Skip to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Thailand News and Discussion Forum | ASEANNOW

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Do Thais want to know anything about your home country?

Featured Replies

In my life I lived in many countries as Ireland, UK, Luxembourg, Germany, Australia, USA, Kenya, South Africa. Wherever it was people asked me where I came from and how it is there. And in this way I met a lot of friends at the end.

Of course one of the reasons is that they got their roots in Europe. (USA, AUS, RSA)

Now I live for 5 years already in Thailand.

Surprisingly people only (sometimes) ask me where I come from. But that is all. Only a few ask more.

I hope I'm not looking like a bull dog and that is the reason for not asking....

What happened to you actually? Did Thai ask you? Do they want to know much more about your country?

  • Replies 190
  • Views 9.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Knowing I'm Australian they ask often if I play football...European football.

So many times, and no one thinks to check what we Aussies in the south play.....a much harder and faster game than that played by any other Farang (Union not included).

They have no idea about any of my past or home and this includes many of the so called intelligent well educated Thais.

whistling.gif Some Thais do, many don't.

Same as Americans.

I was once asked by a clueless American when she found out I was coming from Thailand, "Did you have a lot of snow there last year for Christmas?"

As the saying goes, "Against such ignorance even the Gods would strive in vain".

I was watching 'Blitz cities' and "Wainwright Walks" recently and when the missus bought her gang over, that resulted in a ream of questions; some intelligent, some more predictable, along the lines of 'can you get Thai food there?" "Can we come next time?" and so on.....

I am not having a go at you but it is a sweeping statement and if you refined it to something else like g/f or wife's or non family members. Anyway to answer my wife always wants to know about my home country, UK much more than I do in fact. I do get other Thais interested but they are people who travel a lot around the world.

I work for a Thai company, I get the occasional personal question, but not really about where I am from. More, do I like this or that kind of Thai food, or what am I eating. A little bit about golf, F1, European or English football. Not much else.

Used to get asked quite a lot, and when i get asked now i just say i come from England.

IMO, there are too many Thais that think the Irish come from Northern Iceland.....................rolleyes.gif

The culture here is not known for its high level of intellectual curiosity. Sure I get asked sometimes what country but I think that's usually about which stereotype box to put people in rather than learning anything new.

Working for a multi-national i get plenty of questions on how we work back in the UK, and plenty of replies ' oh cannot do same in Thailand ' but not many questions on a personal level. Having a baby daughter recently i have noticed the wife taking a lot more interest in how things are done back home.

Keep telling her i am not going back smile.png

I get asked what the temperature is in the UK.

They ask questions because they are looking for the angle, how to get over, scam. Other than that, no, no questions of depth.

They ask questions because they are looking for the angle, how to get over, scam. Other than that, no, no questions of depth.

Sure that's often the obvious intent in commercial situations.

Nope. Thais aren't exactly known for wanting to know or understand anything outside Thailand.

Unless Thais have a need to know about your home country then why? I don't know about many countries except the capital, some basic facts about food (I am greedy) that's it. Example Bolivia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Uzbekistan just to name a few examples as there are many more. We must remember Thailand is the centre of the universe to many Thais and I can see why to some respects. That's why many of us are here, even though it is far from perfect.

I am not having a go at you but it is a sweeping statement and if you refined it to something else like g/f or wife's or non family members. Anyway to answer my wife always wants to know about my home country, UK much more than I do in fact. I do get other Thais interested but they are people who travel a lot around the world.

Agree. Why would a complete stranger or even an acquaintance be the least interested in the OP's home country? Come to think of it, why would they be interested in anything the OP has to say....from the sounds of it.

Reflective of who one mixes with ?

Their occupation, education?

Plenty of travelled Thais

The culture here is not known for its high level of intellectual curiosity. Sure I get asked sometimes what country but I think that's usually about which stereotype box to put people in rather than learning anything new.

True enough, but I notice that when I return to the US for a visit none of my friends/family ask about life in Thailand. I don't think many people have intellectual curiosity. It's disappointing.

When conversing about my country with Thais, the most they understand is; England very cold, Thailand very hot. Trying to explain any further only confuses them.

When I do visit England, no one`s interested in what I do in Thailand either.

They love talking about the English premier league all 5 teams Liverpool,Man Utd,Chelsea,Arsenal and Man City.

They haven't a clue who and where West Brom play.

Got asked if the Sun was the same there ? And if the Moon was the same on another occasion, and UK is near where ?

Most of the time you mention the UK and the first response is Ahhhh Manchester United !!

Don’t miss the latest headlines from Thailand and around the world. Get the Asean Now Briefing newsletter, delivered daily. Sign up here.

 

My Thai wife & fer family have no idea where my country of origin is. Don't really care either.

They have no interest in travelling there either. There is only one place - Thailand!

Does't concern me at all.

It's kind of fun to see interaction of foreigners in Thailand and Thai "partners" when the foreigner is telling the Thai all about how things are back home ... and you can see the Thai eyes glazing over. Polite interest might be faked, of course.

They love talking about the English premier league all 5 teams Liverpool,Man Utd,Chelsea,Arsenal and Man City.

They haven't a clue who and where West Brom play.

I was in the back of a tuk tuk in Khon Kaen years ago and the old boy driving asked where I was from. I answered England and after more prodding said Norwich. Thinking I'd get a blank look he said " Ah Kevin Keelan." I nearly fell out of the bloody tuk tuk.

No they all know Money grows on trees in the UK

I got asked if we really have vampires.

Create an account or sign in to comment

Recently Browsing 0

  • No registered users viewing this page.

Account

Navigation

Search

Search

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.