Do Thais want to know anything about your home country?

[rgs2001uk]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

[Soutpeel]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

I worked with a lad from the US and was in a restaurant one night which had a big map of world on the wall, asked him to point out Africa and he pointed to South America, more troubling was fact the guy was ex US navy LOL...he never lived it down

[StreetCowboy]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

What's the issue? Taiwan is Chinese. Republic, or People's Republic, it's still Chinese.

If you can't make yourself clearly understood, surely that's your problem.

SC

[StreetCowboy]

The way I see it, I'm a very clever person, and if I can't rectify a person's misconception, then that is my short-coming, not theirs. Perhaps some amongst us have higher expectations of Johnny Foreigners. Maybe they should have spent more time up the Khyber wearing a Red Coat....

SC

[puukao]

They have asked me if we have ATM's in the garage...

i just gave them all my cash right there

don't spend that 100 baht all at once!!!!!

[Soutpeel]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

What's the issue? Taiwan is Chinese. Republic, or People's Republic, it's still Chinese.

If you can't make yourself clearly understood, surely that's your problem.

SC

I guess you missed the bit about stating his wife was from Thailand..common mistake confusing Thailand and Taiwan in the US even in the newspapers

[StreetCowboy]

....

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

What's the issue? Taiwan is Chinese. Republic, or People's Republic, it's still Chinese.

If you can't make yourself clearly understood, surely that's your problem.

SC

I guess you missed the bit about stating his wife was from Thailand..common mistake confusing Thailand and Taiwan in the US even in the newspapers

He should've been more clear. I don;t think it;s an issue of mistaking Thailand for Taiwan, it's an issue of mis-hearing Thailand for Taiwan.

English people often have trouble with pronunciation - as do other Brits, and also Johnny Foreigners, But most of us try to make allowances for the shortcomings of others

SC

[Soutpeel]

....

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

What's the issue? Taiwan is Chinese. Republic, or People's Republic, it's still Chinese.

If you can't make yourself clearly understood, surely that's your problem.

SC

I guess you missed the bit about stating his wife was from Thailand..common mistake confusing Thailand and Taiwan in the US even in the newspapers

He should've been more clear. I don;t think it;s an issue of mistaking Thailand for Taiwan, it's an issue of mis-hearing Thailand for Taiwan.

English people often have trouble with pronunciation - as do other Brits, and also Johnny Foreigners, But most of us try to make allowances for the shortcomings of others

SC

Who said he mis heard it ?

There was a US newspaper article some weeks back confusing Taiwan and Thailand and there wasnt a "Brit" in sight...

Could we also suggest Geography may not be Bubba's strongest subject

Edited September 29, 2015 by Soutpeel

[Fabricus]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

What's the issue? Taiwan is Chinese. Republic, or People's Republic, it's still Chinese.

If you can't make yourself clearly understood, surely that's your problem.

SC

One of my pet hates is people who confuse Amerika with America. It really annoys me.

On a more positive note, the National Palace Museum in Taipei was a true gem. One of the best museums I've ever visited.

[Berkshire]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

I worked with a lad from the US and was in a restaurant one night which had a big map of world on the wall, asked him to point out Africa and he pointed to South America, more troubling was fact the guy was ex US navy LOL...he never lived it down

Funny, and not at all uncommon in the US. I tend to think that Americans living in America know less about the rest of the world than the average Thai. I kid you not.

[12DrinkMore]

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

They don't know much about their own country either.

In fact, I can shorten that even further.

They don't know much.

The expression "Ignorance is bliss" carries its full weight in Thailand.

[55Jay]

Abusing somebody's trust is "clever"?

Maybe clever is the wrong word then....but they obviously aint stupid are they ? as a large number of TV's try to make out

Right. Stupid probably isn't the right word either.

Being intellectually unconcerned with the world outside the Kingdom is not the same thing as being stupid.

[CharlieH]

Off topic posts removed, the subject appeared to be derailing into a "relationship/being ripped off" discussion.

[avp55]

Sorry for bringing this post up but having been myself a Spanish migrant working in UK ive found that British do not show much interest about my country other than the beaches and the cheap beer we have there.

When asked where Im from most of them told me they've been there on holidays but very few of them knew anything about the culture.

I've even met people who have been living there for years and barely knew 3 or 4 words.

Does that mean that all British are as narrow minded as those I've met? I don't think so but that's my experience.

Also. In your home country. As someone mentioned, would you inquire your Chinese shop owner or the polish delivery driver about their country's lifestyle or culture? I doubt it very much. ..

It's just a matter of cultural and language barrier in my opinion. When we can't comunicate with others in a very fluent way we just keep the topics to badic stuff.

Cheers

[uthaithanirules]

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".

Thats interesting

Yes, I find Thais similar to Americans when it comes to not giving a s**t about other countries

[geronimo]

Strange question,

a bit like asking if Americans like sugar in their coffee!

[thaibeachlovers]

I find that Thais ask me as much about my country as my fellow countrymen ask me about Thailand ie sod all.

[fey]

not limited to that topic, its everything.

conversations are just small talk, stuff about food or personal petty gossip type stuff.

but it could just be me. i dont speak thai so they could all be talking about einsteins theory of relativity all day or the next cure for aids for all i know!

[AlexRich]

Thais appear to immediately recognise countries like US, England, Germany, France quite well ... but struggle with Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Belgium, etc. I don't think many could point any of them out on the map though, even the ones they'd heard of. They ask and then smile, nod and look a bit puzzled.

I don't mind ... I guess kids in school focus more on ASEAN?

[AlexRich]

Which part of Europe is USA in?

They meant before 1812 ...

[AlexRich]

Which part of Europe is USA in?

The Upper Swedish Arctic

You both seem to be confused or delusional.

The USA has dominated Europe since the 1940s when they saved their butts from the Hitler,

Just before they saved Asia from Japan.

What part of USA is Europe?

Confused and delusional, maybe. I tried a joke but you took it seriously. Up to you.

Re saving butts and Hitler, since we somewhat are into history.

I'd say that the butt saving was hardly singled handed by the US, several took part in that.

Now, about saving butts:

Sure US put a lot of effort into that, for a price. Every damned bullet, tank, aircraft, ship, soldier was paid for by the UK government.

A very few years back when Mr Gordon Brown was the UK Minister of Finance he paid the very last installment back to the US for their war time efforts.

The butt saving effort ended favourably for most tastes.

The US mercenaries were decently paid.

Most people concerned were comfortable with the result.

No free lunches, not during the 2nd WW either.

(note, my comment is purely about the war time effort, not about the post war efforts)

He forgot to mention that they also saved Vietnam from Communism, or not as the case may be. The first time they go it alone they get their buts kicked.

[wow64]

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.

What game is that netball or that gay kicking game played by guys in tight shorts that look like they are from silom.

Sent from my c64

[marko kok prong]

I think it generally depends on education,those in my ex wife's village,really had little conception of anything past the local town,they knew i was "man australia' but i may as well have been from the moon,my ex never asked me anything about Australia,and refused to ever leave Thailand even for a holiday.However a female friend in Bangkok,who had a good education was very interested in knowing about there,the Uk and other places,and had a keen interest to visit them i guess i married the wrong one!

[marko kok prong]

Got asked if the UK was near Australia.

Maybe they meant Austria

Got asked in Amerika if my wife was Chinese, I replied no she is from Thailand.

Bubba said to his mate, see I told you, Taiwan is Chinese.

Nothing more was said.

I worked with a lad from the US and was in a restaurant one night which had a big map of world on the wall, asked him to point out Africa and he pointed to South America, more troubling was fact the guy was ex US navy LOL...he never lived it down

Met a guy in Nashville,i was in a bar,

"where you from boy" he asked

"London ,England" i replied

"london,london" he pondered,"yeah i drove there one time"

"ah,no,maybe your thinking of somewhere in New England" i replied in a jovial manner,his eye's narrowed like Clint Eastwood,

"i'me talkin London,England,boy,you got a problem with that" he stated banging his glass on the counter.

"no of course not,must have been an interesting trip" i replied,swiftly finishing my beer,settling the bill and leaving.

[Bernard Flint]

I have had far more conversations about where i used to live, with thais, than my mum asking questions about thailand

[Xriz]

Always ask the wife where I'm from, she responds "ang git", then I get the double thumbs up.

Must know more than I do about the place because a single thumbs up is more than justified to be polite.

No more than that.

Very funny and underrated post!

[sanook2me]

I guess you missed the bit about stating his wife was from Thailand..common mistake confusing Thailand and Taiwan in the US even in the newspapers

He should've been more clear. I don;t think it;s an issue of mistaking Thailand for Taiwan, it's an issue of mis-hearing Thailand for Taiwan.

English people often have trouble with pronunciation - as do other Brits, and also Johnny Foreigners, But most of us try to make allowances for the shortcomings of others

SC

I'm English and this has happened to me a few times, and from people from all different levels of education and jobs.

People do confuse the word Thai with Thaiwan and Thaiwanese for example (i know the spellings are wrong but its probably what has formed in peoples brains)

It is not from mis-hearing it's just confusing the 2 countries and words.

[Phantom4]

Was asked by Thai Guy around Victory Monument "Where you from?" Hesitant to say Ireland usually get only "Roy Keane"

He answers "Oh Mary McAleese" (previous president) Nearly fell over lol

Seemly she was in Thailand helping with Education or something.

[KMartinHandyman]

At a barbecue in Jomtein and an extremely drunk Thai man approaches me having a cigarette out back,,"where you from?",,America I say,,"Peyton Manning!" He slurs out. I couldn't stop laughing.

[55Jay]

At a barbecue in Jomtein and an extremely drunk Thai man approaches me having a cigarette out back,,"where you from?",,America I say,,"Peyton Manning!" He slurs out. I couldn't stop laughing.

German guy I know here was in the Army for several years and was sent to America for some exchange/training program, I think he said Texas. Said he and his buddies stopped at a small town diner and after a bit of initial trouble with their heavily accented English, the waitress asked, "Where ya'all from?".

"We are from Gerrrr-man."

Said she got really excited, "Oh, wait right here!", ran into the back, and were slightly unnerved when she returned a moment later brandishing a large kitchen knife...... pointing excitedly to the blade exclaiming, "See? Made in Germany!". Ya'all make really good knives, this one's our favorite!".

People are funny sometimes.