10 most annoying things about living in Thailand
February 19th, 2008 | Thomas | General, Thailand, Travel | 20 Comments »
I’d like to begin this with a brief disclaimer: Thailand is a wonderful country to live in, with some of the friendliest people I have encountered anywhere in the world. I wouldn’t have lived here so long if that were not the case, however, every country has its pluses and minuses, and Thailand is no exception.
Following on from my post last week on the 10 things you should not do whilst in Thailand, here is a list of the 10 things that annoy me most about living in Thailand – in no particular order. Next week I’ll re-balance everything with my final post in the series – The 10 best things about living in Thailand!
1. Blatant corruption
This is particularly evident within politics, the police force or it seems, with anyone in positions of authority. It almost seems to be accepted that the police levy their own taxes on the population at will.
2. The bashful nature towards affection & nakedness
I’m English and not one to ‘get down’ to it in public, but why is it considered so embarrassing to hold hands or have a little (affectionate) kiss in public? Why does the merest sign of a female breast seem to send people into fits of embarrassment? Why do people not wear a swimming costume in the sea rather than the clothes they arrived at the beach in? Of course, westerners have a very blasé attitude towards this kind of thing, but there’s something rather liberating about walking down the road holding hands with the person you love isn’t there?
3. Incompetently run ‘public service’ companies
I’d almost go so far as saying the public service companies in Thailand are guilty of extortion. As an illustration, it is perfectly acceptable to set yourself up as an internet service provider company, advertise and charge people a fortune for a ’super fast’ internet connection package, then deliver absolutely nothing at all. No one seems to say or do anything, especially if the company is TOT. Why might that be? Let’s just call it a form of ‘population tax’.
4. The noise
Why are there speakers almost everywhere in Thailand? Why are the crappy karaoke VCDs played so loud on the buses that the windows vibrate? Why do all the cars and ice cream vans have megaphones on top? Why are there 25 dogs outside our house that start barking hysterically at the first sign of daylight? You can find yourself in the most beautiful national park in Thailand – surrounded by the wonderful sounds of nature – and inevitably someone will spark up a 2000 watt Karaoke system and sing like a tortured banshee until 2am. Bring some ear plugs – I have boxes and boxes of them.
5. Thai music
After nearly 3 years living in Thailand I have concluded that the music here is possibly (probably?) the worst in the world. Everything seems to be formulaic karaoke-based love longs, and cover versions. Anything ‘original’ I hear is so heavily derivative as to be more or less instantly placeable into the ‘pap’ category.
6. Thai TV
Badly acted, formulaic soap opera nonsense that has a strange ability to grip the locals at the weirdest times and places.
7. Pollution / Disregard of environmental issues
Need to get rid of something? Burn it! If the air quality plummets, and 20,000 people end up in hospital with respiratory illnesses blame it on the street food stalls. Easy! Every year in Chiang Mai, between February and April the air pollution levels soar to dangerously high levels. This is predominantly because the farmers practice ’slash & burn’ to clear their fields. In London in the UK it is considered a crisis when the PM-10 reading rises to 50, in Chiang Mai last March it topped 300 – see this post for more information.
What’s more, Thai people love to flock to their National Parks and leave piles of plastic cups and empty Whiskey bottles where they got drunk – there seems to be absolutely no sense of leaving a place as it was found. Car windows are rubbish chutes.
8. The non-confrontational “yes” attitude
Any kind of confrontation seems to be frowned upon in Thailand. This has both highly positive and frustratingly negative consequences that are reflected in all sorts of ways. As just one example, if you ask someone a question along the lines of “Will the bus be leaving at 10am?” you will more often that not be told “yes” whatever the answer. This of course can lead to some undesirable consequences – in that the bus doesn’t leave at 10am, you end up missing your flight/boat/train. If you have to speak English to Thai people whilst in Thailand (because you can’t speak Thai), do not ask ‘leading’ questions that beg a “yes” or “no” answer. Do not ask “Do you understand?” and assume that an affirmative answer actually means your point was understood.
9. The all westerners have money attitude
Why do we have to pay TEN TIMES as much as Thai people to go to a National Park? Why are there blatantly two separate pricing structures based on skin colour? This attitude becomes very wearing when you live here and have approximately the same financial resources as the locals.
10. Suspect driving skills
Whenever I drive out onto Thai roads, I feel it could be my last time. There are no road rules here, save for the “I’m bigger than you so f**k off” rule. Every day I see cars in gridlock situations – drivers sitting and staring vacantly at each other – neither party with any idea as to who has the right of way. Cars, bikes, buses and Songthaews (bench taxis) converge on you from every direction, changing lane, overtaking and suddenly stopping without indication or warning – if you’re smaller than them, well, you’d better just get out the way.
Why does it annoy me so much? Because cars and pick-ups are killing machines, and being a motorbike driver, I have been on the receiving end of one too many near-death-experiences at the hands of drivers (especially driving pick-up trucks) in Thailand. If people can’t drive, they should drive something that doesn’t kill people (like a bicycle) until they prove they can. If people can’t drive, they should not attempt to control a Toyota Landcruiser after drinking 2 bottles of whiskey with their mates. Sadly, drink driving is the cause of thousands of deaths in Thailand each year.
And there we have it. The ten most annoying things about living in Thailand. Please feel free to post your comments or questions below Please use the Contact us form for the issuing of any death threats. 
Comments
20 Responses to “10 most annoying things about living in Thailand”
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February 19th, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
It’s a good ‘aperçu’ of some of the minuses of an expat’s Thai life… The reader can definitely feel that you’ve lived the experience…
Be well and take it sabai-sabai! Namaste R.
February 20th, 2008 @ 4:28 am
It’s like you read my mind! Excellent post!
February 21st, 2008 @ 6:41 am
great post ! So true..
February 21st, 2008 @ 12:41 pm
I forgot to mention the VISA RUNS! Just did one:
http://www.earthoria.com/podcast-visa-run-thailand-mae-sai.html
February 23rd, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
Hahaha. And the tuk tuk drivers always asking whether you need a body massage, translate paid sex, all the time like they come from the same womb.
February 23rd, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
I recently discovered your podcast and have downloaded every episode. I am amazed at how just sound can transport the listener to places so far away. Thank you for sharing a bit of your life with us I have enjoyed myself every time I “listened in”.
February 25th, 2008 @ 11:38 am
These are all true about Thailand! You’re very observant. Good job!
March 23rd, 2008 @ 6:50 pm
I stumbled across this blog from Mae Sot where I am living, currently its the weekend so of course the karaoke to horrible music has been blaring at neighborhood waking levels since 8am, for the second day running! yikes
April 5th, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
I was going to write my own so I googled it first. I like yours A LOT. Thanks, will point a link to your list. You’ve got a Google PageRank 7 on this – amazing post. Vern ThaiPulse Blog
June 21st, 2009 @ 1:01 pm
I’ve been living in Thailand for 6 years now and there are always some people complaining about so many things in Thailand (the food is too spicy, its too hot, the traffic is so bad etc.) if its that bad why don’t you guys go back home.
June 21st, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
Interesting comment Rudi.
Please note what I said at the beginning of the post: “Thailand is a wonderful country to live in, with some of the friendliest people I have encountered anywhere in the world. I wouldn’t have lived here so long if that were not the case, however, every country has its pluses and minuses, and Thailand is no exception”
Please also note that I balanced the 10 negative points here with the 10 best things about living in Thailand in this post:
http://www.earthoria.com/the-10-best-things-about-living-in-thailand.html
June 22nd, 2009 @ 8:27 am
Ok ok in your case i was a bit to fast with my reply and I hadn’t seen your 10 best things post.(nice list btw.)
But you having been here for quite a while too you have to admit there are many people who just complain about al the bad stuff in this country and forget about al the good things here.
August 23rd, 2009 @ 7:31 am
Can’t beleieve noone else seems to find the way people walk on the streets in Bangkok annoying. People walk 4+ wide taking the entire space and don’t move when people walk towards them in the opposite direction. People walking out of doorways not looking at all if they’re stepping out into your path. People zig-zagging for no reason. Drives me nuts. I can accept all the other annoyances in this place in the main but this one is something that even after 6 years of living here irritates me like nothing else I have ever encountered.
August 23rd, 2009 @ 7:36 am
Rudi Wals – you’ve been here so long you’re turning Thai! What a stupid thing to say, that people can’t express negative opinions about something. Just give the “Go home foreigner” super-ignorant response. Thai people ignore a lot of issues in their country as they don’t like to address problems, whereas in many other places in the world we resolve issues and thereby feel our lives are better. Whilst foreigners have little chance of changing much in Thailand, telling people they can’t express their feelings is a really ignorant statement.
December 27th, 2009 @ 4:04 am
Just a tip for the extra rates paid by foreigners when visiting museums and nationnal parks.
If you are legally working in Thailand just show them your driving license and tell you allready pay taxes in Thailand. Allways worked for us except theginese run alligator farm in Bangkok. First time, I got pissed off and ended up speaking with the local manager, got a 50% price reduction on the farang price but still not the Thai price. Went back there a year after, still got pissed off but this time managed to get the Thai price. Their logic was that I had to speak Thai to get the Thai price so I guess my Thai improved enough in a year … ; )
January 15th, 2010 @ 2:40 am
Why Thai’s do not wear swim suits? It is (1) about money. Thai’s do not see the need to spend money on something that they do not feel they need. And (2), it is about skin color. Thai’s do not want to be “black skinned”.
January 17th, 2010 @ 3:59 pm
Wow, most of those were like you read my mind. I’ve been here for three years – however I’m not slipping into a ‘I hate this place’ phase, a year ago I would have agreed 100% – no I think you are to light – time for me to go.
March 22nd, 2010 @ 7:20 am
Yes, very very very well put your article is! Immature and stuborn thai people are bigtime. The way they treat us foreigners is pure greediness. I am happier here than in Canada but somethings are just so retarded about these culture messed up people its actually quite funny. They and us are forced to stand for national anthem in parks twice a day LOL. They cant fight 1on1 they have to do it in gangs and permanantly mame a person not caring if they deserve it or not. Fags are no big deal to them but lesbianism it considered so so terrible and so bad, They have an average 92 iq but ingeneral they are not much worse then people anywhere else. I like their light hearted nature and friendliness, places to travel, sonkron water day, and working as English teacher while parents pay for it thinking the kids actually need to learn it, what a country of scams lol.
March 24th, 2010 @ 3:23 am
Your words made me laugh very hard. I have been in SE Asia for seven months and know EXACTLY what you are talking about.
August 15th, 2010 @ 12:42 am
Thais YES they are retarded and stupid lived there for 12 months and found out what was going on after i saw past the fake smiles and lies and cheating , here’s a list
1.driving like idiots and 200,000 people a year dead as a result why doesn’t the government do something about it , yes i know why cos they are stupid and corrupt.
2.songkran why did they throw red paint over me ruining my expensive clothes ?
3.lies lies and more lies ! been to resturants and been fed out of date food and other crap , i ordered chicken and got a plate of rice and just some dried up brown crap another time they gave me rotten egg omlet with rice.
4.never trust a thai they will rip you off so just don’t believe them even if it is your girlfriend found out the hard way !
5.i agree with everything said above ^^ by thomas.
6.dowry its just crazy another way for parents to get money by selling their daughters besides just selling their children anyway which some thais do.
7.to many retarded things to mention really we will probably be driving round in flying cars before they learn how to drive and in 1000 years time they will probably still be just as retarded.