Thai people - nasty, not smiling

[lifeline]

Thanks for a good response.

 

Although it has seemed to me to be a bit more than this, you make a good point.

[Pom Michael]

"The supermarket is located on North Pattya road at the edge of Naklua"

 

I took that to mean the old Dolphin Round-about - correct?

[lifeline]

LizardKing,

 

I want to make a bit of an apology to you. Just as a bit of background, I am a big fan of the Dalai Lama and have read several books by and about him. He often makes the point that if you are friendly, kind and polite people will generally respond to you in a positive way. So, I am well aware of the point you were making.

 

Not to be critical of you, how you conduct yourself is up to you but, you consider yourself to be direct - I think if you were a bit more tactful and polite people would be more receptive to your thoughts. Anyway, the truth is I was somewhat defensive after reading your replies and responded in a less tactful and polite way that I would have liked to.

 

Additionally, I moved here from Khon Kaen where I found Thai people to be very friendly to me. I moved because this year it was even hotter than normal and it is normally hot in KK. For example, this year there were times when I went to the Lake for exercise at 5:30am and was already sweating by the time I walked from my car to the entrance at the Lake.

 

But, the relevant point here is I am not happy being here in Naklua. Naklua isn't bad but, I prefer KK - if only it weren't so hot. So, since I am not really happy being here, perhaps some of what I have experienced is due my attitude. But, I do sincerely think the attitude of the cash register people is off somewhat - at least compared to KK (and yes, I liked KK better than I do Naklua).

 

This will be my last post on this thread - thanks to those who took the time to make replies.

 

Cheers

[Nervous God]

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Well which is it, not on the edge or on the edge?

 

Fark - no wonder the thais are snarky! Can you make your mind up please.

[The_Munchmaster]

So which do you prefer, KK or Naklua?

[Faustian]

I was in a supermarket today and I had purchased about 10 items. I said I would like a large bag. I don't know why but, Thai people will typically give several small bags rather than one large bag. I have seen this over and over again.

 

Anyway, the young Thai lady at the checkout counter was positively angry. She said something to me with a scowl on her face.

 

The supermarket is located on North Pattya road at the edge of Naklua, where I am living presently. Overall, this has been a bad year for Pattaya/Naklua (although things seem well now as this is high season) and many business have closed. I don't know if this is the cause for an attitude that is the opposite of the Land of Smiles.

 

I have encountered this bad attitude on the part of Thai people numerous times and wondered if it was something that I was doing wrong.

 

But, I went to a 7/11 with a Thai lady and encountered this sort of thing (but, certainly not the worse I have experienced) and the Thai lady was really put off. She felt the woman in the 7/11 was extremely impolite and said she would never go in the store again.

 

So, what is going on? Of course, I know that Thai people smile more when they can expect to get some financial reward - but, there seems to be a basic change in attitude - from polite and smiling to impolite and scowling.

 

Sure, if I walk into the Marriott, the professional staff will smile or if I put money on a bar, I will get a smile - but, in general, in my experience attitude is getting much worse.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

Try going to the UK.....service with a snarl....!

 

Maybe you just had an off day, were feeling a little sensitive...it happens...

 

I find people here are much the same as they are throughout the world. Some are nice, some are nasty...except New York taxi drivers, very few of them are nice

 

[tartempion]

Living in Issaan and adding my thoughts:

 

Here I am used to people ignoring my presence.

The villagers I know rarely greet me, my GF's family don't greet anyone, thus neither do I, or seldom. Villagers who know me from far greet me strangely enough.

 

I no longer pay attention when I shop Lotus or 7/11.

But recently have been buying stuff together with GF, see tread in expat life, building a Thai kitchen.

 

Last week went to look for tiles and doors shop nearby village village. Looked around, Did not buy anything, did not like behavior of lady boss, did not make any comment to GF (learned my lesson, don't comment openly any more) Told her about other building shop in other nearby village. "People not nice there, we don't go there" Not sure if this a Thai attitude, but GF is. Today went back to first shop to buy doors and wooden panels for windows. I stayed away from the buying process, only made sure loading went fine. When we drove off GF said "That woman is a bitch, we don't come back here"

 

Can't say more about the subject.

[Dexi]

" too hot in KK "...I wish I had your problem....Temp.here due too rise to a max of -1 *c... :nahnah:

[LizardKing]

Thank you for that. I find being very direct leaves no room for interpretation as to what is meant. It has served me well for a decade plus very successfully hiring expats for high-end contracts with very large companies (and therefore, very large budget dings for failure), and now for my own business.

 

Don't hate the messenger. And if I got the message across, my job is done. There are dozens of books psychoanalyzing what you are going through -- you seem to have picked up what I was saying and looking at it critically. That's great. Just as intended.

 

If you intend to stay here, look at a couple of those books, then decide if you are expat material or not (most folks are not, so no shame there). It will be the biggest favour you ever do yourself -- people mistakenly think living in another culture is easy. It is 1,000,000% NOT. You need to understand your limitations and either adjust or get out. Why do we think we see the dregs of humanity on Walking Street, have so many Pattaya leapers, etc.? They are not built to be expats and fail to get it before it is too late. And those cunts ruin Thai-farang relations as they crash-n-burn (so yes, some of this is self-motivated as that shit affects you & me).

 

I'm an engineer, not a people person or a sales guy. My livelihood depends upon facts without window dressing that's a waste of time. I need to make snap decisions that are correct or they cost me a *lot* of money. So that's what I present. I feel it a service in the long run. YMMV.

 

PS -- Hey I have no doubts that you found some cunts to deal with, as we all do in any country; but that is not the norm. Calling it the norm was a red flag to me and others, saying you need to step back and reassess. Good luck with that. Be brutally honest with yourself, do not rationalize.

[LizardKing]

LL,, sorry I offend you for being so direct. I wish others would do this. It saves time and bullshit in my job which is invaluable to me and mine.

 

But If I offended you in any way, I am very sorry. I'm still trying to understand the gist of these Internet board things. I thought it to be like a cocktail party, but so as it is so, in real time, the final goal is to make money as quickly & quietly as possible. Bad intell here, maybe? Or bad partners?