Let me explain: I normally have my hair tied back in a pony tail, because I haven't got the time or inclination to do anything else with it. Occasionally, when I do have the time, I have it loose. Comments from fellow farang colleagues are usually complimentary. My Thai colleagues, however, say 'What's wrong with your hair?' (in English). I don't know quite how to reply
.I spoke to one Thai colleague (who's a bit more switched on) and he said that Thais say that kind of thing when someone does something different with their hair. He said that it was friendly banter. 'What about saying something like: 'You look lovely today' or 'Your hair looks great'' I asked. 'No, we don't normally give compliments to friends', was the reply. I got the same response after I'd put on a kilo or two during the summer holidays. One student asked if I was pregnant, and a couple told me I was fat! At around 54kgs I thought it was a tad unnecessary.
I've come across this often with Thais. They don't do compliments. We have a Thai friend in Bangkok who introduced his 8 year old daughter saying 'This is my daughter, she's fat and useless at English'. I guess she was lucky that she didn't know what he was saying...
Do you get compliments from Thais? Apart from 'You handsome man'
VS
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