Made in (by) Isaan

[Niranahm]

If you look at Khun Lung's latest journal you'll see a perfect funny example of Isaan construction work.

This is not meant to be nasty to Isaan people at all, but we know that most construction workers in Bangkok are poor migrants from Isaan, a lot of whom are female.

Since Issan people are much shorter on average than farangs or even other Thais and those poorer workers don't always understand the intended functionality of what they are making nor any of the English, this leads to funny mistakes in building things...

* I have had many bathrooms in apartments in Thailand where the mirror above the sink was hung for someone 5 feet 1 inches tall

* The showerheads are at the height of my neck

* Toilets where there is no space in the stall for knees to bend because they have been put too close to the door

* Some workers put up a big sign for my company XXXX Communications. When I came in on Saturday to view it, it read "Commnnications" ("n"s and "u"s looked the same)

Any more?

Isaan guys/girls if you want some revenge you can list idiotic farang attempts to use something that is Thai that the farangs don't undestand...

[Kayle]

I think it is not because they are from E-sarn that make them short, apart from genetic, it is the lack of nutrition - they are poor --->end up being construction worker.

Although I do think being short could be the explanation of how your apartment turned out to be.

I am the shortest compare to my sister and brother who are considering tall for Thai standard because I don't like drinking milk since I was young. I regret that especially now I am in farang land, where everthing seems to be bigger.

>Sitting on the plane -- my legs couldn't touch the floor and the neck support on the seat is too high.

> Looking for suit in Next or M&S -- try the petite collection, jacket is fine, but the trousers are always too long.

> standing on the train in london -- could not hold the thing to hold myself properly. I do look funny with my arm completely straight.

I am sure there are many more, but couldn't think of now.

[Niranahm]

Yeah farangs often get the Wai thing completely wrong (I won't repeat the story again about accidentally reserving my deepest Wai for a guy who turned out to be the driver of my gf's father)

I recommend to farangs who come here to live to not use the Wai until they have been here for a while. Seeing businessmen wai go-go dancers is kind of embarrassing...

Which reminds me I once saw a big drunk farang guy jump onto the stage in a go-go bar once and smash his head off the (low) ceiling knocking himself out cold on stage....

(enough of go-go bars or you'll get the wrong impression...)

I think NorthEastern people have some Lao blood which makes them genetically smaller than Northern Thai (tallest in Thailand) or Chinese Thai. But nutrition is likely a factor too.

Eat up your dinner and drink your milk like Mummy tells you

[bigKus]

If you look at Khun Lung's latest journal you'll see a perfect funny example of Isaan construction work.

This is not meant to be nasty to Isaan people at all, but we know that most construction workers in Bangkok are poor migrants from Isaan, a lot of whom are female.

Since Issan people are much shorter on average than farangs or even other Thais and those poorer workers don't always understand the intended functionality of what they are making nor any of the English, this leads to funny mistakes in building things...

* I have had many bathrooms in apartments in Thailand where the mirror above the sink was hung for someone 5 feet 1 inches tall

* The showerheads are at the height of my neck

* Toilets where there is no space in the stall for knees to bend because they have been put too close to the door

* Some workers put up a big sign for my company XXXX Communications. When I came in on Saturday to view it, it read "Commnnications" ("n"s and "u"s looked the same)

Any more?

Isaan guys/girls if you want some revenge you can list idiotic farang attempts to use something that is Thai that the farangs don't undestand...

..:What a stupid thought i ever seen.. , use your brain a little bit before poste anything, idiot !! dont let your **** lead you to thing like this ..:.

[Niranahm]

dont let your **** lead you to thing like this

Care to explain the connection between "****" and this thread, would you Tudtu?

At least my stereotypes are based on facts and reality, whereas your trying to bring sex into it is typical of the of the xenophobia againsts farangs that I hear with my own ears every day.

[pdiddy]

hurrr damn little stupid impovershed asians! what stupid mistakes! Why doesn't a construction worker with no education, forced to work for **** wages very far form home, understand the latin script enough to spell a word that plenty of US and European colege graduates would have trouble with.?

Perhaps you should ealise that 1. **** gets fcuked up at home, too. plenty of times, in fact. 2. You get what you invest in people. perhaps these guys knew what they were doing, but were pissed because they were being paid 200 baht a day to install 200.000 baht worth of stuff and being talked down to in the process? 3. they do things differently in thailand- inncluding putting nozzles at neck level. They do this in europe, as well. ****, the nozzle in my shower in my new apart American apartment is just about my neck as well.

[Niranahm]

You're making assumptions, I am making jokes.

1) 1. sh*t gets fcuked up at home, too. plenty of times, in fact.

Where would "home" be I wonder?

I've been a permanent resident of Thailand for most of my adult life.

2. You get what you invest in people. perhaps these guys knew what they were doing, but were pissed because they were being paid 200 baht a day to install 200.000 baht worth of stuff and being talked down to in the process?

That's just crap. One of us has invested millions in hiring and training Thai staff. Hint: it's not you!

3. they do things differently in thailand

They sure do. There's nothing wrong with laughing at mistakes. Or laugh with them. I understand that Tudtu thinks I am "looking down" at others, but it's simply not true. If you spoke Thai (which I doubt) you'd hear all the jokes and assumptions made about farangs. It's not about stupidity it's that when you juxtapose socio-economic clases and cultures funny things happen...

[Niranahm]

Well that's exactly the sort of thing I mean...

They are not all so high powered --. I have one at home which is a feeble dribble, and that annoys me more.

But sometimes yes there those high powered ones that are too powerful. I think with practice you can squeeze it very gently so that the volume of water is lower even if the pressure is a bit high.

And then rather than aiming directly at the "target" you can bounce the jet off one of the "sides". Keep practicing!

But it is also typically a contractors error. (Here I go criticizing those poor workers again who probably just use a plastic bowl at home). The pressure in offices and large public buildings is higher than smaller home sized buildings and you need to install some valves to reduce it. If the bidets are too powerful, you'll often notice the taps(faucets) also spit the water out at a ridicolous force.

Zeus is the resident expert here on the farang perspective on using these things. I sure he'd be glad to teach you....

[Niranahm]

It's arrogance to give examples of mistakes that are funny is it?

That is simply an over-sensitivity based on the notion that it's okay to make fun of people who are "privileged" in some way but any fun poked at poorer or less educated people is due to a sense of superiority. In other words political correctness.

[neillyperrfekt]

There's nothing wrong with laughing at mistakes. Or laugh with them. I understand that Tudtu thinks I am "looking down" at others, but it's simply not true. If you spoke Thai (which I doubt) you'd hear all the jokes and assumptions made about farangs. It's not about stupidity it's that when you juxtapose socio-economic clases and cultures funny things happen...

I doesnt seem to me you're laughing with Issan folk here. The tone of your post reeks of arrogance - it comes over that you're laughing at them and their 'funny mistakes'.

Just sayin'

Well my wife knowsabout the arrogance of people who are from bangkok. She is originally from Nong khai, she can speak good issan and thai. However when she speaks issan, she is deemed lower than people who are from bangkok, despite the fact that she speaks almost perfect english. I agree with her frustrations with the ignorance of people from bangkok. People assue too much, in my own opinion.

[Guest LIEBE]

Any more?

Isaan guys/girls if you want some revenge you can list idiotic farang attempts to use something that is Thai that the farangs don't undestand...

... err.. are u really happy to be in Thailand especially in Isaan? hehhe.. if not, why u dont back to ur mama's home. It might be better for u to have the better life. most (or everywhere) buildings and other things were provided for whole Thai people here. Farangs are not a God ... just try to understand and dont judge other people's feeling by your own.

[zeusbheld]

Actually it's quite funny when foreigners try to ...waai

Waai me even i am younger than them .....hehehehe...funny

even when i wai the people i'm supposed to wai i screw it up. it ijust ain't as simple as it looks. i need to find a master teacher so i can start the karate kid/rocky/south park style training montage.

[O123ok]

I also some time before went to rent a flat in a new block back in London only to point out they'd forgotten a kitchen at all.

I fail to see how pointing these observations out, then or now, is racist?

Are you trying to imply the English can't cook? Hang your head in shame, you racist...

[zeusbheld]

I also some time before went to rent a flat in a new block back in London only to point out they'd forgotten a kitchen at all.

I fail to see how pointing these observations out, then or now, is racist?

Are you trying to imply the English can't cook? Hang your head in shame, you racist...

not at all, the english are very good at boiling things into mush.

[bigKus]

I went to rent a condo in State Tower, brand new and supposedly five star living. The kitchen had everything but the kitchen sink. Amazing oversight!

I also some time before went to rent a flat in a new block back in London only to point out they'd forgotten a kitchen at all.

.. Umm.. I see.. there must be built by poorer, uneducated, short, tiny Isaan population who has Lao in their blood..

[O123ok]

Of course the English can cook... anything you like as long as it's boiled in salted water for 10-15 minutes.

not at all, the english are very good at boiling things into mush.

That's a stereo stereotype...

[thomaswd]

Of course the English can cook... anything you like as long as it's boiled in salted water for 10-15 minutes.

not at all, the english are very good at boiling things into mush.

That's a stereo stereotype...

Yes this is sterotyping...But we should not forget that the English do have two styles of cooking...Boiled and deep fried...hahaha...Not much after that...hahaha

[zeusbheld]

Of course the English can cook... anything you like as long as it's boiled in salted water for 10-15 minutes.

not at all, the english are very good at boiling things into mush.

That's a stereo stereotype...

Yes this is sterotyping...But we should not forget that the English do have two styles of cooking...Boiled and deep fried...hahaha...Not much after that...hahaha

apologies to all brits... i forgot all about deep frying...

[O123ok]

apologies to all brits... i forgot all about deep frying...

Apology not accepted... until you admit we can shallow fry too.

[koolbreez]

The comments I will make are in no way ment to be nasty toward you, but we know from our schooling that sometimes you can be to close to the elephant to see what it really is. Please don't take any offense.

If you look at Khun Lung's latest journal you'll see a perfect funny example of Isaan construction work.

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The start of, and why people think you look down on Isaan people. It's just as easy to use that example to describe any bad constructoin in any country. In the USA the same derogitory comment would be used to describe non-union workers by union workers. The term would be "that's what you get for hiring scabs", the cheapest labor in the USA. You have racially identified your scapegoat.

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This is not meant to be nasty to Isaan people at all, but we know that most construction workers in Bangkok are poor migrants from Isaan, a lot of whom are female.

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I don't know that. You are apologising before you put them down for what they do, like then it is ok.

Construction is a low paying job in Thailand done by poor people, why point out where they are from....how many are burmese?

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Since Issan people are much shorter on average than farangs or even other Thais and those poorer workers don't always understand the intended functionality of what they are making nor any of the English, this leads to funny mistakes in building things...

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Every asian I have met, or seen is shorter than most farangs, why identify Isaan people?

English.....lolol, you give any Thai construction worker a set of blueprints in english, and you will have alot more problems than if those blueprints were written in Thai. Pitty the farang superintendant might not be able to read them, but the work would probably be done right. Funny how poor people can't read english.

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* I have had many bathrooms in apartments in Thailand where the mirror above the sink was hung for someone 5 feet 1 inches tall

* The showerheads are at the height of my neck

* Toilets where there is no space in the stall for knees to bend because they have been put too close to the door

* Some workers put up a big sign for my company XXXX Communications. When I came in on Saturday to view it, it read "Commnnications" ("n"s and "u"s looked the same)

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Again you are expecting western demensions in an asian society you are being pretty narrow minded.

The toilets are a different matter, purely an educated persons design error, or a foreman's reluctance to question the design because of that "face" thing. Just build it like the boss says. It is, the "face" thing, from my research, that is the biggest problem with most of Thai corporate business, not related to Isaan at all.

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Any more?

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Sure. When a person is surrounded daily by whatever, that person tends to develop into that same whatever because of a thing called social influence. When you are surrounded by bigetry you will tend to develop some of those same traits just to survive in your surroundings, or you will leave. If you are in those surroundings long enough some of that bigetry will become natural habit. You can't avoid it, and survive.

To me it looks like you have taken the survival route, and been in it for quite awhile. I'm not trying to be nasty to you, I'm just trying to show you what I as a westerner view. Step back from the elephant.

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Isaan guys/girls if you want some revenge you can list idiotic farang attempts to use something that is Thai that the farangs don't undestand...

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Again why Isaan, I'm sure any Thai from any social, or racial element could tell you stories.

I can tell you stories, and I'm not Thai. I can tell you about the idiot farang that expected a western toilet in an Asian house. I can tell you about the looks given when trying to shake hands left handed, the wai mistakes results from farangs watching to many old movies that stereotyped the chinese greeting. Talking slower to someone in english that has no clue what you are saying as if that will be better understood I have seen many times.

The thing I do find amusing though is watching a Thai do business with a farang from a non-english skeaking country, and all of the transaction is done in broken english by both parties.........I find this amusing...hehehe.

Again, I'm not trying to be nasty, or insulting. Just giving you a western view.

[thomaswd]

The thing I do find amusing though is watching a Thai do business with a farang from a non-english skeaking country, and all of the transaction is done in broken english by both parties.........I find this amusing...hehehe.

Now this I have to agree with...especially when watching the non native English speakers get into a disagreement and they are both saying the same thing and neither relize it...hahaha.

[zeusbheld]

apologies to all brits... i forgot all about deep frying...

Apology not accepted... until you admit we can shallow fry too.

alright, alright... yes, you all can shallow fry. :cry: you drive a hard bargain, sir.

[zeusbheld]

thai workers in general do seem to have failed to master the craft of making bathroom floors that slope toward the drain (whether they be isaan or not i dont know, i have never been around when they built the bathrooms in question).

that said, i've seen some remarkable feats of large-scale consttruction. as i type this i'm watching the new bridges go up (south of the rama 9 bridge). they're going up very, very fast. the bridge spans are almost fully connected now (still a lot of work left before they can open the bridge though).

in my mind i'm comparing this to how long it took to revamp the williamsburg bridge in new york, a much smaller bridge. the williamsburg bridge seemed to be on a simlilar schedule to a gothic cathedral--something that would have to be completed by future generations.

[Guest LIEBE]

I went to rent a condo in State Tower, brand new and supposedly five star living. The kitchen had everything but the kitchen sink. Amazing oversight!

I also some time before went to rent a flat in a new block back in London only to point out they'd forgotten a kitchen at all.

.. Umm.. I see.. there must be built by poorer, uneducated, short, tiny Isaan population who has Lao in their blood..

you know how to appreciate me, P'Tudtu. 8)

most poorer workers are working in Bkk is Isaan ppl. and more than 70% of members here are Isaan. woohoo..

[bigKus]

I went to rent a condo in State Tower, brand new and supposedly five star living. The kitchen had everything but the kitchen sink. Amazing oversight!

I also some time before went to rent a flat in a new block back in London only to point out they'd forgotten a kitchen at all.

.. Umm.. I see.. there must be built by poorer, uneducated, short, tiny Isaan population who has Lao in their blood..

you know how to appreciate me, P'Tudtu. 8)

most poorer workers are working in Bkk is Isaan ppl. and more than 70% of members here are Isaan. woohoo..

I run out what to say here this thread N' Tal .. it s too sad. Why Isaan ? Why poorer worker ? why uneducated ? ugly , dark , short , tiny..

Because They are poor, lack of education and make their civilized person wrong scale bath room.

[PattayaDaz]

Funny...Just shows that in reality all cultures and groups think anybody different from them is lampooned or laughed at..Just don't take it too seriously..after all they are only joking..

Take my case..after nearly 20yrs of Asia...banging my head on low ceilings, trying to brush my hair/shave in mirrors setup for the vertically challenged, Bending double to turn on the taps, sercing in vain for the light switch and a host of other problems caused by being over 6ft tall....

I swore that when I eventually had my own place I would make it to my specifications....So my house has worktops at 1m height...a tall toilet...high ceilings.....light fittings at a decent hight.....sinks at waist level.....and mirrors at head height......

AND.......during the construction process......I spent two Months listening to the Thai/Isaan builders LAUGHING and JOKING about the ''stupid/mad/crazy'' farang and his totally unpractical house.....FUNNY cos at that time none of them realised that the ''stupid'' farang could understand them...LOL

So just goes to show what is great for one isn't always perfect for another..its all totally subjective....Dispite there being many things in Thailand that are either humerous or frustrating I'd still haven't found an overall package that is better.....A week in the UK is usually a great reallity check..especially when you buy gasoline or pay the council tax.