Guest Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 hy waste your time looking for a trash bin when there's a perfectly good floor or road or window? Clever approach and funny post. But this approach has its limits. Double standards often apply that can make this approach foolhardy. And I have a hard time jumpiing to the front of a line; and I suspect other farangs do as well. I had an extreme example of all of this last night. While withdrawing funds from an ATM, my receipt shot out of the machine. Even though I had a cup of hot coffee in my other hand, I managed to grap the receipt before it hit the ground, but just barely. And not without staining my shirt and scolding my hand with hot coffee. I happened fast and naturally without any thought on my ptart; thus, the stained shirt and singed hand. A MiB approached, accused me of littering and demanded 2,000 Baht. Before I could respond, a British couple, who had been politely standing behind me waiting their turn at the ATM, said: "Bloody hell; it wasn't his fault! And the receipt didn't even hit the ground." Thank you. I repeated these facts in English in a calm and clear voice. There was now a small group of farangs present. The MiB tried to get me away from that group because they could hear every bit of our exchange. I stood my ground and stuck with the facts. And I was backed up by the British couple who didn't know me from Adam. Mr. MiB was clearly annoyed; his comment, verbatim: "This Thailand. You farang. Pay me 2,000 now". I didn't argue; I simply repeated what happened. He didn't dispute the facts. The small group of farangs, who didn't know me but knew the facts, backed me up. There were Thais present, who knew what happened, but they just stood back and smiled. With me standing my ground, a small group of strangers backing me up (all farangs), the MiB reluntantly backed off on this blantant extortion attempt, commenting "bull shit kee nok farang." He was angry. I was lucky. I was lucky because farangs who didn't know me at all, but saw what happened, stood up for me because they plainly saw I was being treated unfairly. The Thais present did nothing. Unlucky day for Mr. MiB since there were farang witnesses who don't simply smile. Consider what happened, and what this says about Thai politeness, charm and society in general. A corrupt MiB engaging in blantant extortion. Policeman in the US don't pull this stunt; yet I see other versions of this all the time. Strangers, all farangs, helping out another farang when faced with this clear injustice. I have seen this before in the US and only in Thailand when other farangs were present. I have never seen Thais do this. Welcome to the Land of Smiles... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dude_Le_Rude Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Serious question: Has anybody, anywhere, ever seen a cop stop a Thai after dropping a cigarette butt or trash on the ground? Especially near the Queen's Park near the Emporium, I see irate farrang trying to convince the 'officer' he did not drop his cig. also, down near soi 12... never have I seen a Thai person in this situation. Gee, you think if they called the Touist Police to try to help them, that might work? nah, the tourist police are too busy dealing with farangs who have trouble with their landlords over their inflated electric bill. Gadfly1, did some coffee hit the ground? Perhaps he considers a liquid to be litter... Glad to hear you were not hauled away nor had to pay the 2,000 baht fine. Another serious question: Is spitting on the street or sidewalk also considered litter? and as far as 'ladies first' goes: it is the best way to be able to check out a gal's ass while appearing to have western manners! Absolutely wonderful when you are in an elevator with seriously hot Thai office lady chicks. I always try to stand near the buttons, just so I can be the 'nice' guy who holds the door open while a parade of hot buns pass by. I got all the time in the world for that. Same concept goes to holding a door for the woman behind you, do it with a smile, any Thai gal will usually smile back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 pattaya127 said: one thing I find personally true about thais, compared to just about every other 3r world country in Asia i visited, is that they leave you alone, no one is obsequiously trying to sell you something outisde of well-known tourist attractions (most in BKK), no monk is pestering you to learn english outside of well known temples (most in BKK). Live and let live, just love it! Seems to me you don't live here Every day someone stops at my door to sell something. Or a pick-up drops some gyus who then walk the streets of the village trying to sell some rubbish you already have such as floormats or a lady on a motorbike stops to sell you some food (mussels, rice in bamboo stick) or the pick-up is passing by (driving too fast to have him stop when you just could use that flower pot) selling ladders, pottery, car ports... But they are not of a hindrance besides the noise some make with loudspeakers on their pick-ups (that pisses me off). On a NO they will pass by. The gf though will look the other way when they are the poorest of the poor walking by, kamoy or thieves in her mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neo Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 pattaya127 said:one thing I find personally true about thais, compared to just about every other 3r world country in Asia i visited, is that they leave you alone If you think Thai's are leaving you alone, stop and listen to all the amplified crap pounding the airwaves morning, day, and night. Is there such thing as peace and quiet anywhere there are Thai's living? I can't believe they put up with pickups driving with giant speakers mounted in the bed through residential neighborhoods announcing their wares. I saw one that even went to the extent of mounting the speakers on a pole 3 meters high so it wouldn't be obstructed by houses next to it. Another was so ear splittingly loud and drawing so much power they had to have a gas engine generator running in the bed. But this is just one type. The village head waking every single person up every single day at the crack of dawn for meaningless message is another good example. The list is virtually endless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaggerLee Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 thalenoi said: pattaya127 said: one thing I find personally true about thais, compared to just about every other 3r world country in Asia i visited, is that they leave you alone, no one is obsequiously trying to sell you something outisde of well-known tourist attractions (most in BKK), no monk is pestering you to learn english outside of well known temples (most in BKK). Live and let live, just love it! Seems to me you don't live here maybe they leave some alone. but not, in my humble opinion, everyone else. (must be something to do with an article in the Sun I saw not too long ago LOL) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Thais are impolite in this instance. --------------------------------- 1) OK, adding "in this instance" is better than saying "thais are" like 60 million+ thais are impolite, period. and you have to admit it happened in BKK. I have a feeling many upcountries thais find the city quite different in behaviours from their home, and negative for that, thinking the same as you. It's not just me who say there is some culture in it, you do too, by the simple fact of saying thais are impolite. Just the fact to single them out as specific nationals and see something worth highlighting on this board, shows you think there is something about being thai and being impolite. Not a flaw, mind you. How about the thais you are closer to, family, GF/wife, friends, co-workers, do you find cause to find discourtesy more often than not, daily, as they go and interact thru the day? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Every day someone stops at my door to sell something. -------------------------------- yes, but they do that wether you are thai or not. I was specifically speaking of me farang going around Thailand, not a domestic village situation. NEO:stop and listen to all the amplified crap pounding the airwaves morning, day, and night ------------------------------------- yes, but thais get to hear it too, and same as above, not about what I said, ie. that can happen when i am inside a home and alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Gadfly1, did some coffee hit the ground? Perhaps he considers a liquid to be litter... Maybe you're right - some of it managed to miss my hand and shirt and land on the ground. I need better reflexes. Has anybody, anywhere, ever seen a cop stop a Thai after dropping a cigarette butt or trash on the ground? Especially near the Queen's Park near the Emporium, I see irate farrang trying to convince the 'officer' he did not drop his cig. also, down near soi 12... never have I seen a Thai person in this situation. Not once in over ten years of living here. And, although habits are improving, Thais are generally much more careless about this sort of thing. But of course we are "guests" here, and notwithstanding the fact that I pay more in Thai taxes than some Thai US dollar billionaires, it is very "impolite" of us to highlight these inconsistencies. :: Khaw thowt krap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Scrutinizer Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Gadfly, Like I say in another thread/post (Stickman this week) I hate the way this is done in BKK and never see this behavior in Surin and the smaller cities. This is pure extortion with a badge. I hate the new litter laws. Does anyone know if they just take your baht, or do they actually give you a ticket as they would in the states when doing this. Some sort of proof with the cop's name on it if you decided to make a stink and fight it? These cunts are nothing but mafia with a badge really. I likely would have responded to his comment about being a kii neow farang with a "Bullshit Thai police mafia." Which would be hard to keep from saying I think under those bullshit circumstances. Good to see the farangs back you. The Thais do just seem to take this stuff as a joke on the farang. Unless it is their pet farang, then they'll put up a stink and argue with the cop for trying to take their baht from their farang! :: Cent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dude_Le_Rude Posted November 5, 2005 Report Share Posted November 5, 2005 Gadfly1 said: and notwithstanding the fact that I pay more in Thai taxes than some Thai US dollar billionaires, it is very "impolite" of us to highlight these inconsistencies. :: Khaw thowt krap. :rotfl: ********** next time... just have to remind the cop: "Hey, my taxes pay your salary!" Peace! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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