News Forum - 10 things foreigners find strange about Thailand!! | This is Thailand

[DiJoDavO]

1 hour ago, RichardR said:

The 10 mentioned things do not surprise me at all.

Here is my list...

1 using your break when a big truck is blocking the road is a non done thing since it would mean weakness. Many Thai choose death over using the brake

2 a lie is not a lie in Thailand, it is considered rude to point it out if some one lies

3 the Wai has little to none meaning when given to farang

4 laughing does not mean being happy

5 insulting any member of the government carries a higher  sentence then killing some one on a zebra crossing

POTENTIALLY 'jail-time' content removed for your safety.  Refer Forum Guidelines ASAP.

7 it is okay to drive against traffic with your motorcycle

8 laws in Thailand are only applicable to farangs and poor

9 the Buddhist compasion and friendlyness is not needed when you are in an accident, even police officers leave the scene in such a case

10 Thailand has the no fail schooling system. This leads to mediocrity of students

Did you have a bad time in Thailand, mate?

[Cabra]

1 hour ago, RichardR said:

2 a lie is not a lie in Thailand, it is considered rude to point it out if some one lies

It's not a lie if it's kreng Jai

[DiJoDavO]

4 hours ago, ThaiEyes said:

Example: If it’s pronounced with an “L” sound, then don’t use an R, or if it’s pronounced like a “W”, then don’t use a V, etc.

Mostly the R changing to an L is done by foreigners because they can't pronounce ร/r properly. If they spell ฝรั่ง it will become 'farang'. When we pronounce it, it sounds more like 'falang' as we can't pronounce that R properly. Bit the same what western people say about Chinese people trying to speak their own language and there's a rolling R. 

The (ว/W) changing to the V sound is mostly seen in names, place names etc. If I remember it right, it's because these names are not actually Thai but Sanskrit. If you ask a Thai to spell แหวน (ring) they most likely say w-a-e-n. 

[Thaidup]

4 hours ago, ThaiEyes said:

15. The weird English transliterations/translations on street signs and many other signs.

Example: If it’s pronounced with an “L” sound, then don’t use an R, or if it’s pronounced like a “W”, then don’t use a V, etc.

Did I post a funny sign example photo of this and now it's deleted?''

it said '' Don't wash your feet in the toilet" in english

[Cabra]

2 hours ago, RichardR said:

3 the Wai has little to none meaning when given to farang

There are 3 levels of wai, so unless you are a teacher, elder, or monk, you might be attaching too much meaning to what is a simple greeting when directed at or recieved from a peer. 

[Thaidup]

Why is this in the "news" topic anyway? it limits members responses to the rules on news. It's not news its gossip.

[Ivo_Shandor]

4 hours ago, ThaiEyes said:

15. The weird English transliterations/translations on street signs and many other signs.

Example: If it’s pronounced with an “L” sound, then don’t use an R, or if it’s pronounced like a “W”, then don’t use a V, etc.

yeah, the RTGS sucks, however many final consonants are pronounced differently than their written counterpart. 

[Thaidup]

18 minutes ago, Cabra said:

There are 3 levels of wai, so unless you are a teacher, elder, or monk, you might be attaching too much meaning to what is a simple greeting when directed at or recieved from a peer. 

A cop got cranky with my wife in the car once because she didn't wai him. she basically told him to f-off.

[PapayaBokBok]

thais calling sangsom rum whisky...

[Soidog]

6 hours ago, DiJoDavO said:

If foreigners think this is strange, I kind of start to understand Anutin...

They don’t find it strange. The author of the article is simply using stereotypes of foreigners from the 1970’s

[Thaidup]

4 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

thais calling sangsom rum whisky...

That one is up there, try asking for Bourbon.

[Vigo]

10 hours ago, Thaidup said:

Did I post a funny sign example photo of this and now it's deleted?''  it said '' Don't wash your feet in the toilet" in english

This isn't unusual and was common in areas where there was a lot SE Asian muslim traffic.  Foot baths do resemble  toilets. Note the rolls of toilet paper next to the appliance.  https://wudumate.com/projects/home-projects/home-bathroom-project/

 

10 hours ago, Thaidup said:

A cop got cranky with my wife in the car once because she didn't wai him. she basically told him to f-off.

It is common in polite society to wai the police and other civil servants because it is an act of politeness. The wai of a greeting in such a situation is similar to saying good morning/afternoon. It is an expected act of civil society. And yes, hi sos can and do give prefunctory wais to people, as a sign of "humility" and respect for the office. 

5 hours ago, Soidog said:

They don’t find it strange. The author of the article is simply using stereotypes of foreigners from the 1970’s

Unfortunately, the stereotypes play out on a daily basis. It is cringe inducing to watch airplane passengers waing and bowing to the cabin crew when they board. 

Edited May 30, 2022 by Vigo

[HiuMak]

Telling time in Thai can be confusing.

 

[Soidog]

14 minutes ago, HiuMak said:

Telling time in Thai can be confusing.

Even to the Thais!….

[JamesR]

On 5/29/2022 at 11:05 AM, Pinetree said:

The almost total lack of interest and knowledge of science, space travel, history, geography. Even some University students here often exhibit extraordinary ignorance of these subjects.  

Maybe it is down to the type of people you mix with.

 

[JamesR]

On 5/29/2022 at 9:20 AM, Thaidup said:

11. Asking a Thai if they would like to go or do something special and the response is "Up to you"

The funny thing is just because it has happened to your you are assuming all Thais are like that, it is so funny how limited some farangs are in their view of Thailand. 

[JamesR]

On 5/29/2022 at 10:20 AM, Thaidup said:

13. You plan a trip. pack up everything and get ready the night before, Next day load up the car and head off, then the missus sais "We have to go and pick up Pi" Pi lives in a different province. LOL.

Not all Thai missus's are dim.

[PapayaBokBok]

19 hours ago, Thaidup said:

That one is up there, try asking for Bourbon.

one bourbon--one scotch-one beer....

[Pinetree]

13 hours ago, JamesR said:

Maybe it is down to the type of people you mix with.

An ignorant and unnecessary comment. 

[PapayaBokBok]

14 hours ago, Pinetree said:

An ignorant and unnecessary comment. 

Alas!  I just went ahead and blocked his nonsense, as I was a fool to reply to it....

[BillO]

Cutting food with a spoon! And those silly little Michelin Man dolls on the trucks!