Lost in Translation(Thai Version)

[TingTongJohn]

This person who has given birth to our 2 lovely girls gives me concern in her strong headedness at times(Thai female or female in general?) We go into a mall where she has never been in before in Bangkok. I have and she knows i have been here but does she query me? No she heads off in the wrong direction for a store she wants to check out. No waver no check the mall map or directory or even maybe question the heavyset handsome fella shes with. But noo with just dam the torpedoes all full ahead. After our little walk about she asks me and I point back the way we came. With out a shred of regret on dragging my poor carcess miles off course we vere back. Just a small note that every store with a sale or percent off seems to attract her attention. We get to the video store and it starts. She is looking for a dvd she thinks is called Meet the foxes. After rumaging through endless discs(god forbid we ask for help) She finds it..Meet the fockers is really the Title not foxes but I digress and what does my love of my life say..See that is what I said what is wrong with you(sigh)

[dtaai-maai]

Breaking news - woman enjoys shopping while husband is bored to tears!

[hhfarang]

My solution is to find a mall with a bar inside or nearby... oh, and like when I used to go gambling in Las Vegas, put a strict spending limit on the amount money to be disposed of and Buddha help you if you let her loose alone in a Bangkok mall with a credit card!

[TingTongJohn]

My solution is to find a mall with a bar inside or nearby... oh, and like when I used to go gambling in Las Vegas, put a strict spending limit on the amount money to be disposed of and Buddha help you if you let her loose alone in a Bangkok mall with a credit card!

I like how I ask her how much did you spend on the credit card and my wife starts her answer with "Well around"..This is a bad sign..around gives a nice sound to close to when in reality around is a very unclear message meaning more then likey to much.

[Coldmike]

My solution is to avoid going if at all possible. Limits on spending don't seem to have much effect on the desire to shop and 'look' at all. Also several times I've been caught at Central or other big shopping center during hours when beer can't be served in the food courts. If I can't avoid going, I remind myself that people watching in the Thai shoppoing centers is actually a lot of fun and can take my mind off the utter misery I am stuck in.

[TingTongJohn]

My solution is to avoid going if at all possible. Limits on spending don't seem to have much effect on the desire to shop and 'look' at all. Also several times I've been caught at Central or other big shopping center during hours when beer can't be served in the food courts. If I can't avoid going, I remind myself that people watching in the Thai shoppoing centers is actually a lot of fun and can take my mind off the utter misery I am stuck in.

HEY CM

People watching is fun but I find most of the time the Thai are staring at me like I am some kind of circus act not the other way round. And godforbid I see another fellow or lady traveler of my general skin coloring while in the malls. Why you may ask? Due to this very issue i have with some tourists in Thailand. I see the tourist male or female and say good morning or smile and nod And the reply is a frown or a grunt or a reaction like what are you selling when I am trying to just be pleasant. Or even worse is the look I get from some females like get away from me you sex tourist(when they do not know me..yes I may look the part.. but I am not). Thin skinned maybe. Its a pet peeve. Politeness seem to vanish at times. I am not asking to be their best friend I am just being civil or maybe i am just being to hopeful in regards to my fellow man and woman?

[Coldmike]

Yea John, I used to hate the farang condescending looks too, but you get used to it and it doesn't really bother me anymore. It did make me a bit shy for a while, but now I've found that more often than not a polite friendly hello will lead to a nice civil conversation with strangers, both foreigners and Thai. I also only feel that Thais look at me funny now when I'm in small towns or neighborhoods where foreigners don't normally wander. In Bangkok or Hua Hin I don't feel that I stick out much at all.

[Korkenzieher]

Out in the sticks, with the GF, where much finger pointing and staring and 'falang falang' chuntering is heard, I find the best solution is to get your chin up, voice up, and wander around the place like you own it. Leave the shifty-eyed-guilt stuff to the GF. Probably not the best policy in Bangkok or HH, but as I say, out in the sticks.