Years ago, the first time I cracked open a guidebook, there it was: In Thailand, losing your temper was uncool. It was like rule number one for tourists, right? I quickly committed this cultural edict to memory, and never gave it a second thought.

Sure, over the years I’ve had a few breaches of decorum. Like when a $200 dollar pair of sunglasses were stolen right from under my nose on Koh Chang. And there’ve been a few other times over the years when I’ve had to “go ghetto” as well, but generally I’ve been pretty good about keeping my temper under control in the Kingdom of Siam.

But recently I’ve been thinking, exactly who does this rule apply to?

Does it apply to farangs getting mad at other farangs? Surely there’s no rule against this. The entertainment value’s simply too high. Who wouldn’t love to see a couple of farang guys going at each other, say on Walking Street or in Nana Plaza? Most Thais would find this very entertaining, right? Or better yet, a couple of farang women getting into a good ole' fashioned UFC hair-pulling, shin-kicking, face-scratching fest? You can’t tell me most Thais – men and women alike – wouldn’t pay good money to see something like that. So this rule can’t apply here, can it?

How about Thais getting mad at farangs? Every time I’ve seen a Thai get mad at a farang, everyone in ear shot seems to think the Thai person is 100% justified for getting upset. How dare you accuse me of trying to rip you off? The nerve of some of these foreigners. Will it never end? Un-huh. Tell it like it is sister. Have you ever noticed a Thai telling another Thai to calm down when they're yelling at a foreigner? It seems pretty acceptable for Thais to get mad at foreigners, doesn’t it?

So my question is: Does this rule really only apply to foreigners getting mad at Thais? Is that really what the rule is?

And what I really want to know is: Where exactly did this rule come from? Who, I’d like to know, was the first person to explain this rule to a foreigner? Did a monk explain this to a stringer for Lonely Planet? Where did this come from?

Is it true, or is this just a humongous outdated cultural myth about Thailand? Where is this written? Is this myth the reason why some Thais think they can get away with taking advantage of foreigners? Do some Thai people think they can try to rip foreigners off with impunity because they - inexplicably - never get upset when you do? Is there a double standard at play here?

Please share your thoughts on this matter.

I think the anger thing was here long before foreigners came.Also doesnot matter who gets angry at who Thais will mind their own business and not get involved. it is a culture thing.

I don't get angry because it's a waste of my time.

I look on the Thai 'never get angry' as a Buddhist comment on that process.

Don't waste your time.

I think the anger thing was here long before foreigners came.Also doesnot matter who gets angry at who Thais will mind their own business and not get involved. it is a culture thing.

Pretty sure, if a tuk tuk driver goes ape at a tourist, the other 12 tuk tuk drivers near by do not mind their own business... Oh no, they come racing in for that cheap flying kick then run back to wait for their next opening....

Or as my wife uses to say...jay yen yen...

Why not to get angry ?
Could it be that there's just so many opportunities to become angry here in the "land of smiles" that it's simply useless to to start...., anger has been purposefully devalued..., so much that a grin and bear it attitude takes over and now it has come to the grin being confused for, and misrepresented as a smile ?

Maybe it didn't originate in but was canonized by this vintage 1995 TAT brochure:

"To lose one's temper, especially in public, is regarded as bad manners. Nor does it achieve anything, and one is far more likely to get what one wants by keeping a cool head and concealing emotions."

Racism.

Perhaps you're taking this rule a little too seriously. After all, it's not really cool to get angry anywhere. Maybe what the guide books are getting at is try to have a little more patience whilst visiting the Land of Smiles. For many times what seems like a ripoff might be a misunderstanding, or ignorance.

Perhaps you're taking this rule a little too seriously. After all, it's not really cool to get angry anywhere. Maybe what the guide books are getting at is try to have a little more patience whilst visiting the Land of Smiles. For many times what seems like a ripoff might be a misunderstanding, or ignorance.

Yes -- never get angry ... like this:

i enjoy staying cool when thais get angry

public displays of anger are more common here than back home for sure. locals seem to go from calm to very angry quickly and with no warning. we usually warn someone with words or body language that they are annoying us.

thai rages often seem to be about money and love.

Not long ago, there was a News-Post in TVF, claiming that the murder-rate (per capita) in Thailand is worse than in the US. If true, the "Anger-Control" mechanism don't seem to work too well in LOS !

Otherwise: "Thai Rak Thai" and nobody else. The game only changes, if some immediate or longer-term financial benefits come into play, of course. After that, it's back to "Thai Rak Thai".

Cheers.