Thai humor....or, if you prefer humour

[topjohn5]

So, tell me what do Thai people find humorous? I realize they smile a lot but what makes them laugh?
I see very few examples of Thai humor. Maybe they find some of it offensive so they avoid it a little....or, maybe it's only done with very close friends unlike in the West.

simple slaptstick. they love it.

[topjohn5]

simple slaptstick. they love it.

do they like sarcasm or a play on words maybe? Or, do they like sexual innuendo possibly?

[ceejay]

do they like sarcasm or a play on words maybe?

I wouldn't know about sarcasm and plays on words in Thai, because I don't speak it. As far as speaking English goes, remember that most of the people you will meet have limited English at most and will probably take what you say literally - with endless scope for misunderstanding and causing real offence. Or, you may not be understood at all, and just come across as a smart arse. It's best avoided.

you will see when you get there. A lot of TV shows feature really camp guys and katoeys. also basic benny hill type stuff.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TqY9F6uS1_c

[topjohn5]

do they like sarcasm or a play on words maybe?

I wouldn't know about sarcasm and plays on words in Thai, because I don't speak it. As far as speaking English goes, remember that most of the people you will meet have limited English at most and will probably take what you say literally - with endless scope for misunderstanding and causing real offence. Or, you may not be understood at all, and just come across as a smart arse. It's best avoided.

Perfectly fine since I speak limited english myself as an American....but, ceejay, what do they find funny in your opinion?

[lonelywombat]

simple slaptstick. they love it.

Many show bars have dreadful ugly comedians/drag that have thai boys rolling in their seats with laughter,with their patter. Usually it is in thai and farang could be the butt of most of the jokes

There is one that is often on late at Dudes, that has thai boys screaming, but the act leaves me cold.

Find a show with an act take a thai boy and watch his reaction. Then you might get a better idea

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ethy3GuIHtU

[topjohn5]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ethy3GuIHtU

Good commercial!

Isaan boys lap this up .

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xN76w0m6EcY

[topjohn5]

Isaan boys lap this up .

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xN76w0m6EcY


Pathetically bad skits like one kids would put together at camp.......ummmmmmmmmm, well to each his own!

[ceejay]

Perfectly fine since I speak limited english myself as an American....but, ceejay, what do they find funny in your opinion?

I think it's very probably me - but I don't ask, because I'd rather suspect that than know it!! :colors: :colors:

What common Thais really like (IMHO) are those stupid (IMHO) shows where sarcasm and stupidity is the main part of the script; disabled Thais, fat Thais, ugly
Thais, katoeys are the ingredients and apart from the speeches (I don't understand those) it's mainly the way the 'players' in the shows: kicking, slapping, basically everything that's not very polite (IMHO).
I think that one of the video's in a previous post shows this kind of stupidity.

[netrix]

I went to the movie theater with a Thai guy last time I was there
to see a comedy in Thai with English subtitles. Can't remember
the movie's title but it was typical cheesy, corny comedy.
Everyone in the theater was rolling laughing including my boy...
Cast of characters included typical fat guy, katoey, etc. Sterotypical
stuff but the locals seem to love it. My guy was rolling!!!

Sexual inuendo...
When I chat online with some of my friends I get tons of it...
Thai Boy: "hello tee rak! eat yet?"
Me: "Hi sweetie. No not yet. How about you."
Thai Boy: "Not hungry. But maybe I want eat you! oops! hehe

Can't tell you how many times I've had a Thai guy in the hotel
room in the afternoon or morning and they turn on the TV to watch
cartoons. They laugh out loud at the simplest humor. Pretty cute
actually. I'm usually laughing just as hard because they're so
adorable!

One time at a kareoke bar with a group of boys from a go-go bar
they were singing the typical Thai love songs along with the videos...
you know the kind with the syrupy ballad of some heartbreaking
story with the lead guy getting killed or the girl committing suicide.
I was pretending to cry and wiping away artificial tears and acting
all sad mocking the story, and I had the boys literally in tears
laughing so hard at the funny farang crying at the Thai love songs.

Thais are light hearted and fun 90% of the time. The other 10%
is intense DRAMA which more than makes up for the other 90%,
but in general, I think Thais enjoy the simple things in life and
enjoy when their foreigner friends don't take things too seriously.

Thais have their own form of humour with the spoken language - not quite a pun, but ...

For example one of the mem'sahibs is always trying to get me to say the Thai word for "banana" because it's so close, tonally, to the word for ... yes, you got it, cock. When I get it wrong (as I always do), it provokes gales of laughter. And then there are other, less friendly, such "games". The word for "Korean" is, apparently, pretty close to the term for "itchy cunt" - not that Thais are racists, mind you; oh dear me no, only white (men) are racists!

However, most humour is slapstick, as others have rightly said, including the Thai village vampire movies - all about intestine-loving women (Thais are not sexist, either!). But drag queens/camp actors do get the loudest laughs, just as they do in the UK with Julian Clary or the late Dick Emery. That doesn't make them acceptable in mainstream society - "they have their own little niche and it's best they stay there" is the general view

[topjohn5]

Thais have their own form of humour with the spoken language - not quite a pun, but ...

For example one of the mem'sahibs is always trying to get me to say the Thai word for "banana" because it's so close, tonally, to the word for ... yes, you got it, cock. When I get it wrong (as I always do), it provokes gales of laughter. And then there are other, less friendly, such "games". The word for "Korean" is, apparently, pretty close to the term for "itchy cunt" - not that Thais are racists, mind you; oh dear me no, only white (men) are racists!
However, most humour is slapstick, as others have rightly said, including the Thai village vampire movies - all about intestine-loving women (Thais are not sexist, either!). But drag queens/camp actors do get the loudest laughs, just as they do in the UK with Julian Clary or the late Dick Emery. That doesn't make them acceptable in mainstream society - "they have their own little niche and it's best they stay there" is the general view

Naughty boy!

Naughty boy!I always do my best. As you may know, when peple ask me if I'm homosexual I reply "I help out when they're busy"

[netrix]

Funny Thai commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orar4QLzgjU

[Khor tose]

Homi, you've changed your quote. However, I must admit it is entirely appropiate for the current world financial conditions. I like Seneca but, if we are going to quote Stoics, I think Marcus's thoughts are much more germain.
"Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."
OR
"The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away."
MANY ON THIS BOARD (NOT ME) THINK THIS QUOTE WOULD BEST DESCRIBE THE DANGER YOU PERSONALLY FACE
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane."
Emperor Marcus Aurelius

CHOC DEE

I didn't think the two words were that close, but I did once come across a street vendor and her friends howling with laughter at some old farang who'd ordered 'fried penis'. Was that you Homi?Yes - they'd tried to give me one coated in chocolate - or at least I think that's what its coating was. I'm tone deaf; perhaps the similarity isn't as great for those who can "do" Thai tones

Homi, you've changed your quote.More in keeping with the times, don't you know :idea:

I watch the Thai soaps every night, but I draw the line at the stand up jokers - compare it to the worst American comedy series, and you won't be that far off the best Thai comedians. One of the few pieces of humour appreciated by Thais as much as Brits (and probably even Americans) is the Mr Bean series.


"....common Thais...."

That is the sort of unpleasant expression I would associate with those who went to a grammar school or Winchester - most Thais would be more polite.

[quote=joseph44]....common Thais...."


That is the sort of unpleasant expression I would associate with those who went to a grammar school or Winchester - most Thais would be more polite.[/quote:3e4ouy6e]

As an ex pupil of Winchester, if only for a very short time, (less than one term) I would have to agree totally with that statement of yours above GF, even though it will probably cause me some considerable grief doing so. http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk216/ThaiRakThai/happy011.gif I also by the way, believe that Thais would most certainly be more polite.

For the benefit of some here in order to prevent over usage of your grey matter, there is nothing devious or even remotely interesting as to why I was only at the above institution for less than a term. I wish I were able to brighten up your day by telling you that there was. ;)


Cheers,



George.

As an ex pupil of Winchester ....

You mean there are at least two Old Wykehamists on this forum? Now that really is common! You must have learn't something there though, George - after all, Manners Makyth Man. I wonder if your oppo was a Jemima before he became a Dorothy?

....and how very appropriate John Betjeman was:

Broad of Church and broad of mind,
Broad before and broad behind,
A keen ecclesiologist,
A rather dirty Wykehamist.

Fortunately for all, I am the only one from my alma mater (and a colleger!).