Odd acts of kindness Thais seem to do.

[Butch 3,456]

We often whinge about getting ripped off in bars, snotty attitudes and general poor attitude from Thais, but often there are instances when you question some generalisations that we assume or make.

Be interesting to hear other examples that BM's may have encountered over the years, one of my memorable ones is when I was on the back of an MC Taxi , the guy stopped at a small kiosk on the side of the road and ordered a coke in a bag for himself, then ordered another one for me, just handed it over as a matter of fact, totally unexpected and a random small act of kindness that I wasn't expecting. We'd already pre agreed the price for the journey. Maybe it was just his way of getting Karma points.

I know there are good and bad in all walks of life, and the Thais can't be blamed for getting pissy with us, given the way some guys behave in their Country. I guess in the long run the trick is to perform small acts of kindness as hopefully they add up, so when the karma points need to be cashed in there's enough in the bank to cover most eventualities lol.

[teelack 9,640]

Butch, how right you are. Generally speaking I have had a good relationship with Thai people even when I was shagging their daughters! I have some great memories of just sitting around eating and drinking with the TGF and her extended family. 

It is a bit difficult to recall all the smaller things that happen but I recall a MC taxi rider happy to give me his chair when I couldn't walk awaiting a new hip. I still pass him and we still share some banter. Just a while ago I was chatting with the manager of my hotel and we touched on the currency woes.  Her reply was to say that I could book at the minimum rate and she would upgrade me on every possible occasion. Its a small thing but I have been introduced to a few of my TG's kids and that to me is going beyond the call of duty. As near as the last week I was invited next time in Pattaya to visit a kid of a lady friend. I can hear the cynics saying, "All traps for the gullible farang".I just dont see it that way. To me its a privilege, not a trap.

I am sure that I could keep recalling but there is one thing that keeps popping up in my memory. This is the way that some of the ladies have gone an extra mile keeping me happy. Its very difficult if you have taken a "Cynical Pill" this morning to believe that we have anything else than a commercial transaction. Sure, many of them are but that only makes the real special one stand out more. I think for instance that we all enjoyed Awesome's recent TR and what he feels he got from it. The other point to this is that as you get older, slower, more decrepit and look like shit the kindness of some of these ladies comes out in stark relief. Again, money may be the motivation but try to get that in the Western World. Yeah right!

[sailingbill 1,034]

Yes , i find that kindness often . mostly in Issan but many times in Pattaya.  I think you need to live here or be a frequent, knowledgeable visitor like Teelack.  . Just dont be an asshole. I was an asshole the other day when i just was tired of the Indian suit salesman and told him to fk off.  I regret that.

[nkped 1,208]

A lot of it, I attribute to "supposed to".

[awesum4 2,332]

3 hours ago, sailingbill said:

Yes , i find that kindness often . mostly in Issan but many times in Pattaya.  I think you need to live here or be a frequent, knowledgeable visitor like Teelack.  . Just dont be an asshole. I was an asshole the other day when i just was tired of the Indian suit salesman and told him to fk off.  I regret that.

Indian tailors do annoy me. But they dont seem as aggressive as they were 10 years ago. One small way Thailand is improving...555

[teelack 9,640]

Indian tailors do annoy me. But they dont seem as aggressive as they were 10 years ago. One small way Thailand is improving...555

I agree with you but have a look at the average Indian tailor as you pass by. Sure as shit he will be on his mobile phone. I honestly think that this is the reason and one of the greatest things we have gained from the mobile.

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Tapatalk

[elche 39]

Most Thais have been very respectful toward me, and I can tell you that they are most grateful for any acts of kindness I have shown toward them.  Maybe Buddhism breeds that in them?  On one occasion, I happened to be walking by a street vendor preparing food for the security man at my hotel when just before he had a chance to pay I reached in my pocket and covered the cost for this poor old man.  This little act of kindness - of no more than 50 baht - produced more wais from him toward me for the rest of the trip than I could count.

[sinbinjack 251]

I remember a few years ago falling over on beach road just at the bottom of soi 13 and 3 very small Thai's helped me back up to my feet, all together they didn't weigh a much as I do or did back then , and not one fellow farang even glanced my way . Now it might have been because they thought me drunk but I don't drink, I have Arthritis  but the Thais were nothing but helpful in a situation they had no need to help with but help they did and their concern for me at the time seemed quite real.

[cbrib 354]

Most of the Thai's are very nice. We experience the odd bad experience or read a negative story and that is what seems to resonate.

I remember back in 2002 in Koh Samui i was in a bar when it was pissing down. I really needed to get back to my room so i checked my bin. The lady asked me where i was going so i told her i really needed to go so i'll just have to get wet. She said wait and handed me her umbrella. I told her i wasn't coming back until tomorrow night and she said mai bpen rai that's fine, don't want you to get sick. Sometimes we need threads like this to remember our hosts are mostly good and not let the few bad experiences jade us. Look forward to reading more good stories.

[TheFiend 1,181]

5 hours ago, cbrib said:

Most of the Thai's are very nice. We experience the odd bad experience or read a negative story and that is what seems to resonate.

I remember back in 2002 in Koh Samui i was in a bar when it was pissing down. I really needed to get back to my room so i checked my bin. The lady asked me where i was going so i told her i really needed to go so i'll just have to get wet. She said wait and handed me her umbrella. I told her i wasn't coming back until tomorrow night and she said mai bpen rai that's fine, don't want you to get sick. Sometimes we need threads like this to remember our hosts are mostly good and not let the few bad experiences jade us. Look forward to reading more good stories.

People are always more vocal about bad experiences than good.....

Edited October 30, 2019 by TheFiend

[jacko 8,814]

13 hours ago, TheFiend said:

People are always more vocal about bad experiences than good.....

Here we seem to be doing the opposite. Are Thais especially more kind do you think than the people back home? It will likely depend on your origins, but as a kid growing up in Northern UK, people were kind frequently. 

[TheFiend 1,181]

18 minutes ago, jacko said:

Here we seem to be doing the opposite. Are Thais especially more kind do you think than the people back home? It will likely depend on your origins, but as a kid growing up in Northern UK, people were kind frequently. 

Times have changed in the UK. I think people have gotten more selfish and a lot of kindness we saw as youngsters has gone.

[sailingbill 1,034]

Glad to see this thread is still here. We usually hear only the bad.   Like Elche i have seen security or housekeeping staff at "Mom"s cart outside my condo and payed a small amount ,not often.  A girl who stays overnight sometimes has to leave early for work . The Taxi guys are not always on Wongamat early.  She told me Mom  knows Papa and always flags a motorcycle guy for her.