"Fitting in" in your Isaan village. 8 Key points

[Rural Surin]

I think Thais expect Farangs to act like ... well .. Farangs. Disregard this entire thread .. be nice .. and get on with life.

Yet, all Farang are not the same.

[Chairman Mao]

Nobody expects a farang to wai in anyway correctly or even at all in Isaan. They're odd looking stupid things for the locals to look at, jest with, and laugh at how stupid they are. Nobody expects anything serious like a proper wai.

We're not in Issan but we're way up North.

Rest assured the elderly round here certainly appreciate a bit of a wai.

They're the only ones who get it from me but they do like it.

Granted, the may just be amused by it all, but the feed back is that it's appreciated.

The rest, no.

Sure it is. But do they expect it, and be offended if it isn't given, probably not.

Think everybody appreciates a bit of a wai tbh. I give it to the old ones, and the people I generally respect, which is nice as it's genuine. That's about it.

[jandajoy]

Sure it is. But do they expect it, and be offended if it isn't given, probably not.

No, they like, I'm told, the fact that one is making a bit of an effort.

It's hardly an arduous duty and the elderly seem to appreciate it.

I'm happy to make them happy.

There are so few falang up my way that we're still seen as a bit of an oddity.

Coincidentally, just today, the little girl we keep an eye on, commented that her Grandmother appreciated the fact that we visited and that she (Grandmother) liked that the Falang did the wai thing.

Who knows?

Personally, anything that makes people, especially the elderly, happy is fine by me.

[keekwai]

Just wondering .. what makes elderly Farangs happy? Apart from 20 y.o BG's .. Being visited in the old folks home every Christmas?

[jandajoy]

20 y.o BG's

Yup.

Next question?

[superman]

Just wondering .. what makes elderly Farangs happy? Apart from 20 y.o BG's

The raising of kids. An arduous task at times, but well worth the sacrifices of being a father late in life.

[Chairman Mao]

^^^^ Looks like we agree then JJ...

coolio.

[keekwai]

The raising of kids. An arduous task at times, but well worth the sacrifices of being a father late in life.

Ah .. the crusty old Farang fathering kids that will be fatherless by the time they are 20 scenario. Worthy of another thread. Is having a dad for 20 years enough?

Mine carked it when I was 30 .. two weeks before his first granddaughter was born .. would have been great to have the old fart around a little longer.

[Warrior]

I never wai. Not when meeting mum and dad in Isaan, or grandpapa, not when in a business meeting, and not in the temple.
First of all, I believe that a farang can not wai properly, since he/she is outside the social structure, and it is the social structure that determines how to wai.
I also believe that Thai simply don't expect us to wai. They know and accept it's not our habbit.

[sabang]

t is a way of saying "i am of lower social standing than you are

It is not at all tsi. Must admit the drunken farang tourist Wai attempts to all and sundry are quite a sight though. There are many different ways to Wai- polite, cursory, deferential, respectful and downright arse kissing Wai's- and so on.

Waiing the old fogies, as I prefer to do on a semi-formal (as opposed to repetitive) meeting, is purely optional on the farangs part. There are however other occasions in which you are indeed expected to Wai, although they would be very rare in a village.

[jandajoy]

Waiing the old fogies, as I prefer to do on a semi-formal (as opposed to repetitive) meeting, is purely optional on the farangs part. There are however other occasions in which you are indeed expected to Wai, although they would be very rare in a village.

Very true.

When on the very rare occasions that I'm in a formal situation ( 2 in 2 years) I'll be guided by the misses as to what is or is not expected. She generally steers me right.

Other than that it's what appears to be friendly. Old folk, yes, the rest nope, not really.

[keekwai]

First of all, I believe that a farang can not wai properly, since he/she is outside the social structure.

Rubbish. Stick to being a warrior .. give the philosophy/sociology a miss.

It's really not that hard. Takes about 5 minutes of reading to understand.

... but .. like I said earlier ... "Not necessary". Just be a nice person .. be yourself .. treat people .. all people .. with a little respect .. until they earn more.

Farangs are an ethnic group in Thailand. Look at how the ethnic groups your own country behave. They just act naturally. No long winded discussions about whether they should shake hands with people .. or send cards for birthdays. They just live normally.

If you want to "go native" .. fine. If not .. fine also.

This entire thread is a bit of a "storm in a tea cup" as far as I'm concerned.

[superman]

This entire thread is a bit of a "storm in a tea cup" as far as I'm concerned.

But you're still posting on it.

[keekwai]

Yes .. very civil minded of me.

[Marmite the Dog]

Nobody expects a farang to wai in anyway correctly, or even at all in Isaan. They're odd looking stupid things for the locals to look at, jest with, and laugh at how stupid they are.

The genius next door to me had an incredible moment of enlightenment the other week when I walked past their house and came out with 'farang dern'. It was very moving.

[keekwai]

The genius next door to me had an incredible moment of enlightenment the other week when I walked past their house and came out with 'farang dern'. It was very moving.

The Thais powers of observation never cease to amaze me. Maybe a couple of Farangs should try it. Take a walk down the street with a Farang mate and every time a Thai walks past say to your mate "Thai"

[genghis61]

'fitting in' - I accompanied a school group on a trip to Bangkok this week - a note went round asking for adults to go along, so there I was, the odd one out in a group of 76.
Nothing to lose, I believe my attendance was appreciated, enjoyed the trip and sightseeing - must say seeing Bangkok from a high-level bus gives a different perspective from a taxi, we went to the zoo, catered lunch there then the performing seal show, more sightseeing, a market, a temple visit . . .
One parent splashed out on 20 cans of Leo and handed them round on the trip back, all very friendly/sociable; my little group of kids behaved and we came back with the same number we left with.
I didn't have to pay extra at the zoo. No one wai-ed me either.

[genghis61]

The Thais powers of observation never cease to amaze me. Maybe a couple of Farangs should try it. Take a walk down the street with a Farang mate and every time a Thai walks past say to your mate "Thai"

if I tried it in Auckland, every time I saw a Polynesian man said 'Maori', 'Samoan', Tongan', 'Fijian' etc I doubt I'd make it to three. One if I incorrectly identified a Samoan as Tongan.

[meepmeep99]

I never wai. Not when meeting mum and dad in Isaan, or grandpapa, not when in a business meeting, and not in the temple.
First of all, I believe that a farang can not wai properly, since he/she is outside the social structure, and it is the social structure that determines how to wai.
I also believe that Thai simply don't expect us to wai. They know and accept it's not our habbit.

Well said ! There nothing as cringworthy as a wai-ng falang in a yellow T-shirt.

[jandajoy]

Well said ! There nothing as cringworthy as a wai-ng falang in a yellow T-shirt.

Pink T shirt.

[genghis61]

Well said ! There nothing as cringworthy as a wai-ng falang in a yellow T-shirt.

I've been out cycling today in my yellow shirt!
My yellow Valentino Rossi #46 shirt - no wais, but did get a few calls of the "yay Rossi" type

and some local gossip, fatal shooting last night down the road, woman dead - had one too many men in her life, hubby overseas rumoured to have organised her exit.
Local police have their best men on the 'case'.
That may be a case of Chang I'm not sure.

[genghis61]

correction on above

some confusion, I thought I was hearing variations on the same murder, but there were two murders here - on Saturday and Sunday nights . . . one was man shoots woman over a land boundary dispute about 300m from here; second was person unknown shoots woman, said to have been organised by the overseas man's 'other wife'. I'm living in a soap opera.

I'll try not to fit in too much with these. What surprises me is how 'matter-of-factly' people accept these events.

[genghis61]

Do you mean Khao Chakan? That is the transliteration I have mostly seen.

By south do mean before the 317/3434 intersection or do you live further out?

Have spent a lot of time since 2000 in a village just off 3434 before you get to Phra Phloeng. It's really amazing how the whole area has grown in the 10 years. At that time, I was the first westerner most had ever seen, even in Sa Kaeo itself. Went to the market in Khao Chakan about a year ago and saw 3 other farangs (maybe one was you?), couldn't believe it. Have they put an ATM in at Khao Chakan yet or do you still have to drive to Sa Kaeo?

Not sure I could live there day in and day out, but I think its great that you and other can do it. TH
TH

You're right - 3 out of my 4 maps say Khao, yet GF insists she was taught Kaew at English class; been taking note of the signs, Khao it will be then.
We turn off 317 before KC (coming from Bkk/Sa Kaeo), 3434 is maybe 3-4 km further on. Was at the hospital this morning and they have the best detailed map of the area I've seen incl Phra Phloeng, most names in English/Thai, yet I still fail to understand how I ended up in Wang Nam Yen one day cycling, many a wrong turn involved.
An ATM at KC - yes they have three but no actual bank (SK or WNY for that), my favourite cycle ride - did it yesterday - get some money out, cool off in either 7/11 or Tesco for as long as I can then back into the heat.

I'll be Genghis3035 then . . .

[Rigger]

To live in a isaan village you need a few things
Good family
Good wife
Good hobbies
Good kitchen
And never drink before 17:00 unless someone has died or is getting married
If you are missing any of these you probably will not last long

[Thaihome]

To live in a isaan village you need a few things
Good family
Good wife
Good hobbies
Good kitchen
And never drink before 17:00 unless someone has died or is getting married
If you are missing any of these you probably will not last long

That would pretty well sum it up I would think.

TH