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(brocklanders @ Jun. 25 2008,05:46) One thing a lot of foreigners dont understand is that conversations and situations with Thai people are to be approached differently than in the Western world. Russians and Germans especially have problems with this as they are very direct and not the most easygoing people in the world.
For Thais, everything is a holographic dance full of white lies, promises and compliments. Truth is elusive yet underneath the surface. Harmony is more important. When an overaggressive ladyboy tries to block your way or is rude to you in the bar.....just smile and turn the tables on them with a lie. Promise them you will be back another day and make it up to them. Give them a kiss on the cheek and hold onto your wallet. Give them a compliment and you will disarm them immediately. Even the ugliest and most muscular ladyboy will melt if you give them a compliment and look them in the eye. It helps to speak Thai also. If they get demanding and want to go now, just lie...always lie. Tell them you have to meet a friend or are meeting someone for dinner, etc. You can even tell them that you would go with them but you have a gf or wife or have 2 girls laying in your bed right now and dont like short time rooms...etc. One thing you NEVER do is get phsycial with a Thai person or shout insults to them. If all charm fails, lie and deny.....
Play the game, play the game, play the game........
For Thais, everything is a holographic dance full of white lies, promises and compliments. Truth is elusive yet underneath the surface. Harmony is more important. When an overaggressive ladyboy tries to block your way or is rude to you in the bar.....just smile and turn the tables on them with a lie. Promise them you will be back another day and make it up to them. Give them a kiss on the cheek and hold onto your wallet. Give them a compliment and you will disarm them immediately. Even the ugliest and most muscular ladyboy will melt if you give them a compliment and look them in the eye. It helps to speak Thai also. If they get demanding and want to go now, just lie...always lie. Tell them you have to meet a friend or are meeting someone for dinner, etc. You can even tell them that you would go with them but you have a gf or wife or have 2 girls laying in your bed right now and dont like short time rooms...etc. One thing you NEVER do is get phsycial with a Thai person or shout insults to them. If all charm fails, lie and deny.....
Play the game, play the game, play the game........
Fully agree with this. Your advice is the only way out in these situations. Nobody loses face then. The mistake we all made at the beginning is thinking like a farang without realizing how thai people think or act. Being direct is the biggest mistake a person can make when he is in thailand. It can work in europe or the US it never works in thailand. Do it once or maybe twice in thailand and you get so many "nice" reactions you never do it again. Your post makes that perfectly clear and I hope Mr freebird understands this now.
Ok my last trip in Pattaya had more bad than good experiences but I solved them with a smile to the amazement of some lb's involved who were trying to provoke me. One thing I knew after this was that Pattaya was off my list but without nagging like a child on a forum. It doesn't bring you anything ( only a lot of negative energy and that kills your health) but instead you carry on and get your fun elsewhere in thailand. ( and there are many nice alternatives). People who don't understand this shouldn't go to thailand anymore or visit this country in the first place. In buddism there is a famous remark how to carry on in your life like the elephant that gets hit by arrows in a battle but goes on without losing its temper and just swallows this.
A big 'amen' to that! 
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