I'm from Ireland and I have zero interest in subjects like U.S politics or Syria. I find the news to be generally depressing as <deleted>, so I stay away from it as much as possible and have no opinion about any of it. I prefer to talk about topics that I am passionate about such as food, travel and football. I've never had a problem having a decent conversation with a Thai person on these subjects either because the majority of people I have met here are interested by them. It might surprise American people, but the world doesn't centre around your country. In fact, a lot of us couldn't give a flying <deleted> about America or world politics. I find that Thai people are passionate about the every day pleasures in life - good food, participation in sports, motorbikes, and money. Stuff like that.

I concur. Get on the correct topics and the correct language and talk talk talk.

Also helps to establish yourself as respectful, unthreatening and polite from their perspective.

I once heard an older Thai share an observation/question,and in a tone of complete innocence , was "in Farang world do man give birth to baby?"... huh! .... "see many farang man look very pregnant".....

No wonder conversation can be a struggle here.

And the reply,

In Thailand why do so many attractive women have a penis?