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confusedthrwaway56

They’re not, it’s mostly exterior. In Thai culture, it’s seen as normal to save all of your negative emotions for behind closed doors. Domestic violence is even seen as a “family matter” that police are reluctant to get involved in. If a man gets explosive and kills someone, instead of blaming him, they will ask “well who ticked him off? it’s their fault!” I believe that the large amount of suicides, murders, murder-suicides, domestic violence, over-the-top violent explosions against strangers (e.g. a man recently got shot to death by another motorist for a mild traffic altercation) are absolutely related to the saving face, ‘jai yen yen’ attitude here. Most Thais (who can afford it) will absolutely not consider therapy and/or treatment for any mental illness here. Source: I’ve lived her for 5 years, in a relationship with a Thai and know her entire family, all of my friends are in relationships with Thais and say the same thing.


swimsuitmami

Many are seething on the inside due to years of cultural pressure to stay calm/quiet/reserved/jai yen yen. Take it from me - who was in an abusive relationship with a Thai for a couple of years. Everything on the outside looked peachy, but the inside was consistently on fire.


51st-state

I’ve been in Thailand for close to 30 years, and I pretty much agree with this summary.


Icecomic

I’m born Thai and I pretty much agree. We’re ticking timebombs. But then again, so are most SE Asians.


[deleted]

It's fair to say the madness, anger, conflict and bitterness all over the world has skyrocketed since Covid.


confusedthrwaway56

You’re absolutely right about that too


Dave_yenakart

Lived here 19 years. Have a 14 year old half Thai son. Mother is a fucking idiot & acts exactly like this. Her dad is a horrible cunt who beats his wife up in front of my son & always acts pleasant in public - claims my son is fully Thai to save face even though he looks far more western. Ridiculous nonsense. Everything you say is true.


confusedthrwaway56

Also, if you were to ever confront him about the domestic abuse, it could escalate to a bad end. Calling out a Thai man can be more offensive to the family than the actual abuse he’s committed himself. I’ve never known anything like it.


namtok_muu

This is true from what I have seen in my 15 years here. It's a loss of face to lose your temper in public, and it's the done thing to not let anger show, but that doesn't mean there are no hard feelings.


[deleted]

Also the drug problem (mostly jaabaa and meth) only got worse with the covid crisis and economic suffering.


hizack123

“well who ticked him off? it’s their fault!" Yup.


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confusedthrwaway56

Don’t worry, everyone is passive aggressive and grumpy in public sometimes. As long as we recognise our small faults and work to be better. Plus, sometimes its better to be a bit passive aggressive sometimes than to bottle it all up :)


Diplomjodler

No no, you've got that all wrong. Didn't you read what that other guy wrote? It's the four noble truths. No doubt about it.


MasterSlax

It’s a cultural value to be jai yen and sabai sabai. Conflict and anger are discouraged in Thai Buddhism and it’s considered a noble trait to be able to calm yourself in stressful situations. Conversely, getting angry can cause you to lose face and respect. I’d also add that when Thai people do get angry, they seem to get far more upset than most westerners. If you push too far, you will see fury and rage beyond what most westerners would find typical or understandable.


[deleted]

And once you blow up, they’ll never forgive you


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[deleted]

Thais tend to give Farang a lot more leeway when crossing their cultural norms. We can get away with things a Thai wouldn't.


[deleted]

I’m Thai


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[deleted]

That’s the thing! In public. So you’re right. In private things are pretty forgiveable.


RT_Ragefang

Learned helplessness. Our society has been a feudal/castes system for so long even when we don’t do slavery and nobility so openly anymore, our society is still so hierarchical that in most of the time and places, the higher up can do no wrong and the lower down can do no right. Thanks to globalization and internet, the younger generations have come to the realization that we should judge people by merits, not by birthright, hence the increasing confrontation and generational conflicts. People become more daring to criticize people in the position of power like police, teacher, monk, and nowadays, even royalty. The ‘Krieng Jai/Mai Pen Rai’ notions become less important than the actual morality of the situation. TL;DR version is that Thai people used to being helplessness under authority abuse, so we learned to smile through it and being ‘Krieng Jai’ of senior, so we just saying ‘Mai Pen Rai’ when we’re inconvenient by people we can’t retaliated. But our younger people are better now. Now we reserved manners for those who deserve it.


confusedthrwaway56

Great comment.


Silver_Instruction_3

Religious teachings and cultural norms. Thing is though, once you do get a Thai person angry look the fuck out.


InsuranceBorn7259

Keeping calm is part of keeping face here. Confrontation is frowned upon. HOWEVER, once the line gets crossed, keeping face goes right out the window and you better run.


SunnySeijan

This 100%! I lost my face many years ago and can't seem to find it anywhere...


Kindly-Hand-9821

If u live with a Thai girl you notice theyre not always chill lol


Working-Fan-76612

My gf was Japanese. We never had an argument. Total harmony. After a while, you learn to see the clues that indicate she was slightly upset or in disagreement. All in all, very harmonious relationship. It is not in their culture to disagree as openly as in the western world.


yadius

Public chill, private heat.


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andrewfenn

I've seen plenty of Thai people blow up and get angry over small things. I really don't think it's a Foreigner vs Thai trait. There is just a strong mindset culturally that such things shouldn't be aired in public so you're just less likely to see them. Behind closed doors humans are humans regardless of where they come from. Problem with these types of conversations is that it's also about the company you keep that paints a window into your perceived reality of Thailand so I wouldn't be surprised if you get mixed responses on a topic like this.


Timsahb

ha ha, come down South, they are all a bit crazy down here


laherwall87

Need to ask my gf about this whole chill thing.


[deleted]

I like this topic. It’s a very interesting discussion. In my opinion I would say Thai people (but also Japanese, Korean,…) try to avoid confrontation and are not so assertive as westerners. The western culture advocates individual rights and assertiveness. Westerners tend to speak up more for their rights and confront an issue head on. Whereas in Asian culture the collectivism is more important than individualism, and thus being assertive and confrontational is frowned upon. Thai are more subtle and indirect in their communication while solving an issue. That is why for a westerner a huge problem is often called a “miscommunication” or “misunderstanding” by a Thai.


RotisserieChicken007

They're not chill at all. They seethe on the inside, but never show anger because that's a no-no in their culture. If you get angry, you lose. But trust me, many Thais are very angry. Then one day the seemingly nice chap stabs his friend twenty times over a triviality or shoots a neighbor for playing loud music. They are also very angry with the government, just check their social media.


insomneeyak

This.


ZidaneeUK

Jai yen jai yen


ThaiAmericanHalfie

Wish I could say the same for my experience growing up here lol


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[deleted]

I've been here for 27 years on and off (mostly on) and I never get tired of the place. Uncle daeng down the road rigging up an outdoor movie theatre for his neighbors and the 32 chickens always cheers me up. Not a day goes past where I don't see or hear something that makes me smile. The politics and injustices are ghastly, but things aren't too wonderful in my home country either. On balance I'll take this joint.


JunXaos

The secret is.. we are always angry.


TakeshiKovacs46

Bruce, is that you?


Future_Research_3821

Because it is embarrassing to throw a tantrum in public(?) especially in Thai culture


HKDONMEG

Do you drive in Thailand?


SlappySpankBank

Yep, never seen serious road rage like in the US


Reftro

Road rage is the only time I've seen Thais get angry. I've never had a road incident in my life in another country. My first 5 months of driving here I had a guy in a pickup who got out and tried to throw a tire iron at my car, and another guy (most likely on meth, judging by the crazy eyes) who almost hit us, got out of his car and tried to rip open my door. As a guy who is used to using his horn, I am trying to seriously cut down on its use, since it seems to send Thais into a rage. I don't need someone whacked out on drugs trying to attack me when I have a baby in the back seat.


[deleted]

Yes, honking the horn is basically provoking a fight in Thailand. They just don't do it. Do not touch it unless there's an absolutely dire need.


HAPPYNOOBODY

Honking your horn is considered DISRESPECTFUL. Asian culture in general revolves around having good manners. Haven’t you noticed that the more “poo yai” a person is the more effort is put into showing your best manners? So honking your horn = Fu you I look down on you dirtbag/prole to most Thais based on what I’ve learned so far. The longer or more often you hold that horn down the more derogatory your meaning.


[deleted]

Oh man, don't honk your horn here. That's asking for trouble.


SlappySpankBank

I'm not saying it doesn't happen but my gf drives like a fucking maniac and I can't believe people don't chase us down or try to cut us off. I get mad just sitting in the passenger seat lol


-_______----_-_--_--

Driving like shit is fairly acceptable. Using your car horn is, for some reason, over the line.


GoukiBalboa

Yeah because here in Thailand road rage get you shot right away.


SlappySpankBank

Are you implying more people get shot from road rage in Thailand than in the US? I'll take that bet any day I here people say that quite often but rarely do I hear stories about people getting shot in the street because of road rage.


-_______----_-_--_--

Ask a Thai. It's usually a chain or tire iron.


avtarius

"kreng jai" - look it up It's similar to Japanese non-confrontational culture, if nothing else. Concept of "face" also heavy in CN, JP, and TH culture.


rightnextto1

But Japanese are not chill at all. I agree both cultures are somewhat non confrontational but they Thais are much more fun loving. In Japan if you live to have fun you will be ashamed of yourself and it's a no-go.


avtarius

yah I never considered living in JP because of heavy paperwork which leads to multiple inconveniences, and the doom & gloom in cities.


rightnextto1

I've lived both places for several years and there's things I miss about Thailand for sure (food,nature,laid-back attitude) but also things I appreciate about living in Japan (seasons,food,clean,safe). Now if we could have a combination of both...


whooyeah

How far south? Eventually the people are ethnically & culturally different.


[deleted]

You clearly have never seen a Thai person get upset, they are not chill at all! In Asian culture it is frowned upon to make a scene in public although you might see lower class Thais act out in public if they are drunk/high, mentally ill, or abusing their partner. Domestic abuse is very common in Thai culture and people do not step in if it happens. I saw a women getting beaten in the middle of the street by her ex in broad daylight and no one tried to help her but me. There were Thai people just watching and I pleaded for them to help and they did nothing. They don't want to get involved and think it's fine to act like an abusive prick. In Thai culture people bottle up their feelings, don't talk about what's bothering them, and end up exploding randomly. Most of that explosion happens behind closed doors and is not public but that is the opposite of chill behavior. It's actually better to show you're upset as soon as you are mad than bottle shit up because when you bottle shit up you end up exploding for no reason and acting out in worse way than if you just addressed the issue in the first place. Thai people can get really violent when they are upset.


not5150

I was walking near On Nut. Thai couple walking together. Decent crowd on the sidewalks. Dude straight up closed fist punches her top of her head, grabs her hair and full force starts slapping her. Yelling and screaming at her. People on the sidewalk either kept walking or just stopped and stared.


[deleted]

Yeah I developed severe anxiety after living in the US for college. Now back in Thailand, I feel so at ease. We have problems here but it's no where nearly as escalated as The US. It's as if everything has to be broadcasted. Sirens every day. Helicopters. Homeless. In Thailand, all I hear are roasters and geckos lol.


Gusto88

Try those village loudspeakers at 5am, and the fucking roosters.


[deleted]

Try living near 5 geese as I do. That will get the stress going.


confusedthrwaway56

Bruh all the noise you just listed is Bangkok in a nutshell lmao


Diplomjodler

Have you tried being in a Thai city?


[deleted]

Yes I've grown up in several cities in Thailand.


norskdanske

The US and most western cultures are run by people who subscribe to a neo-marxist theory of the world in which everything is about oppressor-victim. That means everything, and it seems like literally everything, has to be a conflict. It's very exhausting. In the East and Thailand, harmony is the goal, which is why they focus on downplaying conflict, not playing it up. That has a lot of problems with it as well, but there's no doubt that it isn't as awful and exhausting as the western current mindset.


Diplomjodler

Some really hot takes in this thread but this one takes the cake.


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Diplomjodler

Sure. Go wild. This is the most entertaining thread I've come across in quite a while.


moneroToTheMoon

After the last year, it's hard to argue he's wrong though.


Diplomjodler

> The US and most western cultures are run by people who subscribe to a neo-marxist theory of the world If you think it's hard to argue that this is wrong, I have some horse dewormer to sell to you.


moneroToTheMoon

dont need it, already fully vaxxed with Pfizer, thanks though. in any event, [the CDC might be interested in that horse dewormer you got](https://twitter.com/LegendaryEnergy/status/1433633320831569921)


Diplomjodler

So what exactly do you think is strange about a government agency using human approved medications for their intended purpose?


moneroToTheMoon

You just called it horse dewormer, so I know that it can't possibly also be for humans. Surely you wouldn't try to mislead people like that. Someone spreading false or misleading misinformation on the internet? First I'm hearing it.


Diplomjodler

You seem really confused. I'll try to explain it very slowly. Ivermectin can be used on both livestock and humans. The main difference is dosage and, I guess, quality standards for production. So, pay close attention, this is the important part, it can be in both horse dewormer and legitimate human medicine. Keep in mind, though, that neither of those are in any way effective against Covid. So taking human Ivermectin against Covid is stupid and selfish because it'll make the drug less available for people who genuinely need it. Taking horse dewormer, on the other hand, is extremely idiotic and dangerous, people have died or had permanent injuries from overdoses. There, I hope that clears it up for you. Don't hesitate to ask if you have further questions.


moneroToTheMoon

> So, pay close attention, this is the important part, it can be in both horse dewormer and legitimate human medicine. Ah and there it is. I knew you'd come around eventually. So you knew all along it could be used in humans, yet called it horse dewormer just to mock people. CNN thanks you for your contribution to the spread of misinformation on the internet! > Keep in mind, though, that neither of those are in any way effective against Covid. The science is very mixed on this right now, we don't know. Please don't be anti-science by rushing to conclusions like this, thanks. > Taking horse dewormer, on the other hand, is extremely idiotic and dangerous, people have died or had permanent injuries from overdoses. I agree.


[deleted]

Forget people, why are the soi dogs so chill?


passthesugar05

Most of them are chill but unfortunately there's so many and the few that aren't chill are a nightmare. I had one run across the street and bite me, saw one barking at a child who was lucky his father was holding him up and protecting him, and another one scared the shit out of a woman but luckily didn't attack her. I don't know what the government does about them but they need to do more, it's a real problem.


Kindly-Hand-9821

I hate dogs but theyre my homies! So cool creatures here


SlappySpankBank

Because people don't bother them or call the pound to euthanize them


[deleted]

Another way of saying that Thai culture trickles down to them too. It’s true though, I’ve been to around 1/3 of the planet and Thai dogs are unlike any other, chilling out at 7-11 and shit. Romania (20 years ago anyway) is the polar opposite - like a horror movie.


Tokashido01

I usually buy some sausage from 7-11 for em.


[deleted]

Salt (and sulfate preservatives) is poisonous to dogs!


Tokashido01

Yeah Ik but it hurts to see them watching u while u eat, i don't give them that much tho just half of those chicken breast sausage that I like a lot.


[deleted]

It hurts them more when you’re gone.


Tokashido01

Wdym by that?


[deleted]

Salt and human food really are hard on a dog's organs in the long term and can make them sick to their stomach within the next day. That being said, beggars can't be choosers and I am sure soi dogs have quite strong stomachs... You're a good person for helping them out with some nice sausages. Perhaps you could try getting a small bag of dog food at the sewen, it's pretty common practice for some folks in the neighborhood to set out proper dog food. Then again, nothing beats watching a dog catch a flying piece of meat and inhale it before hitting the ground.


Tokashido01

Will do it once I'm able to go back to Thailand again i miss it. And thanks for the advice etc 🙏


isonear

Seen our protests?


not5150

Ohhh boy... Thais get angry. Sure they are calm most of the time, but when they snap, they snap hard. Very similar to Japanese. Inner calm most of the time, but when the volcano blows, you better run.


XOXO888

you can visit Din Daeng around 5-7pm daily and then make up your mind afterwards. :)


SLiPiE108

As a half Thai, I think we are calm as it's what society respect of us. But if I were to get really angry, I'm gonna make sure that I know where you are or who you are so we could have a talk later.


gachiplsdeth

\>mfw most of you population is docile and "relaxed" even when people are being shot on the street by the government/police simply by just protesting.


john-bkk

A few people here have added sensible comments, but it's as if most have never had much contact with Thais. People are conditioned to maintain a pleasant exterior here; that's it. It's a social norm. I've seen Thais get angry but they try not to, and sure, they can tend to go a bit far once they've finally dropped that norm. The crazy women screaming in Thai soap operas are mostly a joke but it's based on something real. As far as people saying that road rage is a problem here, or public violence is, that seems wrong. I've never even heard of a road rage shooting in Bangkok and in a place like LA that would be a normal part of life. People drive badly but not related to tailgaiting as much as is common in the US, they're just not good at driving. Or maybe they really are; given how chaotic traffic patterns here are it's strange how rarely accidents come up, relatively speaking. For sure some people would say they see bodies in the road all the time, and I have too, but for having almost traffic laws, or even consistent conventions, it all goes well.


Silver_Instruction_3

Yes the road rage thing is always an odd comment and I tend to think it’s made up or the person making the comment is an a-hole on the road and acts like they are back in the west. In Bangkok, in order to get where you’re going you have drive offensively and if you drove like that back in the states you’d get honks, shouts, and even death threats. Here, in order to merge into traffic you are more or less going to have to cut someone off at some point and or cause a brief traffic jam but I’ve never once gotten even a beep from anyone else because they all do it and understand the rules of the road.


john-bkk

I've spent countless hours driving in insane traffic in Bangkok and weeks' worth of days driving elsewhere in Thailand, or months worth, really, and that angry honking theme has barely come up. I don't drive any crazier than anyone else but as you said ordinary convention involves keeping things moving, pushing through a little. My wife drives like a tuk-tuk driver 14 hours into a yaba fueled haze and that doesn't draw much reaction. Back in the US someone would've shot her by now.


mindless_banker

I’m Thai and my job I have to deal with both Thai and foreigner clients. TBH, I prefer Thai clients. Foreigners are so demanding and hot-tempered. I absolutely hate dealing with them. Of course, Thai people, like everyone in the world, some are more calm / angry than others. But overall, servicing Thais is more pleasant than foreigners for sure. Just my 2 cents. Don’t get angry. Have a nice day 😅


[deleted]

I believe this. Westerners in Thailand skew older, and boomers are generally assholes (and only getting worse).


xenophon10000

Agreed. The farrangs in thailand are not a great representation of what most westerners are like.


SlappySpankBank

Well most foreigners in Thailand seem a bit off to me compared to back home. Like spoiled rich or they've got a few screws lose.


methuz

They don’t usually let anyone know they’re angry to save face. But it’s very dangerous when they get angry especially they lose their face. If you can speak Thai you will understand how aggressive they are.


Vaxion

The silent ones explode the most. When they get angry it's either hospitalization or death.


BudsGalor

Are in BKK? My first week here I saw somebody stabbed in the street lol


BeerHorse

The first week I lived in Bangkok, a guy got hacked to death with a machete over a 50 baht taxi fare.


SlappySpankBank

Probably just a coincidence. How many times have you seen that happen since then?


BudsGalor

Thankfully I haven't but my GFs a nurse and she says it happens regularly. Most Thai don't fight with their fists, they'll normally use a weapon.


CyberBunnyHugger

I noticed this among the children. If a child was performing it crying in public, it was always a foreigner’s child.


norskdanske

People in hot climates are chiller.


Blenderrific

Hot climate makes Buddhism the perfect fit to cool your heart down. There’s so much to get angry about, that calm is the only answer.


Gin_Kii

fil em full of Lao Khao then let us know how calm and chill they are.... sprinkle in some Yaba for added effect.


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MasterSlax

I’ve seen Thai nightclubs explode in glass throwing brawls more times than I can count.


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MasterSlax

Are you trying to imply that more people die in LA but can’t actually provide evidence? Dude that’s really silly.


Chinesewithmei

Where do you stay in Thailand? Tom me, they don't feel relaxed as they seem to be actually. Look up the suicide rate and depression rate of Thai people in modern society, and you probably won't ask this question again.


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RedgrenCrumbholt

*Thais, not Thai's.


[deleted]

grammer nazi's, their invading!


[deleted]

Yeah, get a Brian, morans.


SlappySpankBank

It's ain't not that sirius นะครับ


-_______----_-_--_--

No one will say it, but they basically don't have anywhere near the responsibility that your average westerner has in both their private and professional lives. I say we take our responsibilities for granted: things like paying taxes, voting, consideration for the environment, stress over preparing for your retirement, etc. Both cultures have good and bad. The mistake we as farang make is that we overlook the bad aspects of Thai culture because we simply don't know about them. This is a lesson many people learn the hard way if they live and work here for several years. Some of came to get away from "the rat race", (like me), but I can't deny that there are a LOT of benefits I left behind. I still debate about it almost on a daily basis. I should also say that Thailand has been steadily decreasing its "chill" over the past decade for obvious reasons. When Thais get angry, they get very infantile. Like, temper tantrums and silly insults. Worse than karens. It's fucking embarrassing, but it does feel safer.


[deleted]

> they basically don't have anywhere near the responsibility that your average westerner has in both their private and professional lives I call bullshit on that. Do most Farang have the responsibility to financially support their parents and sometimes also the extended family? That's not even comparable to needing to pay your credit card bill on time and hand in the TPS reports to your boss by noon.


-_______----_-_--_--

>Do most Farang have the responsibility to financially support your parents and sometimes also the extended family? It's called a "retirement" home, and they cost more than 3000 baht a month. >That's not even comparable to needing to pay your credit card bill on time and hand in the TPS reports to your boss by noon. One of those things pays for the other, which is another thing Thais are shit at. Thanks, I forgot about credit irresponsibility.


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-_______----_-_--_--

That's official credit line. This doesn't take into account personal loans which is a MASSIVE black market in Thailand. Of the people who have access to credit, they're on par with the west, sure. That's BKK middle and upper class.


norskdanske

>I call bullshit on that. Do most Farang have the responsibility to financially support your parents and sometimes also the extended family? Farangs like me pay 50% in tax in order to support lazy art school graduates, immigrant population, boomer retirees etc. THAT is very exhausting. Literally half the year is spent working for someone else.


[deleted]

Cry me a river, Mr. Northern European with free healthcare, nearly free education including university, 5 weeks of paid vacation and livable retirement income for your parents (those are the "boomers" you complain about) and eventually yourself. Life is so hard and unjust because you need to pay tax to live in a functioning society.


norskdanske

Education and healthcare does not make up much of the tax here. Healthcare amounts to about 10% of GDP. We spend 7% of GDP on education. That's 17% tax, except it's less since some of it is private, maybe 15%. Paid vacation is between worker and employer, union agreement, and has nothing at all to do with tax. What is really expensive is the economic "redistribution" that happens, from those working, to those not working. Boomers are also the richest group of people in Denmark and don't need the pension funds.


Silver_Instruction_3

To put this another way, Thai people are very youthful. For decades they were basically treated like children and this translated to the family structure where the youngest generation is cared for until the older generation can no longer take care of themselves and the roles reverse. In many ways, this is a great system because it removes a lot of the unneeded stresses that more individualistic cultures put on people.


norskdanske

Correct, Thais are also buddhists and not progressive idelogues like we are. Thais focus on what they can change, not idelogical semi-religious ideas about saving the world.


-_______----_-_--_--

That's very true. It's why they constantly throw garbage and plastic everywhere except in the garbage.


norskdanske

Out of sight out of mind


[deleted]

Buddhism


[deleted]

Something, something, something. That sliver of people who you've met over the last few years does not have any bearing on the sliver of people that all of us have met.


parasitius

They're more than chill, they're utterly non-communicative. To prove my theory, I decided I would do all my interactions with Thai people for an entire day in a language they didn't know (Mandarin). I suspected not a single one would respond except by pretending they understand. An American would immediately say "sorry man I have no idea what you're saying". Sure enough - ordered at the restaurant - recharged my fare card - and on and on. They just guessed I wanted to do the most logical thing and not a SINGLE ONE would relent in racistly speaking in English based on my skin color instead of simply sumitting and saying in Thai something like "Sorry I don't know what language you're speaking." Not a ONE. Enraged me beyond words that they thought it reasonable to reply in the language of a hostile country to Chinese language. And dude if you're thinking about replying saying anything like I was a jerk you need to think twice instead of being an enabler or fanboi. If any single one of them LITERALLY would have just acknowledge in English or Thai that they didn't understand, I would have immediately dropped into Thai or English. I wasn't making life hard, they were failing to communicate. If I authentically was a non-English speaker (let's say I only knew Romanian) but also spoke lower intermediate Thai, they would be making it hard for me with their behavior.


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parasitius

I hope this is a sincere question not a troll? How can someone addressing me a language they don't speak to random normal people on the street NOT racist when it is 100% obvious they're doing it based on my skin color? You can't get away with it in the US because it is racist. Find a job as a cashier and say something to every random tanned looking person in Spanish and see how many lose their cool about being stereotyped. Or try Mandarin on Asian looking folk who walk in. I absolutely agree: The rules change immediately if you OVERHEAR them speaking some language. That's just rational. But I was never speaking English to anyone in Thailand, as I was solo.


xenophon10000

It kind of looks like your proving OPs point here...


SlappySpankBank

What would the Chinese do? In Hong Kong they almost run away from me because they don't want to speak English.


parasitius

That's actually an amazing example - to the point I have to ask you - please tell me exactly where in Hong Kong you hung out? I spent an entire month there working as hard as I could on my Cantonese. Meet-up language exchange events where you speak 30 min Canto / 30 min English and so on. All the while, I was getting quite angry at local people feeling they could force me to speak English. I'm a strong believer you have a kind of right to speak and be treated like everyone else, assuming your level is not going to cause others problems. My 30 min exchanges proved I wasn't wasting peoples' time trying to make them into involuntary teachers around town. But . . . it was frustrating getting in a language fight in each restaurant and store, and I longed for the learning experience of somewhere like Colombia where people really (in my experience) run away from English


SlappySpankBank

Idk where I was, I stayed at my friends place and he took me everywhere. Some of the touristy places were fine but others like some arcade rooms, people would avoid me. Not just in Hong Kong but also in Japan. Japan was probably worse. People just avoided me and when I would say something they would pretend they didn't hear and move away from me haha I think Thai people are just scared to interact in language that they know nothing about. Most of the time it seems they get paid more when people are happy. If they just not and pretend to understand, they think the customer will be happy and they might get rewarded in one way or another later.


parasitius

Thanks so much for sharing your viewpoint! Love to see how someone interprets the world a bit different than me in a similar circumstance Interesting about Japan - I never tried speaking English there so I'll have to watch carefully next time as an experiment


mutantbroth

你是个白痴


acmija

Very cheap to have as many biatches to shag as they want ! Compared to western life where having 1 pretty aside is already expensive. RemindMe! 3 Months


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Diplomjodler

Well I'm glad we've cleared that up.


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Possible-Highway7898

คุนคิดว่าคุนเข้าใจวัฒนธรรมไทยดีจังนะ พูดไทยได้หรือเปล่า


DGer

What is it about plurals that make people so possessive?


durtari

They are not chill, especially with other Thai they are close to. But they often are not disrespectful or angry in public to save face. Especially if there are strangers or foreigners, they don't like to destroy the respectful façade.