Pleasant experiences in LOS

[Central Scrutinizer]

I love that smiles are like hard currency in Thailand. Life here can be really shitty if you go around scowling, people pick up on it and treat you accordingly.

 

Or it can be just fine if you go around with a smile.

 

I love the way poor people respond to respect. being an egalitarian sort myself, i show as much respect for the lower class folks, especially the hard working ones, as to the hiso businessman. it never ceases to amaze me that the poorest people will share all the food they have with a stranger, but the rich will just drive over you like a speed bump.

I love the way Spirits are honored. to me it wraps up the past present and future into this neat singular thing.

I love that nobody here believes in the primacy of the state. it's a good lesson that comes from thousands of years of civilization.

the food is good and seldom sickening, the weather is warm and seldom drowning, the girls are lovely ,fun and seldom rip offs.

 

 

 

 

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

"Being entertained by watching fat, socially unacceptable, old, delusional men think that really slim sexy girls less than half their age actually like them for their personality, because they are "jai dee" and not because of their money."

 

 

The entertainment value of this wears thin after years of seeing it, and after years of hearing the delusional blatherings. You can see others at a table or bar gathering rolling their eyes and you can almost hear those 'not so delusional' nearby thinking, "Christ, get a grip and shut the fuck up already." Gets boring and repetitive, and makes one wonder just how delusional some can become. Amazing Thailand.

 

Good thread, and many here will have many good stories of things that happen to them that make them realize how good it can be here I would imagine. I've had many good things happen over the years myself, far more good stories than bad experiences really, and I've heard many from people living here and just visiting here. Much more good than bad. It is why many decide to retire here, or live here for extended periods of time.

 

Actually most bad experiences have been with moronic farang than with the Thais. Those that cannot seem to get it through their heads that they are no longer in their western world and need to adjust somewhat and be polite and jai yen (smile, don't scowl) if they want to have a pleasant, less stressful life. Aggressive behavior and impolite actions and words only make things much harder for the farang here. Thailand can be very pleasant if one learns that, if not, it can drive a farang crazy and make his life miserable and cause constant, unnecessary, problems.

 

JMHO.

[Nervous God]

Cent I know my wife would totally disagree with you.

 

She fell for the "act like a serf" doctrine the Thais use against the Isaan people, but watch the Chinese Thais, they don't tolerate crap service, and complain.

 

And now my wife and others I am with understand that all your doing by accepting crap service, is entrenching it.

 

Again, to quote my wife, "No one learns if no one complains"

 

Like anywhere in the world, if the customer is unhappy 1) their right 2) listen

 

As an example, look at well run Thai businesses like MK etc. They train their staff diligently, and when something goes wrong, and nothing is perfect, it's fixed with minimum fuss,

 

[Flashermac]

There's a big difference between complaining about bad service and just being an obnoxious prat. Plenty of wealthy Thais (i.e. Chinese) insist on the serf mentality. They've even tried to pull the crap on me, and much to their surprise I've told them off in both Thai and English. Still, they run the country and know it. Both the yelow shirts and the red shirts are run by Thai-Chink billionaires. Do you believe either one is really pro-democracy or pro-oligarchy dominated by themselves?

 

 

[Nervous God]

Flash - agree, like all things you can go over the top, BUT to sit and not complain and just smile as suggested above is dumber.

 

The West can teach Thailand a lot about the service and other industries, the successful ones I point out also, the problem lies in too many blokes listening to their wives say

 

"Don't complain, shhhhh"

 

No one benefits by doing that.

[Central Scrutinizer]

There's a big difference between complaining about bad service and just being an obnoxious prat. Plenty of wealthy Thais (i.e. Chinese) insist on the serf mentality. They've even tried to pull the crap on me, and much to their surprise I've told them off in both Thai and English. Still, they run the country and know it. Both the yelow shirts and the red shirts are run by Thai-Chink billionaires. Do you believe either one is really pro-democracy or pro-oligarchy dominated by themselves?

 

 

 

 

 

Flash,

 

"There's a big difference between complaining about bad service and just being an obnoxious prat."

 

Exactly what I was saying. I am not saying you have to take shit or shit service, products, etc. Just that a smile and polite insistence on good service or product goes a long way, for a farang, than spitting the dummy and acting like an obnoxious dickhead. That, for the farang, will usually get you worse service and stubborn resistance or the 'no have, no can do' defense of said service or product, or the one that I have seen a few farang get and steam over... 'you falang, no understand Thai/Thailand/product etc.'

 

The Thai Chinese get away with the obnoxious behaviour much of the time. They may know people, have connections, and can make the service person regret any argument with them. They are seen by Thais as being powerful, rich, influential, etc. Farangs have (are perceived to have) less pull or impact I think in most Thais eyes, and as a foreigner I feel are not taken that seriously (especially if seen to be a tourist in a tourist area). Right or wrong I feel it is in a farang's best interest to try to remain polite and calm when running into these, usually minor in the grand scheme of things, annoyances.

 

I am certainly not saying we should behave like serfs. It is all a matter of how you present yourself. Reasonable and polite, or as a prat?

 

Which will be more likely for the farang to get his point across and get what he wants?

[Central Scrutinizer]

Flash - agree, like all things you can go over the top, BUT to sit and not complain and just smile as suggested above is dumber.

 

The West can teach Thailand a lot about the service and other industries, the successful ones I point out also, the problem lies in too many blokes listening to their wives say

 

"Don't complain, shhhhh"

 

No one benefits by doing that.

 

 

 

 

Gawd,

 

WHat is dumb about what I said? I quote, myself, "Aggressive behavior and impolite actions and words only make things much harder for the farang here. Thailand can be very pleasant if one learns that, if not, it can drive a farang crazy and make his life miserable and cause constant, unnecessary, problems."

 

No where in the post does it say sit and don't complain. That is not serf behaviour, it is civilized behaviour.

[Central Scrutinizer]

Gawd,

 

"The West can teach Thailand a lot about the service and other industries, the successful ones I point out also, the problem lies in too many blokes listening to their wives say

 

"Don't complain, shhhhh"

 

No one benefits by doing that."

 

Agree with the rest above.

 

[Vintage_Kwai]

"There's a big difference between complaining about bad service and just being an obnoxious prat."

 

A lot of truth in that, have seen some really obnoxious behaviour at times. It's why I almost never go into town anymore.

 

Now, a little complaining never hurt. I have a favourite place five minutes walk from my place, and most times they know my food preferences. But on the odd occasion when they've had a new cook come in and the food comes in at'hotter than hades', I leave most of it on the plate when I leave, and say I can take some hot, but not 'rot jaht' as it'll give me the runs the next day. You can see the bing! when new staff realise this, apologise profusely and tend to go out of their way the next time. Can happen when ninety-nine percent of your customer base are locals.

 

My preferred brand of beer (ice-cold in the bottle, no bucket of ice) is usually at the table before I sit down, so no complaints. He also does the occasional home delivery, one of the few nice perks. The latest dek serve isn't bad looking, either.

[Nervous God]

<>

 

And I don't think MOST bad experiences are with Farang, I never see them! I think most bad experiences are with the Thais.

 

And that's I think is very wrong, there's good things Thai's can learn from the West and visa Versa, to roll over like a dog and accept everything is dumb.

 

There is a good balance,