Grumpy Thai Employees? No way.

[NoshowJones]

I keep reading about grumpy employees in hotel receptions, when I look at the reviews, and also in supermarkets etc.

I can honestly say I have never came across this in ten years of living in Thailand. All I have seen is good manners.

I can only assume it is mostly peoples attitude to them that makes them like this.

Have you come across grumpy Thai employees anywhere?

[gerry123]

generally no, i guess we all have off days/hours/moments

just an enquiry where do you keep reading about these things

not the pub forum per chance ???

[Soutpeel]

Define "grumpy" one suspects the people making these comments are miffed because the natives didnt kow tow down to them because they are "whities" as they should in the presence of the all knowing farang

[NoshowJones]

generally no, i guess we all have off days/hours/moments

just an enquiry where do you keep reading about these things

not the pub forum per chance ???

No, mostly reading hotel reviews, as I use hotels very regularly, and in Bangkok and Pattaya, don't have any special favourites.

Every time I go to Maesot, Petchabun, Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan etc, always use the same one.

[NoshowJones]

Define "grumpy" one suspects the people making these comments are miffed because the natives didnt kow tow down to them because they are "whities" as they should in the presence of the all knowing farang

Yes, good point.

[CharlieH]

Grumpy, no, but did encounter a sort of "short, curt responses" etc but that was probably because she was on her own and really busy multi tasking behind the desk.

Not bad as that was the only one I can recall in 10 years.

Usually, quite smiley and pleasant, but I am not a "frequent" user of hotels.

Cant recall ever happening in a store.

[toenail]

The 4-5 star hotel staff in Thailand all seem to be properly trained and most (?) of them have been to some kind of prep school connected to the tourist industry. The ones that rank below the norm...way below the gloom & loom are the sales clerks in various stores. I can go to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or in Bali and I do not face an incompetent group of workers, yes- English would also be their second language, yet seem to be able to communicate to the international customers in English. Here in Thailand, very few know English, and act as if they do not care to make a sale. This could be. Why knock yourself out if you are being paid 300 baht a day with no commission or not trained to put on a smile and know about the products you are selling. I am always shocked how in surrounding SE Asian countries the staff is better trained and more pleasant. I would not label them "grumpy" but label them lethargic and lacking spunk.

[Emster23]

Some have gotten grumpy if you interrupt their tweeting and all, or ask the sales staff to find some item at home improvement place.

Local street cart I like to frequent because the lady running it is never particularly pleasant. Makes me feel like family.

[godden]

didn't get a thank you after short time today, in fact she said your a lousy lover, i said how would you know after only 20 seconds

[timmyp]

I have had good experiences. I always start off really nice, that usually makes things go really well everywhere.

I remember a problem with Chinese-run shops that would be very aggressive with me when I would enter their store, with the attitude of, "Hurry up and buy something and get the F out of my store!"

Although this has really dropped down, I still get this at the older family-run music instruments shops near Sanam Luang. My friend explains this as an "efficient" way of doing business.

It's not a big deal to me, I still go there if I need cheap stuff. I guess this is working as an "efficient" way of doing business, because I generally do as the seem to want me to do: I get what I need quickly, quickly haggle the price (if it's an item requiring haggling), and leave, because I find such interactions rather unpleasant. Even when our interactions are going well, I feel like they are ready to scold and show me disapproval. Like I said, though, not that big a deal, or I wouldn't go back. If they have younger staff on duty, I try to deal with the younger staff, cuz the younger staff are always pleasant to deal with.

[Bernard Flint]

I would be grumpy if falang bar owner make me work from 4pm - to 4am every day, and only get 300 baht a day.Seriously, overall i find thais to be very polite and naturaly happy. They have to suffer many nationalities, that can be very intolerable to anything and everything.I have heard indians talking to thai ladies like dirt, and quite a few westerners too. They come to Thailand and then complain when a thai cannot understand their tinglish or scottish accent, join the queue, i cant either.

[Inepto Cracy]

Prime examples of apathetic staff at banks in Central Festival on Phuket. Sales staff in the shoe section of Central Sports and wine connection at central.

I would say that most times, staff, sales staff and hotel staff will do their utmost to help anyone.

If the staff are paid peanuts you will get monkeys. I am not going to even speak of non English speaking staff. ASEAN will sort out this field by all the other member nations that can speak English.

[HidyHo]

I can go to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or in Bali and I do not face an incompetent group of workers, yes- English would also be their second language, yet seem to be able to communicate to the international customers in English.

Man ... I'm not a Singaporean but do live and work in the little red dot. My experience is vastly differently from yours regarding incompetency, lack of English and no SERVICE. I see plenty of these but I don't live/work near Orchard street.

I often have better experience as a consumer in Bangkok with my rudimentary Thai and a smile. I still find Thais much more polite ... and much better at reciprocating politeness from me.

[oneday]

I find that higher end hotels are usually pretty darn good, but the cheaper the hotels get and the less demand/training on them by their bosses the more surly they can be. When it comes to supermarkets a lot of them never look at you or smile or say thank you, but it varies from market to market. I'm not saying all of them, of course not, but a lot of them.

I've lived in Pattaya for 6 years. I chalk these attitudes up to tourist cities where falang have soured their attitudes. Attitudes outside tourists cities I usually find much better.

As far as it being my fault. My interaction with them is perfectly normal given the two or 3 minutes I am in front of them and I've not said one single word. I rarely get a smile from the clerks at Friendship Market which I find to be the worst of the stores I frequent.

I find my local 7/11 pretty good and even Big "C" mini mart not bad. It runs the gamut. I'll be looking for how it compares in the US when I return in February. It will be interesting.

[razer]

Grumpy? Not really. I have come across several that didn't care if I bought anything or not ... even high ticket items. They were just not interested in providing service. Language fear probably. On the other hand, I came across a young lady selling fans. Bubbly personality, good English and exceptional product knowledge. LMAO ... I bought a fan from her.

[Rykbanlor]

generally no, i guess we all have off days/hours/moments

just an enquiry where do you keep reading about these things

not the pub forum per chance ???

No, mostly reading hotel reviews, as I use hotels very regularly, and in Bangkok and Pattaya, don't have any special favourites.

Every time I go to Maesot, Petchabun, Phitsanulok and Nakhon Sawan etc, always use the same one.

Hotel review sites such as trip advisor, and the agents with reviews like agoda, booking.com etc can be a bit of a double edged sword.

I manage a resort/hostel in Krabi and we have generally excellent reviews but we have had about 2 terrible reviews in 4 years, which accused us of being arrogant and rude, another which claimed our place was hot cramped and awful (comparing these to the hundreds of other reviews who claim us to be friendly helpful and one of the best most spacious and nice hostels they've ever stayed in).

Opinions are highly subjective.

Recently one reviewer wrote: The staff were really polite and helpful and friendly and not to say anything against them, but they were a little distant, just missing that extra special spark.

I suppose I should have given them oral sex and baked them a cake?

We never reply to reviews because we do trust most potential guests to do the math themselves, but the world is full of people who now given the chance to voice their opinion on everything do so with gusto, a fine toothed comb, and sometimes a very mean spirit.

[NoshowJones]

Some have gotten grumpy if you interrupt their tweeting and all, or ask the sales staff to find some item at home improvement place.

Local street cart I like to frequent because the lady running it is never particularly pleasant. Makes me feel like family.

I suppose so, I have came across lots of incompetence, but never from hotel staff, I always find out that in Thailand, if you make a point of being

nice to people, they are always nice back, maybe that's why I am never in trouble over here the way I was back in the UK.

Edited October 1, 2015 by possum1931

[Shiver]

I can't recall a single instance in my 9 (nearly 10 years now).

I have however frequently experienced lack of attention, and think that it is no coincidence that it appeared when phone social media caught on here. Once I've got their attention though, they're fine.

If the customer is polite and friendly, then it seems to rub off, and they have no option but to feel happier

[NoshowJones]

Grumpy? Not really. I have come across several that didn't care if I bought anything or not ... even high ticket items. They were just not interested in providing service. Language fear probably. On the other hand, I came across a young lady selling fans. Bubbly personality, good English and exceptional product knowledge. LMAO ... I bought a fan from her.

Maybe they are never grumpy to me because I am handsome, maybe a lot of them don't like the tattoos, facial hair, and fat bellies.

[realenglish1]

No grumpy Thai employeess Just some grumpy old Men

[Fallangpakwan]

For some reason MAKRO seem to have the most friendly staff I know of; at Pattaya south and north, Petchabun, Mae Sot and a few others I have used. One day at Pattaya north I was checking out and noticed a small bottle of massage liniment with the girl at the next vacant check-out and asked her if MAKRO was now selling that. No, she said,why whats wrong? I have a sore neck I said; she jumped over with the liniment and started massaging my neck while waiting for my bill; can't beat that.

[alanrchase]

I keep reading about grumpy employees in hotel receptions, when I look at the reviews, and also in supermarkets etc.

I can honestly say I have never came across this in ten years of living in Thailand. All I have seen is good manners.

I can only assume it is mostly peoples attitude to them that makes them like this.

Have you come across grumpy Thai employees anywhere?

Let me try and get this straight. You have not met a grumpy Thai but have heard they exist and want members to confirm it for you?

[Gillyflower]

I don't have any problem, most people are pleasant. I suppose there is always the odd one though. I wouldn't call the 7/11 people 'grumpy',, but on the whole they aren't very amiable. In my hotel/GH the receptionist is more than 'grumpy'. Not to me, she is always perfectly charming, but I have never heard one nice word about her from many others. Everybody complains about how she is so disagreeable. Her English is excellent.

Talking about the English speaking part. A few years back, I belonged to a Book Club in the UK. I had to telephone them once or twice and I could never understand a word that the person on the other end was saying. I wrote finally and complained about it. From then on, no problem.

[Gillyflower]

I don't have any problem, most people are pleasant. I suppose there is always the odd one though. I wouldn't call the 7/11 people 'grumpy',, but on the whole they aren't very amiable. In my hotel/GH the receptionist is more than 'grumpy'. Not to me, she is always perfectly charming, but I have never heard one nice word about her from many others. Everybody complains about how she is so disagreeable. Her English is excellent.

Talking about the English speaking part. A few years back, I belonged to a Book Club in the UK. I had to telephone them once or twice and I could never understand a word that the person on the other end was saying. I wrote finally and complained about it. From then on, no problem.

[NoshowJones]

I keep reading about grumpy employees in hotel receptions, when I look at the reviews, and also in supermarkets etc.

I can honestly say I have never came across this in ten years of living in Thailand. All I have seen is good manners.

I can only assume it is mostly peoples attitude to them that makes them like this.

Have you come across grumpy Thai employees anywhere?

Let me try and get this straight. You have not met a grumpy Thai but have heard they exist and want members to confirm it for you?

No, I just wondered why there are so many reviews about hotel receptionists being grumpy, when I have always found

that if you are nice to them, they are always nice back. This is the case with Thai people in general.

Incompetence, definitely plenty of that, but that's for another topic.

[Monkeyrobot]

No tip and they get grumpy. But to be honest 95% no grumpy. Everybody has a bad day now and again. But I do see more Grumpy Farangs then Thais.

[quandow]

As I was exercising on the treadmill at one of big gyms in Pattaya today, I got sprayed in the face with cleanser. I looked at the female employee who did it, and she was VERY grumpy and it was obviously intentional. It doesn't happen all the time, but it does happen.

[recom273]

I'm just on my way home from Laos .. Geez - grumpy, unfriendly, awkward people .. One example, they spend all day on their backside watching Thai soaps, but refused to find a common language to communicate.

Only two people in a week asked where I was going or what I was upto. Get to Thailand and the immigration officer invites me into his hut for a chat while we sort out the import papers - the same in customs. That was more conversation than I had in laos. Glad to be back !

Edited October 1, 2015 by recom273

[farangmick]

Grumpy? Not really. I have come across several that didn't care if I bought anything or not ... even high ticket items. They were just not interested in providing service. Language fear probably. On the other hand, I came across a young lady selling fans. Bubbly personality, good English and exceptional product knowledge. LMAO ... I bought a fan from her.

Maybe they are never grumpy to me because I am handsome, maybe a lot of them don't like the tattoos, facial hair, and fat bellies.

Which are hanging over a pair of shorts not changed in a week, topped with a sweat stained vest.

[gemguy]

Yes ....sometimes I have......but not described as grumpy rather just moody and you can see they do not like their job or having to be working serving others.

Mostly though they do their job with a smile and do it well enough...but every so often I do come across an employee that comes with attitude whether it be at that moment or on that day ....so ..... being there at the wrong place at the wrong time, comes to mind.

Personally I have found the moody person that comes with an attitude situation more so with young girls and women who can not handle the work load or the pace at which they have to work and mostly seen in office jobs amongst girls that are university educated......while I think they think they are entitled to be grumpy or moody......but I have seen it and or experienced it and or had it explained to me in detail often enough by people who have to work with some people who are moody ...all the time.

I sympathize with the young girls and young boys that work at places such as 7 /11 or when you are in the line up at the super market watching the cashier doing what needs to be done, while it makes me think about other peoples lives and what they do to make a living and make ends meet and I feel fortunate that I did not have to do jobs like that on a regular employment basis......seemingly forever....but ...then again my first temporary job was as a stock boy in a super market...lol

Point being....I think you and I would also be grumpy, at least some of the time, if we had to do some of the jobs and thankless work tasks that so many employees have to perform...day in and day out, near everyday and on and on and probably never have the opportunity to find another job...unless they are fired or laid off and then forced to look for another go nowhere, lousy, low paying job.

Cheers

Edited October 1, 2015 by gemguy