I’ve been teaching English in Thailand for a few months now, and while I’ve met plenty of other expats, I’ve found it surprisingly difficult to build genuine friendships with Thai locals. People are always polite and friendly - my students, my co-teachers, the people I see at markets or cafés - but the conversations often don’t go beyond small talk or casual greetings. I was expecting it to be a bit easier to connect, especially since I work in a school and interact with locals every day.

That said, I know that culture and language probably play a big role in this. The social norms here are different and people tend to be more reserved, and things like “saving face” can make direct communication feel awkward at times. I’m really curious if others have had the same experience or if you’ve found good ways to form deeper connections with Thai friends. Right now, most of my social circle is made up of other foreign teachers, and while it’s great to have a support system, I want to feel more connected to the community I’m living in.

So if anyone has advice, stories, or even just relatable struggles, I’d love to hear them. Is making local friends in Thailand actually hard, or am I just going about it the wrong way?

Cathy