Posted 2009-11-08 14:12:09
 neverdie, on 2009-11-08 13:57:07, said:
Why is it people like this are willing to accept as 'the rule' what someone says just because they are older than them, irregardless of what the common sense of it is?
That's one thing that makes me smile about Thai culture. My sister in law is about 3 years older than me and had a flat battery in her driveway. She lives near us so I popped round with my jump leads to help out. She kept asking my wife if I knew what I was doing despite my wife telling her that my father owned a vehicle recovery and haulage firm and that I'd jump started 100s of cars. MY SIL wanted to wait for her dad (my FIL) to come and sort it out. For Christ's sake. He owns a furniture company. He'd most probably get the cables on the wrong terminal and have the battery blow up in his face. 
Edited by mca, 2009-11-08 14:12:37.
Posted 2009-11-08 14:16:05
moonrakers, mca, theres definately a pattern in this stupid foolish behaviour and none of us are ever going to figure it out. THANK GOD!
Posted 2009-11-08 14:21:06
Moonrakers, on 2009-11-08 14:00:47, said: Reminds me of an 'event' when I was up-country once.
It was actually with an ex-gf up in Surin. We had been there for a couple of weeks and had arranged a trip into the city at night for drinks, after 2 weeks in the sticks I was looking forward to experiencing some degree of civilisation again.
As we where getting showered and stuff, somebody who was washing up broke a plate and that was that. The plate breaking was clearly a bad omen that something terrible would happen and so the whole thing was called off. Of course I protested but "this is Thailand, yadda yadda yadda".
What really me gape in disbelief was the following day. Of course, nothing terrible happened in the night which to them was absolute proof that the broken plate omen had saved us all from a grizzly death. Again, I protested but alas I was just the stupid farang who knew nothing.
You ought to have rented the entire "Final Destination" series of movies Moonrakers. That would have had them shitting bricks.
Posted 2009-11-08 15:15:57
Thanks to the brilliant wit of neverdie and some other members, this thread has been a great, entertaining read. Unfortunately, thanks to the volumes it speaks for Thai life, it is also concurrently a bit disturbing.
Edited by ThailandLovr, 2009-11-08 15:20:18.
Posted 2009-11-08 15:31:51
^ years ago some things use to alarm or disturb me ....... now I feel as if im always disturbed, only the level of disturbence changes from time to time 
Posted 2009-11-08 15:48:32
There was another time when the lady of the house was telling us of her ghost experiences, supposedly there was a ghost in the field behind her house which she would see at night with her own eyes from time to time.
Her neighbour admitted that he himself had never seen this ghost even though he has kept an eye out for it, especially as he is known to walk through that very field himself at night sometimes when returning home drunk from a friends house.
Knowing the solution of 2+2, I offered the obvious answer to the mystery of the haunted field but alas... "This is Thailand, yadda yadda etc."
Posted 2009-11-08 15:53:01
Moonrakers, on 2009-11-08 14:00:47, said: Reminds me of an 'event' when I was up-country once.
It was actually with an ex-gf up in Surin. We had been there for a couple of weeks and had arranged a trip into the city at night for drinks, after 2 weeks in the sticks I was looking forward to experiencing some degree of civilisation again.
As we where getting showered and stuff, somebody who was washing up broke a plate and that was that. The plate breaking was clearly a bad omen that something terrible would happen and so the whole thing was called off. Of course I protested but "this is Thailand, yadda yadda yadda".
What really me gape in disbelief was the following day. Of course, nothing terrible happened in the night which to them was absolute proof that the broken plate omen had saved us all from a grizzly death. Again, I protested but alas I was just the stupid farang who knew nothing.
Ah, the old broken plate trick.
I lived in Surin for a number of years. You didn't miss much by staying in mate.
Anyone with an upcountry girlfriend. Try this one. When you wake up in the morning tell them that you had a very strange dream about "snakes" during the night. Watch the fireworks commence.
Posted 2009-11-08 16:14:27
mca, on 2009-11-08 14:12:09, said: neverdie, on 2009-11-08 13:57:07, said: Why is it people like this are willing to accept as 'the rule' what someone says just because they are older than them, irregardless of what the common sense of it is?
That's one thing that makes me smile about Thai culture. My sister in law is about 3 years older than me and had a flat battery in her driveway. She lives near us so I popped round with my jump leads to help out. She kept asking my wife if I knew what I was doing despite my wife telling her that my father owned a vehicle recovery and haulage firm and that I'd jump started 100s of cars. MY SIL wanted to wait for her dad (my FIL) to come and sort it out. For Christ's sake. He owns a furniture company. He'd most probably get the cables on the wrong terminal and have the battery blow up in his face.
Posted 2009-11-08 17:18:01
To think that I replied with concern and seriousness when my first feeling, which a dad's sensitivity overcame, was to make a comment about the Ally McBeal dancing baby dancing to Chubby Checker.
Posted 2009-11-08 17:24:17
neverdie, on 2009-11-08 21:31:51, said: ^ years ago some things use to alarm or disturb me ....... now I feel as if im always disturbed, only the level of disturbence changes from time to time
I could have told you that. 
Posted 2009-11-08 17:39:22
Harcourt, on 2009-11-08 17:24:17, said: neverdie, on 2009-11-08 21:31:51, said: ^ years ago some things use to alarm or disturb me ....... now I feel as if im always disturbed, only the level of disturbence changes from time to time
I could have told you that.
I thought that was well said  .
P.S. Re Quote Why is it people like this are willing to accept as 'the rule' what someone says just because they are older than them, irregardless of what the common sense of it is? Imagine the world if we operated on these principals, we'd still be doing things as there were being done in day dot and there wouldnt even be such a place as thailand.
Correct; without this unmindful obedience Thailand would collapse. The North Koreans flee in droves, but ...  .
Edited by WaiWai, 2009-11-08 17:52:56.
Posted 2009-11-08 17:51:28
I have a frustrating story that happened to me last January. I was in the town of Kanchanaburi with some of the Thai family I look after: the mother and the two younger kids (10 and 8 yrs old). The kids love to swim and hike so I wanted to take them to the Mt Erawan waterfalls for a day. The children were really looking forward to it, as was I. I had set up a good deal with a local driver to take us to the falls and bring us back later in the afternoon for 1000 baht. Then the mother of the children got the bright idea that her sister should drive us.
I thought okay, it's keeping the money in the family, so no problem. I don't mind spending a little more and offered to pay the sister 2000 baht. What I didn't count on was the brother, sister in law and little baby were coming along as well. And, instead of arriving at 9 in the morning like we had planned, they arrived at noon because they came from Luk Kae (40 km closer to Bangkok). That meant the children had to be fed before we left. Then, because it is a National park I had to pay for everyone. No big deal. I also paid for a big lunch for everyone. Again, no big deal. But, it meant instead of hiking up to the top of the falls, everyone but the kids and I stayed down at the bottom. I took the kids on a short hike instead of a long one like we first intended. Then, the other adults (?) decided they wanted to see a certain temple. I was the odd man out and went along with the other's decision because I had no idea where the temple was. I thought is was some place nearby. That was my mistake.
We all piled back into the truck and started driving, and driving, and driving, and passed right through Kanchanaburi where my hotel was located. But, we didn't stop there. We kept right on driving, and driving, and driving, and right through the little Thai village where the family lives. We finally found the temple they were looking for... a few kilometers outside of Bangkok. It was dark out, it was cold, and 4 of us were huddled in the back of the little pickup truck on the metal frame. We did about a 15 minute tour of the temple and then had to head back to Kanchanaburi. I was so pissed off I said just let me out and I'd take a bus back to Kanchanaburi. I got back to my hotel at 11 at night and the family still had to take the children back to Luk Kae. It completely ruined my day with the kids. We sat for 5 hours in the back of a pickup truck for a 15 minute stop at some temple I've seen a few times before.
After that I vowed NEVER to allow Thais to make any plans that included me.
Posted 2009-11-08 18:21:32
Moonrakers, on 2009-11-08 15:48:32, said: There was another time when the lady of the house was telling us of her ghost experiences, supposedly there was a ghost in the field behind her house which she would see at night with her own eyes from time to time.
Her neighbour admitted that he himself had never seen this ghost even though he has kept an eye out for it, especially as he is known to walk through that very field himself at night sometimes when returning home drunk from a friends house.
Knowing the solution of 2+2, I offered the obvious answer to the mystery of the haunted field but alas... "This is Thailand, yadda yadda etc."
And the eeriest part of the tale was the frightening wailing of the vengeful spirit as it wandered the haunted field for all eternity
"4 and 20 virgins came down from Inverness...."
Posted 2009-11-08 19:19:44
After we bought our new car last fall, my wife kept insisting I check the coolant level. I said not to worry, its a new car and the "water" is ok. I told her I've worked on many car repairs over the years and I know what I am talking about. Yeah, sure, right. A year later I am still checking the water often per her insistence. I just do it. I give up. I've given up on a lot of things.
Posted 2009-11-09 10:37:10
Tonto21, on 2009-11-08 16:14:27, said: mca, on 2009-11-08 14:12:09, said: neverdie, on 2009-11-08 13:57:07, said: Why is it people like this are willing to accept as 'the rule' what someone says just because they are older than them, irregardless of what the common sense of it is?
That's one thing that makes me smile about Thai culture. My sister in law is about 3 years older than me and had a flat battery in her driveway. She lives near us so I popped round with my jump leads to help out. She kept asking my wife if I knew what I was doing despite my wife telling her that my father owned a vehicle recovery and haulage firm and that I'd jump started 100s of cars. MY SIL wanted to wait for her dad (my FIL) to come and sort it out. For Christ's sake. He owns a furniture company. He'd most probably get the cables on the wrong terminal and have the battery blow up in his face.
Thats so funny (from here) but for you it must be so bloooooooody frustrating. It reminds me of the time I wanted to put air in the tyres at the local service station and the little tyre dude was the only one allowed to operate the air pump. Anyway, so there he is blowing in the air and im telling him enuf and im standing by with my tyre guage to check the pressure (he had the bottle of gas, no guage). He laughs at me and jokes with me about why farang need guage  .
He then commenced to joke with his friend there staying things like, why the farang want me to put the air in, so he can let it out & he doesnt know about tyres you just keep pumping them up until their full, guage not needed. I have since bought my own compressor to do the tyres, just so i dont have to deal with all these types of brain surgeons.
Its the level of stupidity here in LOS that never ceases to amaze me. 
Posted 2009-11-09 10:38:56
Harcourt, on 2009-11-08 17:24:17, said: neverdie, on 2009-11-08 21:31:51, said: ^ years ago some things use to alarm or disturb me ....... now I feel as if im always disturbed, only the level of disturbence changes from time to time
I could have told you that.
Dont worry harcourt, Ive been told by more highly qualified persons than yourself 
Posted 2009-11-09 10:45:00
IanForbes, on 2009-11-08 17:51:28, said: I have a frustrating story that happened to me last January. I was in the town of Kanchanaburi with some of the Thai family I look after: the mother and the two younger kids (10 and 8 yrs old). The kids love to swim and hike so I wanted to take them to the Mt Erawan waterfalls for a day. The children were really looking forward to it, as was I. I had set up a good deal with a local driver to take us to the falls and bring us back later in the afternoon for 1000 baht. Then the mother of the children got the bright idea that her sister should drive us.
I thought okay, it's keeping the money in the family, so no problem. I don't mind spending a little more and offered to pay the sister 2000 baht. What I didn't count on was the brother, sister in law and little baby were coming along as well. And, instead of arriving at 9 in the morning like we had planned, they arrived at noon because they came from Luk Kae (40 km closer to Bangkok). That meant the children had to be fed before we left. Then, because it is a National park I had to pay for everyone. No big deal. I also paid for a big lunch for everyone. Again, no big deal. But, it meant instead of hiking up to the top of the falls, everyone but the kids and I stayed down at the bottom. I took the kids on a short hike instead of a long one like we first intended. Then, the other adults (?) decided they wanted to see a certain temple. I was the odd man out and went along with the other's decision because I had no idea where the temple was. I thought is was some place nearby. That was my mistake.
We all piled back into the truck and started driving, and driving, and driving, and passed right through Kanchanaburi where my hotel was located. But, we didn't stop there. We kept right on driving, and driving, and driving, and right through the little Thai village where the family lives. We finally found the temple they were looking for... a few kilometers outside of Bangkok. It was dark out, it was cold, and 4 of us were huddled in the back of the little pickup truck on the metal frame. We did about a 15 minute tour of the temple and then had to head back to Kanchanaburi. I was so pissed off I said just let me out and I'd take a bus back to Kanchanaburi. I got back to my hotel at 11 at night and the family still had to take the children back to Luk Kae. It completely ruined my day with the kids. We sat for 5 hours in the back of a pickup truck for a 15 minute stop at some temple I've seen a few times before.
After that I vowed NEVER to allow Thais to make any plans that included me.
Ian, I avoid getting into the back of the family pickup at virtually all cost with the exception of a short jaunt into the local town to visit tesco lotus or something.
Im also amazed at some of the lack of planning and spontaneousity of some of the family trips, similar to the one you have described. Sometimes its just a matter of one family member muttering a few words and next minute theres a dozen bodies in the back of the vigo and their off on a 3 day roadtrip 
Posted 2009-11-09 10:51:13
ThailandLovr, on 2009-11-08 19:19:44, said: After we bought our new car last fall, my wife kept insisting I check the coolant level. I said not to worry, its a new car and the "water" is ok. I told her I've worked on many car repairs over the years and I know what I am talking about. Yeah, sure, right. A year later I am still checking the water often per her insistence. I just do it. I give up. I've given up on a lot of things.
You see the wife is right about your water ole mate.......back in 1984 a friend of the neighbour down the road, you see, his 20 year old car suddenly ran out of water (or coolant) over about a 5 year period and 100,000km and the cars engine seized........So the wifes brain is locked into that exact moment she heard the story & she applies it to all vehicular situations.
Posted 2009-11-09 11:32:37
What is it exactly that makes Thais like this? Even intelligent, educated Thais.
The water in the radiator thing...I can relate totally.
As for air in the tyres!!! She bought a new car recently and so clucks over it alot....refills the tyres every week, etc. The tyres have the recommended pressures printed on them so I fill them to that amount....not good enough: the kitchen hand at a friend's Thai restaurant (KITCHEN HAND, with no education and no English language!!!!) told her something else...so I am wrong, and the tyre manufacturer is wrong.
Filling up the petrol, I always selct "fill" and the bowser pumps untill some back-pressure stops it.
GF says, don't selct "fill", but select an amount ($70, say) because you lose all the petrol in the hose.
?????
I tried to reason with her that either way, there is always some petrol left in the hose and I pay for whatever I get. No, her sister's BF told her that selecting a specific amount means you lose nothing. Sister's BF is a scientist or mathematician or something? No. Uneducated, unemployed.....but still smarter than me.
I've actually become offended with this attitude from her and it has caused problems. Now, when I stand my ground with real science or logic backing me up, I'm a stubborn fool.
Posted 2009-11-09 11:47:38
yaaaaaaaaaaaa ...twist and shout..cmon cmon cmon cmon baby now..come on baby, cmon and work it on out....
Posted 2009-11-09 13:30:12
cognos, on 2009-11-09 17:47:38, said: yaaaaaaaaaaaa ...twist and shout..cmon cmon cmon cmon baby now..come on baby, cmon and work it on out....
No, no, no. Not The Beatles. Mind you that used to be a favourite......
Chubby Checker!:
C'mon Baby, lets do the twist.
Posted 2009-11-09 13:35:04
Harcourt, on 2009-11-09 04:32:37, said: What is it exactly that makes Thais like this? Even intelligent, educated Thais.
The water in the radiator thing...I can relate totally.
As for air in the tyres!!! She bought a new car recently and so clucks over it alot....refills the tyres every week, etc. The tyres have the recommended pressures printed on them so I fill them to that amount....not good enough: the kitchen hand at a friend's Thai restaurant (KITCHEN HAND, with no education and no English language!!!!) told her something else...so I am wrong, and the tyre manufacturer is wrong.
Filling up the petrol, I always selct "fill" and the bowser pumps untill some back-pressure stops it.
GF says, don't selct "fill", but select an amount ($70, say) because you lose all the petrol in the hose.
?????
I tried to reason with her that either way, there is always some petrol left in the hose and I pay for whatever I get. No, her sister's BF told her that selecting a specific amount means you lose nothing. Sister's BF is a scientist or mathematician or something? No. Uneducated, unemployed.....but still smarter than me.
I've actually become offended with this attitude from her and it has caused problems. Now, when I stand my ground with real science or logic backing me up, I'm a stubborn fool.
Try to think about it from the Thai perspective.
You might be smart. You might be able to read manufacturers instructions or use logical thought, but the general Thai benchmark for intelligence is very low. Then, because people in Thailand don't see you at work solving problems with your initiative or using independent thought, you're lumped with the rest of the population, with this similar benchmark for intelligence. If you say one thing and two Somchais say the opposite, unfortunately the Thai person will believe the Somchais over you. Saying that you went to university or whatever means nothing, since you seem to need to go to university here to get a job doing simple accounting.
You need to prove your credentials, somehow. If you can independently do something that will make Thais say "wow, he's so smart" then they might start to believe you. Otherwise you're just another uneducated and unemployed person, who just happens to have a lot of money, and people won't believe you over the average buffoon here.
Also you're going up against the fact that Thailand and Thai people are superior in every way to everyone else, as if there's no reason why 'farang have big money' ... it's an uphill battle.
Edited by Matan, 2009-11-09 13:37:18.
Posted 2009-11-09 13:35:21
Harcourt, you make me laugh, u funny boi!
Mate, I couldnt be jacked taking them on, you're better of just dismissing what is being said and continuing on your way, elsewise it becomes like banging your head on a brick wall.
Special note regarding the twisting baby, the grandfather has also now stopped using the washing machine himself (or should I say leaving his dirty washing in the basket) and now looks at me like im some kind of stunt man every time i go near it
.....being the prickk I am, Im going out to buy another one, a much bigger one, I really feel the power of intimidation here
Posted 2009-11-09 15:34:42
Harcourt, on 2009-11-09 05:32:37, said: . Uneducated, unemployed.....but still smarter than me.
I've actually become offended with this attitude from her and it has caused problems. Now, when I stand my ground with real science or logic backing me up, I'm a stubborn fool.
Be careful when you think you have won the day and your Thai wife says "yes, you have logic!" a few months ago for a few weeks when ever me and Thai wife were in discussions over anything.....instead of the normal....total 100% disagreement she was saying "yes, you have logic" and i was taken aback and thought wow..she is listening to reason and seeing things logically as i am explaining the situation....
NOT, she was speaking Thai and English mixed... Thai word = logic = brain disease!!!! "You have logic(brain disease)" and i was saying yes, and agreeing. For weeks we had no major discussions ..it was a golden couple of weeks..my Thai logic..... 
Posted 2009-11-09 16:35:57
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