Small Slice of Life (again)

[PeteC]

Doesn't really merit a poll to see how everyone thinks, but a typical observation here that we shouldn't ever get used to.

Was sitting in the car this afternoon at a shopping mall in Pattaya while the wife and daughter ran in to pick up a Christmas gift for someone. The row of five cars in front of me were backed in and separated from my row by curbs, grass, bushes etc. Had the windows down enjoying the cool seasonal air and just waiting.

Spotted three Thai women coming out of the mall with two shopping carts filled with holiday gift baskets, about 8 of them. They headed for the car in front of me and one slot to the left, a Nissan Teana. They pushed the carts into the slot between their car and the one next to them and positioned them just a few centimeters away from the car parked next to them. They unloaded the carts and passed the baskets one to the other, with the third girl loading them into the boot of the Teana. Must be a huge boot as they all fit with room to spare.

Two of the girls appeared to be in their mid 20's and the third in her mid 30's. I thought "Ok, they'll just pull away and leave their carts jamming the car next to them..." Wrong! Once the baskets were loaded into the boot the 30's something woman pulled her shirt up, scratched and rubbed her stomach, smiled and barked "Hue kow!" All smiled and walked back to the exact mall door they exited, apparently to have lunch, leaving the carts exactly where they were without giving it a thought.

You know what's coming next, maybe? Less than 5 minutes later the owner of the car next to the Teana came out with a few bags in his hand, a farang about 55. He saw the carts next to his car before he went to the drivers side. He opened the back door driver's side, placed the bags in, closed the door, walked to the other side, put the two carts together and took them back to the cart rack next to the mall entrance door about 15 meters away. No fuss, no bother, no red face or ranting curses at the Thai race. I was impressed with his style, but of course he did not see how the carts got there in the first place, and the total disregard by the people who placed them there.

So there in a nut shell is the clash of civilizations in simple terms, but the participants didn't know it, only me. Yeah sure, the same story and scenario could and does happen in any country but we're not in any country, we're here. I still like to think our example is rubbing off, but I really doubt it. The girls with the carts didn't even remember they existed after they parked and unloaded them. Sigh, deep breath, fleeting smile, mai pen rai, Happy New Year Thailand (again). Pete

[Arcadian]

Happens in Tunisia also Pete. Me me me is the motto.

[migrant]

We came out of a store here in S California a while back and some guy had his car right on the curb blocking off the little ramp so anyone coming out had to bump their carts over the curb. He had been there a while since I noticed the car through the window while checking out. |He was sitting there with the windows open just relaxing.

I took our receipt, crumpled it up and threw it in his window. I got the expected "Hey, what the hell?"

I responded with " Sorry saw the opening and thought the only things this close to the door are supposed to be waste containers"

Luckily I am large enough it ended there.

Another time, at a very busy restaurant, someone parked their expensive sports car right on the line, taking two spots. I left him a note saying "Hey A****** guess where I keyed your car.

I didn't but it was fun watching him, through the window, spend 20 minutes looking all over the body of the car while we were eating lunch

Like mentioned it is the me me me generation

[PeteC]

The same type reply from two different parts of the world. Indeed, a "clash of generations" is perhaps a better definition of what I witnessed. It's probably also true that if the Thais have become infected with the "me, me, me" syndrome, they learned it from the West unfortunately. Pete

[lomuamart]

They should have those trollies where you put a pound in (50THB) and you don't get your money back until you ram your trolley into the back of another one, in the correct place.
How much is a trolley worth?
Edit That assumes that there is a correct place.

[Nereus]

They should have those trollies where you put a pound in (50THB) and you don't get your money back until you ram your trolley into the back of another one, in the correct place.
How much is a trolley worth?
Edit That assumes that there is a correct place.

It is much more satisfying to ram it into the ignorant pricks car that he has parked blocking access to yours!

[VincentD]

Pete, it's not like the old days where you had to fend for yourself and were basically taught to. We all had our bit to do (chores to you Americans) - wash the dishes, sweep the house, feed the dog - the list goes on. That is what made us what we are today; independent and self-sufficient within reason. Mind you, we did have several live-in amahs at the time too, but Dad and Mum made sure that we had responsibilities. I think this is what made the difference in attitude.

For the people who grew up in a later generation, everything was basically handed to them on a platter; the 'we want our kids to have what we never did' is part of that. Unfortunately it does not seem to have the effect of gratefulness. Instead there's a taken for granted attitude.

I think this is what you have seen; I emphasize with you. Why couldn't the girls have just brought the trolley back? But having said that, you'd be putting all the trolley retrievers out of a job...

RE trolley retrievers - I think the girls just left them there because they expected them to be taken away later on anyway. I sometimes do if it's really far away, but at least move them out of the way to a convenient corner first.
Foodland in Bangkok take this trolley thing just one step further; if you have a really full cart they'll have one of their staff wheel it over to your car for you and load the stuff in before returning the trolley for you as well. I guess it's considered a courtesy, but I for one find waiters who hang around your table waiting to top off your beer after just one sip extremely annoying... Similar concept.

Nereus - re the ramming of trolleys into cars - isn't a particularly good idea - it's a standard practice (at least in Bangkok) to have another line parked in front. However, it is also expected that you leave the car in neutral with the handbrake off. The parking attendants will tell you to as well. And they do help push any cars blocking the way if need be.
One exception to the ramming - the parking attendants usually have a heavy-duty trolley jack on hand for the idiots who *do* park in front of your car with the handbrake on. Sign of the times I guess.

[Nereus]

Nereus - re the ramming of trolleys into cars - isn't a particularly good idea - it's a standard practice (at least in Bangkok) to have another line parked in front. However, it is also expected that you leave the car in neutral with the handbrake off. The parking attendants will tell you to as well. And they do help push any cars blocking the way if need be.
One exception to the ramming - the parking attendants usually have a heavy-duty trolley jack on hand for the idiots who *do* park in front of your car with the handbrake on. Sign of the times I guess.

The prick that got me going this morning was parked ALONGSIDE, AND, in the driveway, not a parking space. Recently I parked in a disabled space (I have to use a walking stick to get around), when I came back there was a taxi parked cross ways in front of me, AND next to a bloody great sign that read NO PARKING. At this particular shopping centre I have yet to see any attendant. What I do see is all sorts of pr----ks parking in the disabled bays, although this practice is not restricted to any particular shopping centre.

I agree with what you have written about upbringing. But I have to disagree with Pete concerning the Thais copying Farangs. In fact, I believe it is the other way around, as Farangs in their own country would not get away with driving on the wrong side of the road, double parking, doing u-turns, etc.,etc., never mind parking in a disabled bay! They do all those sorts of things here because it seems to be the normal way!

[dtaai-maai]

Christmas is upon us.
Goodwill to all men (and women).
Tidings of comfort and joy!

[Nereus]

Christmas is upon us.
Goodwill to all men (and women).
Tidings of comfort and joy!

Sorry, I am a Heathen.

(Related to HEATHEN
Synonyms: barbarian, barbaric, barbarous, savage, heathenish, natural, Neanderthal (or Neandertal), rude, uncivil, uncivilized, uncultivated, wild)

[margaretcarnes]

Baa Humbug! Seriously folks people should be considerate to others all year round - unfortunately I think that particular gene isn't too well developed in Thais. Or maybe it's just a kind of 'someone else is paid to do-----job and it's beneath me' thing.
The other side of the coin is how many times a farang will for example go to pick something up they have dropped in a restaurant, or to clear up their mess, only to be told 'no I do I do' by a waitress?
The coin op shopping trolleys are the only way to solve the problem, not just in the LOS but other countries too. The Asda I use in the UK provides free trolleys and people not only leave them in the car park, but also push them as far as they can onto the sidewalk (before those auto brake mechanisms kick in - which often they don't.)
As for the posh car using 2 parking bays syndrome - very common. The reasoning is to avoid scratches of course. Bathplugs should pay double - if they can afford the car they can afford to park it!