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**blenIgnigeSef** · 07-07-2007, 06:52 AM

My understanding from the initial post was that this survey was conducted by Thai reporters for the Sansara Thai edition of Reader's Digest. However, that may not be the case; perhaps the Thai editors of the Sansara Thai edition are merely commenting on the survey, which was in fact conducted by western-based journalists using western standards of courtesy (as opposed to charity, empathy, selflessness, altruism, etc. and possibly other values discussed in this thread distinct from courtesy). Who is to know? Either way, the reporters prepared the survey and article to address their target audience.

Living here is a two-edged sword. When the lady with the restaurant outside your house sweeps your porch for no reason, it's nice. When people trample over you to get into the BTS, it's not so nice.

One of the things I've observed, and seen described in scholarly articles (Holmes, Tantongtavy, et. al), is that Thais seem to have at least three distinct levels of courtesy, and that the level of courtesy they use depends upon the group that the Thai places the other person into. Whereas westerners, myself included, tend to treat everyone with essentially the same level of courtesy, Thais may not. Number 1 is the family group, whose members get the most courtesy and respect. Number 2 is the group that the Thai must interact with, such as officials, customers, etc. who get a different level, but still quite high (much higher than I would ever give to an official in the US, that's for sure). Number 3, is strangers, people who don't have anything to do with the Thai person. Here's the big difference that westerners, or at least I, perceive; this group gets essentially NO courtesy or respect. People in this group are anonymous to the Thai - they simply don't exist. So the apparent lack of courtesy may be because the Thai person simply doesn't even register the presence of the other person!

I've found that when I'm a complete stranger to a Thai, I don't expect any courtesy at all, and I've adapted to it. But, if I can get into the Thai person's vision, if I get on the Thai person's "radar", so to speak, and into that 2nd group, then I will actually receive a fair bit of courtesy, perhaps even more than I would back home.

07-07-2007, 06:52 AM	#16
blenIgnigeSef Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 426 Senior Member	My understanding from the initial post was that this survey was conducted by Thai reporters for the Sansara Thai edition of Reader's Digest. However, that may not be the case; perhaps the Thai editors of the Sansara Thai edition are merely commenting on the survey, which was in fact conducted by western-based journalists using western standards of courtesy (as opposed to charity, empathy, selflessness, altruism, etc. and possibly other values discussed in this thread distinct from courtesy). Who is to know? Either way, the reporters prepared the survey and article to address their target audience. Living here is a two-edged sword. When the lady with the restaurant outside your house sweeps your porch for no reason, it's nice. When people trample over you to get into the BTS, it's not so nice. One of the things I've observed, and seen described in scholarly articles (Holmes, Tantongtavy, et. al), is that Thais seem to have at least three distinct levels of courtesy, and that the level of courtesy they use depends upon the group that the Thai places the other person into. Whereas westerners, myself included, tend to treat everyone with essentially the same level of courtesy, Thais may not. Number 1 is the family group, whose members get the most courtesy and respect. Number 2 is the group that the Thai must interact with, such as officials, customers, etc. who get a different level, but still quite high (much higher than I would ever give to an official in the US, that's for sure). Number 3, is strangers, people who don't have anything to do with the Thai person. Here's the big difference that westerners, or at least I, perceive; this group gets essentially NO courtesy or respect. People in this group are anonymous to the Thai - they simply don't exist. So the apparent lack of courtesy may be because the Thai person simply doesn't even register the presence of the other person! I've found that when I'm a complete stranger to a Thai, I don't expect any courtesy at all, and I've adapted to it. But, if I can get into the Thai person's vision, if I get on the Thai person's "radar", so to speak, and into that 2nd group, then I will actually receive a fair bit of courtesy, perhaps even more than I would back home.
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