Thai attitude to foreigners: An all time low?

[212Roger]

8 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

 

87% of statistics are made up on the spot....

 

 

Before the use of statistics, people just plain lied.

[212Roger]

9 minutes ago, Faz said:

I blame Pokemon Go!

I, too, have a monster in my pocket.

[whaleboneman]

I find that if you go through life happy and smiling, most people respond in kind. Some will be grumpy but that should not affect you.

[prestburypark]

10 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

What do you expect from people who are paid 300baht a day?

 

Long time?

[whaleboneman]

3 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

It's easy. I have little or nothing in common with Thais, but luckily I dont need to interact with them at all apart for paying them for whatever job or service they may happen to be doing for me. So what I think of them has no real impact on my way of life, nor does what they think of me.

 

As for my demeanour, I am always polite and always say "hello" or "thank you" to people in their own language if I can speak it, or in mine if I cant. This is more than many Thais here do. I am also scrupulously honest and very considerate of others. This also is more than many Thais here are.

That's too bad. I think you're missing out big time here. The guy that tiled my house is my good friend now. I used to make him lunch while he was working. And he always came back for a beer after he went home and cleaned up. Now I go over to his place for dinner and a haircut (50 baht) and he plays his crazy guitar type instrument. When I need a tool, I know he will always lend it. If you never get to know anyone, how would you know you have nothing in common?

[smotherb]

9 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

 

87% of statistics are made up on the spot....

 

 

Yet, the majority of statistics will either support or not support any subject

[Torrens54]

13 hours ago, Jingthing said:

As I've lived here a  long time sometimes it's like being a frog in water that's being very slowly brought to a boil. But, yes, I think you're probably on to something that is real. 

 I first came here 30+ years ago, am married to a Thai and we have a Teenage daughter.... and YES, "Thais are a Changing."

But NOT just towards we Farang... the Rudeness mentioned extends to Thais as well.

 

I have commented on this forum previously about the lack of a "thank you" at checkouts at Rimping, Big C and Makro, all fine establishments where courtesy was their Trademark but not any more. Pretty sad really !

[berybert]

I am lucky that I am a pretty miserable bugger myself. So I don't go around smiling and talking to complete strangers or making small talk to people in shops. So I don't notice nor care if people do the same to me.

Those who walk around with a fixed smile will always be left disappointed when their falseness isn't repaid.

[onemorechang]

3 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

That's too bad. I think you're missing out big time here. The guy that tiled my house is my good friend now. I used to make him lunch while he was working. And he always came back for a beer after he went home and cleaned up. Now I go over to his place for dinner and a haircut (50 baht) and he plays his crazy guitar type instrument. When I need a tool, I know he will always lend it. If you never get to know anyone, how would you know you have nothing in common?

 

What you going to do,   when your having a beer and he taps you up

for say 100,000 baht,    he needs real quick as mum is sick. ?

Thai male friends that's a hard one

.But never say never

 

 

[Balance]

People forget that Thai social organization is first and foremost based on your status relative to the person with whom you are dealing.  This is ingrained and baked into the Thai language itself.  It has existed for hundreds of years.  It is a pecking order based on family standing and from that the circle of "important" people who can be counted on to intervene or provide help.  A few years ago a man was driving in back of a big bike and apparently he "got bored" so he simply ran over the bike and killed the rider.  The man got out of his Benz and started screaming about what his name was, what his father's name and then listed all of the important people he or someone knew.   Some said the reason for this was to intimidate any potential witnesses that saw what he did. 

 

The structure rolls downhill, and farang, no matter how much money they have, lays at the bottom of the hill.  Of course, this is an academic description that has been around a long time.  My experience is that when a farang interacts one-on-one it is the attitude or the Thai's perception that will govern.  It is complex and unless you are a fluent Thai speaker you will never understand it.  

[simon43]

Everyone in London is very polite, I was surprised at how generally rude Thais are to customers.

 

Slightly off-topic, but when I visited London for the first time in many years, I was surprised at how polite the shop staff were, with many Eastern Europeans, Asian staff etc all polite.

 

'Thank-you Sir'

'Can I help you Sir'

 

etc 

 

My brother, who lives in England told me that actually they are mostly quoting from a rehearsed script, giving polite but canned responses to customers' common and expected questions, since their knowledge of English language was rather poor.

 

He said that you can confirm this by giving a totally unexpected response, such as 'Please rub my nipples with a wet lettuce', as which point the staff member will become totally flustered and rush to search their script for the correct reply to this comment. 

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, beachproperty said:

So you went to a few shops where they didn't say thank-you....And  one laundry shop where the women was busy and didn't kiss your ass.

For a tourist in touristy areas to make generalization about all the Thai's....Well that's just stupid

 

Have lived here for over 10 Years and NO I haven't seen Thai attitudes gradually eroding......But maybe that's because I don't live in a touristy area.

I have lived here longer and do live close to a tourist areas, and from my perspective he is correct.

I believe your last sentence explains the reason behind that, rural areas are slow to change.

 

The phone is also factor, many seem to be engrossed in them when supposedly working.

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

Slightly off-topic, but when I visited London for the first time in many years, I was surprised at how polite the shop staff were, with many Eastern Europeans, Asian staff etc all polite.

 

'Thank-you Sir'

'Can I help you Sir'

 

etc 

 

My brother, who lives in England told me that actually they are mostly quoting from a rehearsed script, giving polite but canned responses to customers' common and expected questions, since their knowledge of English language was rather poor.

 

He said that you can confirm this by giving a totally unexpected response, such as 'Please rub my nipples with a wet lettuce', as which point the staff member will become totally flustered and rush to search their script for the correct reply to this comment. 

And your brother voted for UKIP.

[lemonjelly]

Maybe just a reaction to the class of foreigners in Patts hitting an all-time low?

[Thainovice 88]

I agree with Mike 111. I had a rude encounter with a shop girl in a condo mini mart in Jomtien the other day which was shocking! ( we were there for a week and  bought from her shop) Don't they usually depend on the business of the residents to survive?  She had no eggs so I commented on it with a smile and she said ' I dun care, I dun care. Go out and buy!!" and yes she was on her phone!  What will happen if no one bought from her? She has to close down and go to the walking street for business. They should appreciate the business farang tourists and residents bring to them. Imagine Pattaya without tourists! All the businesses are geared toward tourists. There is hospitality if they can rip you off with a smile and a Thai comment if you don't buy! Better learn Thai to understand what they are saying. It has certainly changed a lot. 

[BaldPlumber]

Maybe she was on the phone asking where the hell the eggs she ordered were.

I didn't realise it was either (1) sell eggs or (2) sell your ar$e on walking street.

Seems a bit harsh TBH.

[Si Thea01]

Given some of the responses on here is there any wonder why Thais, in some areas, would look down on the Farang.  Most bring it on themselves.  You can see from many others that they do not experience similar situations. I wonder why, look at their responses, fully explained.  Maybe if these whingers took it upon themselves to learn a little about the country, it's culture and then at least learn to speak and understand a little Thai.

 

You will be amazed how things change and never forget you always receive back what you put into it.  It's called effort. Think about it.   And do not forget that Thais are basically shy or on occasions a little scared of the farang.  Speak to them in their language and watch the change.

[thai3]

17 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

Funnily enough, I always get a genuine Wai and a KKK when I hand over my 1,000 bht the next morning.

 

If you are talking about being a serial customer of a prostitute what do you think their attitude is as soon as your back it turned?

[jerojero]

No difference. Example... Often see taxi drivers decline giving rides to foreigners and Thai people equally!

[OMGImInPattaya]

18 hours ago, MissAndry said:

 

Everyone in London is very polite, I was surprised at how generally rude Thais are to customers.

It was an unexpected shock to me when I arrived here. Much more polite in the Philippines too.

Maybe so...when they're not shoving a shiv in your back and stealing your wallet.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

Funnily enough, I always get a genuine Wai and a KKK when I hand over my 1,000 bht the next morning.

Another member of the Lazy Posters Brigade, what is KKK?

[BaldPlumber]

36 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Another member of the Lazy Posters Brigade, what is KKK?
 

 

A thank you

 

[MissAndry]

1 minute ago, possum1931 said:

Another member of the Lazy Posters Brigade, what is KKK?

 

I was thinking burning crosses and pillow cases over the head.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

Funnily enough, I always get a genuine Wai and a KKK when I hand over my 1,000 bht the next morning.

Another member of the Lazy Posters Brigade, what is KKK?

 

1 minute ago, BaldPlumber said:

 

A thank you

 

Really? Is that not ATU?

[BaldPlumber]

34 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

Really? Is that not ATU?

He wasn't that lazy, he was abbreviating in thai lol

[KittenKong]

7 hours ago, whaleboneman said:

That's too bad. I think you're missing out big time here. The guy that tiled my house is my good friend now. I used to make him lunch while he was working. And he always came back for a beer after he went home and cleaned up. Now I go over to his place for dinner and a haircut (50 baht) and he plays his crazy guitar type instrument. When I need a tool, I know he will always lend it. If you never get to know anyone, how would you know you have nothing in common?

 

Well, I suppose that if you like eating dinner with foreigners and listening to them playing crazy music there could be a lot of enjoyment to be had from it and I have nothing against those who do like it. But personally I like to eat alone, and I like to listen to my own music in my own home in peace.

 

If I want a haircut I will pay a barber to do it, and if I want a tool I will buy or hire one. I dont need to have any discussions about it beyond how short the hair needs cutting or how much the tool costs.

[daveAustin]

The internet and social media seems to have dumbed down the whole world and folk everywhere seem to be that little bit less friendly.  

 

On Thai, generally, over the past decade or so, I agree to an extent, but one can hardly deduce this going by a few bad mannered folk in Pattaya (the armpit of Thailand). That type of tourist area has a habit of drawing in the dregs and bringing the worst out of people. Imagine all the sweaty, badly dressed, ill-tempered farang they have to deal with. 

[Bender]

19 hours ago, phycokiller said:

was pretty bad 10 years ago, many shops i went into to inquire prices I was told not to come back to because i didnt buy something, and I have observed them swearing at customers as they walk away if they dont buy something. not all were like that and they were naturally the ones that got my business. Im in cambodia now and  they  have no problem thanking you even when you dont buy, just like a normal person would. makes life much easier when you dont have to worry about them letting loose on you. Im not sure why thais are like that, I guess they are just extremely sensitive and easily insulted because they lack the mental faculties to rationally think things through

 

to add to that, Im not suggesting this is an anti foreigner thing, its very likely they do it to each other as well

Im in cambodia now and  they  have no problem thanking you even when you dont buy

 

Absolutely, i got the same experience. I was there in august, and i went to the Timberland and Nike shop( original stuff). And in spite i didnt buy nothing, the staff thanked me when i left. I was happily surprised. You would never see this in thailand!

 

As thai people being rude, you just have to read tripadvisor, more and more tourists complain how rude the thai staffs are in the hotels, restautant, shopping mall. 

 

thailand is certainly the only country in the world where they abuse and humiliate foreign people who fed them....

 

[johnnybgood]

Meanwhile on the Darkside.... I always get a Sawadee Ka as I enter any 7/11. No change there.

Seriously though...

From street vendor to restaurant owner,

these folks are up to their armpits in credit.

They also have to pay rent and an extorsion in some form to exist in Pattaya.

Visitors who kept them afloat previously are not spending enough or tipping. 

Hence the attitude .... .

[Si Thea01]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

Another member of the Lazy Posters Brigade, what is KKK?

 

 

Khob Khun Ka/krup.  Proves my point about people learning a little about Thailand.  Even if he was a little lazy, it stood out a mile what he was saying.  Mi wan thi di. 

Edited September 3, 2016 by Si Thea01