Guest fountainhall Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 We have a new cleaning company at our condo. I am getting seriously pissed off when the ladies always press the 'Up' button if they want to go down, and the 'Down' when they want to go up. I can understand their 'logic' but they never seem to realise that this logic is wrong. I know this is one of life's minor inconvenineces, but when I am late for an assignation, I get annoyed when the lift stops a couple of times and two gawping ladies cannot seem to understand why it's going in the wrong direction. I have rarely encountered this before. Is it just a Thai 'thing'? Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 While I have a feeling that other posters are going to come along and make fun of you for this post, I won't. It's the little things that can really get under your skin sometimes and really make people angry. I remember reading about divorces that began with disputes over whether the loose end of toilet paper should face inside or outside on the roller. A letter to the editor in this week's Pattaya Mail includes, "Where now is my ex Thai wife who left me fifteen years ago following a row over a hot dog?" For me, one of many peeves occurs when Thai boys insist on answering their mobile phones at, shall we say, the most inopportune moments. We all have our quirks and little things that really can make us fume. Quote
Guest laurence Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 It is elementary, fountainhall. When the ladies are on the upper level and the lift is on the lower level, they push UP to make it come up to them! And when on the bottom floor, they push DOWN to make it come down to them. Same as with the old ladies driving cars. When they want to go RIGHT they put on LEFT blinker to let you know to pass them on the LEFT as they turn right. Quote
Guest laurence Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 One of my peeves is ordering wine at a bar/restaurant. I ask for "white wine" with no comprehension by the waiter. After repeating myself in English I try in my non-existent Thai, "wine kow "(I think that is the word) with no understanding. Finally the bf tells the waiter what I want. The waiter then goes to the bartender and says in perfect English, "white wine"! Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 One thing that gets me is: Why can't they put raw rice in the salt shakers to keep it from clumping making it impossible to pour? Another is when I pay a bill and they give my change to my bf. (He promptly gives it to me.) Maybe the worst for me is when people try to jam into an elevator while others are trying to get out. But then the list goes on. Quote
KhorTose Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 All of these peeves are annoying, but they are what makes Thailand so interesting. Lets face it, when in Thailand; you are not in Kansas anymore. We can list (and probably will) hundreds of annoyances and peeves about Thailand, from their traffic to their unique politics, but the most annoying thing about Thailand, is reading about Thais and Thailand and being stuck in the USA. I freely confess to Thailand envy, and I am counting the days until I arrive permanently (209). In the meantime, I am jealous of all of you, and sure wish I was being annoyed at the moment by something Thai (and young and cute). Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 31, 2009 Posted January 31, 2009 Lets face it, when in Thailand; you are not in Kansas anymore. I have no problem about facing that. By the way, I've never been in Kansas in my life. Ok, here's one to go with the elevator peeve. Trying to enter a BTS or Metro car during crowded hours. The hordes won't let people out before trying to shove their way in. Of course, the people trying to exit have no qualms about trying to shove their way out. But at least let people come out before trying to shove your way in. Here's a quick list of some of mine: Traffic Traffic lights that take forever to turn green, and then stay green only long enough to let about a half dozen cars get through before turning red again. Potholes Road construction during the peak of high season, and no construction at all during low season. Taxi drivers who refuse to turn on their meters. Bar boys who are all over you while in the bar, and then are duds once you take them off. Boys who are constantly on their mobile phones, even during intimate liaisons. Pushy mama-sans. Overly aggressive bar touts. Bars that hire under-age boys. Bars that charge outrageous prices. Excessively high music volume in bars. The insane way so many Thai drivers operate their vehicles. The insane way so many farang drivers operate their vehicles. Double and triple parking. Having to risk your life just to cross a street. Businesses putting barriers on public streets so that no one can park in front of their shop. Police letting them get away with it. Baht bus drivers who try to cheat their customers. Boys who won't go to the beach because they're afraid of a tan. Old, fat farang who wear thongs and bikinis at the beach. Topless grandmas at the beach. Stores that have no change. Indian tailors who try to pull you into their shops. Those are just some of my little peeves. I'm sure I'll think of more. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 GB, the peeves you post are applicable in Thailand, but there are many that are universal like waiting in line at a fast food place then when the person in front of you gets to the register he/she then has to decide what he/she wants. In the US where paying with a check is normal, women who have their items all rung up and then decide to fumble in their purse to find their check book. People who get in the 10 items or less line and have many more than 10 items. At checkout counters finding out one of the items you want doesn't have a price tag on it. Store employees who don't know where items are located. Drivers who sit at a green light oblivious to the fact that the light is green until just before it turns red and then zooms through the light leaving you sitting there. People who think they have to talk louder when on a mobile than in normal conversation. "etcetera, etcetera, etcetera" Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 People who get in the 10 items or less line and have many more than 10 items. And cashiers who let them get away with it. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 And cashiers who let them get away with it. When I was in the US I would speak up about it if they had a large number of items, not necessarily 11, 12 or maybe 13. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 In the US where paying with a check is normal, women who have their items all rung up and then decide to fumble in their purse to find their check book This seems to happen every time I am at the supermarket, although here it is for cash. The women stand around waiting for the total to be rung up. Only then will they go into their bags to get their purses. Only then do they try to bring out the correct change, one note or one coin at a time, only to find after 30 seconds or so of fumbling that they are 25 satang short. So it's back into the bag for a 1,000 Bt note - all for a purchase of less than 100 Bt. It's like a slow motion ballet but without the tutus and pretty boys! Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 It's like a slow motion ballet but without the tutus and pretty boys! To me, there is only one way to deal with it. Expect it to happen and be pleasantly surprised when it doesn't. Quote
Guest Astrrro Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 Here's a few that haven't been mentioned yet: You can't tell which direction a baht bus will take till you get on and if u ask the driver it may be construed as a private hire. Many bar/restaurants around the world have an extensive food menu but keep there drink prices secret. I like to know all my options and alternatives. 50 baht notes. 2 baht coins, even worse. Why not a few traffic lights along 2nd road so pedestrians can cross. They can't be that expensive. I'm surprised that the big malls are not given the option to pay for them. If a menu or service listed is posted outside a business, I usually won't be left alone to peacefully read it. Instead I'm hassled to go right away so i usually just leave. I'm handed a huge menu and the waiter just stands there giving me little time to read the menu. OK, I should just tell him to go away. Non-Thai people who approach me and try to engage me in conversation and shake my hand in order to sell me something. If it's a Thai I'm in their country so I'll cut them some slack but I generally just say mai ow without the khrap to the Indians. If a Thai is selling DVDs they get a smile and mai ow khrap. Never been to Kansas and not about to click my ruby slippers. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 While I have a feeling that other posters are going to come along and make fun of you for this post, I won't I am always grateful for small mercies When the ladies are on the upper level and the lift is on the lower level, they push UP to make it come up to them! And when on the bottom floor, they push DOWN to make it come down to them. Of course! Which makes me wonder why lift controls in Thailand are not changed around to meet the expectations of probably most of the population? Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 Of course! Which makes me wonder why lift controls in Thailand are not changed around Well . . . I have a screwdriver you can borrow. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I have a screwdriver you can borrow I reckon I'll need a lot of help from Issarn volunteers if I'm going to go screwing around all the lifts in Thailand. B) Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 We have a new cleaning company at our condo. I am getting seriously pissed off when the ladies always press the 'Up' button if they want to go down, and the 'Down' when they want to go up. I can understand their 'logic' but they never seem to realise that this logic is wrong...I have rarely encountered this before. Is it just a Thai 'thing'? Nope. It is just as common in Singapore and Malaysia. The reasoning is that pressing both buttons makes the lift come to you TWICE as fast. It isn't just lil old Thai cleaning ladies who do it. I have seen rich, (supposedly) highly-educated over-bling-blinged Chinese men and women do it, too - only they jab the buttons repeatedly with their car or house keys as viciously as they can because they believe that it will scare the lifts into arriving four times more quickly. Quote
Guest laurence Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 Here's a few that haven't been mentioned yet: 50 baht notes.. My peeve is I can't get enough of 50 Baht notes! They are perfect for a tip to the hot dancing bois. 20 Baht is not enough and 100 Baht is too much. Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 My peeve is I can't get enough of 50 Baht notes! Why can't you get them at a bank? Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 Nope. It is just as common in Singapore and Malaysia. The reasoning is that pressing both buttons makes the lift come to you TWICE as fast. It isn't just lil old Thai cleaning ladies who do it. I have seen rich, (supposedly) highly-educated over-bling-blinged Chinese men and women do it, too - only they jab the buttons repeatedly with their car or house keys as viciously as they can because they believe that it will scare the lifts into arriving four times more quickly. I think it is universal, I have seen it in the US too. Quote
Guest fountainhall Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 I think it is universal, I have seen it in the US too Seems like someone could make a nice little business out of producing concise instructions to post beside the lift buttons. Want get up? Stroke up, not down. Want go down? Head for down button, cum down on you. Quote
Guest xiandarkthorne Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 I don't think there's anything anyone can do about people like that...I bet they're the ones who hold up queues, go to express check-out counters with 24 items and do all the other weird stuff that drives nice people like us nuts. Every time I meet one of them (not often since they often travel in teams of at least two - for protection, I guess) I find my belief in selective genocide confirmed. I mean it's got to be one of those pesky recessive genes that won't stay decently recessed. How else do you explain the proliferation of these types all over the globe? Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 In my fantasy world I have a solution for all these idiots including bad drivers. When someone observes inappropriate behavior he can just blink the idiot and he/she returns home instantly. As a safeguard, if someone attempts to blink someone home inappropriately, he will be blinked home himself instead of the intended victim. We could rid the streets of all the idiots in no time at all. Remember this is a fantasy. Quote
Gaybutton Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 Remember this is a fantasy. I'm glad. I'd hate to be on the road alone . . . Quote
Guest Astrrro Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 Why can't you get them at a bank? I also don't like 1000's for everyday use and prefer to carry around 500's. When paying with 1000's they often don't have change. So at ATM's I make repeated 500 baht or 900 baht withdrawals. Interesting comment about the 50 baht tip for the dancers as in general I wouldn't mind giving many dancers 20 baht but don't want to be cheap, yet don't want to give out lots of 50's. But then I've read about the "20 baht game" so I'm sure they'd appreciate the 20. My favorite dancer gets 100. I'd rather watch him dance than have him sit with me. If I buy him a drink, he stops dancing. Quote
