Keeping Your Distance Without Being Rude
Too tired to chat, but don’t want to seem rude? Thai people are famously warm and friendly, which is great for practising Thai, but sometimes you need some quiet time. Discover the Thai art of politely keeping your distance, with six indirect ways to signal you’d rather not talk: avoiding eye contact, wearing headphones, the ‘invisible phone call’, short polite answers, focusing on something else, and graceful ways to end a conversation. You’ll also learn how Thai people ‘read the atmosphere’ and why sparing everyone’s feelings matters in Thai culture.
Thai Vocabulary:
สบตา (sòp taa) – To make eye contact
ใส่หูฟัง (sài hǔu fang) – To wear headphones
ถามคำตอบคำ (thǎam kham tòp kham) – To answer only what’s asked
อ่านบรรยากาศ (àan ban-yaa-gàat) – To read the atmosphere
รักษาน้ำใจ (rák-sǎa náam-jai) – To spare someone’s feelings