him. I slowed down for him to go, nothing, kept on slowing down obviously stopping to let him turn across my lane and free up the cars stuck behind him, nothing, stopped and had to wave for them with my hand to go.

He just laughed, with a shake of head, many Thais would never do that he said, there's no advantage in it for them. Made me laugh.

What freaks me out when I go back to the West is cars stopping at zebra crossings, before the person has even stepped a foot into the road. It almost has to be seen to be believed after a few years here.

[Grindting]

What freaks me out when I go back to the West is cars stopping at zebra crossings, before the person has even stepped a foot into the road. It almost has to be seen to be believed after a few years here.

Because in the UK it's the law to stop if there is someone standing at a zebra crossing. The average Brit follows laws, the average shitkicking Thai does not

Edited June 15, 2014 by Grindting

[332]

What freaks me out when I go back to the West is cars stopping at zebra crossings, before the person has even stepped a foot into the road. It almost has to be seen to be believed after a few years here.

Because in the UK it's the law to stop if there is someone standing at a zebra crossing. The average Brit follows laws, the average shitkicking Thai does not

Because stopping at a pedestrian crossing is disadvantaging oneself for no gain?