Little Things That Annoy You

[lampard10]

One of the things that makes me cringe, and seems to happen a lot more in Thailand than anywhere else I've seen, is their attitude to lifts. Why, when a Thai person gets into a lift they must immediatly press the 'doors close' button? They seem to think they MUST do this to enable the doors to close, and no matter how many times I terll my wife that it's not necassary, she always does it.

[Mobi]

One of the things that makes me cringe, and seems to happen a lot more in Thailand than anywhere else I've seen, is their attitude to lifts. Why, when a Thai person gets into a lift they must immediatly press the 'doors close' button? They seem to think they MUST do this to enable the doors to close, and no matter how many times I terll my wife that it's not necassary, she always does it.

Well I don't know about you, but just about all the lifts I've ever used will close immediately on pressing the button, rather than waiting for the pre set time delay before they close by themselves. If you are going up (or down) a number of floors and the lift keeps stopping at each floor, you will save a lot of time by closing the doors yourself.,

I always do - and I don't think it has anything to do with being Thai

[lopburi3]

And three times out of ten they trap someone trying to enter as they don't bother to look. But when you are standing at the controls and fail to immediately push you have half the riders giving you the evil eye and often someone will reach out to push it. Guess it boils down to the old queue jump system and everyone feels if the people did not board while the doors were opening they don't really deserve to ride this trip anyhow. That said; if they notice someone trying to enter they will normally hold the door open for them, if they don't hit the wrong button.

[Mighty Mouse]

It annoys me that every time I come down in the lift from upper floors and the doors open at the ground floor, all the arrogant Thais waiting on the ground floor, rush in before anyone has a chance to get out of the lift.

OR....

if you are waiting on the ground floor to get the lift to the top, when the lift arrives at the ground floor, one Thai guy gets out, you get in to find that he has pushed every button for all the floors to the top.

It means all those unnecessary stops before you reach your floor.

[jbowman1993]

It annoys me that every time I come down in the lift from upper floors and the doors open at the ground floor, all the arrogant Thais waiting on the ground floor, rush in before anyone has a chance to get out of the lift.

OR....

if you are waiting on the ground floor to get the lift to the top, when the lift arrives at the ground floor, one Thai guy gets out, you get in to find that he has pushed every button for all the floors to the top.

It means all those unnecessary stops before you reach your floor.

Actually, if you press the floor buttons twice, they will usually deactivate. You can do this to save some time, if it really annoys you. My wife taught me that little trick.

Also, that is not limited to Thai people. There are as#holes all over the world who do that.

[tourleadersi]

Its the doors that get me. It is only a cultural difference and so one cannot blame the Thais, but it does get to me at times. You hold a door open for someone and they just barge through without acknowledgement, or you get brained by a door as the Thai person lets go of it when you were expecting them to 'check behind for others people.' I am sorry to say that I am now starting to become a little Thai in this matter, just releasing the door. That's fine until I go back to the UK and release a door 'THWACK!' into some drunken hooligans face...

[2long]

If they want to go down, they press 'up' and 'down.' And the same two button if they want to go up. Therefore, the lift stops uneccessarily. They rush to get in the lift, but when they get out, they walk at snail speed. My mother-in-law won't get in a lift alone because where she's from (Nakhon Sri Thammarat) lifts are unheard of and therefore dangerous/difficult. That's no problem. I respect that and she's far too old to learn. These buggers in the city are so far off the Western way of thinking (re; using a lift) that it got me angry for several years.

However, nowadays, if it happens, I put 1Baht in a pot at home. I actually look forward to some 'lift stupidity' and laugh it it happens. Trust me, the anger has gone.

[naka]

Ok

Edited August 23, 2006 by naka

[naka]

One of the things that makes me cringe, and seems to happen a lot more in Thailand than anywhere else I've seen, is their attitude to lifts. Why, when a Thai person gets into a lift they must immediatly press the 'doors close' button? They seem to think they MUST do this to enable the doors to close, and no matter how many times I terll my wife that it's not necassary, she always does it.

Lampard, if THIS is your biggest bitch about living here, then you are truly blessed.

Enjoy your time here, and get over the piddly little things ... they don't count !

Naka.

[Papa_Lazarou]

People who get on the bus and sit on the outside seat of a row of 2.

Then you have to traverse them to get a seat.

I always present my buttocks to them, but one could go in nethers up.

I also try to whack them with any bag i'm holding.

If i'm in an elevator and I catch a local jabbing the close door button when someone is trying to get on, I shout at them. Lower class people are worse than genuinely busy, professional types, who are more sanguine.

[naka]

People who get on the bus and sit on the outside seat of a row of 2.

Then you have to traverse them to get a seat.

I always present my buttocks to them, but one could go in nethers up.

I also try to whack them with any bag i'm holding.

If i'm in an elevator and I catch a local jabbing the close door button when someone is trying to get on, I shout at them. Lower class people are worse than genuinely busy, professional types, who are more sanguine.

So YOU are professional and sanguine ! ... and you shout at them ... Whoaaaa hak hak hak.

Naka.

P.S. You sure you got the right word ?

The similarity in form between sanguine, “cheerfully optimistic,” and sanguinary, “bloodthirsty,”

Edited August 23, 2006 by naka

[Losangels]

Use to bother me quite a bit but not that much anymore just got used to it.

I'm still annoyed by people rushing into the lift before I have a chance to get off or when people wil try to get on the bus before I have the chance to get off

[qualtrough]

I have mellowed somewhat now, but the people rushing in the lift before letting people out really used to irritate me. Back then if I was in a particulary bad mood I would position myself right behind the lift door, I mean 1 inch, and spring out the moment it opened. That gave the dolts standing right in front of the door on the outside a taste of their own medicine and was quite satisfying. Results are even better if you have a shopping cart...

Here is the irony: I have lived in Thailand so long that I sometimes find myself standing right in front of the lift door without thinking.

Must mention my favorite peeve: People who decide stopping and standing at the bottom or top of an escalator is a wise thing to do. This just happened to me again yesterday. Blocking the bottom is annoying, blocking the top is dangerous. At least once I have seen a small pile up at the top due to this behavior mode.

[Pink Mist]

One of the things that makes me cringe, and seems to happen a lot more in Thailand than anywhere else I've seen, is their attitude to lifts. Why, when a Thai person gets into a lift they must immediatly press the 'doors close' button? They seem to think they MUST do this to enable the doors to close, and no matter how many times I terll my wife that it's not necassary, she always does it.

Well I don't know about you, but just about all the lifts I've ever used will close immediately on pressing the button, rather than waiting for the pre set time delay before they close by themselves. If you are going up (or down) a number of floors and the lift keeps stopping at each floor, you will save a lot of time by closing the doors yourself.,

I always do - and I don't think it has anything to do with being Thai

correct

[Pink Mist]

If they want to go down, they press 'up' and 'down.' And the same two button if they want to go up. Therefore, the lift stops uneccessarily. They rush to get in the lift, but when they get out, they walk at snail speed. My mother-in-law won't get in a lift alone because where she's from (Nakhon Sri Thammarat) lifts are unheard of and therefore dangerous/difficult. That's no problem. I respect that and she's far too old to learn. These buggers in the city are so far off the Western way of thinking (re; using a lift) that it got me angry for several years.

However, nowadays, if it happens, I put 1Baht in a pot at home. I actually look forward to some 'lift stupidity' and laugh it it happens. Trust me, the anger has gone.

the reason for both buttons pressed, simple really

press the up to bring it up

the down to go down

[leisurely]

On the sky train or underground when people offer their seats to my little girls Why? even if there are a number of elderly people around, the small children take priority. I won't let them sit down even if they are whining - miserable mother I am. I truly can't understand how or why Thai people think that children - not just my own I should add, are more important than their elders.

[taxexile]

one thing that gets me here is the sight of parents / relatives/maids carrying a plate of food running around chasing young kids and trying to feed them.

this happens in homes , gardens , restaurants , public places.

the kids are spoilt enough to be allowed to wander away from the table during meals rather than disciplined to sit and eat.

brats.

[Jai Dee]

On the sky train or underground when people offer their seats to my little girls Why? even if there are a number of elderly people around, the small children take priority. I won't let them sit down even if they are whining - miserable mother I am. I truly can't understand how or why Thai people think that children - not just my own I should add, are more important than their elders.

Not wishing to be argumentative, but I think that's a good thing.

It places the child in a relative position of safety.

[CymruAmByth]

The OP asked for 'little' things that annoy you, but I feel my own particular gripe is not so little.

I shudder every time I see a car with unrestrained children in them. Given the Thai's reverence towards children, I am totally perplexed as to why they would not take care of them while they are in a car.

[taxexile]

It places the child in a relative position of safety.

if you are referring to the dangers of falls and the sudden braking of vehicles , then children are more likely to get up unharmed than an elderly doddery osteoporotic person.

Edited August 23, 2006 by taxexile

[judge thread]

For me it's got to be footprints on the seat of first world sh1tters from Somchais first time in a department store!

[dukkha]

What annoys me is the number of farangs posting all the time about what annoys them about thailand....go some place else and stop whinging...tis a trifle boringggggg

[dantilley]

One annoyance that gets to me occasionally is people talking on their mobile phones at completely inappropriate times e.g. in the cinema, in a meeting (but not just a quick "I'm in a meeting, I'll call you back" but a full conversation) or when leaving an escalator - this is often a major cause of stopping and waiting at the bottom, as mentioned earlier.

[StateSix]

Why do plugs never fit in my extension socket properly? My radio clock alarm especially is always going off because it doesnt fit right.

[Thaddeus]

Why do plugs never fit in my extension socket properly? My radio clock alarm especially is always going off because it doesnt fit right.

Talking of plugs.... why do they sell items with a two pin plug that proudly boasts "This appliance must be earthed"

[tourleadersi]

On the sky train or underground when people offer their seats to my little girls Why? even if there are a number of elderly people around, the small children take priority. I won't let them sit down even if they are whining - miserable mother I am. I truly can't understand how or why Thai people think that children - not just my own I should add, are more important than their elders.

Not wishing to be argumentative, but I think that's a good thing.

It places the child in a relative position of safety.

You know what they say, standing in a train/lift has a different smell to midgets and small children.

[Sing_Sling]

Rest assured, most of the compalints are an 'asian' thing . . .

Maids or grandparents running after the little darlings with spoons of food

Unsecured children in cars

No-one getting up for the elderly

The mad rush to get into a lift/bus/train, disregarding those that want to get out - great fun with a pram at the moment.

Holding the doors open and not even receiving a brief glance of appreciation

Cinema exploits with calls, sms and general loud talking

Greeting everyone at the condo for years and getting blank looks in return - if your're stuck in the lift with a neighbour they will ask you if you just moved in . . . after 5 years

Let's face it, we are in an area that is quite different to what we are used to, and even after a dozen years here (Singapore/HK/TH and Japan -which doesn't count as they are so completely different) it is difficult to get used to.

But, we are still here!

[Noel]

On the sky train or underground when people offer their seats to my little girls Why? even if there are a number of elderly people around, the small children take priority. I won't let them sit down even if they are whining - miserable mother I am. I truly can't understand how or why Thai people think that children - not just my own I should add, are more important than their elders.

Not wishing to be argumentative, but I think that's a good thing.

It places the child in a relative position of safety.

You know what they say, standing in a train/lift has a different smell to midgets and small children.

That crossed my mind too; it also brought to mind vomit-inducing memories of relaxing in an aisle seat on an aircraft when the 'post-breakfast crapper' queue slowly made its way past...

[lampard10]

What annoys me is the number of farangs posting all the time about what annoys them about thailand....go some place else and stop whinging...tis a trifle boringggggg

Why read it then?

And Suka........it was meant to be a light hearted thing about trivial little things of no real concern that annoy you. Nothing to commit Hari Kari over.

And to the others that agree with the constant pressing of the buttons.

The open/close buttons on a lift are a manual override. Constant usage does make them suspect to early closing. The Comfort Suites in Don Muang are a prime example. There is a one second delay, and when they shut, they shut. BANG. Did my back in one day when I got caught in them.

[baboon]

No, the allowing of doors to slam in your face really does it for me. No matter how long I stay here, I just cannot get used to it.

I urge all TVers to join me on my campaign to introduce immediate death by firing squad for the guilty. Dammit, I ll pull the trigger myself.