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Ballsburstin
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Bro's and Sisters,
Decided to start this thread after watching the thread about Thai Wives. The more I begin to understand Thailand, the more I question my own assumptions about my own behavior in LOS.
So I would like to open this thread to discuss culturally appropriate behavior and responses to situations one may encounter in LOS. I am NOT talking about politically correct behavior.
As an example, I re-examine a previous thread in which a farang woman refused to yield her seat to a monk on a boat in BKK. As a farang sitting on this boat and watching this, what would be an appropriate response from one of us, as viewed through Thai eyes? Should we ream her a new asshole? Should we offer our seat to the monk? Should we apologize to the monk (in Thai) for her bad behavior? Should we explain to the lady that she is mistaken, and then smile at her while she unloads on us? How would the Thai people view a farang intervening in such a situation?
I'm sure there are other situations like this, where the first response may not be the best, for reasons that aren't immediately obvious.
- Balls
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:46 pm on Mar. 30, 2003
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califdann
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Hmmm... so a female needs to give her seat up to a male? Understand the female is Farang.... should that make a difference??? Understand the male is a monk.... hmmm seems like every monk I ever talked to would not have asked for her or anyone else's seat. Guess it was a "you had to be there" situation. Personnally, I would not have thought to give my seat up to a monk, and I think that I am overly polite and courteous almost always. Just my thinking.....
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 7:15 pm on Mar. 30, 2003
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nokna
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if had witnessed the situation you are talking about i would have shown respect to the monk and offered him my seat.
it would be his decision to accept my offer and if he had taken my seat, i would have felt i had done good.
i know that after the Royal Family,the Priesthood is held in such esteem and i would never hope to upset either of them.
i'm a cautious guy,not into confrontation of any sort,but i would try and speak to the lady concerned and try to explain the situation of the Priesthood to her.
she might have been unaware of the place the Priests hold in Thailand.
she may not have wanted to listen to my words and in future pissed off the locals.
but again her decision.
we must remember there are 3 types of people who are the most important in LOS.
The Royal Family,The Priests and last but not least,the wonderful ladies who show us a good time.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:20 pm on Mar. 30, 2003
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Yurune
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Am I correct in remembering that she was sitting in seats reserved for monks? Airports etc often have sections of seating reserved for monks, written in English and Thai....
I was in Wat Saket recently where a couple of American backpackers sat at the back...leaning against the wall....vests on with their feet pointing straight ahead to the Buddha. I had no resitation in pointing it out to them. To their credit they listened and assumed the correct posture and covered their shoulders.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 8:45 pm on Mar. 30, 2003
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Whisper
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Agree with the brothers responses here. First, explain calmly to the "ignorant" about the situation and this (you would assume) should rectify the situation. If, as in the case of the ferang woman, it doesn't then at least you have tried.
I know that when I am in a foreign country I am keen to behave appropriately and correctly and I find it interesting to learn about customs and rituals (because we have f_ck-all here in Australia).
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 9:42 pm on Mar. 30, 2003
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FarangBha
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She needs to be told.
Had the same situation on a bus, a woman (farang) went to sit next to a monk. A no-no. He said 'no man' to her, which puzzled her. I told her she couldnt sit next to a monk, she moved. Then her two friends - a couple in the seat in front started pashing heavily. Ignorant f_cks. They were too heavily into it for me to interrupt, but there were a lot of red, fuming faces nearby. Unfortunately the Thais were being too polite for their own good.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 1:45 am on Mar. 31, 2003
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ABC
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Ballsburstin:
First off. Great topic.
It's taken me some time to fomulate my response, since I sit on the fence with this issue.
In general, I think that one must try to acclomate themselves to the environment and culture in the country they are in. I believe there are somethings that should be followed to the letter. Like in Thailand, don't make fun of or rude comments about the King or monarchy. Same can be said in China. Don't make fun of the president. Moving on .....
I do think that there is a line though that we should not cross.
Regarding the lady on the bus with the Monk. I did not know that you should give up your seat to a Monk. I would do it just because that's how I was raised. To give up your seat to others, especially females, elderly persons,ect.
Back to my point. I don't think that the lady needs to give up her seat if she does not want to. Not to be naive or disrespectfull, but why didn't others give up their seat for the monk instead of her?? There had to be other Thai females on the bus as well. And if not, I view this as a small mistake.
I think it's hard enough to blend into a foreign culture then to try and explain what is exceptable and what is not. Again, somethings are pretty cut and dry. Other isses I, personally would not make an issue of. The seat thing falls in my books into that catagory.
Now .. in the movie threater, there was some farlangs talking and laughing during the national anthem at the beginnig. I would and did point out to them that they were making a scene and being very disrespectfull.
I guess what I'm saying is that manners all depend on judgement / perspective at the time.
Oh ... if the person or people are purposely doing something that they know is not culturally correct, that's another story. Then I think being more assertive is in order. I'm only talking about innocently not knowing some of the culutural manners. Those people I would let slide.
I'm probably in the minority on this, but that's my opinion. Not that it can't change next time I'm in BKK and am faced with a situation like this. I might react completely differently!! ha ha ha!!
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:35 am on Mar. 31, 2003
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Lofty
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We can all continue to learn, whilst I think I may know some of the customs etc I by no means no all.
I would be quite happy and very willing for someone to point out any indiscretion I had/was making or about to make this way I continue to learn
Again I wish to continue adding to the few odd words or sentances of Thai that I know and I am quite happy for someone to point out any pronounciation errors or mor suitable words or indeed order of words.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:42 am on Mar. 31, 2003
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ABC
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Lofty:
Good points. Forgot to add those to my original post. Will piggy back on yours!! ha ha ha!!
I would not be against someone politely letting me know what the customs are, but would feel a little defensive if the person either was demanding or was being insulting while doing it.
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 2:44 am on Mar. 31, 2003
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Whisper
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While I was in Bangkok I went to see a film (Iron Ladies 2) and after we found the correct cinema the usher would not let us inside. I was a little puzzled because I could hear music and then my GF told me it was because the National Anthem was playing. I was mightily impressed that (a) they play the National Anthem before their films and (b) they don't interrupt it when they do.
Too bad we don't have the same thing here, I reckon. I wish I had been inside the cinema to see how everyone reacted.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 2:48 am on Mar. 31, 2003
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