“How to impress Thai people beyond just a wai” – what manners, traits or actions will put you in good stead?

[Inspire]

“How to impress Thai people beyond just a wai” – what manners, traits or actions will put you in good stead?

 

I was asked recently how to impress Thais with more than the basics that everyone resident in the kingdom is supposed to know – more than just wai-ing reasonably correctly, more than knowing that it might be inappropriate to ruffle the hair of your girlfriend’s gran when greeting her, more even than using your hand rather than your foot when turning on the fan on the floor (many Thais probably do that anyway).

 

So here are my top thirty tips:

 

If you know nothing of the language do learn how to say “I am completely stupid and I know nothing” – it will act as a good ice breaker as you then revert to English. “Phom eng ngo mark na krap – phom mai ruu ruang arai leuy”, or something like that should suffice.

 

Don’t bore Thais with details – complaining about the inappropriateness of, say, Donald Trump is a waste of time. Just tell them who he is (they are unlikely to have the faintest) and ask their opinion about whether he is wearing a wig or not.

 

Smile a lot and shower regularly. If people do complain about your body odor tell them you will have a shower tomorrow as it is your birthday.

 

Never complain about bad service or a cockroach in your food in a restaurant. Just moan on and on about it in the car on the way home.

 

If you invite people out to dinner pay for everything. If they invite you pay for nothing. Never haggle over bills – just moan on and on about it in the car on the way home.

 

Don’t sit down next to a pretty girl on the Sky train – ogle her from a distance and nudge the Thai man next to you to “get a good look at that”.

 

Do not pick up important objects like trophies or Buddhist images by the top. Use the base. If it proves necessary to eject your mother-in-law from the premises use neither the base nor top. Give her 100 baht and tell her to buy a treat at 7/11 then change the locks.

 

If a really ugly bar girl sits down next to you ask her which province she is from and say it is beautiful there. Then go to the toilet. If she is still there when you come back tell her that your wife is due in in a few minutes and she is a jealous sort who works in a knife factory.

 

Always praise Thailand for everything good and blame the government or the police for everything bad. Check first you are not talking to a politician or member of the constabulary.

 

If you must complain about anything stick to mosquitos, spicy food, traffic and people who are running online Ponzi schemes. If they have fallen victim to the latter – sympathize.

 

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/impress-thai-people-beyond-just-wai-manners-traits-actions-will-put-good-stead/

 

 

[villagefarang]

I found most of this reasonably humorous if not a bit cliché.  Fortunately I have moved beyond most of it and have developed my own ways of handling these imagined situations.  It is probably a good start for a beginner though. 

[oxo1947]

6 minutes ago, villagefarang said:

I found most of this reasonably humorous if not a bit cliché.  Fortunately I have moved beyond most of it and have developed my own ways of handling these imagined situations.  It is probably a good start for a beginner though. 

.

So give us some tips then Villagefarang........ because I do mess up a lot.

.

Only last week I found that -- if your wife ever says to you  "if anything happens to me Teruk, I want you to meet someone new...."
"Apparently anything" doesn't include her getting stuck in traffic when she is supposed to meet you in your bar……...

[villagefarang]

10 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

.

So give us some tips then Villagefarang........ because I do mess up a lot.

.

Only last week I found that -- if your wife ever says to you  "if anything happens to me Teruk, I want you to meet someone new...."
"Apparently anything" doesn't include her getting stuck in traffic when she is supposed to meet you in your bar……...

 

That is funny but I don’t cheat, we have iPhones and LINE, plus we never go to bars so the scenario doesn’t work for me.  Living in the countryside far from Chiang Rai traffic is not much of a problem either.

I prefer original content and non-repetitive answers.  Being able to speak Thai I can be creative when crafting answers to boring questions I have heard countless times over the years.  I am sure you can come up with ways to get yourself out of any trouble you get yourself into.

[JJGreen]

Just flash some cash...works wonders

[scotchonrocks]

One of the funniest pieces of satire I have seen on ThaiVisa. Loved the one about "the jealous wife who works in a knife factory".

[1FinickyOne]

Just might add that trying to impress Thais is usually rather unimpressive to them, though many of the tips in the original article are quite valid. They usually have a pretty strong 6th sense as to people trying to impress. The word my wife might use would be "Over" - as in overdone... 

[thaipo7]

At some point you will be happy to see certain Thai people.  I find those people like when I say, " I am happy to see you again" in Thai.  Not hard to learn either.

[MissAndry]

Who would care, I rarely talk to foreigners, doesn't matter what flavour of foreigner they are.

 

“Phom eng ngo mark na krap – phom mai ruu ruang arai leuy (krap)”,

Apparently the ghost writer for this puff piece isn't Thai either, as this appears incorrect.

There, fixed to for ya!

Edited August 7, 2016 by MissAndry

[JohnDodd]

8 minutes ago, MissAndry said:

Who would care, I rarely talk to foreigners, doesn't matter what flavour of foreigner they are.

 

“Phom eng ngo mark na krap – phom mai ruu ruang arai leuy”,

Apparently the ghost writer for this puff piece isn't Thai either, as this appears incorrect.

Phom eng ngo mark na krap- phom mai ruu ruang leuy=I myself am very stupid krab- phom mai ruu ruang leuy=I don't know anythin

ผมเองโง่มากนะตรับ......ผมไม่รู้เรืองเลย......same same

[DKNY77]

“How to impress Thai people beyond just a wai”

$$$$$$$$$$$

[rogeroc]

If you get given too much change (often happens) return it. Happened to me today on check out from the hotel, the receptionist was delighted and said she would have been made responsible for the 400 baht shortfall.

[oxo1947]

 

Just see if you can spot the millionaire.......Thai women seem quite adapt at doing this........

 

[razer]

I was on the plane to Dubai and the guy next to me asked me what I thought about Thailand. I told him the truth, the good, the bad and the fake. Turns out he was a Thai MP. 

[JHolmesJr]

I am certainly not looking to impress thai people.

 

i am just looking to avoid having my head kicked in. 

[Kwasaki]

Why the need to Impress another silly article, I have always just been myself and looked at the do's and don'ts before coming to Thailand.

l have good Thai friends in our village, took some of the neighbours 10 years to smile and wave though.