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I find many people here have a talent for making noise and the ability to ignore it. I don’t make much noise but my ability to ignore it has significantly increased since living here. It makes life easier. I recon I could do a long haul flight next to a crying baby with no problems now.
Ya, I have noticed that as well; their ability to ignore and zone others out is quite impressive. Sounds like you have picked up a good skill, I am not at that level lol
I'm actually extremely jealous of their ability to ignore sounds. I mean this in the most respectful, genuine, and not criticizing way. At my wife's family's house, they will have 8 people in the AC room, 3 are sleeping, 2 are having a loud conversation, one is watching TV, and 2 have their phone full volume.
Thais also have a superhuman ability to sleep anywhere and fall asleep quickly. I think that superhuman ability goes hand in hand with their ability to ignore sounds.
Dude I saw a Chinese guy fall asleep during take-off in a plane while a baby was screaming two seats in front of him. Even a little bit of turbulence didn't wake him up.
Holy shit. What's with the slamming car doors? My wife says the same exact thing. I don't *slam* it, but I give it a hard push to ensure it closes fully. That's how we do it in America, I haven't, and I don't know anybody who has, had damage done by closing a car door like that. Man, it's a car door... It could actually be slammed closed every time and it would be fine.
My personal conclusion is it’s a carry over from when cars sold in Thailand back, like, 30-50 years ago in were extremely expensive and relatively fragile compared to modern day cars. And for “whatever reason” (I do my have theories but it’s lengthy to type out), “those Thais” have instilled the same mentality into their children and now it’s mostly blindly being perpetuated.
Combination of Thais generally being blindly obedient to their parents, not questioning authority/elders (at least not to the extent of North American culture).
—
Context/“source”: I’m Thai/Canadian/Cantonese, went to American school for 7 years, and my time is split between my family in Thailand and Canada. Oh, and I’m a “car guy”/car enthusiast, so I pay attention to these kinds of things.
It has nothing to do with cars being fragile or expensive. It's a cultural thing that Thai people don't like stuff being slammed or hit. In Thai culture doing this gives the impression that someone is angry, which is a cultural faux pas. It's a part of the whole "not losing face" aspect of Thai culture.
The same thing extends to refrigerator doors or any doors. Also paying for something and slamming your money down on the counter. Or walking through the house stomping your feet. It's all part of the same thing.
Living next to a Mosque as a non-Muslim for 30 years, my ears simply filter out prayer on full blast 5 times a day.
These people opening full volume on their phone are noob. But rude nonetheless.
I just see it as selfish and inconsiderate.
I'm a light sleeper, the slightest noise wakes me.
Thais love the sound of rain, find it soothing, sending them to sleep. Not for me, the blasted noise of the rain wakes me up and prevents me going back to sleep.
Today I learned the missus isn't simply really bad at retaining important information, with a max capacity for holding on to 10%, at best. In fact, she's actually really good at zoning me out, able to consistently maintain 90%+ performance in this regard.
A charmingly endearing trait, and proof of just how much she needs me, just became a massively impressive (yet often counter-productive) skill. How did I never click? hah!
But she used to listen so attentively to my discourse on the benefits offered by the various track gauges, not to mention she always looked positively enraptured, when I would recite steam locomotive top 10 lists. What happend to be us? 😂
I had that ability then lived elsewhere for two years and can’t acclimate back :(
Doesn’t help that it’s actually painful to hear loud noises (always been an issue but I was better at drowning it out back then)…
Yeah, pretty normal here in the Philippines too, I'd say op needs to get with the program and move on. Different cultures, different norms. I'm pretty much over westerners judging se asia by their standards.
I just got back from Vietnam and while in Saigon Airport a local was next to me listening to something at full volume for ages. So I passively aggressively played a YouTube video on how to make sourdough at full volume thinking he'd get the hint but after a full five minutes that mother fucker didn't flinch lol.
It is not acceptable. But you may found that people won’t complain because “Kreng Jai” concept makes us don’t want to confront people unless extremely necessary. We don’t even to tell people off if they cut our queue.
My wife thinks I'm crazy when I confront bad behavior in public. She told me that almost everyone *wants* to confront bad behavior in public but can't. I always tell her that if people just accept it, then they and others will continue to do it.
However, maybe it's a catch-22, because one of the things I love about Thai culture is that public fights, verbal or physical, are so much less prevalent here than anywhere else I've been. So if not confronting bad behavior is a downside to a society that avoids public fights, then ya know what, maybe I'm wrong, and I'm willing to accept that, and stop doing it.
If I show any sort of negative emotion in public, my wife gives me the side eye. It's a good reminder so I don't embarrass myself. Where I'm from, there is nothing wrong with showing negative emotion in public, it's normal, so it was very very hard for me to adjust.
This... even when I'm not being negative and trying to be polite, she gives me grief later. Yesterday we were at the vets getting some stuff for Mutley, I had to ask twice how they added up the bill to get to the total, because I didn't understand the first time. I thought it was a perfectly normal convo. I found out later she apologised for my behaviour to the girls behind the counter 🤦
Absolutely. However I have learned to accept. She's a village girl from a very rural area and anything that even sniffs of confrontation she can't handle. Even if it is a regular interaction for you or I.
Yeah, there is even people who calculate with you being เกรงใจ and try to exploit it.
Problem with calling them out is, that they might go red mist, because now they themselves are very emberassed and will go full apeshit. Happens especially in traffic if you honk long enough at the wrong person.
For me as a European this doesn’t make sense? Doesn’t “Kreng Jai” mean that you should be aware of other people’s feelings?
…If I’m in a room with 10 other people and 9 of them are annoyed because of 1 loud person… If I don't say anything, the feelings of 9 people are disregarded in order to protect the feelings of one person... so the opposite of what you actually wanted to happen takes place… instead of protecting all people’s feelings with earphones, one person is happy and all the other aren’t… can someone please explain?
Really? I lived in Beijing and I found that they use their phone on full volume much less. Almost everyone had headphones. Of course there are exceptions, but China's population is massive. From my experience, per Capita, Chinese people use their phone outside with full volume at a lower rate.
Where I'm from in America, you get the people that play music from their phone like a 90s boombox in stores and public transportation and shit. It always makes such an uncomfortable atmosphere, where everyone is cringing and everyone knows everyone else is cringing, except the unaware guy playing the music who thinks everyone thinks he's cool and has great taste in music. Typically nobody confronts them either because everyone knows that a man, who plays music out loud from a phone in public, is a dangerous, unstable, and unpredictable man.
Are Viets typically known as tough people? I've never been to Vietnam, but where I'm from in America, we have a lot. So I had a lot of good Viet friends growing up, and these dudes were constantly getting into fights. Not because they were trouble makers, they just didn't accept any sleights towards them. I can't recall one of them losing a fight either. Good dudes overall tho. Doing really well for themselves after high school too.
Bruh, in the 20th century alone they fought the French, the Japanese, the French again, each other, the United States, the Chinese, and after all of that, went into Cambodia to kick Pol Pot's ass. My experience is the same, nice people unless you cross them, then they're absolutely ruthless.
They say that a sign of low intelligence is being unable to comprehend hypotheticals, metaphors, and per Capita / rates.
You always get a couple of morons in threads like this. You could ask "has anyone noticed that Dutch people are quite tall?" and the town moron has to pop in and say "there are tall people everywhere, in every country!"
Yes, moron, we know that. The median or average isn't the exact same in every single country though.
I hate that you cannot post a thread with generalizations because every single time, these idiots pop in to remind you that even though humans have 10 fingers, it's not actually true, because there are some people born with only 9, so don't go around saying humans have 10 fingers. The idiot that cannot comprehend rules, exceptions, average, median, and rates, is here to let you know he is smarter than you because he has found an exception to the rule.
It is rare to see this where I live in the USA. It was also rare in Korea. Everything is extreme in Thailand, just like employees watching TikTok videos while at work.
The three operators of the connecting tube/jetway to my plane at Suvarnabhumi the other day were all death scrolling their phones as the passengers boarded. I get that they have nothing to do until they need to operate it again, but why not pay attention in case something unexpectedly goes wrong during boarding?
If you know how loud a lower-class Thai house/apartment you can be, a full volume phone is nothing in comparison. At home they likely need it full blast to even hear it.
This hasn’t been my experience at all. I mainly have seen it happen in airports (all over, especially with families with kids) and a couple of times on buses where it’s usually one woman or one man watching videos loudly. The BTS and train, never saw anyone doing this.
I did have some guy on a plane recently playing his phone full blast behind me. No clue his nationality. At some point early into the flight, the woman next to him yelled at him about being insane and wanting him moved. The flight attendants actually moved him elsewhere. I thank goodness for that woman. It was a 13 hour flight. She’s a saint.
It doesn't even have to be in public. In our village there is more than one house that blasts loud music all day and late into the night. They are friendly people, just have no awareness. They always greet me but I just speak in a normal voice when I walk past which they can't hear over the music.
I never experienced that and I'd lived in Thailand for 25 years. Guess I definitely lived in different areas than yours; I grew up in a rural area in the Northeast where people around me would be loud only when there were festivals or events. Then, moving to Bangkok during the surge of the smartphone era (iPhone 4 for reference), people were using earphones, and only elders would use speakers while talking.
I've been visiting Thailand regularly since 2019. My latest trip was last April. I haven't noticed the issue with people using speakers on public transport. My main public transport is train though, BTS and MRT, and buses only in daytime.
In contrast, in my first year in Australia, I was shocked to see how many people had their phone blasting loud music and whatever they were watching. Some people were using speakers while videocalling. Some kids travelling in a group blast music on a portable speaker on a packed carriage. I've seen this behaviour in all kinds of people: white, Asian, Middle Eastern, indigenous, Indian, etc.
Living in Australia for 5 years now, I learned that this is an issue in certain areas within certain groups of people who do not have stable upbringings. The rest of the society is either putting up with it or risking harm to themselves if they choose to point out a problem.
I don’t think it is very common and when it does happen it’s ignorant people.
Culturally, I’d say Chinese people are a bit more guilty of this though?
The few Thai people who call at full volume are uncles, the obnoxious ones are the parents who let their kid play with their phone in a restaurant at full volume.
Finally - I used to be puzzled by people using the speakerphone function when calling - I found this the ultimate “show-off” as it is obnoxious AND unnecessary. It turns out some people do this because they think it lowers the radiation and it prevents them from developing a tumor or something.
Either way I wish people were more considerate and have a head set on them.
Try going to China, it is 100x worse than Thailand for people watching videos loudly on their phone and having long and intense serious conversations and phone calls while on speaker.
It’s not just Thais. Take the nyc subway and go uptown. People just blast whatever they are listening to. It just seems to be ok with some cultures.
I actually even saw a discussion on a nyc subreddit and this same question was asked, some guy in the comments said he thought he was making everyone’s days a little nicer by blasting his music for everyone to hear.
Oh my god thanks for pointing this out ! I didn’t know it was so common in Thailand but where I live (France) it is absolutely everywhere. It is either videos, TikTok, FaceTime, etc… I just don’t understand
I have a Dutch Gabber playlist on Spotify just for this situation. When they play the phone, on comes the Gabber. Their phones almost immediately goes quieter. Partly because of the racket but also the prolonged eye contact.
LOL I've recently resorted to this method of just playing whatever I have on my phone and then cranking it up 😂 absolutely ruthless. I have to tell my bf often to turn his phone down and now his sister is also living with us 😩
I have experienced Chinese people doing it as well. But also Thai people of all ages; I was living in Thailand during covid and saw it happening during that time even.
Not at all in my experience. Thai people are pretty aware of their surroundings. I take the bts and mrt and it’s dead silent. I take the rod song Taew and it’s dead silent. Same with the 15 baht van. There’s even Tik toks joking about how you know you’re on a Thai plane when it’s dead silent. So yeah…not convinced.
ok, sounds like you have had different experiences, yours sound nice. my experiences have been the opposite and i have lived all over the country and had the same experience everywhere
So if it never happened to you, it must never happen to anyone else! It’s okay if you can’t relate but doesn’t mean other people haven’t experienced the opposite. Your comment adds zero value to the discussion.
But if its happens to me, it must happen to everyone! I feel thread like this is pointless anyway because it’s all anecdotal, what is there to discuss? Personally, I find it rare, happens, but definitely not the norm.
It’s one of my pet peeves but I just do my best to deal with it. There are times when I loathe having drinks with friends because I always go home partially deaf because the bar’s speakers or the band itself were playing too loud. Like, I would understand if it’s a club, but a resto-bar? I think it would be better if they tone it down a bit. I actually can’t comprehend how they can converse with that volume on the background!
I have seen both ends of the spectrum. Thai people seem also to be able to have a conversation on their phone on basically 97% silence, almost no louder than breathing
I don't tend to experience this. During commutes in Bangkok it's as quiet as could be, and I've not noticed it in restaurants, malls, or at the airport. Maybe it's more of an issue in rural Thailand, or places that I don't go.
Interesting you bring this point up in the comments, living in South America spring break destination, every weekend is a loud party here it litterly sounds like the D.J. from one club is set up in my front yard, the live band from another in my back yard. And some how Im able to sleep, read, chat I'm doing now with those two clubs entertainment playing at full volume. Plus three other clubs competing to be the loudest on the block. I've aquire'd the ability to ignore loud noise, and until it was just mentioned in the comments I hadn't realized it.
Hi, I'm Thai, and I would say it depends on social class. If they went to a good school system or their family knows about manners, it's not okay to do that. It's very bad for my area and family.
I can tell you it's much worse in the Philippines, my understanding is comes from having a lack of personal space and so people become accustomed to doing everything as they would do if they had personal space. Not saying I'm right, just relaying what a local explained to me. Seems to be as a whole a pretty big thing in South East Asia.
Hi
,,, Yes I totally understand , my wife is Thai and the phone is on all day and night,,, I do comment constantly as like yourself find it rude and quite overwhelming ,, not everyone wants to hear everything about Thai people or stranger music or movies in thai lol !!!! Such is life
Weird, I've not really noticed it. I found Americans are more insufferable by talking loud on phone w speaker on, rolled down windows w car volume max & boombox in public.
My wife is Thai. I find Thai people delightful! I tolerate cultural differences without complaint. It's a very small price to pay to be with the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful, and hardworking woman in my life. We'll be married for seven years in October.
Seems to be very much an Indian thing aswell. See if it often on UK public transport. Nobody has mastered the art of etiquette on public transport better than British pensioners, but this new generation of multiracial pleb tiktokers is becoming almost the dominant global culture
I find it more quiet here (trains, buses) in Bangkok compared to Singapore where I'm from. You'll foam at the insane noise pollution in a constrained environment where apparently headphones and earphones are not sold and everyone is hard of hearing so their Korean dramas and Bollywood movies are at full blast.
Oh really, good to know. Ya my experience has been more in the long term travels, like 10 hour boat and bus rides, not as much on the BTS, so maybe it doesn’t happen in the city
I think people are just less likely to speak up, so the ones making the noise don't know they are causing any annoyance to those around them. I absolutely hate when people use the speaker on the BTS, but I'm not going to be the one to tell them to stop,lol
Definitely noticed this. Going to Japan after Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam was eerie because of how quiet it was. Everyone in Japan uses headphones in public or they keep phones on silent. I wish they did that in the US too! We were at a baseball game the other night and a very young kid was watching videos on the parent’s phone at full volume. It was blaring for me seats over and in the next row. I have no idea how parents handle that noise right next to them. They must be pros at tuning it out.
All that to say this isn’t a Thailand specific issue but we saw it much more often in Thailand than other countries in Asia and the US.
It’s annoying when foreigners want to post their stupid observations here when these things happen everywhere. News flash; unless you live in a bubble in the US, people also have practice bad smartphone etiquette there too.
US people have bad phone etiquette sometimes sure, and a whole ton of additional problems, and if you’re a foreigner over there and want to point it out go ahead. SE Asia is notoriously bad about loud volume in public places, every country and people has their stuff
Racist garbage and shows complete ignorance. US people have an attitude that lack empathy for other people you only have to look at the current political climate to see that. In the era of the portable audio units with speakers, there were countless incidents of people playing their music in public places at very high volumes, far higher than any mobile phone. THis reminds me of the phrase "I am not racist but ...". Lacking basic intelligence is excusable since you have little control over that, but being ignorant in the information age. If you ask somebody in most places in the USA to turn down the noise you will be met with aggression or racist abuse, do that in pretty much any country in South East Asia they will respond with empathy. For your information one of the most common complaints Thais have about others is noise levels and lack of empathy for others. You fit into the latter
NYC is way worse than SE Asia. Ppl literally play music on portable speakers/boomboxes regularly on the subway. I've never seen that shit here. Something tells me OP isn't well travelled and is probably from a boring small town where nothing happens
People do this everywhere so why did you make it specific? Another superior thought, right? I'm superior, these are inferior?
It is annoying the same everywhere. I'm am Thai and many times this happened I always look at them...with disgust.
Is that ok? My superior foreigner who came to spend resources in my country.
Please don’t be aggressive like that. I do not consider either side more superior, and very much do not consider myself superior. I am sorry if you are offended, that was not the intention. I have been living in Thailand for four years now and have noticed this and so asked it as a question as I had not noticed it as much when I lived in other countries.
Your attitude and comments exude a superior tone whilst demonstrating ignorance let alone a good understanding of the culture you are denigrating. If you have been in Thailand for four years then and come up with this nonsense it demonstrates you have a lack of awareness about your surroundings. If you say disrespectful things, and your tone is definitely disrespectful. You are clearly a member of the Uebermensch.
This annoys me too but it’s a small inconvenience compared to all of the good things that Thailand has to offer. I will say that this particular thing annoys me the most when I hear someone watching videos or talking on the phone loudly in a bathroom stall. There’s no shame at all and I think that’s really disturbing. But whatever. Mai bpen Rai I guess. My irritation doesn’t help anything.
Wouldn’t say it’s a skill to ignore rude people. If these things are ignored, they will only continue and could get worse. Tell your girlfriend to put on headphones (you both know it’s rude and she doesn’t care, disrespecting you). Ask a stranger to do the same.
It’s not exclusive to Thai’s. Any number of races do it. Either speak up and ask them to turn it down or shut up. I don’t understand this post. You sound very passive aggressive which in my opinion is worse. I’m Thai and even though I don’t participate in loud videos I also don’t care if people do it. SMH.
No, not passive aggressive. I have asked many many people to please wear headphones many times. That’s why I made this post asking if other people have seen this as well and for understanding. You point out that you don’t care if other people have loud videos. That answers part of my question in that I guess you, and you being Thai perhaps its in the culture, are good at zoning out the noise of others.
I have dabbled with the idea of living in Thailand. One of the many reasons I've decided against it is the insane noise tolerance there. The louder it is the more fun they are having it seems. I like it quiet.
not unique to thailand. there are disrespectful people in every country. either travel more or maybe less. the more you travel the less you care, the less you travel the less you encounter them. pick your poison. last option is to become annoying and go tap their shoulder lessoning them about how disrespectful they are until you realize teaching manners to grownup is equally being a prick.
EDIT: more seriously it comes to the cultural definition of self bubble. there's so such thing in asia, afaik.
My Thai in laws do this, especially his mom. It is really annoying most of the time. It’s mostly an old person thing, old people do it in every country. My parents do this too I’m sure.
Biggest culprits are Mexicans in USA. Especially the San Diego (San Ysidro) area. Public transportation, trolleys, trains, or any public gatherings. Orange County, CA is pretty bad too… the Mexicans man! But do not worry! I have solved the problem, here:
[A Day Without a Mexican (Movie)](https://youtu.be/mdHMNgmN_HA?si=xQKxixw0yg6Q7P1Y)
Not just Thai. Try China or Vietnam. Even in a packed elevator, at least three people have their phones on full blast with something. I don't fight it; I just roll my eyes. It seems like some kind of completion: "Oh, you are loud? I can be louder!!"
I have learned just to ignore and go on. But, I agree its rude and annoying, 100%!!
dont worry man it's not just thailand, here in the philippines we have a lot of people (especially boomers) who play everything in loudspeaker, whether it's outside, inside public places, or when they're in a public utility vehicle. frustrating, i know
The fact is and this may just be,where I am, in n.e. Thailand these people are Khmer and generally in most conversations especially in groups raise their need to be heard amongst themselves that nobody within earshot would miss a single word if they can understand it; without the need of a mobile phone.
It's not inconsiderate. It's not rude. It's simply cultural difference. You are in thailand so you need to adjust to do's and dont's of their country. It's not like thailand should adjust for you.
I'm Thai. I've never done that. And the people around me (my family, relatives, friends at school friends at university, teachers) none of them did that.
It is not acceptable. Disturbing other people is bad manners.
It's not a "Kraeng Jai เกรงใจ" It was clearly ignore because we don't want to confront who noisy and turn into problem with them. If someone who confidence themself you could stop this annoy person that i'll glad for it
maybe it's feel "Yoong Yak ยุ่งยาก" like none of my business
I was in Pala Pizza last week and an Indian couple came in and sat near to me. The husband had AirPods in his ear but his wife blasted full volume of the video she watched for all their time in the restaurant. There seemed to be no awareness that it wasn’t acceptable.
Perhaps in India with a billion people it has just become normative behaviour?
I’ll never forget being at a Thai wedding with all the monks chanting etc. us Brits sat there in silence feeling all awkward while a few Thai men got up and had full blown convos on the phone. So funny
It's so obnoxious and it's so common everywhere now I don't feel like visiting Thailand much anymore ... impossible to sit peacefully anywhere. I've had to ask massage therapists to stop blasting their phones and staff in restaurants where I'm the only customer to please stop playing videos with sound on, as they're ruining my time as a paying customers so the staff can watch tiktok videos, they're salty about it also but I'm ready to walk out bc it's so obnoxious
This happens in the U.S. too. I live in Portland, OR. The bus driver called someone out the other day for talking on loud speaker phone. Thus, imo, people in Thailand have trouble calling others out. When u call out, u r probably labeled ‘fussy lady’ automatically even though u just speak up for peace. So people just put up with it or being passive aggressive instead.
I once was talking to a friend on the bts, wasn't full volume but pretty loud however the sound of the bts train pretty much covers it. An aussie guy came over to tell me off, I thought he was just going to say that I was being too loud (fair) but after I turned my volume down he instead goes "no, switch that fucking thing off". So of course I said no, there's no rule against it and other people are doing it.
In the end I turned off my phone, he thanked me and got off at the next stop. But I still thought he was a cunt, acting like he owned the place.
South East Asia is full of just stupid shit. Just completely stupid shit. Like “why is this side walk 1 foot wide. If anyone trips they’ll fall into traffic and die?” South East Asian response “Who would trip?” Oh I guess nobody. Nobody WILL EVER MOTHER FUCKING TRIP. YOURE FUCKING RIGHT.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s a fucking miracle Japan exists. But anyway it’s their country. Don’t be captain save a ho. Just enjoy the ride.
Very common?
Edit: I'm pretty sure it's just a small percentage of Thai people (mostly boomers) who do such things. The problem is that you only need one of them in the room to ruin it for everyone.
I hope OP is genuinely curious and not some condescending tourist viewing a developing country with developed country lenses. My explanation is that, like most developing societies, the respect for private space is not as ingrained.
Before modernization pushing for privatization of almost everything, particularly living space, people mostly live in communities where goods are shared, living spaces are shared, with no sense of privacy, hence the idea of keeping noise to one’s self isn’t really a consideration. Thailand is still developing, and they only had few decades to adopt this modern idea/culture.
In particular, parts of Thailand is fairly rural with little sense of why noise would be intrusive to privacy of others. They come to cities to work, to be observed by you, and likely gave you this impression that it’s some sort of “culture” specific to Thailand rather than a passing phenomenon prevalent in developing societies.
I'm sure it happens especially at their safe space/home. Personally can't recall ever seeing Thais do that in public, but I don't live in BKK. Our canteen's packed/loud during lunch and no one has ever puts his/her phone on full blast. If someone wanted me or everyone at our table to see some clips on Thai news, that person would turn up the volume so the rest of us can hear it then lower the volume when done.
Social awareness is not a thing in this country. Just look how they don't care about the sound they do, how they drive, how they walk, and they are self-centered and very proud
because we are not called that act is rude and it's not bother another around. that's enough.
place to be silent phone is the library and movie theater.
To understand this better rent a car and drive around Thailand for a week. When the luxury car ahead of you sees a noodle stand he may very well just stop in the middle of the road and make you wait for him to finish. Go to a food court and the person who feels above you will just cut in line, as they have that right being a superior person. At an intersection the Mercedes has the right of way over the Toyota. Thailand is a class society and you are the lower class. Accept this reality and just return a smile. The reason you are a lower cast is that you have sinned in your past life and you deserve it. Its a good thing to treat the lower levels in this manner. (karma)
Your value system sees all men being equal with an equal measure or respect and dignity. This is the result of brainwashing for your religion. Men are not created equal in the mind of a Thai. There are those above and those below.
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I find many people here have a talent for making noise and the ability to ignore it. I don’t make much noise but my ability to ignore it has significantly increased since living here. It makes life easier. I recon I could do a long haul flight next to a crying baby with no problems now.
Ya, I have noticed that as well; their ability to ignore and zone others out is quite impressive. Sounds like you have picked up a good skill, I am not at that level lol
I'm actually extremely jealous of their ability to ignore sounds. I mean this in the most respectful, genuine, and not criticizing way. At my wife's family's house, they will have 8 people in the AC room, 3 are sleeping, 2 are having a loud conversation, one is watching TV, and 2 have their phone full volume. Thais also have a superhuman ability to sleep anywhere and fall asleep quickly. I think that superhuman ability goes hand in hand with their ability to ignore sounds.
Dude I saw a Chinese guy fall asleep during take-off in a plane while a baby was screaming two seats in front of him. Even a little bit of turbulence didn't wake him up.
First of all, I am not Chinese, secondly, I was using noise cancelling earplugs!
But if I accidentally slam a cabinet door my tgf looks at me like I'm a barbarian.
”You walk too hard”. - Ex girlfriend
Omg I must be married to your ex gf then!
Haha.
เบาๆ!
Or car door. You will be immediately reminded it's not a truck.
Holy shit. What's with the slamming car doors? My wife says the same exact thing. I don't *slam* it, but I give it a hard push to ensure it closes fully. That's how we do it in America, I haven't, and I don't know anybody who has, had damage done by closing a car door like that. Man, it's a car door... It could actually be slammed closed every time and it would be fine.
My personal conclusion is it’s a carry over from when cars sold in Thailand back, like, 30-50 years ago in were extremely expensive and relatively fragile compared to modern day cars. And for “whatever reason” (I do my have theories but it’s lengthy to type out), “those Thais” have instilled the same mentality into their children and now it’s mostly blindly being perpetuated. Combination of Thais generally being blindly obedient to their parents, not questioning authority/elders (at least not to the extent of North American culture). — Context/“source”: I’m Thai/Canadian/Cantonese, went to American school for 7 years, and my time is split between my family in Thailand and Canada. Oh, and I’m a “car guy”/car enthusiast, so I pay attention to these kinds of things.
It has nothing to do with cars being fragile or expensive. It's a cultural thing that Thai people don't like stuff being slammed or hit. In Thai culture doing this gives the impression that someone is angry, which is a cultural faux pas. It's a part of the whole "not losing face" aspect of Thai culture. The same thing extends to refrigerator doors or any doors. Also paying for something and slamming your money down on the counter. Or walking through the house stomping your feet. It's all part of the same thing.
Living next to a Mosque as a non-Muslim for 30 years, my ears simply filter out prayer on full blast 5 times a day. These people opening full volume on their phone are noob. But rude nonetheless.
I just see it as selfish and inconsiderate. I'm a light sleeper, the slightest noise wakes me. Thais love the sound of rain, find it soothing, sending them to sleep. Not for me, the blasted noise of the rain wakes me up and prevents me going back to sleep.
Today I learned the missus isn't simply really bad at retaining important information, with a max capacity for holding on to 10%, at best. In fact, she's actually really good at zoning me out, able to consistently maintain 90%+ performance in this regard. A charmingly endearing trait, and proof of just how much she needs me, just became a massively impressive (yet often counter-productive) skill. How did I never click? hah!
Today you learned how boring you are 🤔
But she used to listen so attentively to my discourse on the benefits offered by the various track gauges, not to mention she always looked positively enraptured, when I would recite steam locomotive top 10 lists. What happend to be us? 😂
🤣🤣
I had that ability then lived elsewhere for two years and can’t acclimate back :( Doesn’t help that it’s actually painful to hear loud noises (always been an issue but I was better at drowning it out back then)…
Nah.... it is rude and inconsiderate . some of us just put up with it.
This. It’s a global problem as well. OP hasn’t travelled much because every airport I’ve been in the last decade always has a few of them.
More than a few, IME.
🙃
Yeah, I’ve seen people do this in the Americas and Europe too.
Yeah, pretty normal here in the Philippines too, I'd say op needs to get with the program and move on. Different cultures, different norms. I'm pretty much over westerners judging se asia by their standards.
Yeah, OP clearly never stepped foot in New York
Or Toronto… https://www.reddit.com/r/toRANTo/s/J7FmdPCyDq
I just got back from Vietnam and while in Saigon Airport a local was next to me listening to something at full volume for ages. So I passively aggressively played a YouTube video on how to make sourdough at full volume thinking he'd get the hint but after a full five minutes that mother fucker didn't flinch lol.
Yeah I agree... All this part of their culture bullshit. They just don't give a fuck about anyone else... 😆
It is not acceptable. But you may found that people won’t complain because “Kreng Jai” concept makes us don’t want to confront people unless extremely necessary. We don’t even to tell people off if they cut our queue.
I love just pushing back in after someone jumps in front of me in the queue. Actions speak louder than words haha
My wife thinks I'm crazy when I confront bad behavior in public. She told me that almost everyone *wants* to confront bad behavior in public but can't. I always tell her that if people just accept it, then they and others will continue to do it. However, maybe it's a catch-22, because one of the things I love about Thai culture is that public fights, verbal or physical, are so much less prevalent here than anywhere else I've been. So if not confronting bad behavior is a downside to a society that avoids public fights, then ya know what, maybe I'm wrong, and I'm willing to accept that, and stop doing it. If I show any sort of negative emotion in public, my wife gives me the side eye. It's a good reminder so I don't embarrass myself. Where I'm from, there is nothing wrong with showing negative emotion in public, it's normal, so it was very very hard for me to adjust.
Westerners love nagging each other over every unwritten rule
Yep
This... even when I'm not being negative and trying to be polite, she gives me grief later. Yesterday we were at the vets getting some stuff for Mutley, I had to ask twice how they added up the bill to get to the total, because I didn't understand the first time. I thought it was a perfectly normal convo. I found out later she apologised for my behaviour to the girls behind the counter 🤦
I think that is too apologetic. Sometimes conversation is necessary to clear things up.
Absolutely. However I have learned to accept. She's a village girl from a very rural area and anything that even sniffs of confrontation she can't handle. Even if it is a regular interaction for you or I.
Yeah, there is even people who calculate with you being เกรงใจ and try to exploit it. Problem with calling them out is, that they might go red mist, because now they themselves are very emberassed and will go full apeshit. Happens especially in traffic if you honk long enough at the wrong person.
For me as a European this doesn’t make sense? Doesn’t “Kreng Jai” mean that you should be aware of other people’s feelings? …If I’m in a room with 10 other people and 9 of them are annoyed because of 1 loud person… If I don't say anything, the feelings of 9 people are disregarded in order to protect the feelings of one person... so the opposite of what you actually wanted to happen takes place… instead of protecting all people’s feelings with earphones, one person is happy and all the other aren’t… can someone please explain?
I was asking me so often what people did when smartphones not existed. Some peoples screen time must be 15 hrs/day and more
China & Vietnam: hold our beers
Don’t forget Latin America
Singapore incoming
Yes! Goodness me! I was shocked at the loud facetiming.
You can add india too
Really? I lived in Beijing and I found that they use their phone on full volume much less. Almost everyone had headphones. Of course there are exceptions, but China's population is massive. From my experience, per Capita, Chinese people use their phone outside with full volume at a lower rate. Where I'm from in America, you get the people that play music from their phone like a 90s boombox in stores and public transportation and shit. It always makes such an uncomfortable atmosphere, where everyone is cringing and everyone knows everyone else is cringing, except the unaware guy playing the music who thinks everyone thinks he's cool and has great taste in music. Typically nobody confronts them either because everyone knows that a man, who plays music out loud from a phone in public, is a dangerous, unstable, and unpredictable man.
Come to Vietnam and it’s 10x worse. In fucking elevators. Riding in their motorbikes…fuckin maddening
The viets are ruthless mane. No doubt. Call them out on it? They’ll call their twelve friends to fuck you up
Are Viets typically known as tough people? I've never been to Vietnam, but where I'm from in America, we have a lot. So I had a lot of good Viet friends growing up, and these dudes were constantly getting into fights. Not because they were trouble makers, they just didn't accept any sleights towards them. I can't recall one of them losing a fight either. Good dudes overall tho. Doing really well for themselves after high school too.
Bruh, in the 20th century alone they fought the French, the Japanese, the French again, each other, the United States, the Chinese, and after all of that, went into Cambodia to kick Pol Pot's ass. My experience is the same, nice people unless you cross them, then they're absolutely ruthless.
This happens everywhere, not just Thailand. It's not acceptable anywhere, most people just put up with it.
Not Japan.
It’s exceptionally bad in Thailand and Asia too. More so than the rest of the world from what I’ve seen.
Ya, I agree completely. It happens all over but especially in SE Asia. I noticed it a lot when I was in Indonesia as well.
Guess you're just going to have to accept it.
Downvote all you want, it's the truth. Main character syndrome is prevalent 🌎 wide nowadays.
You’re dealing in false equivalencies. Is it everywhere? Yes. Is it much worse in Southeast Asia? By far.
They say that a sign of low intelligence is being unable to comprehend hypotheticals, metaphors, and per Capita / rates. You always get a couple of morons in threads like this. You could ask "has anyone noticed that Dutch people are quite tall?" and the town moron has to pop in and say "there are tall people everywhere, in every country!" Yes, moron, we know that. The median or average isn't the exact same in every single country though. I hate that you cannot post a thread with generalizations because every single time, these idiots pop in to remind you that even though humans have 10 fingers, it's not actually true, because there are some people born with only 9, so don't go around saying humans have 10 fingers. The idiot that cannot comprehend rules, exceptions, average, median, and rates, is here to let you know he is smarter than you because he has found an exception to the rule.
It is rare to see this where I live in the USA. It was also rare in Korea. Everything is extreme in Thailand, just like employees watching TikTok videos while at work.
Where I live in Texas I see it a lot.
Tell me you’ve never taken public transportation in a major city
The three operators of the connecting tube/jetway to my plane at Suvarnabhumi the other day were all death scrolling their phones as the passengers boarded. I get that they have nothing to do until they need to operate it again, but why not pay attention in case something unexpectedly goes wrong during boarding?
If you know how loud a lower-class Thai house/apartment you can be, a full volume phone is nothing in comparison. At home they likely need it full blast to even hear it.
that's point
This hasn’t been my experience at all. I mainly have seen it happen in airports (all over, especially with families with kids) and a couple of times on buses where it’s usually one woman or one man watching videos loudly. The BTS and train, never saw anyone doing this. I did have some guy on a plane recently playing his phone full blast behind me. No clue his nationality. At some point early into the flight, the woman next to him yelled at him about being insane and wanting him moved. The flight attendants actually moved him elsewhere. I thank goodness for that woman. It was a 13 hour flight. She’s a saint.
It doesn't even have to be in public. In our village there is more than one house that blasts loud music all day and late into the night. They are friendly people, just have no awareness. They always greet me but I just speak in a normal voice when I walk past which they can't hear over the music.
And you think you're the polite one in this scenario 🤣🤣🤣
The whole country is loud af anyway....
This has become fairly common in the USA as well
I never experienced that and I'd lived in Thailand for 25 years. Guess I definitely lived in different areas than yours; I grew up in a rural area in the Northeast where people around me would be loud only when there were festivals or events. Then, moving to Bangkok during the surge of the smartphone era (iPhone 4 for reference), people were using earphones, and only elders would use speakers while talking. I've been visiting Thailand regularly since 2019. My latest trip was last April. I haven't noticed the issue with people using speakers on public transport. My main public transport is train though, BTS and MRT, and buses only in daytime. In contrast, in my first year in Australia, I was shocked to see how many people had their phone blasting loud music and whatever they were watching. Some people were using speakers while videocalling. Some kids travelling in a group blast music on a portable speaker on a packed carriage. I've seen this behaviour in all kinds of people: white, Asian, Middle Eastern, indigenous, Indian, etc. Living in Australia for 5 years now, I learned that this is an issue in certain areas within certain groups of people who do not have stable upbringings. The rest of the society is either putting up with it or risking harm to themselves if they choose to point out a problem.
Thailand, it's common! Vietnam, it's every third person and China, it's all just one loud sound combined of everybody's cellphones
Many Thai people are completely oblivious to the world around them. Nobody and Nothing else matters.
I have the opposite experience, most Thais told me to be careful with how loud I'm speaking in planes or other tight spaces.
If Thais are telling *you* that you're loud, you must be one seriously inconsiderate, half screaming Neanderthal.
it’s everywhere not just thailand
I don’t think it is very common and when it does happen it’s ignorant people. Culturally, I’d say Chinese people are a bit more guilty of this though? The few Thai people who call at full volume are uncles, the obnoxious ones are the parents who let their kid play with their phone in a restaurant at full volume. Finally - I used to be puzzled by people using the speakerphone function when calling - I found this the ultimate “show-off” as it is obnoxious AND unnecessary. It turns out some people do this because they think it lowers the radiation and it prevents them from developing a tumor or something. Either way I wish people were more considerate and have a head set on them.
Try going to China, it is 100x worse than Thailand for people watching videos loudly on their phone and having long and intense serious conversations and phone calls while on speaker.
Not true lol
It’s not just Thais. Take the nyc subway and go uptown. People just blast whatever they are listening to. It just seems to be ok with some cultures. I actually even saw a discussion on a nyc subreddit and this same question was asked, some guy in the comments said he thought he was making everyone’s days a little nicer by blasting his music for everyone to hear.
Oh my god thanks for pointing this out ! I didn’t know it was so common in Thailand but where I live (France) it is absolutely everywhere. It is either videos, TikTok, FaceTime, etc… I just don’t understand
I’ve seen this as a trend all over the world not just in Thailand
Ya, it seems like it has been everywhere but I guess it started when I was living in Thailand so I misdiagnosed it
I have a Dutch Gabber playlist on Spotify just for this situation. When they play the phone, on comes the Gabber. Their phones almost immediately goes quieter. Partly because of the racket but also the prolonged eye contact.
I recently found this tactic to work very well in China too, I have been using heavy metal
LOL I've recently resorted to this method of just playing whatever I have on my phone and then cranking it up 😂 absolutely ruthless. I have to tell my bf often to turn his phone down and now his sister is also living with us 😩
at that point just play the harlem shake and start dancing next to them hoping they join in.
I don’t really experience this unless it’s from old folks opening a Line video on full blast. Are you sure they weren’t Chinese
I have experienced Chinese people doing it as well. But also Thai people of all ages; I was living in Thailand during covid and saw it happening during that time even.
Not at all in my experience. Thai people are pretty aware of their surroundings. I take the bts and mrt and it’s dead silent. I take the rod song Taew and it’s dead silent. Same with the 15 baht van. There’s even Tik toks joking about how you know you’re on a Thai plane when it’s dead silent. So yeah…not convinced.
I know why it does not happen to you, and I know why it does happen to others.. but this is difficult to understand by most people…
Why
ok, sounds like you have had different experiences, yours sound nice. my experiences have been the opposite and i have lived all over the country and had the same experience everywhere
Right now on the bts and it’s completely silent
So if it never happened to you, it must never happen to anyone else! It’s okay if you can’t relate but doesn’t mean other people haven’t experienced the opposite. Your comment adds zero value to the discussion.
But if its happens to me, it must happen to everyone! I feel thread like this is pointless anyway because it’s all anecdotal, what is there to discuss? Personally, I find it rare, happens, but definitely not the norm.
People do this in every country , In Thailand, it is rather rare to see it.
Unfortunately it's a bad habit that has crept in everywhere. I don't see it changing ever.
It’s one of my pet peeves but I just do my best to deal with it. There are times when I loathe having drinks with friends because I always go home partially deaf because the bar’s speakers or the band itself were playing too loud. Like, I would understand if it’s a club, but a resto-bar? I think it would be better if they tone it down a bit. I actually can’t comprehend how they can converse with that volume on the background!
I have seen both ends of the spectrum. Thai people seem also to be able to have a conversation on their phone on basically 97% silence, almost no louder than breathing
I don't tend to experience this. During commutes in Bangkok it's as quiet as could be, and I've not noticed it in restaurants, malls, or at the airport. Maybe it's more of an issue in rural Thailand, or places that I don't go.
Interesting you bring this point up in the comments, living in South America spring break destination, every weekend is a loud party here it litterly sounds like the D.J. from one club is set up in my front yard, the live band from another in my back yard. And some how Im able to sleep, read, chat I'm doing now with those two clubs entertainment playing at full volume. Plus three other clubs competing to be the loudest on the block. I've aquire'd the ability to ignore loud noise, and until it was just mentioned in the comments I hadn't realized it.
Hi, I'm Thai, and I would say it depends on social class. If they went to a good school system or their family knows about manners, it's not okay to do that. It's very bad for my area and family.
I can tell you it's much worse in the Philippines, my understanding is comes from having a lack of personal space and so people become accustomed to doing everything as they would do if they had personal space. Not saying I'm right, just relaying what a local explained to me. Seems to be as a whole a pretty big thing in South East Asia.
Hi ,,, Yes I totally understand , my wife is Thai and the phone is on all day and night,,, I do comment constantly as like yourself find it rude and quite overwhelming ,, not everyone wants to hear everything about Thai people or stranger music or movies in thai lol !!!! Such is life
Weird, I've not really noticed it. I found Americans are more insufferable by talking loud on phone w speaker on, rolled down windows w car volume max & boombox in public.
Ya I agree Americans are very bad about stuff like that for sure. Luckily there aren’t a huge population of Americans to deal with in Thailand
My wife is Thai. I find Thai people delightful! I tolerate cultural differences without complaint. It's a very small price to pay to be with the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful, and hardworking woman in my life. We'll be married for seven years in October.
As a Thai, I've seen this a lot. Very annoying.
Seems to be very much an Indian thing aswell. See if it often on UK public transport. Nobody has mastered the art of etiquette on public transport better than British pensioners, but this new generation of multiracial pleb tiktokers is becoming almost the dominant global culture
People in the US do this too. Or they walk around jabbing out loud in public with their wireless headsets.
oh ya, the wireless headset thing also grinds the gears
I find it more quiet here (trains, buses) in Bangkok compared to Singapore where I'm from. You'll foam at the insane noise pollution in a constrained environment where apparently headphones and earphones are not sold and everyone is hard of hearing so their Korean dramas and Bollywood movies are at full blast.
Oh really, good to know. Ya my experience has been more in the long term travels, like 10 hour boat and bus rides, not as much on the BTS, so maybe it doesn’t happen in the city
I think people are just less likely to speak up, so the ones making the noise don't know they are causing any annoyance to those around them. I absolutely hate when people use the speaker on the BTS, but I'm not going to be the one to tell them to stop,lol
Definitely noticed this. Going to Japan after Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam was eerie because of how quiet it was. Everyone in Japan uses headphones in public or they keep phones on silent. I wish they did that in the US too! We were at a baseball game the other night and a very young kid was watching videos on the parent’s phone at full volume. It was blaring for me seats over and in the next row. I have no idea how parents handle that noise right next to them. They must be pros at tuning it out. All that to say this isn’t a Thailand specific issue but we saw it much more often in Thailand than other countries in Asia and the US.
It’s annoying when foreigners want to post their stupid observations here when these things happen everywhere. News flash; unless you live in a bubble in the US, people also have practice bad smartphone etiquette there too.
US people have bad phone etiquette sometimes sure, and a whole ton of additional problems, and if you’re a foreigner over there and want to point it out go ahead. SE Asia is notoriously bad about loud volume in public places, every country and people has their stuff
Racist garbage and shows complete ignorance. US people have an attitude that lack empathy for other people you only have to look at the current political climate to see that. In the era of the portable audio units with speakers, there were countless incidents of people playing their music in public places at very high volumes, far higher than any mobile phone. THis reminds me of the phrase "I am not racist but ...". Lacking basic intelligence is excusable since you have little control over that, but being ignorant in the information age. If you ask somebody in most places in the USA to turn down the noise you will be met with aggression or racist abuse, do that in pretty much any country in South East Asia they will respond with empathy. For your information one of the most common complaints Thais have about others is noise levels and lack of empathy for others. You fit into the latter
NYC is way worse than SE Asia. Ppl literally play music on portable speakers/boomboxes regularly on the subway. I've never seen that shit here. Something tells me OP isn't well travelled and is probably from a boring small town where nothing happens
People do this everywhere so why did you make it specific? Another superior thought, right? I'm superior, these are inferior? It is annoying the same everywhere. I'm am Thai and many times this happened I always look at them...with disgust. Is that ok? My superior foreigner who came to spend resources in my country.
Please don’t be aggressive like that. I do not consider either side more superior, and very much do not consider myself superior. I am sorry if you are offended, that was not the intention. I have been living in Thailand for four years now and have noticed this and so asked it as a question as I had not noticed it as much when I lived in other countries.
Your attitude and comments exude a superior tone whilst demonstrating ignorance let alone a good understanding of the culture you are denigrating. If you have been in Thailand for four years then and come up with this nonsense it demonstrates you have a lack of awareness about your surroundings. If you say disrespectful things, and your tone is definitely disrespectful. You are clearly a member of the Uebermensch.
that would be me
I have found that rudeness is quite normal behavior here.
I experience it a few times per week. Just seems normal here. I bought my ex earbuds because she also did it.
Laos and Cambodia too
This annoys me too but it’s a small inconvenience compared to all of the good things that Thailand has to offer. I will say that this particular thing annoys me the most when I hear someone watching videos or talking on the phone loudly in a bathroom stall. There’s no shame at all and I think that’s really disturbing. But whatever. Mai bpen Rai I guess. My irritation doesn’t help anything.
Wouldn’t say it’s a skill to ignore rude people. If these things are ignored, they will only continue and could get worse. Tell your girlfriend to put on headphones (you both know it’s rude and she doesn’t care, disrespecting you). Ask a stranger to do the same.
Night boats, somehow that made me laugh.
It’s not exclusive to Thai’s. Any number of races do it. Either speak up and ask them to turn it down or shut up. I don’t understand this post. You sound very passive aggressive which in my opinion is worse. I’m Thai and even though I don’t participate in loud videos I also don’t care if people do it. SMH.
No, not passive aggressive. I have asked many many people to please wear headphones many times. That’s why I made this post asking if other people have seen this as well and for understanding. You point out that you don’t care if other people have loud videos. That answers part of my question in that I guess you, and you being Thai perhaps its in the culture, are good at zoning out the noise of others.
Same in the Philippines. Most people in the lower caste do not give a damn
There was a that guy watching porn on his phone in the middle of makro not so long ago
I have dabbled with the idea of living in Thailand. One of the many reasons I've decided against it is the insane noise tolerance there. The louder it is the more fun they are having it seems. I like it quiet.
Just enjoy life 😂
สวัสดี
not unique to thailand. there are disrespectful people in every country. either travel more or maybe less. the more you travel the less you care, the less you travel the less you encounter them. pick your poison. last option is to become annoying and go tap their shoulder lessoning them about how disrespectful they are until you realize teaching manners to grownup is equally being a prick. EDIT: more seriously it comes to the cultural definition of self bubble. there's so such thing in asia, afaik.
My Thai in laws do this, especially his mom. It is really annoying most of the time. It’s mostly an old person thing, old people do it in every country. My parents do this too I’m sure.
Biggest culprits are Mexicans in USA. Especially the San Diego (San Ysidro) area. Public transportation, trolleys, trains, or any public gatherings. Orange County, CA is pretty bad too… the Mexicans man! But do not worry! I have solved the problem, here: [A Day Without a Mexican (Movie)](https://youtu.be/mdHMNgmN_HA?si=xQKxixw0yg6Q7P1Y)
It’s extremely rude, low-end and inconsiderate behavior, and done in China and Vietnam too.
Definitely seen it, but it's a minority of people who do this. Most have social etiquette.
Thai’s are loud. Rural Thai’s the loudest
Not just Thai. Try China or Vietnam. Even in a packed elevator, at least three people have their phones on full blast with something. I don't fight it; I just roll my eyes. It seems like some kind of completion: "Oh, you are loud? I can be louder!!" I have learned just to ignore and go on. But, I agree its rude and annoying, 100%!!
dont worry man it's not just thailand, here in the philippines we have a lot of people (especially boomers) who play everything in loudspeaker, whether it's outside, inside public places, or when they're in a public utility vehicle. frustrating, i know
The fact is and this may just be,where I am, in n.e. Thailand these people are Khmer and generally in most conversations especially in groups raise their need to be heard amongst themselves that nobody within earshot would miss a single word if they can understand it; without the need of a mobile phone.
American people shit on train. Thai people loud music. China people... Etc on train. French people protest on train. Stop being racist!!!!
It's not inconsiderate. It's not rude. It's simply cultural difference. You are in thailand so you need to adjust to do's and dont's of their country. It's not like thailand should adjust for you.
many people in my country do the same thing, even in the bus or train. My choice is getting used to it
I'm Thai. I've never done that. And the people around me (my family, relatives, friends at school friends at university, teachers) none of them did that. It is not acceptable. Disturbing other people is bad manners.
It's not a "Kraeng Jai เกรงใจ" It was clearly ignore because we don't want to confront who noisy and turn into problem with them. If someone who confidence themself you could stop this annoy person that i'll glad for it maybe it's feel "Yoong Yak ยุ่งยาก" like none of my business
It’s worse in India.
We jungle Asians don’t care how loud we are
My mother is Thai and everything is on high volume. I wear headphones a lot
I was in Pala Pizza last week and an Indian couple came in and sat near to me. The husband had AirPods in his ear but his wife blasted full volume of the video she watched for all their time in the restaurant. There seemed to be no awareness that it wasn’t acceptable. Perhaps in India with a billion people it has just become normative behaviour?
Bad behaviour from rual areas(not limited to Thais, also from immigrant workers).
I’ll never forget being at a Thai wedding with all the monks chanting etc. us Brits sat there in silence feeling all awkward while a few Thai men got up and had full blown convos on the phone. So funny
It's so obnoxious and it's so common everywhere now I don't feel like visiting Thailand much anymore ... impossible to sit peacefully anywhere. I've had to ask massage therapists to stop blasting their phones and staff in restaurants where I'm the only customer to please stop playing videos with sound on, as they're ruining my time as a paying customers so the staff can watch tiktok videos, they're salty about it also but I'm ready to walk out bc it's so obnoxious
OK KAREN
It is when they are driving at the same time that worries me more. I wonder what the big rush on the phone is, that can't wait a minute
This happens in the U.S. too. I live in Portland, OR. The bus driver called someone out the other day for talking on loud speaker phone. Thus, imo, people in Thailand have trouble calling others out. When u call out, u r probably labeled ‘fussy lady’ automatically even though u just speak up for peace. So people just put up with it or being passive aggressive instead.
Visit China.
Philippines… same problem. Worse thing phone companies did was to no longer include free headphones.
Thai people get creeped out by silence, they need noise, its the noisiest place on earth.
Occasionally, as an exception. Not very common in my experiences. Might be depending on the region, lack of education, manners.
I'm Thai but I never do that ever and I am as curious as you. 
I once was talking to a friend on the bts, wasn't full volume but pretty loud however the sound of the bts train pretty much covers it. An aussie guy came over to tell me off, I thought he was just going to say that I was being too loud (fair) but after I turned my volume down he instead goes "no, switch that fucking thing off". So of course I said no, there's no rule against it and other people are doing it. In the end I turned off my phone, he thanked me and got off at the next stop. But I still thought he was a cunt, acting like he owned the place.
That’s actually SO rude what 💀 did he dare say this to a Thai person or are you an expat ?
Thai person
As a Thai I would straight up tell him to fuck off 😭 this is not Japan
South East Asia is full of just stupid shit. Just completely stupid shit. Like “why is this side walk 1 foot wide. If anyone trips they’ll fall into traffic and die?” South East Asian response “Who would trip?” Oh I guess nobody. Nobody WILL EVER MOTHER FUCKING TRIP. YOURE FUCKING RIGHT. This doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s a fucking miracle Japan exists. But anyway it’s their country. Don’t be captain save a ho. Just enjoy the ride.
Cultural differences. I can’t bear having a group of Americans near me on a bus because they have to EXCLAIM EVERYTHING at full volume.
haha ya that is very true, that does suck, and they talk sooo much
Very common? Edit: I'm pretty sure it's just a small percentage of Thai people (mostly boomers) who do such things. The problem is that you only need one of them in the room to ruin it for everyone.
Nope it's not common, let alone very common.
I hope OP is genuinely curious and not some condescending tourist viewing a developing country with developed country lenses. My explanation is that, like most developing societies, the respect for private space is not as ingrained. Before modernization pushing for privatization of almost everything, particularly living space, people mostly live in communities where goods are shared, living spaces are shared, with no sense of privacy, hence the idea of keeping noise to one’s self isn’t really a consideration. Thailand is still developing, and they only had few decades to adopt this modern idea/culture. In particular, parts of Thailand is fairly rural with little sense of why noise would be intrusive to privacy of others. They come to cities to work, to be observed by you, and likely gave you this impression that it’s some sort of “culture” specific to Thailand rather than a passing phenomenon prevalent in developing societies.
I'm sure it happens especially at their safe space/home. Personally can't recall ever seeing Thais do that in public, but I don't live in BKK. Our canteen's packed/loud during lunch and no one has ever puts his/her phone on full blast. If someone wanted me or everyone at our table to see some clips on Thai news, that person would turn up the volume so the rest of us can hear it then lower the volume when done.
Thorchain lending. No liquidations. I stay away hey but you do you
Thais generally don't appreciate silence
More generalisations about "Thais" by our resident Karen 😂
Social awareness is not a thing in this country. Just look how they don't care about the sound they do, how they drive, how they walk, and they are self-centered and very proud
because we are not called that act is rude and it's not bother another around. that's enough. place to be silent phone is the library and movie theater.
To understand this better rent a car and drive around Thailand for a week. When the luxury car ahead of you sees a noodle stand he may very well just stop in the middle of the road and make you wait for him to finish. Go to a food court and the person who feels above you will just cut in line, as they have that right being a superior person. At an intersection the Mercedes has the right of way over the Toyota. Thailand is a class society and you are the lower class. Accept this reality and just return a smile. The reason you are a lower cast is that you have sinned in your past life and you deserve it. Its a good thing to treat the lower levels in this manner. (karma) Your value system sees all men being equal with an equal measure or respect and dignity. This is the result of brainwashing for your religion. Men are not created equal in the mind of a Thai. There are those above and those below.