My workmates and I have been planning to go to Thailand for about a year now. We’re finally doing it in two months and we’re doing our individual research about the place and the culture in preparation. I saw in one of the blogs I’ve read that vendors in tourist spots can be quite pushy on what they are selling, and that they had a pretty bad experience with them when they went there for an asian matchmaking tour.
How do we turn them down without insulting them or appearing too harsh? The least thing we want to happen is to cause some trouble while in there. What do we do if saying “no thanks” won’t make them back off?
Posted by
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
8293 posts
Keep on walking with no further eye contact
Posted by
2545 posts
It’s the same around the world...follow Norma’s advice. Also, consider not reading the blog in question.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
They will be pushy but just ignore them and walk on...they will quickly move on to the next person. You don't need to be harsh or insulting by any means. It's the more subtle "salespeople" you need to be aware of. If you are heading to an attraction and someone tells you it's closed, they are ultimately trying to get you to go to their uncle's tailor shop. If someone offers unsolicited information about somewhere you are visiting and seems uber-helpful, they are trying to get you to go to their uncle's tailor shop. You get the idea. There are some scams in Thailand but if you keep your eyes open and don't get into an unmetered cab, you'll be fine!
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15794 posts
I saw this sign in an "Official Bangkok Tourist Information" kiosk two weeks ago and took a photo:
HOW TO AVOID THE SCAM
1. Be on your guard if a solo Thai approaches you in tourist areas.
2. Never believe strangers if they say that your intended destination is closed.
3. Never take a ride with a tuk-tuk driver who offers to take you for a tour at a low price.
4. Never believe that a shop sells at a reasonable price because it is government owned or sponsored.
5. Do not be scammed because of your own greed.
For the most part Thais are very polite and helpful. If you are in a place with lots of street hawkers, they will call out to you to buy - you can just keep walking, you can smile and shake your head, or just shake your head. They know everyone won't buy and they'll be calling to the folks behind you before you go two feet farther. Or stop and look. Then say "no, thanks" and carry on. Do buy from the food hawkers - the fresh fruit is sooo good, so is most of the street food (I'm vegetarian so there's a lot I didn't eat, but others told me how good it was). Stopping to look, even asking prices, even starting to bargain, does NOT commit you to buying. If you politely say "later" or "it's not quite what I want" or "it's too much money" they accept that, maybe they'll keep trying to convince you, but I never saw anyone get angry, certainly not violent. Most stuff is very cheap and pretty good quality. If you want good silks, gems, and similar, go to reputable shops - and you can often bargain with them too. The only things I didn't bargain for were food and taxis (use the meter!).
Be respectful or you'll offend and probably get yelled at. Generally knees and shoulders (men and women) need to be covered to enter a wat (temple), and shoes must be removed. So if you're planning to visit wats (they are beautiful), wear shoes/sandals that are easy to slip on and off - some sights, especially in Bangkok, have multiple wats, lots of on/off with the footwear. Don't touch anyone on the head, not even a small child.
Thailand is one of my very favorite destinations. I hope you'll love it as much as I do.
Posted by
Glostrup, Denmark
1394 posts
My experience from 5 trips to touristy places in Thailand is that saying "No thank you" was sufficient. Thais are very polite and if you are polite to them I don't think you will have a problem.
I have had very different experiences in other parts of the world.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
General rule: Don't talk to hucksters at all. They always want to start a conversation; it doesn't matter what it is about. No eye contact. Move away briskly. Part of this freeze-out, clearly, is to drop the concept of being polite. This is not an exercise in good manners.
One possible exception in Bangkok are small groups of young people who have been sent out by teachers to practice their English. They will be in public plazas, often carrying papers with their questions written down, and a bit giggly. If they stay in front of you, not around, follow your gut on whether to co-operate.
Thailand is a great place to visit. Learn a little bit about the rules for visiting temples (and you will have to leave your shoes outside, unattended.) Enjoy the food too, and decent local beer.
Posted by
US
402 posts
In the Land of Smiles, a smile and "No thanks" worked for me. I did not find them as pushy as in some other countries.
Most of the time the offer was for very inexpensive custom made suits. In an off the beaten path Bangkok neighborhood, there were streets full of sweat shops making suits and gowns. The $100 suits were probably made there, and the tailors could be earning 100 THB per suit, if that.