I find it interesting that Thais will often introduce someone to you and say this is my brother (or sister). Later, you will learn that the person has absolutely no actual familial relation to your friend. Perhaps just an interesting cultural habit:rolleyes:.

I find it interesting that Thais will often introduce someone to you and say this is my brother (or sister). Later, you will learn that the person has absolutely no actual familial relation to your friend. Perhaps just an interesting cultural habit:rolleyes:.

 

I suppose the guys you meet are from upcountry where they always respect familiars from the same village as brothers or sisters.

Or else they are just liars.

I haven't come across that habit.

 

Maybe I could understand if your primary acquaintance introduced you to somebody and just as a matter of emphasis, instead of saying "Kjun12, meet my friend Non", he says, putting his arm around the new arrival, "Kjun12 meet my brother Non!".

 

Dunno I'm just speculating!

 

(I see I'm now a Connoisseur - shurely shome mishtake!)

frankly, I do not quite understand why each Thai normal thing has to raise such comments. It is all over Asia; you relate to others around you with same words as family-members. That is why you, as elder person, may be called uncle or even daddy, and anyone of roughly same age is indeed brother or sister. The Chiense have many more words for nieces, nephews, apart from father or mohter side etc, but Thai and Malay not so much.

Also ask any streetvendor and any will tell you the police is their ''friend''-which only means they have been paid to let them sit and sell.

I have heard stories where farang boyfriends introduced to farang their brothers or sisters who then later turned out to be their lovers.

Trust, but verify!

I find it interesting that Thais will often introduce someone to you and say this is my brother (or sister). Later, you will learn that the person has absolutely no actual familial relation to your friend. Perhaps just an interesting cultural habit:rolleyes:.

 

I completely mis-read this topic; I thought it was 'Curious Thai Hobbits'.

 

A Freudian Slip?

 

Best wishes,

 

James.

I find it interesting that Thais will often introduce someone to you and say this is my brother (or sister). Later, you will learn that the person has absolutely no actual familial relation to your friend. Perhaps just an interesting cultural habit:rolleyes:.

 

 

I'm not sure how different this is from how young people in the USA introduce or refer to close friends as "my bro" There's even a new term coined for a close relationship with a male counterpart, "bromance"

I haven't come across this either although I fully understand that it is common to refer to somebody older than you as "Pee" or to use "Nawng" to refer to somebody younger than you.

 

The Thai language has many words - more than English, that's for sure - to refer to relations. A "pee nawng" is a sibling, a "pee sao/chai" is an older sister/brother, a "nawng sao/chai" is a younger sister/brother, etc. Hell, they even have separate words for grandmothers and grandfathers as well as aunts and uncles that vary depending on whether they are from your mother's or father's side of the family.

 

If what the OP is talking about is that a Thai guy will introduce an unrelated acquaintance as a "sister" or "brother" (using English), the Thai guy just doesn't know enough English to know any better. At least that's my guess.

Like kjun12, I have had several guys introduce me to their 'brothers' who happened just to be close friends. One, from Chiang Rai, I arranged to meet for a drink a few months ago. He asked if he could bring a friend who was introduced as his brother. It seemed his brother liked me, and several times my friend asked if I wanted to have a good time with "my brother". The two did not look remotely alike!

I get told this all the time as well. I always ask when they say "my brother", "same same mama papa?" They will say yes or no. Most say no not same same.

I have had quite a few introductions as brother or sister, when in fact they were cousins. It seems the Thais have some translation difference, as compared to English.

I have had quite a few introductions as brother or sister, when in fact they were cousins. It seems the Thais have some translation difference, as compared to English.

 

I agree with Pong, brother, sister, cousin-- they are all family members. I once had a great uncle whom we simply referred to as Uncle. Same-same, but different. He was still an "Uncle." I doubt Thais are always that literal with titles in describing family relationships.

I haven't come across this either although I fully understand that it is common to refer to somebody older than you as "Pee" or to use "Nawng" to refer to somebody younger than you.

 

The Thai language has many words - more than English, that's for sure - to refer to relations. A "pee nawng" is a sibling, a "pee sao/chai" is an older sister/brother, a "nawng sao/chai" is a younger sister/brother, etc. Hell, they even have separate words for grandmothers and grandfathers as well as aunts and uncles that vary depending on whether they are from your mother's or father's side of the family.

 

If what the OP is talking about is that a Thai guy will introduce an unrelated acquaintance as a "sister" or "brother" (using English), the Thai guy just doesn't know enough English to know any better. At least that's my guess.

I'm in agreement with Bob on this. It's probably because of common usage of regional terms than anything else. Most tourists wouldn't know the Thai words for brother and sister, anyway, and at least the guy is making an attempt to communicate who the person is.