swissie Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 How many times have I heard Thai's say to me "you think too much", when it came to debate an issue that is only slightly above trivial day to day matters. Seems to me, that this avoidance to "think too much" is firmly entrenched in Thai Society. This may reach from your friendly neighborhood Immigration Officer all the way up to high ranking government officials. By not wanting to "think too much", at least that would explain why certain "rules and regulations" and Decisions by "Decision Makers" , can not possibly have not been conceived by "logic" or the principle of "Cause & Effect" and by "thinking too much". - I DO know that Buddhist Teachings include "Karma". = Major events are pre-determined and future planning (thinking too much) is therefore an exercise in futility to begin with, or: - The human brain is being considered as some kind of muscle, that (like any other muscle) should not be over strained. Taking such things into consideration, many things that appear "incomprehensible" , may become somewhat more "comprehensible" for a Farang. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJGreen Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 I used to hear it in my home country occasionally....from people who were not too bright or just lazy to consider thingsA lot of it here comes down to not wanting to give an issue any headspace that is not needed.I havent heard it in a while now...maybe i pick a style of conversation to suit the occaision i didn't a few years back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 ... and sometimes, you hear the next words out of her mouth - "give me headache" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogeroc Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 When a Thai says that to me i think maybe they are right. In reality we are 'but cows in the meadow'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulsingle Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 We sometimes hear "Que sera, sera" or "What will be, will be" amongst westerners. Variously down to pathos, indolence, resignation to circumstances etc but when I've heard this "think too much" from Thai people it seems to be reluctance or aversion to facing the facts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeegee Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 The fascinating duality of Thailand. Friendly or xenophobic? Sexy or conservative? Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Up to you. r.i.p. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted September 8, 2016 Share Posted September 8, 2016 "You think too much" is just Thais' polite way of saying, "You talk too much." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dick dasterdly Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 'You think too much' used to annoy me when I first came here, but nowadays I think they're right - to a certain extent. We (or more accurately I ) do over-think small, relatively unimportant things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berkshire Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 7 hours ago, Gecko123 said: "You think too much" is just Thais' polite way of saying, "You talk too much." Yeap, that's pretty much it. Or to put it another way, it's also a polite way of saying "shut the heck up already because your pointless opinions mean squat to me." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dick dasterdly Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 8 minutes ago, Berkshire said: Yeap, that's pretty much it. Or to put it another way, it's also a polite way of saying "shut the heck up already because your pointless opinions mean squat to me." Agree entirely with your second sentence..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Think and worry about what you can change... As Westerners we tend to discuss and debate many issues which we have no possible control over.... We've often grown up discussing such topics which interest us regardless of the control or impact we may or may not have - To many Thai's this seems insane and a total waste of effort... To some extent Thai's are correct - why waste so much effort concerning ourselves with issues over which we have no impact... However, this is not so clear cut... as the apathy often extends to issues which we may have 'limited control over'... We as Westerners tend to feel more empowered over our destiny... when generalising, Thai's tend not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manfredtillmann Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 12 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said: Think and worry about what you can change... As Westerners we tend to discuss and debate many issues which we have no possible control over.... We've often grown up discussing such topics which interest us regardless of the control or impact we may or may not have - To many Thai's this seems insane and a total waste of effort... To some extent Thai's are correct - why waste so much effort concerning ourselves with issues over which we have no impact... However, this is not so clear cut... as the apathy often extends to issues which we may have 'limited control over'... We as Westerners tend to feel more empowered over our destiny... when generalising, Thai's tend not to. 100% supported, thank you for summing it up. it took me a while to learn... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kwasaki Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 8 hours ago, Gecko123 said: "You think too much" is just Thais' polite way of saying, "You talk too much." My Mrs today asked me where have the flowers gone, I said what flowers, the ones in the flower beds by the road or the ones in the pots, No she said the ones on the Buddha spirit house, ..Well the wild cats knock them over l said maybe there on the floor, No she said, Well in that case someone came in and took em, No she said, Well then if you left them out for Buddha, Buddha has got em so what you worried about, she said " You say to much ". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldragon Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Does it mean "you're overthinking a situation" or does it literally mean "don't use your brain"? I used to think the former, but I'm beginning to lean towards the latter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldragon Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said: Think and worry about what you can change... As Westerners we tend to discuss and debate many issues which we have no possible control over.... We've often grown up discussing such topics which interest us regardless of the control or impact we may or may not have - To many Thai's this seems insane and a total waste of effort... To some extent Thai's are correct - why waste so much effort concerning ourselves with issues over which we have no impact... However, this is not so clear cut... as the apathy often extends to issues which we may have 'limited control over'... We as Westerners tend to feel more empowered over our destiny... when generalising, Thai's tend not to. But idieally somewhere, someone has control or impact over the issues others are collectively thinking about and is thus able to affect change. On the other hand, when you breed a culture of people who resist critical thinking, the society as a whole fails to progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyfez Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 It is not ingrained in Thai culture. Perhaps you're just talking to an uneducated Thai person who feels your approach is just verbally aggressive. The western way of discussion is considered unpleasant. It doesn't mean they don't discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFO Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 2 hours ago, dick dasterdly said: 'You think too much' used to annoy me when I first came here, but nowadays I think they're right - to a certain extent. We (or more accurately I ) do over-think small, relatively unimportant things. I'm the same way DD. I am a Engineer and by process and I likely think too much about things that do not need to be thought that much about. Sometimes when I am setting up some yard plans, start to sketch it out and I talk to my wife, I get her look and then "Poot Mak Dek Noi" lets just go do it. LOL!!! All good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tifino Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 It is more like a Chess game: a falang babbles on, like babylon is going out of fashion, and a Thai, keeps his pieces to himself. oh yeah! never try to play Thai Chess against a Thai, as it is much like an Ozzie trying to keep one step ahead of the Rule changes, in the America's Cup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emster23 Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Translation of "mai kit mak" (no think much) aka "don't worry".... makes some sense: no think, no worry. Works for them.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksamuiguy Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 KNOWING WHEN TO "Shut Up" in one of the rules you need to learn and follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorri Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 3 hours ago, dick dasterdly said: 'You think too much' used to annoy me when I first came here, but nowadays I think they're right - to a certain extent. We (or more accurately I ) do over-think small, relatively unimportant things. It could also be said that Thais do not think enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocopops Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 You're overthinking this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymat Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 11 hours ago, paulsingle said: We sometimes hear "Que sera, sera" or "What will be, will be" amongst westerners. Variously down to pathos, indolence, resignation to circumstances etc but when I've heard this "think too much" from Thai people it seems to be reluctance or aversion to facing the facts. Totally agree. When I was married to a Thai woman she often used to use the expression 'you think too much'. It became clear to me it simply was a substitute for putting your head in the sand and stop worrying about any issue - however trivial. Clearly, large sections of Thai society (and most others I suppose) take the view that not facing up to the facts will make them go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borzandy Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 18 hours ago, tifino said: ... and sometimes, you hear the next words out of her mouth - "give me headache" As Thais are not able to think, it's normal seeing some farang thinking gave a headache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasg Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 It doesn't just apply to Thais. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomyumchai Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 'You think too much' is generally why so many of them crash every day,...... hang on, thinking about it its 'not thinking at all' thats to blame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gecko123 Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 My mother-in-law, who, sadly, is not long for this world, sometimes uses the phrase "yaa khit maak" (don't think (too) much). When she does, her words are filled with maternal comfort and soothing, and I can tell she only wants to help me feel better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamgeorgeallen Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 often used by thais to finish a discussion they dont want to continue. 'are you sure that is your brother, he seems to kiss you a lot' response 'you tink to mut' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOUTHERNSTAR Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 OP let me translate it for you, dont think too much = dont worry too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevemercer Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I used to get it when I was teaching conversation English at a Thai high school. I used to find it a bit stressful at times, But I was told 'you think too much'. The sentiment was that teaching should be fun and don't worry too much if the students aren't listening. Thai staff thought teaching English conversation as a farang was an easy job for good money. How could it not be fun unless you 'think too much' (e.g. worry about it)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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