Thai Logic

[littlebird]

Have a bar which is very quiet, must be losing money.
Open another bar next door -also very quiet, must also be losing money.
I have no experience of running a bar or a business but .....?

[dtaai-maai]

Thai logic?
Hardly exclusive to Thais.

[hhfarang]

"Thai logic" is an oxymoron.

[Spitfire]

Beat me to it HHF....funny.

It always makes me smile at my work place when I get into the lift, as it proudly announces (via a sticker) that the lift system has a 'Thai logic chip' in it. Never quite worked out what that means as the lift makes some crazy decisions upon which floor to turn up to and at what time with some obvious sequencing/priority issues manifesting themselves for the casual onlooker.

[deepee]

Now this topic has caused me some real anguish on many an occasion but nowdays I just shake my head and continue on eating my weat bix as I'm told to do. It's when the Thai folk in my life do something totally beyond the realms of common logic and if I so foolishly question as to why, the oft too common response is that there was NO reason. Hmmm !

[migrant]

Ahh but it keeps life interesting!!

[margaretcarnes]

When farang have the temerity to question Thai Logic the usual response is 'you no understand.' And let's face it - we don't.
The bar thing for example. The bar isn't making money. A farang would review their business plan - think of things to attract customers in - or simply give up and cut losses. Why? Because even if the farang can stand the losses they get bored. Farang can't sit all day picking nits out of their friends' hair and watching soaps.
But a Thai owned bar has less overheads - less rent - and always always potential for sale to a farang who will buy it to keep his GF happy and occupied. Patience here is the key. Thais have patience in abundance - farang don't.

[johnnyk]

Maybe, just maybe, falang ideas are ridiculous to them. Falangs sit around and keep making plans for the future.
How stupid they are to think they can influence life!

There should be a sign at points of entry to Thailand: "To avoid disappointment and confusion, check western ideas and notions at the door."

[jimmy40]

I got the you don't understand thing last week..... And that farang have no idea. My reply was well if farang don't understand, then why do we live in a nice house and have 2 bikes and 2 cars. And the drive to get these things. His answer was i know.....figure that out

[hollister]

I would add that the successful Thais have studied abroad and/or are sending their kids abroad to study. The King and his brother had studied in Switzerland, Abhisit in England. Some seem to find western logic valuable.

[bozzman101]

thai logic there is none live like there is no tomorrow one day you will be right!!!!!!!!!!

[PeteC]

As short story about some (hopefully many) Thais getting sick and tired of their own logic. Went with the wife to the Rayong DMV office yesterday to renew the registrations for a car and scooter. I sat down while she got in line. The line was down to 5 people when the one and only clerk behind the window announced that she was hungry, everyone have a seat and she'll be back in 30 minutes. This was 1000 hours in the morning! The first to voice up was the wife (she must be learning ) with the comment, "....don't you eat before you come to work?..." With that there was a chorus of remarks and complaints from the others in line. The man next in line actually knocked on the window loudly until some kind of manager came out a few minutes later and opened the window. Of course the line was up to 15-20 by then and if nothing had happened until the woman finished her meal, it would have been up to 50+.

So, it seems Thais are beginning to demand good customer service and don't just utter mai pen rai any longer....at least in some cases. Pete

[margaretcarnes]

Well done there Mrs prcscct! Can she apply the same tactic to my Council office in the UK please?

[margaretcarnes]

I would add that the successful Thais have studied abroad and/or are sending their kids abroad to study. The King and his brother had studied in Switzerland, Abhisit in England. Some seem to find western logic valuable.

A very good point - and previous Kings and others also studied abroad of course. The present close links between the Thai and UK Royal families are to a great extent due to some of them being at the same schools and Unis.
But at the same time isn't it sad that so much of that broad education and wisdom still seems to be lost on the LOS as a whole? The Thai people - quite rightly IMO - revere their King. But there does seem to be a huge obstacle between His Majesties' wisdom and teaching and the common folk at the moment - it's called the Government.
Of course non of us really want to see a Thailand that is westernised. It would completely lose it's charm and character as a completely independant nation. But it's very much a Catch 22 situaton. We want Thai people to have the benefit of good education. When they get that - and try to implement their learning - it can fall on deaf ears.
We also want Thailand to remain unspoilt and do it's own thing. Is that really possible when more and more Thai Hi Soes have Western schooling? I really don't know - but I do begin to fear that the increase in Hi So Western Education could in the end back fire and cause an even deeper rift in the Thai class system.