When in Rome ... do as the Thais do

[VincentD]

The other thing I find a little silly at the 7-11 is that when I buy a couple of beers (can be the cans or bottles) they always slip in a couple of drinking straws.

I'll condone the 'ice-in-the-beer' bit, but I draw the line at using a straw to suck at my beer.

The staff always give me strange looks when I tell them to take the straws out as I don't use them to drink beer.

[richard]

Well spoken buksida

Back to the old story as to whether you are a tourist or a resident ferang

I'm the latter and indeed agree with 'when in Rome'

As a recognised tourist you can get away with almost anything even going topless or skinny dipping at night.

I was once given a very good piece of advice. OK you will be excused faupas for a few months but then you are expected to learn their culture and abide by it

Sure it is going to take you years but it does help if you have a Thai partner to advise you.

My most recent mistake was Sonkran up in the wilds of North East Thailand. We were on the day 2 parage round the village with all and sundry including the monks. I was sat on the tailgate of a pick up and as the only ferang for miles got the full water and Lao Khow treatment. Suddenly the senior monk stepped up and I was told you are allowed to sprinkle water over him. A bit of the true yorkshireman (Freddie Truman inspired) got the better of me and emtied a bucketful over his shaven head. Everybody burst out laughing except my wife who turned on me and said sprinkle means a little water over the shoulder.

I did a high wai and apologised. The monk laughed and came over and shook my hand and then turned to everyone and said in Lao 'He's a felang and still learning'. He even gave me his mobile number and whispered that he could speak English.

Still learning, but it's a long road!!!!

[Jim]

Just to follow up on the ice in beer thing, the big fad in Blightly this year has been ice in cider. I'm have little or no shame, so I've been happy to go along with it; it has the benefit of taking most of the taste away and it actually is a good refresher in the tropical weather we've had most of this summer. I hadn't been able to touch cider for over 20 years after a serious overdose as a student, but I've drunk lakes of the stuff this year.

The message I think is don't knock it til you've tried it. And life's too short, so give it a go. There's a Japanese saying that goes along the lines of "we're fools if we dance and fools if we don't, so let's dance". It was John Cleese who said something like "it is every Englishman's ambition to get to his grave without being embarassed".

C'mon Reading.

[SuperTonic]

[quote="JD"]Why do some expats have a conversation with you in that broken English as if they are talking to their housekeeper.

Had a conversation with an Englishman this morning and he said to me.
“We go Bangkok, bad road, and some driver he no good, he go quick, have many accident, no happy go, but have business, have much danger.â€

[SuperTonic]

I did a high wai and apologised. The monk laughed and came over and shook my hand and then turned to everyone and said in Lao 'He's a felang and still learning'. He even gave me his mobile number and whispered that he could speak English.

Sounds like a typical monk, they seemed to be rather mischievous when i've met them, usually with a very dry sense of humour.

[DawnHRD]

[quote="SuperTonic"][quote="JD"]Why do some expats have a conversation with you in that broken English as if they are talking to their housekeeper.

Had a conversation with an Englishman this morning and he said to me.
“We go Bangkok, bad road, and some driver he no good, he go quick, have many accident, no happy go, but have business, have much danger.â€

[SuperTonic]

Actually even though we're now back home in Britain me and my (British) girl are trying to speak as much Thai as possible ready for when we move out so we're confusing the hell out of people here!