Pompooey

One Thai girlfriend once told me that the term “pompooey” refers to little children or babies and has a rather positive connotation”. In TV-Ads in Thailand that show products for babies, these babies are usually overweight from a western point of view, but obviously Thai people consider that as very healthy. I also observed this in advertisements in China, where obviously overweight babies are also considered cute and healthy.

As far as I know the term “wan” really means “fat” and really having a rather negative connotation.

So if a Thai girl calls me Pompooey I usually try to think she is telling me I am cute.

Phoenix on Farang Speaks 2 Much

The Wai Means Respect

The wai means respect. It's not a general friendly greeting.

Much like a military salute, the wai is more than a greeting, it is a gesture of respect offered by the lesser to his elder or superior. Every Thai seems to automatically sense and known his place in society versus everyone else around him. Exactly who pro-offers the wai and who answers it is extremely important. This is an aspect of Thailand that few foreigners can ever fully understand. It is generally best for foreigners to refrain from wai-ing at all. However, a pro-offered wai should always be acknowledged. It is perfectly acceptable to answer a wai with a verbal greeting (sawadee, kap), a bob of the head or a gentle wave of the hand. The hand wave is particularly effective in that it says don’t wai me. I’m just an ordinary guy.

Generally speaking, there are very few instances where a foreigner would pro-offer a wai. Inexperienced foreigners tend to wai everyone. This generally brings on more ridicule than respect. For example, an adult never wais a child, even in reply. Nor should a foreigner reply with a wai to service personnel like a hotel doorman, maid, waiter or other workmen. At the same time, all such wais should be acknowledged in some way. A simple smile or nod of acknowledgment is often sufficient.

At the same time, every foreigner should be aware of those special situations where he should answer a wai with a wai of his own. For example, the Thais generally show extreme respect to the elderly. Thai society is replete with exchanges that acknowledge the older/younger, greater/lesser, pee/nong status of the meeting pair.

One situation where a foreigner should answer a wai with a wai is when it is pro-offered by someone clearly older. The older Thai is acknowledging the foreigner’s exalted status.

Thaigers

(The photo is from the book titled
The Katoeys of Nana Plaza.)

Making Merit

Here in Thailand men can make merit by becoming a monk for a short period of time in their lives.
Women can’t become monks. But women can make merit by giving money to mom and dad. How can a country full of poor women easily and quickly make merit?
The Nana Disco, folks, that’s how.

comment from Farang Speaks 2 Much

I Love U Too Much ....

"I love you too much, but I love my family more!"
(Translation: Keep sending the money back home, or I'll leave you.)
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I am half Thai myself and the satisfaction that we young women (well, I'm not all that young anymore but anyway!) get from supporting family members is something that many Western folks just don't seem to fully appreciate. But then, too many of them imagine that being involved in any way in the "entertainment industry" means a life of streetwalking, pimp beatings, and drug addiction, all stemming from a history of child sex abuse. But as you know, this is Bangkok, this isn't San Francisco or Philadelphia. It's simply a completely different game out here...
L.