Thai Sense of Humour

[laolover88]

In trouble again

Luk Kreung daughter to Mother: (No room on sofa): Move over you big bunny'

Mother: You cannot speak to your mother like that....blah, blah.....what's the problem?...'No respect'

Child: 'Just a joke'!!

'English' humour is what? Witty, bawdy, double entendre, ironic, sarcastic...etc.

I don't understand much American humour

Can someone explain and exemplify Thai sense of humour?

[sipi]

My mate turns up soaking wet, covered in mud and sweat after a long and painful motorbike ride to pay us a visit. He looked a mess.

My first comment.."So you had a fun ride..". Richard laughed.

My wife, after giving us both a rather questionable vacant look.."No he didn't".

Yeah, sometimes they just don't get it.

[DaddyWarbucks]

Any form of self-deprecating humour is definitely out.

Otherwise, they have a keen sense of the absurd, especially regarding sexual peccadilloes. American slapstick comedy has always been popular here.

Don't look for too much intellectual depth... you won't find it.

[CharlieH]

If it hasnt got the stupid whistle and cymbal crash after it then they dont know its supposed to be funny.

Edited January 26, 2015 by CharlieH

[WhamBam]

Benny Hill.

Many Thai people I have met appreciate that type of humour.

Sarcasm seems not to be very well understood.

[mrtoad]

You need to get a Boing noise in

[tonytigerbkk]

As mentioned above, slapstick and Benny Hill style humour.

They also think that Mr. Bean is the badger's tadger.

So basically, anything that doesn't take a lot to work out to understand.

Edited January 26, 2015 by tonytigerbkk

[marko kok prong]

Slapstick,with silly noises,like 8-10 yr olds would like back in Falang land,very unsophisticated as regards humor.

[marko kok prong]

Bawdy humor also enjoyed.

[mrtoad]

Dwarfs are appreciated

[tonytigerbkk]

And don't forget that there has to be a ladyboy who looks very butch and sports a 5 o-clock shadow.

[kannot]

hit over head with saucepan= funny for Thais

[tonytigerbkk]

It may be the case that Thais have a very sharp sense of humour but they realise that they can't compete with their politicians or TAT.

[mrtoad]

It may be the case that Thais have a very sharp sense of humour but they realise that they can't compete with their politicians or TAT.

TAT are in a league of their own, they just don't know it, and as for politicians well huba huba hub

[marko kok prong]

Barking people?

[mrtoad]

Barking people?

Barking up the wrong Soi...

[marko kok prong]

Barking people?

Barking up the wrong Soi...

Exactly,very well put Mr toad.

[tonytigerbkk]

Or quoting Vic Reeves, "I'm barking mad, me! I love the place!"

[Brigante7]

2 words sum up Thai humour, Mr Bean, other than that they have no sense of humour.

[fishbrando]

I would think that a slapstick comedy like Dumb and Dumber To would do well in Thailand, but when I went to see it, the theater was almost empty. The folks I went with loved it, though, and I couldn't help laughing myself.

I imagine The Three Stooges would do pretty well here too.

I've always been baffled by the fascination with gruesome photos. Sometimes someone will send me a grotesque photo, e.g. the aftermath of someone jumping off a building, and then send a bunch of 5555s and LOLs. It's horrifying to me.

[timmyp]

Thai people are awesome with sarcasm. The smart-ass comments I hear made at my expense make me think, "I should be mad, but I gotta admit, that was hilarious." I am defenseless.

I definitely don't care for the slapstick stuff I see in dumb movies aimed at the lowest-common denominator, but if you think that's all there is to humour in Thailand, then you're really missing out.

I lived in Japan for so many years that I started to think sarcasm in humour was just western thing (Japan has sarcasm, but it's almost always used to be mean to someone). I thought that slipping in funny comments in a serious discussion was a European invention. It is not at all, I constantly meet Thai people who are masters at it. It is one of the very enjoyable things I find about living here.

Anyone who is surrounded by really dumb folks limited to a Three Stooges level of humour should get a new circle of friends!

[kovaltech]

2 ****girls walking on the street...

suddenly one girls say: "look, a dead bird" "Nok taai"

The otherone looking upwarts to the sky and asks : where ?

[marko kok prong]

Thai people are awesome with sarcasm. The smart-ass comments I hear made at my expense make me think, "I should be mad, but I gotta admit, that was hilarious." I am defenseless.

I definitely don't care for the slapstick stuff I see in dumb movies aimed at the lowest-common denominator, but if you think that's all there is to humour in Thailand, then you're really missing out.

I lived in Japan for so many years that I started to think sarcasm in humour was just western thing (Japan has sarcasm, but it's almost always used to be mean to someone). I thought that slipping in funny comments in a serious discussion was a European invention. It is not at all, I constantly meet Thai people who are masters at it. It is one of the very enjoyable things I find about living here.

Anyone who is surrounded by really dumb folks limited to a Three Stooges level of humour should get a new circle of friends!

Lovlely post Timmy,but i can't help thinking you are in a minority of...,one!

[marko kok prong]

2 ****girls walking on the street...

suddenly one girls say: "look, a dead bird" "Nok taai"

The otherone looking upwarts to the sky and asks : where ?

Yeah,uh the act's really coming along ,then.

Edited January 26, 2015 by marko kok prong

[h90]

It may be the case that Thais have a very sharp sense of humour but they realise that they can't compete with their politicians or TAT.

These group who made the announcements during the floods 2011 were great! Spot on the same quality as Monty Python....That Minister that dressed as King of Lana afterwards at an meeting for flood prevention was very funny as well.

[GarryP]

Thai people are awesome with sarcasm. The smart-ass comments I hear made at my expense make me think, "I should be mad, but I gotta admit, that was hilarious." I am defenseless.

I definitely don't care for the slapstick stuff I see in dumb movies aimed at the lowest-common denominator, but if you think that's all there is to humour in Thailand, then you're really missing out.

I lived in Japan for so many years that I started to think sarcasm in humour was just western thing (Japan has sarcasm, but it's almost always used to be mean to someone). I thought that slipping in funny comments in a serious discussion was a European invention. It is not at all, I constantly meet Thai people who are masters at it. It is one of the very enjoyable things I find about living here.

Anyone who is surrounded by really dumb folks limited to a Three Stooges level of humour should get a new circle of friends!

I use sarcasm with Thais, both at the office, with friends and elsewhere, and it is nearly always understood. Likewise my Thai friends can be just as sarcastic. So, yes, while they do like simple slapstick humour, that is not the limit to their appreciation of humour.

[arrowsdawdle]

As mentioned above, slapstick and Benny Hill style humour.

They also think that Mr. Bean is the badger's tadger.

So basically, anything that doesn't take a lot to work out to understand.

You mean like somebody lying dead in the street from a motorbike accident? You see them laugh at that sometimes.

[arrowsdawdle]

Thai people are awesome with sarcasm. The smart-ass comments I hear made at my expense make me think, "I should be mad, but I gotta admit, that was hilarious." I am defenseless.

I definitely don't care for the slapstick stuff I see in dumb movies aimed at the lowest-common denominator, but if you think that's all there is to humour in Thailand, then you're really missing out.

I lived in Japan for so many years that I started to think sarcasm in humour was just western thing (Japan has sarcasm, but it's almost always used to be mean to someone). I thought that slipping in funny comments in a serious discussion was a European invention. It is not at all, I constantly meet Thai people who are masters at it. It is one of the very enjoyable things I find about living here.

Anyone who is surrounded by really dumb folks limited to a Three Stooges level of humour should get a new circle of friends!

I use sarcasm with Thais, both at the office, with friends and elsewhere, and it is nearly always understood. Likewise my Thai friends can be just as sarcastic. So, yes, while they do like simple slapstick humour, that is not the limit to their appreciation of humour.

Are you sure that you and timmyp are not mistaking being the brunt of xenophobic condescension as sarcasm?

[GarryP]

Thai people are awesome with sarcasm. The smart-ass comments I hear made at my expense make me think, "I should be mad, but I gotta admit, that was hilarious." I am defenseless.

I definitely don't care for the slapstick stuff I see in dumb movies aimed at the lowest-common denominator, but if you think that's all there is to humour in Thailand, then you're really missing out.

I lived in Japan for so many years that I started to think sarcasm in humour was just western thing (Japan has sarcasm, but it's almost always used to be mean to someone). I thought that slipping in funny comments in a serious discussion was a European invention. It is not at all, I constantly meet Thai people who are masters at it. It is one of the very enjoyable things I find about living here.

Anyone who is surrounded by really dumb folks limited to a Three Stooges level of humour should get a new circle of friends!

I use sarcasm with Thais, both at the office, with friends and elsewhere, and it is nearly always understood. Likewise my Thai friends can be just as sarcastic. So, yes, while they do like simple slapstick humour, that is not the limit to their appreciation of humour.

Are you sure that you and timmyp are not mistaking being the brunt of xenophobic condescension as sarcasm?

I am talking about sarcasm in Thai language. And, yes, I am sure there is no condescension involved.

I would not deign to be saracastic in English if the listener was not sufficiently fluent in the language.

[timmyp]

Are you sure that you and timmyp are not mistaking being the brunt of xenophobic condescension as sarcasm?

That definitely happens, arrows, and when it does, there is an unmistakable air of condescension.

I definitely don't care for that type of "humour." Insecure Thai men will do that to me, and then look to the group they are with for approval, as if to say, "Aren't a funny comedian at this dumb farang's expense?" They are usually twisting a word around that suggests I don't understand what they are saying (and when they do that, to be honest, I usually don't understand what they are saying, but I definitely know what is happening). Those are just dumb trashy folks, and I avoid them. I will leave the room or the bar or wherever to get away. Nothing good comes from that. If those jerks get approval, they will ramp up their demeaning behaviour.

What you're describing isn't a demonstration of a good sarcastic wit, it's just a jackass taking out their insecurities on someone they see as having less social clout. I have seen Americans and Brits, etc. do this to people who are not particularly fluent in English. I lived in Japan for about 15 years, and Japanese guys loved to do exactly the same thing to me, but I at least I could assert myself better in Japanese than I can in Thai.

So I know exactly what you are talking about. But my praise and love of sarcasm by Thai people is not being confused with someone trying to be funny at my expense.