[shieclulaweew]

Quote[/b] ]But if we foreigner did this in Thailand it would surely be a problem

Stacker, you just pointed out what might be the greatest challenge of being an expat here. The very first friend I met in Thailand, a veteran expat, told me the following: "You will see Thai people occasionally violating these rules. They get away with it, because it doesn't create much attention. However, you are a big fish in a small bowl: everything you do will be given extra importance; your mistakes become magnified."

Not verbatim, but the same contentwise. Five months passed since I heard those words, and the advice proved to be wise indeed. Being the center of everyone's attention takes some time to get used to. Yes, our mistakes do get magnified. But so does everything else we do. Sometimes it is entertaining, sometimes it is frustrating, but one thing is sure: it is there to stay, fighting it or condemning it would be futile. The best thing an expat could do is just accept it as part of everyday life and to the best not to let interfere with happiness.