Are Thais ever scared of you?

[cdnmatt]

This only really applies to those who spend time outside the tourist areas. For those who do, have you ever noticed Thais tend to get quite freaked out when they encounter a farang, and might actually have to talk to them? Not in a bad way, but they just get all miffed, while thinking, "OMG, a farang! What do I do? What do I do?" :-)

Happens quite often up here, and I always get a chuckle out of it. For example, show up at a stall or small place to grab something to eat, and everyone will get all freaked out. Then someone will run off, and grab someone who speaks English, only to find out I can speak Thai enough to get my point across, which always ends up in laughter & a sigh of relief.

Or goto a computer shop where there's probably 15 people working, and it's sometimes tough to get served. A couple farangs walk in, and everyone behind their desks puts their heads down, while giving glances to each other. You can tell it's, "You go talk to him, I'm not doing it. Fuck off, I'm not doing it, you do it!". Again, there's no negative cannotations to it, but they just become really nervous.

Anyone else ever experience the same?

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[Narakmak]

Yes even in Pattaya I have had this happen.

Back in the middle Eighties when I first started touring around the North in a car I found both that and the opposite where you became a novelty item as not many farang visited certain places so word got out and peopled turned up to ogle. It was always a treat to see the kids, shy as hell, but obviously not wanting to miss out on seeing the visitor.

[newalaan]

Anyone else ever experience the same?

Must admit I dont get many chances for this to happen because I only visit Thailand for holidays and therefore my bf is with me most of the time, I assume you are talking about when you go around alone.

But there are many occassions I do go around the village and the local town on my own and I find surprised Thai faces when they see me driving around on my own with no Thai beside me, I have found that produces more looks, longer looks and often discussion among the occupants of the cars which have noticed it. For some reason also stopping at the bank or village shops and getting out on my own gets far more interest than when I get out with my bf.

But your specific point, yes I find that going to pay for things on my own even though it is a perfectly straight foward transaction does get some Thais flustered. The most notable one is like when we are in the (small)town sometimes we head to shops on our own I always make a bee-line for the CD shop when up in Issan as they have many titles not available in Bkk etc.. The shop assistants always get flustered, ask for help from the owner, and that's only me paying for a couple of cds at say Bt160 handing over Bt200 for an easy Bt40 to come back. For some reason girls especially get very embarassed, its quite funny.

The other place i notice it is the weekly market, we always find ourselves splitting up here, and i find that the stall owners try and entice Thais into their shop, when I pass there is often little or no reaction, as if they would be inviting a massive face-losing predicament. What is very noticable however, is where there is a row of stalls close to eachother if i buy something at the first stall and all goes well, i find that the stall holders who have witnessed this miracle then try very hard to get business, obviously thinking that if stall holder number one can deal with this problem-fraught farang transaction and smile at the end of it, then it must be ok.

The oddest thing i still encounter is when Thais, normally older people, just freeze on the spot and stare straight at you for what seems like ages. Even after heaps of visits to my bfs village something i still find odd too, is when I meet,am introduced to or even just a passing hello when i stop or am stopped , the older women cannot resist touching my skin, usually stroke my arm or face. It may be just to check if this alien is for real, but it is done in a very nice and kindly way.

Cdnmatt, Just wonder after the length of time you have resided in Thailand if you stll encounter this.

[cdnmatt]

The oddest thing i still encounter is when Thais, normally older people, just freeze on the spot and stare straight at you for what seems like ages. Even after heaps of visits to my bfs village something i still find odd too, is when I meet,am introduced to or even just a passing hello when i stop or am stopped , the older women cannot resist touching my skin, usually stroke my arm or face. It may be just to check if this alien is for real, but it is done in a very nice and kindly way.

Cdnmatt, Just wonder after the length of time you have resided in Thailand if you stll encounter this.

Yeah, that's happened to me too, and most memorable experience was when I first met Kim's grandma (passed away about 10 days ago -- RIP). We're all sitting there having some food and beers, and she just kept staring at me, would sometimes stroke my arm, etc. Then she'd turn to Kim, and ask a bunch of questions about this weird human, who sorta looked like a Thai, but had white skin, brown hair, and didn't speak Thai. She was quite curious about it all. :-)

But yeah, it's happened to me too.

[pong]

yes happens, even in some outer BKK-areas. fairly common among young children.
Is much more prevalent in Laos. i quite well remember some busride (in what was a half-filled tourist bus, filling the empty seats with Laotians after). Is in fact even more common in other Asian countries, like Indonesia and also notably China-though there its more gaping and staring you may encounter.

[Beachlover]

That's funny hearing about the older Thais and Chinese staring and gaping. For some reason, many Asians don't have this concept that it's rude to stare.