Is Thailand friendly?

[claffey]

Thailand is a very polite country and most people are very helpful and service is without doubt extremely good

On the whole I find Thai's polite but helpful? No I wouldn't say so really. Sure if you ask for help someone might but no one is out of their way helpful like I've experienced in other countries as a stranger who needs help.

For example a Thai would pretty much never approach an obviously lost tourist in the street and ask if they needed help which is something I've experienced in many other countries across the globe and even do myself at home when I see lost tourists.

And service 'extremely good'....no not at all. The opposite. Dreadful outside of high end hotels and resorts.

There's no such thing as customer service in Thailand. The customer is NOT always right. People don't stop to think about what the customer wants or how to make it a good experience for them.

From the 7/11 to the local restaurants to bars to shopping malls and beyond....staff are underpaid, under trained and uninterested.

Thailand (well Bangkok anyway) seems to be full of lonely people who don't have many or any real friends.

I think maybe a lot of it comes down to people moving from the provinces to the city for study or work and leaving their friends behind and not really being able to make new ones other than some work or university colleagues who don't see each other as real friends.

So many Thai's I know spend so much of their free time doing nothing - sitting at home in their tiny box room surfing the net, watching TV and playing silly games on their smart phones.

'So many Thai's I know spend so much of their free time doing nothing - sitting at home in their tiny box room surfing the net, watching TV and playing silly games on their smart phones.'....................

As opposed to so many expats here who spend all their time and money drinking and chasing prostitutes half their age!!!

Service exists here.In the UK you often walk into a shop and you have to find a shop assistant.And sometimes the only ones are at the till. In Thai you walk in and the service comes to you immediately...

[Gecko123]

How is it possible to be friends with people you have absolutely nothing in common with. Those who claim to have good Thai friends are simply deluded. Only when the money runs out will they see how quick so called friends disappear. To the Thais who have money a farang is just a token to gain status. In general , your money is welcome , you are tolerated.

That's a very bitter viewpoint. I have many things in common with my colleagues and my neighbors and my partner.

It is silly to think that a farang adds status.

Not bitter just part the truth. Would a true friend when the chips are down lie through their back teeth and sell you down the river just to save face. May be some would but i guarantee " all " your Thai mates would , maybe even your wife. It's just the way they are , the lot of em. Sure you can have Thai associates but mates ... Nah !!!!

Nanapong:

You act like all your "mates" back home would gladly jump on a hand granade in the name of their friendship for you. I doubt that's true.

In the West, I think there are a lot of myths about how many real friends people have. Advertising feeds off of people's insecurities about their social life in order to manipulate them into consuming more. This advertising in turn causes people to exaggerate their social life in order to hide what they have been brainwashed into believing is the inadequacy of their social life.

In my experience very few people in the West have as deep a social life as they would like people to believe. Most people I know, have 1 or 2 friends (if that) who they really feel they can depend on. And those who claim to have a vibrant social life usually have to spend money hand-over-fist entertaining those friends in order to keep them coming around. Needless to say, as soon as the money stops flowing, those "friends" are no where to be found, especially if you need them. Is this not exactly the same disingenuous behavior you are complaining so bitterly about is so prevalent with Thais?

I would say Thais are just more pragmatic about friendship, and more honest about what it means to be a 'friend.' Here it means someone who you can talk to, share a laugh with, maybe commiserate with, discuss a problem with, ask them to explain something to you. Maybe share a beer, play cards or dominos with. There's no pretense that 'a friend is going to mortgage their house to bail you out of jail' or 'a friend is going to donate a kidney for you.' For a family member, maybe. But not for a friend. I think Thais are pretty much like this irregardless of whether they are dealing with another Thai person or a farang.

A person does need to adjust their expectations of what "friendship" means here. But once you do, I think you can find plenty of Thais who you can genuinely call friends.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Gecko123

[craigt3365]

A few posts violating forum rules have been removed from view:

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[wow64]

Just like any country it depends who you mix with.

There is friendly and unfriendly in any country.. you can't generalize.

Of course we all have seen and meet some ppl in Thailand who think because you are a farang you have money and expect you will pay for things.

Then I have other thai friends who go out of their way to pay for everything.

Its like that in my home country.. if I mix with poor ppl I will pay and vice versa.

[pieeyed]

What I think is if I was not married to my beautiful Thai wife, I would have a lot less Thai friends.

[jdinasia]

What I think is if I was not married to my beautiful Thai wife, I would have a lot less Thai friends.

My experience with people is a mixed bag. Thai people are no exception to that.

I have actually taken to avoiding one Thai colleague when ordering food or drinks as he will never let me pay. To stay somewhat even I have to sneak to the PX and grab drinks to bring to him.

It is a rare day that someone doesn't do something nice for me that in no way benefits them.

Those having different experiences probably live in areas vastly different than where I have lived in Thailand.

[buhi]

My usual day.

Sat down at the corner shop, with a beer.

Then a someone, I know came by with his son.

"How are you ajarn?"

We shook hands.

He and his family live in a one room apartment near our house. There is a demarcation line, between the very large detatched houses, mine one and apartments.

He wanted nothing from me, but I like him,; not a friend though.

[takkatan in the land]

what's the OP it's perceiving it's perhaps more common in mature people mostly couples or families

young people use to have social life grouping and partying everyday, I see them always everywhere

[jdinasia]

My usual day.

Sat down at the corner shop, with a beer.

Then a someone, I know came by with his son.

"How are you ajarn?"

We shook hands.

He and his family live in a one room apartment near our house. There is a demarcation line, between the very large detatched houses, mine one and apartments.

He wanted nothing from me, but I like him,; not a friend though.

If you are a teacher in a rural area, I am not surprised that you get a little less social interaction if drinking publicly. At least during the day.

[buhi]

My usual day.

Sat down at the corner shop, with a beer.

Then a someone, I know came by with his son.

"How are you ajarn?"

We shook hands.

He and his family live in a one room apartment near our house. There is a demarcation line, between the very large detatched houses, mine one and apartments.

He wanted nothing from me, but I like him,; not a friend though.

If you are a teacher in a rural area, I am not surprised that you get a little less social interaction if drinking publicly. At least during the day.

Bangkok , retired!

[jdinasia]

My usual day.

Sat down at the corner shop, with a beer.

Then a someone, I know came by with his son.

"How are you ajarn?"

We shook hands.

He and his family live in a one room apartment near our house. There is a demarcation line, between the very large detatched houses, mine one and apartments.

He wanted nothing from me, but I like him,; not a friend though.

If you are a teacher in a rural area, I am not surprised that you get a little less social interaction if drinking publicly. At least during the day.

Bangkok , retired!

Then much less of an issue. I am rural and working. No problem going out but drinking during the day is frowned upon locally.

[jacky54]

Then much less of an issue. I am rural and working. No problem going out but drinking during the day is frowned upon locally.

You must be in the south then? last time I was in issan the locals were boozing at 7am, bit too early even for me

[jdinasia]

Then much less of an issue. I am rural and working. No problem going out but drinking during the day is frowned upon locally.

You must be in the south then? last time I was in issan the locals were boozing at 7am, bit too early even for me

He said that he was called "ajarn"..

[Naam]

Is Thailand friendly?

you bet your sweet butt it is! the friendliest Thai is in my [not so] humble view the Thai income taxman

[buhi]

Then much less of an issue. I am rural and working. No problem going out but drinking during the day is frowned upon locally.

You must be in the south then? last time I was in issan the locals were boozing at 7am, bit too early even for me

He said that he was called "ajarn"..

I like to have a beer at the corner shop. very near our house, at about five in the evening. Why? because most of my neighbours come home around this time and I enjoy seeing them and having a brief time with them; like the local gossip too!

[3NUMBAS]

if you flash a loaded wallet very friendly , esp men in drag

[khunjamesjohnson]

yes Thais are friendly but it costs Money

The nicest people money can buy.

[rahul2630]

Here is a day in the life. I came from the U.S. in a state not known to be friendly. I go back to visit every year.

Day 1: stranger lady with kids makes a joke to me while we wait in line at Toys 'R Us. See her again in another store, we continue to talk.

Day 2: strangers all talk and laugh in line at Home Depot.

Day 3: strangers talk to me while waiting in line for the elevator.

Back to Thailand:....9 years and not a word or acknowledgement of my existence (bar crowd not included).

question still rise... Is thai friendly..

[jdinasia]

Here is a day in the life. I came from the U.S. in a state not known to be friendly. I go back to visit every year.

Day 1: stranger lady with kids makes a joke to me while we wait in line at Toys 'R Us. See her again in another store, we continue to talk.

Day 2: strangers all talk and laugh in line at Home Depot.

Day 3: strangers talk to me while waiting in line for the elevator.

Back to Thailand:....9 years and not a word or acknowledgement of my existence (bar crowd not included).

question still rise... Is thai friendly..

Not to some of these posters. Very friendly to me though!!