Farang wai farang dai mai??????

[SoBeIt]

Nope Admin, I don't walk around in DK and hug strangers. That's gonna be odd (or they might think that I was trying to get in their plants.) I hug only friends and some Thai girls. I don't go to McDonald's and people in DK don't greet cashier.

I've seen many American tourists here say "hello" to cashiers (or even to people who set next to them in a rest.) That's nice thing to do but it's kind of strange to the Dane. Some of my Danish friends say Americans can be too friendly. The Dane like it cold.

Dont Danish say "Hello" to cashier?

In Sweden, people always say "Hej" (Hi) to others even they dont know each others.

When you go into pizzerias or McDonald.. the customers always say "Hi"

It's kind of polite thing.. and then continue to order your food.

Even when you go to school and you see a person who studies the same school with you but different class.

You dont know him/her personally. But if you meet him/her in a shopping mall.

You always say "Hello" smile and then just continue your things.

About hugging culture, I actually like it.

It felt weird for me in the beginning, because Thai culture we dont hug each others often esp man and woman.

But here, if they are your friends, it doesnt matter that man or woman..

We hug each others when we meet and when we say good bye.

There is nothing to do with sexual issue when you hug your friends,

I think Thai ppl think about it in that way, that's why they feel uncomfortable with hugging.

Nowadays when I want to say goodbye to my Thai friends.

I always hug them.. it feels nice and cozy.. I like it :wink:

[pandorea]

Anyway, i would like to spotlight pandorea's comment...

Thai is Thai who carries Thai culture everywhere. We are taught in that way… it’s in our sense. I wai Thai. I don’t mind to wai any foreigner… but I have to be sure that he quiet seems comfortable. I prefer to say greeting to them... some (who are older than me) wai me first… yes, it is absolutely nice… but in fact, it doesn’t proper.

You can't speak for all Thai, Sweetie. What is exactly we are carring? Thai culture has been changed since the first Hollywood movie land in a cinema. What about some of Thai who has been abroad for a year or so, then when they come back to Thailand they speak "ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑ觤Ó". For me those ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑè§¤Ó people are annoying.

I used to feel uncomfortable hugging people I don't know well. But after I have been living here for such a long time (I stop counting for how long ) huging is just a part of greeting people and I don't mind giving you a hug.

[AAAum]

You can't speak for all Thai, Sweetie.

ohh!! yes yes... agree ka...

sorry, i miss it

[pandorea]

Nope Admin, I don't walk around in DK and hug strangers. That's gonna be odd (or they might think that I was trying to get in their plants.) I hug only friends and some Thai girls. I don't go to McDonald's and people in DK don't greet cashier.

I've seen many American tourists here say "hello" to cashiers (or even to people who set next to them in a rest.) That's nice thing to do but it's kind of strange to the Dane. Some of my Danish friends say Americans can be too friendly. The Dane like it cold.

Dont Danish say "Hello" to cashier?

In Sweden, people always say "Hej" (Hi) to others even they dont know each others.

When you go into pizzerias or McDonald.. the customers always say "Hi"

It's kind of polite thing.. and then continue to order your food.

Even when you go to school and you see a person who studies the same school with you but different class.

You dont know him/her personally. But if you meet him/her in a shopping mall.

You always say "Hello" smile and then just continue your things.

About hugging culture, I actually like it.

It felt weird for me in the beginning, because Thai culture we dont hug each others often esp man and woman.

But here, if they are your friends, it doesnt matter that man or woman..

We hug each others when we meet and when we say good bye.

There is nothing to do with sexual issue when you hug your friends,

I think Thai ppl think about it in that way, that's why they feel uncomfortable with hugging.

Nowadays when I want to say goodbye to my Thai friends.

I always hug them.. it feels nice and cozy.. I like it :wink:

Some do, many don't. You are approx 30 km from the borderline, I guess. Come visit DK. and you will know what I mean.

I do say god'morgen to my colleague in the morning and say "favel, tak for idag" before I leave. and most Danish people do that but it's very unlikely that they will say "hej" to a cashier. I know I don't.

The Dane say more "tak" than "Hej/hi" and that's the way their culture is, I think. I alway "tak for mad" after I finished my dinner, if my husband made it or if I was invited for a dinner.

[Chatty]

About hugging culture, I actually like it.

It felt weird for me in the beginning, because Thai culture we dont hug each others often esp man and woman.

But here, if they are your friends, it doesnt matter that man or woman..

We hug each others when we meet and when we say good bye.

There is nothing to do with sexual issue when you hug your friends,

I think Thai ppl think about it in that way, that's why they feel uncomfortable with hugging.

Nowadays when I want to say goodbye to my Thai friends.

I always hug them.. it feels nice and cozy.. I like it :wink:

You must see my friend's face last weekend...

We got hug from an Amer guy... I get used to it... I mean hugging...

but my friend, she is 6 years older than me felt totally uncomfortable.

cuz Thai ladies, especially old generation don't like touching from the strangers. They like to keep distance, (sorry i mean "we")

[SoBeIt]

What about some of Thai who has been abroad for a year or so, then when they come back to Thailand they speak "ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑ觤Ó". For me those ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑè§¤Ó people are annoying. .

Agree, Thais who speak "ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑ觤Ó" they usually want to show off to others that they can speak English and that make their images a little bit better.

I think it is silly and annoying..

[pandorea]

About hugging culture, I actually like it.

It felt weird for me in the beginning, because Thai culture we dont hug each others often esp man and woman.

But here, if they are your friends, it doesnt matter that man or woman..

We hug each others when we meet and when we say good bye.

There is nothing to do with sexual issue when you hug your friends,

I think Thai ppl think about it in that way, that's why they feel uncomfortable with hugging.

Nowadays when I want to say goodbye to my Thai friends.

I always hug them.. it feels nice and cozy.. I like it :wink:

You must see my friend's face last weekend...

We got hug from an Amer guy... I get used to it... I mean hugging...

but my friend, she is 6 years older than me felt totally uncomfortable.

cuz Thai ladies, especially old generation don't like touching from the strangers. They like to keep distance, (sorry i mean "we")

I think it also depends on where his hands are and the distance of his body when the hugging thingy is going on. If his hands are on my hips, I don't like that, unless he is my ex-b/f that should be ok.

When I met my late husband's family for the first time they gave me chin-kisses and that was very uncomfortable and the worse part was I'm allergic to their kisses, that night I ended up with rashes on my face.

[English_Bob]

What about some of Thai who has been abroad for a year or so, then when they come back to Thailand they speak "ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑ觤Ó". For me those ä·Â¤Ó ½ÃÑè§¤Ó people are annoying. .

It makes me laugh when I hear it... "Thai Thai Thai make a plan Thai Thai Thai chilling out Thai Thai Thai REALLY!"

But I know a few young people who speak like this who haven't been educated abroad, they just use English words where Thai words aren't so accurate.

My neighbour is a French girl who speaks pretty good Thai... but her English isn't fluent. When we have conversations, we use a mixture of Thai, English and French... Thai people think that's very funny, but some words and phrases just match the other languages better.

When we tell stories about what Thai people said, we never translate the Thai... We say, "And then she said, '©Ñ¹äÃèä´é·ÓÃÃäüԴ' and then he said, 'ÃÙéáÅéÇ'..."

With her strong French accent and my mispronunciation it's no wonder that Thais find it funny.

[admin]

I wai very rarely...

to my staff when they wai me first.

to executives and business people.

to older relatives of Thai people I know.

That's about it for me too. Funny enough, some of your staff are one of the few waitresses that I've ever caught myself wai'ing. Mostly because I've seen some of them off and on for several years eating there and they pretty much remember what I like and don't like and are very friendly.

Other than that, it's usually a polite nod to acknowledge the gesture and a smile.

It is funny at some TF events though. I've seen both sides trying to decide what the appropriate gesture is. A small hug, a wai, handshake, a wave . . . ? But I think that is more because TF members at an event sort of fall into a strange space where you're trying to decide which culture should control the interaction.

For me, they all work.

[Boog]

hi there, fisrt excuse my engrish...

Clearly wierd to act like the guy in the pub, before trying to fit in a culture it would be better to try to understand it, for me, acting this way it doesn't. Make me think about farangs wearing those yellow wristlets "I love the king"... feel some respect, yes definitly, but love??!

I'm here for little bit more than 1 year and I've tried to understand the "wai code" ,I found it in fact much more complicated than it seems.

Maybe I'm wrong and tell if I am but I feel that some people use the wai (or more the 'no-wai') to show they're from a higher social class, like if they've learned to never wai when they pay for a service for example. If you're really satisfied with the service, why not wai?

For the elders I understand but I've seen youngs don't wai olders, I think for the same social class thing.

Maybe I don't get it and I wai too much, people might think I stupid but I don't care.

My mum's taught me that we all have the same 'value' and I don't want to make my mum angry

[English_Bob]

hi there, fisrt excuse my engrish...

Clearly wierd to act like the guy in the pub, before trying to fit in a culture it would be better to try to understand it, for me, acting this way it doesn't. Make me think about farangs wearing those yellow wristlets "I love the king"... feel some respect, yes definitly, but love??!

I'm here for little bit more than 1 year and I've tried to understand the "wai code" ,I found it in fact much more complicated than it seems.

Maybe I'm wrong and tell if I am but I feel that some people use the wai (or more the 'no-wai') to show they're from a higher social class, like if they've learned to never wai when they pay for a service for example. If you're really satisfied with the service, why not wai?

For the elders I understand but I've seen youngs don't wai olders, I think for the same social class thing.

Maybe I don't get it and I wai too much, people might think I stupid but I don't care.

My mum's taught me that we all have the same 'value' and I don't want to make my mum angry

It is complicated... it's not just a question of who 'wais' who. There's also the TYPE of 'wai' you use.

I remember one of the Thai members wrote a guide to 'wais' (was it Aphrodite?). It covered the different heights at finger positions for friends, colleagues, parents, monks, and the King.

Interesting stuff.... It doesn't matter how long we study this stuff or how good we become, Thai people generally see us as 'cute' when we do it. When I speak Thai, they say, "Wow you speak well." But they mean, "...for a Farang."

Even people like Andrew Biggs are still a bit of a freak show... "Look at the big bald white guy who can speak Thai... ÃÕÃÕÃÕ... funny guy!"

[admin]

Wai-ing any hooker is downright ridiculous. It's a status thing. By wai-ing, these guys are positioning themselves as lower than a hooker.

i do understand but i'm not so sure for the context.

let say for this one;

"these guys are positioning themselves as lower than a hooker"

nothing wrong with "lower" word... but can interpret several ways...

a) customer vs hooker... it’s a kind of service. Hooker should wai customer like saying thank you. Customer, I think, just accept it.

someone vs hooker… if someone happens to contact with a hooker (not business thing)… she gives you hands. You feel appreciate… would you wai her? If so, it’s because of her help? If not, because she is a hooker?

Whatever, just back to the point that they are lacking of understand the significance and the meaning of Wai-ing. They just presume Wai-ing is like saying “Sawasdee”… in fact, it isn’t.

I think it's more of the former. You see guys walk into a go-go bar and start wai'ing the dancers. Most of the time they're the first to wai which makes it twice as bad since they're twice (or more) the girl's age.

And, to some degree, I don't mind it from some total n00b one his first or second trip to Thailand but when you see people who have been living here for years or been coming here regularly for a decade or more trying to wai to impress people how down they are with Thai culture it just makes me laugh.

[Boog]

I knew about the different types of wai, makes it even more complicated!

If some people see me as cute when I do it, it's ok for me, after all the important is the meaning you put into no?

When I wai it's simply to show some respect or thanks, I never think about any ranking.

But maybe that's where I don't really get it

[English_Bob]

I just had a customer in the restaurant... she's only been in Thailand a year. But she couldn't stop speaking bits of Thai to me...

"Where's the horng naam?"

"Can I get a Heineken kuat neung kha?"

It was just.... odd.

[LakeGeneve]

I just had a customer in the restaurant... she's only been in Thailand a year. But she couldn't stop speaking bits of Thai to me...

"Where's the horng naam?"

It was just.... odd.

Are you sure that due to her deep, guttural eastern european voice and the wax in your ears that she didn't say, "Where's the hung man"? :wink:

[drlovelife8]

Lots of interesting examples.

I would NEVER wai a farang. That guy has really stayed in my mind with his oddness Khrab Phom