How do you defend yourself?

[Millard]

Always got taught to think RUN first every time if in danger and only fight if cornered.

 

The guy who taught my karate class did not see any honour in unecessary fighting and I believe he was right.

You had a good teacher. I've come across too many dumb muscle heads who learn martial arts and are far too happy to use it.

Edited July 3, 2008 by Millard

[17hrs2freedom]

what do you do to avoid a fight in Los?

 

walk behind Roidfreak.

 

 

-17

[gorrillaby]

Do what needs to be done, hopefully this does'nt mean striking a Thai, then just walk away, do not get into an arguement, you've lost before you begin.

[sleazy kii]

try and get away from the situation be4 it even starts 

[coolman]

ya just say sorry and go.

[ginseng]

Once in the USA with my Thai ex wife she was about to stab me with a knife. I have never been a violent person and always handle things by talking but this was one case where words were not going to help me. I got it out of her hand, kicked it away and I had to hold her on the floor for several minutes. I knew the second I let her go she would start wailing on me so I let go and ran for the door! I then called a Thai friend who helped resolve the matter. Within a week she was on a flight back to Thailand and it's been happily ever after. She did tell me if I ever came back to Thailand her brother would kill me, but I met up with him bought him so whiskey and we laughed it off.

 

Yesterday I was walking on a soi and I got sideswipped by a Mercedes's sideview mirror! I staggered away then got burnt by the tail pipe of a motorbike. This Thai guy on the sidewalk was cracking up at first I wanted to smack him then I started laughing too. Fuck it.

Edited July 3, 2008 by ginseng

[Millard]

Once in the USA with my Thai ex wife she was about to stab me with a knife. I have never been a violent person and always handle things by talking but this was one case where words were not going to help me. I got it out of her hand, kicked it away and I had to hold her on the floor for several minutes. I knew the second I let her go she would start wailing on me so I let go and ran for the door! I then called a Thai friend who helped resolve the matter. Within a week she was on a flight back to Thailand and it's been happily ever after. She did tell me if I ever came back to Thailand her brother would kill me, but I met up with him bought him so whiskey and we laughed it off.

Dude, what the hell caused such a big argument?!

[gregkai]

Once in the USA with my Thai ex wife she was about to stab me with a knife. I have never been a violent person and always handle things by talking but this was one case where words were not going to help me. I got it out of her hand, kicked it away and I had to hold her on the floor for several minutes. I knew the second I let her go she would start wailing on me so I let go and ran for the door! I then called a Thai friend who helped resolve the matter. Within a week she was on a flight back to Thailand and it's been happily ever after. She did tell me if I ever came back to Thailand her brother would kill me, but I met up with him bought him so whiskey and we laughed it off.

 

Yesterday I was walking on a soi and I got sideswipped by a Mercedes's sideview mirror! I staggered away then got burnt by the tail pipe of a motorbike. This Thai guy on the sidewalk was cracking up at first I wanted to smack him then I started laughing too. Fuck it.

Speaking of road accident leading to fight, during a previous visit I witnessed a (completely drunk) russian guy that crossed second road without looking too much. A thai guy in a car had to brake really strong and hit the guy very slightly (maybe a few km/h). The drunk guy rolled (semi-intentionally) on the front of the car like an amateur stuntman, he laughed, unharmed, and went with his friends. The thai guy went out of his car, not laughing at all, and I think the only thing that prevented him to follow the guy and kick him down was that he didn't want to let his car unattended in the middle of second road...and maybe the fact that the russian were 4, quite tall and heavy ;-p One of the most hatefull face I had seen on a thai person, though...

Moral of the story: be extra carefull crossing a thai road: not only Thais will not necessarily brake for you, but if they hit you they are as likely to finish you for nicking their car than to call emergency ;-)

Edited July 3, 2008 by gregkai

[Travelocity]

Hard to say your sorry if the act is robbery!!

Sorry but I have no money!

[Burglefloogah]

I think much higher chance to get into trouble with some psycho farang than with Thai. Certain people turn very violent while drunk. I happened to see in both Pattaya and Bangkok some really disgusting behavior.

[monkey01]

Never had to not had a fight since i was seventeen (Although i did hit a burglar with a hammer) so twenty odd years

[ELOnia]

Personally if I needed to would use my boxing skills to shut them up especially if it’s a Ladyboy although if it was a situation with to many of them then I would need to vacate the premises. I never plan to get into physical confrontation in Thailand but if it happens I will fight if needed. On the robbery note if there is no one around it is most defiantly a chance to have some fun beating some ones face in.

[Leebanon]

if you are getting deeper in the thai culture, you reach the point,

where you know, that there are situations, where you have defend your face.

 

take this situation,

 

 

even for thai people, they have to defend their face,

if s.o. is rude to you.

 

chai jen, cold heard is a way, that is not always working,

if s.o. is hurting your gf

[td5855]

About 3-4 years ago one of the guys who sell stuff around the bars started shouting at me, why?? Dunno. Some Thai guys and the bar girls sort it out and the guy left. Next day having a beer in my local a Thai guy I knew quite well came up and asked "Why you have problem with my brother"???? Nearly shit myself.

 

Told him I did not know why and if I had done, said anything wrong, real or imagined then tell him "I am sorry".

No problem I will sort it out he said and off he went?

 

About a week later his brother comes into the bar selling stuff as if nothing had happened.

Tell him I do not want anything but did he want a beer.

He sat down drinking the beer, then leaned towards me and said "Sorry". Long conversation ensued and off he went?

 

About an hour later the brother came back in asking if all sorted, said "yes".

His comment "Told brother you always well mannered to Thai people and what he do was wrong"

 

Years later we are as good a bunch of friends that any Thai and Farang can be.

 

Moral of the story.......

If I was known as an ass#ole, then it was bruises and A&E for me. Always being well mannered to Thais saved me.

 

Above not much good if your on holiday, but if you live here and are known. Better known as a respectful farang than a bum

Edited September 14, 2008 by td5855

[FatBob]

Moral of the story.......

If I was known as an ass#ole, then it was bruises and A&E for me. Always being well mannered to Thais saved me.

 

I think the morale of this story is that some Thai men can be assholes.

 

 

FatBob.

[caltexman]

Anyone can be an arsehole!!! Doesn't matter where you are.

[td5855]

I think the morale of this story is that some Thai men can be assholes.

 

 

FatBob.

 

Agree Bob, lots of Thai guys act crazy/wild for what appears to be silly reasons, he certainly behaved like one.

Maybe he just had his fill of rude farangs that day??

 

But if I had been going around like an asshole, then it's unlikely his brother (Thai) would have stepped in.

Being nice/well mannered can go a long way......................thats the point I was trying to make

[lade]

so you have the street sellers on your side, woo hoo, what an accomplishment, LOL

[gamble244]

ever seen any of the bar fights on youtube?

thats why i wouldn't bother doing it, you get in a scrap with one

you get in a scrap with them all

but saying that, you shouldn't really find a reason TO get in a scrap with them in the first place

takes a hell of alot to tick 'em off to the point of phsyical contact

[FatmanScoopGI]

so if a thai person tries to mug you is it illegal to defend yourself?? cause I don't run from anyone and am trained in level 3 US Army unarmed combatives.

[Just_me]

I think there are many vise advises here and after reading many posts I guess the summary is, do whatever you can to avoid a fight. If you can't awoid it, run."

 

 

For me I try to act street smart and stay out of situations that could end up in a fight.

I would loose for sure anyway as I haven't done any fihting seens my teens. That's some years back now. I go to LOS to have fun.

 

[QuotaMan]

1/ Never get into that kind of situation... if you treat people with respect, smile, and follow your instincts to stay away from the crazies, no-one will attack you... unless they are trying to rob you... very unusual and obviously a matter for the tourist police... keep their number on your phone.

2/ Always discouss exactly what you expect, and what you are prepared to pay when you are mongering... that way there will be no room for misunderstandings. If you have spent an evening in the affectionate company of a lady, and then decided not to pay bar for her, it may well be appropriate to give her a tip to show that you appreciated her company.

3/ If the worst comes to the worst... run away... it's that simple... if you lose face visably, that will usually be enough to satisfy whoever is pissed off with you. (And always pay your check bin before leaving a bar... even at a run!)

Murg

 

These are the best tips you can follow, and the best way to defend yourself is by avoiding hairy situations, or drop the 'conventional' notions of manhood you may believe.

 

I'm no expert but seems like most of the muggings are usually quick snatch and grab types (not saying muggings/fights against foreigners never happen). I don't recall reading a lot of Thai's deliberately picking fights with random strangers on the streets. Why would they want to hurt business? As others have stated it's never a guarantee that it will be a clean one on one fight. You can definitely count on you against 5 other guys that magically appear out of nowhere. To me it ain't worth proving my manhood, it doesn't prove anything but could get me killed. I'll be the better man and run away or get away from that situation as soon as I can.

[Lok Jit]

Its Common sense to avoid confrontation...When I lived in Chang Mai I saw a Farangs get his car torched,burned by a set fire,,Motorbikes destroyed,,Jumped and beaten by several Thais..Many of these were over some Thai girl..The Thai Men can and do get VERY Jealous...Its OK for them to mess around---Not OK for her too...

[Thaihigh]

These are the best tips you can follow, and the best way to defend yourself is by avoiding hairy situations, or drop the 'conventional' notions of manhood you may believe.

 

 

There is a wonderful line in the film "187" in which a teacher is pointing out the folly of ghetto "macho" violence and how it escalates, and he eventually descibes the harm that it does as "Stupid". The student replies, "Yeah. You may think it's stupid, but sometimes stupid is all we've got".

 

If ever someone decides to prove their manhood in a fight, it is worth asking yourself, "Is this stupid, or is stupid all I've got"?

[QuotaMan]

There is a wonderful line in the film "187" in which a teacher is pointing out the folly of ghetto "macho" violence and how it escalates, and he eventually descibes the harm that it does as "Stupid". The student replies, "Yeah. You may think it's stupid, but sometimes stupid is all we've got".

 

If ever someone decides to prove their manhood in a fight, it is worth asking yourself, "Is this stupid, or is stupid all I've got"?

 

I remember that movie.

 

By the way, here is how NOT to act in Thailand, as you can see there is no such thing as a fair fight and acting obnoxious is a sure way to increase the odds people will be hostile to you:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkEXfp-JTTE

 

http://fightpassport.com/muay-thai-training-journals/barfight-video/

Edited August 15, 2009 by LonelyMan