They were probably caught up in their own world, talking to wife/gf -  and so didn't even notice your 'good morning'.

23 minutes ago, Borzandy said:

I say hello to people I know. But I noticed that the newbies are thinking every farangs have to say hello to all the farangs, as they are well known in Thailand.

Newbies my arse. I know people who have been here years who say good morning .

Edited August 12, 20169 yr by Deepinthailand

3 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

They were probably caught up in their own world, talking to wife/gf -  and so didn't even notice your 'good morning'.

No they heard as I said just either  looked at floor or gave the evil don't talk to me stare.

"...is it that Mr Farang thinks he's a cut above everybody else or just down right bad manners..."

 

I am very social and always say hello to everyone but on occasion some people don't want to respond because of language/cultural reasons (which is fine) or because they simply don't want to talk maybe they don't feel it appropriate to talk to strangers or don't feel well etc. - this is also fine.

 

Your above statement is your feelings but I doubt many people will agree with you both Thai and those from outside Thailand.

 

Very softly I want to ask you to think whether you are the type who is quick to judge others? No need to tell us your answer.

 

Good luck with conversations.

 

How many people here say hello to every stranger they pass in their home countries? 

When I first came here I smiled at every Westerner, assuming some sort of 'kindred spirit' bond.  Obviously we grow out of this with time as living here becomes less of a novelty.

 

Even so, in my experience the majority of Westerners are easy to 'read'   i.e. they'll offer a smile/look grumpy/say "good morning"  or whatever - and its obvious from their body language (if I'm paying attention at that time - most of the time I'm thinking about something else and so paying no attention whatsoever!) whether a smile or 'good morning' is appropriate.

 

You were unlucky meeting so many grumpy Westerners in such a short space of time.

20 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

Having read the replies I can see the answer to my question is yes a cut above. If anyone said good morning to me I would reply with a good morning but hey I was brought up with that. Yes I do belive Farangs here belive they are a cut above  not just Thai but all other Farangs. 

There's a chance the farang is/was a sex tourist or subsidising a wife/family for sex with a younger/more attractive gf/wife.   Why should I speak to some fat, old stranger simply because by the accident of birth he has the same skin colour as me?

 

I will continue my sawasdee krabs to the Thais I know and respect around town.

Work on the same principle as you would in your home town/city. If you walked along the street saying hello to everyone you came across, regardless of knowing them, then continue that practice wherever you are.

I wonder if your wife also said hello to lots of people she didn't know?  And if yes how was her experience.

Personally I do always return a greeting, be it a smile, a nod or a hello.

19 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

Saying good morning is not engaging in a conversation just manners really 

 

Not necessarily, I don't go around saying good morning to random strangers, maybe they are not having a good morning, maybe they are busy going about their business and you are intruding in their daily rituals. My take.

9 minutes ago, JJGreen said:

How many people here say hello to every stranger they pass in their home countries? 

YES.  I'd get my f'cking head kicked in!

I love this.....I walk every morning.  I always say hello as  I pass other walkers;

especially if thre is eye contact.  A couple of the grumpy old farts never

acknowledge, after I have said hello. No acknowledgement I never speak

to them again....plenty of nice people that acknowledge you!

19 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

"...is it that Mr Farang thinks he's a cut above everybody else or just down right bad manners..."

 

I am very social and always say hello to everyone but on occasion some people don't want to respond because of language/cultural reasons (which is fine) or because they simply don't want to talk maybe they don't feel it appropriate to talk to strangers or don't feel well etc. - this is also fine.

 

Your above statement is your feelings but I doubt many people will agree with you both Thai and those from outside Thailand.

 

Very softly I want to ask you to think whether you are the type who is quick to judge others? No need to tell us your answer.

 

Good luck with conversations.

 

I never judge others as it happens I tell it as It is how I feel. I belive Mr and Mrs grumpy out there have there lives I Mr Happy have mine. I still belive Farangs feel they are a cut above but a cut above what is the biggest question. I shall stay Mr Happy saying hello I refuse to be drawn down to other people's levels.

20 hours ago, Deepinthailand said:

Having read the replies I can see the answer to my question is yes a cut above. If anyone said good morning to me I would reply with a good morning but hey I was brought up with that. Yes I do belive Farangs here belive they are a cut above  not just Thai but all other Farangs. 

 

Usually I get some sort of response from Thais and farang in my building, often the good morning or sawatdee is initiated by them. A few farang looked annoyed and constipated when it happens, so I always go out of my way to speak to them. If they're pissed off about it, so much the better.

 

Out on the street in most cases, with farang especially, unless I know them fairly well I wouldn't expect to give or receive much more than a nod in passing, but I would certainly respond with the nod to anyone I knew. If a farang stranger greeted me on the street, presumably only because we are both farang, I'd probably be less inclined to respond or slow down.

My rule of thumb here in Pattaya is never make eye contact with any farang.....or conversation for that matter....always some knob wants  a dust up or the like....complete idiots is the rule of the day...????

21 minutes ago, elliottm said:

There's a chance the farang is/was a sex tourist or subsidising a wife/family for sex with a younger/more attractive gf/wife.   Why should I speak to some fat, old stranger simply because by the accident of birth he has the same skin colour as me?

 

I will continue my sawasdee krabs to the Thais I know and respect around town.

What can one say. I know a good diet if you think your that fat.

16 hours ago, MissAndry said:

Correct etiquette is to not talk to people you don't know until  properly introduced by a mutual friend or family member. Have you never read Pride and Prejudice?

 

Just because you are lonely is no excuse to show bad manners.

And to only do it to those you feel share your racial background is despicable.

Are you for real?

21 minutes ago, little mary sunshine said:

I love this.....I walk every morning.  I always say hello as  I pass other walkers;

especially if thre is eye contact.  A couple of the grumpy old farts never

acknowledge, after I have said hello. No acknowledgement I never speak

to them again....plenty of nice people that acknowledge you!

"Eye contact" is a v good point.  Head down, no eye-contact - then they obviously have no wish to engage in any way whatsoever.

I am from Texas, so  I greet everyone with "Howdy". I don't often get a response. 

I've been in Thailand too long (16 years) and know well from experience that too many farangs here are complete idiots or just want to talk about themselves (boring). I can't be bothered with either. And I know, as a result, I am now considered rather unsociable. But I'm now 48 years old and, guess what, I don't give a shit! So there! 

De[ends on the country you are in.

In new York City, for example, "What the F- ck you ;ooking at?" is considerd a polite greeting.

Do you say hello to every thai person you pass? A cut above that?If not you should realise that as you pick the people you engage with, they in turn can reply or not.  Try a hello on the London underground in rush hour 555..

i am staying in esan and there are a few westerners around but it seems they all avoid each other like the plague. though it would be different up here. i get tired of talking to other expats as everyone seems to have the same stories in pattaya so i generally just stick to talking to my own social group. bit lacking in conversation up here so i am having to spend more time on thai visa.

10 minutes ago, cms22 said:

I've been in Thailand too long (16 years) and know well from experience that too many farangs here are complete idiots or just want to talk about themselves (boring). I can't be bothered with either. And I know, as a result, I am now considered rather unsociable. But I'm now 48 years old and, guess what, I don't give a shit! So there! 

Cut above

I do a quick body language read and often say "Hi", but then again, I am a yank from Oregon. I wonder if OP is also American? Simple way to acknowledge other exists, could make world seem less cold. And yes, in my home town we often say hello to strangers. If someone may follow up with hard luck scam, I do know how to say "no".

I grew up in a small village. We were taught to greet everybody. Of course, if you grow up in a big city you don't do that.

Nowadays I answer every greeting, but I initiate only after an eye contact.

Some years ago, my Thai wife and I bicycled very slowly on a small path along the Lago Maggiore.  Just for fun, we greeted

everybody  with a smile and a Buongiorno (Good day). All kind of answers we got, and good fun it was.

 

21 hours ago, sipi said:

I would have said hello and had a wee chat.

 

I would have said hello, had a wee, and a chat.

I guess guys on extended sex holidays with hookers don't really like being addressed. Or they scoff at every other farang while not noticing how every other Thai laughs at them.

14 minutes ago, seabear said:

I grew up in a small village. We were taught to greet everybody. Of course, if you grow up in a big city you don't do that.

Nowadays I answer every greeting, but I initiate only after an eye contact.

Some years ago, my Thai wife and I bicycled very slowly on a small path along the Lago Maggiore.  Just for fun, we greeted

everybody  with a smile and a Buongiorno (Good day). All kind of answers we got, and good fun it was.

 

Sort of the same here, but I only say 'good morning' after receiving a smile.  Eye contact just initiates a smile from me - which can be ignored if they're feeling grumpy/not interested in returning the smile.

One came to this thread just now hoping to greet all and sundry with a '"top o'the morning to you all", but since the esprit of the day, indeed this website, seems to be grumbly farangs complaining - mostly about Thais but, when they're unavailable, other farangs too - I see no reason to differ. I therefore wish all of you a most unpleasant day and may your beer taste like buffalo farts smell.

37 minutes ago, mesterm said:

I guess guys on extended sex holidays with hookers don't really like being addressed. Or they scoff at every other farang while not noticing how every other Thai laughs at them.

 

As a thirty-year veteran of sex tourism in Thailand, I find your tone offensive; as explained above I can meet and greet with the best of them. Being a wanton libertine is no barrier to politesse.