What Are the Limits of "Mai Pen Rai"? [S7.E40]

Greg and Ed discuss one of the pillars of Thai culture, the
general attitude of 'mai pen rai' or 'no problem.' As the guys
have mentioned many times, this attitude is one of the main
reasons that living in Thailand is so enjoyable for expats. Thai
people tend to be less confrontational, less prone to anger, and
less likely to take offense than Westerners, making living in
'The Land of Smiles' a fairly easy transition for most people.
But can this approach be taken too far? The guys think so.


A recent tragedy involving a bus accident that resulted in the
deaths of over a dozen children sparked the discussion. While the
investigation into the accident is still in its early stages, it
appears the bus failed to meet safety regulations. Ed notes that
this tragedy mirrors the infamous New Year's Eve fire at Santika
nightclub in 2009 that took 67 lives, largely due to unenforced
fire safety laws. The simple truth is that often in Thai society
people relax when it comes to preparing for the worst: it's much
easier to blow things off in order to save effort and money. Both
guys agree that this is a clear example of 'mai pen rai' going
too far. Sometimes you need to be strict and confrontational in
order to compel compliance with certain laws; the harms that can
result from being too lax are simply too great to bear.


Ed notes that the question really comes down to one of good
judgment. Thais seem to have mastered the ability to relax when
it comes to a lot of 'rules' that in the end don't actually seem
to affect quality of life very much. However, as the current
tragedy shows, there are times when 'relaxing' is not the best
approach. 


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