Vent: A local in Chiang Mai told me my work setup was 'sad'

I was at a cafe near Nimman, working on my laptop with my noise cancelling headphones. A Thai guy at the next table tapped my shoulder and pointed. He said, 'You come all this way to stare at a screen in a box? That is sad.' It happened about two months ago. I still think about it. Do you ever feel judged for working while traveling?

3 comments

3 Comments

kareng271mo agoTop Commenter

What's sad is him thinking he gets to decide how you spend your time?

taylor.paige1mo ago

Right, "gets to decide"?? That's wild, @kareng27. The nerve of some people is just unbelievable.

angela_allen531mo ago

Wait, he actually tapped your shoulder to say that? That's so out of line. I'm with @kareng27 on this. The whole point of being somewhere new is you get to live your life, not perform for locals. What if you were finishing urgent work so you could actually go hike Doi Suthep the next day free and clear? He had no idea. Calling someone's life sad over one glimpse is just rude.