The second thing to keep in mind is that the concept of keeping face plays a big role in Thai culture. When I first started working at my school, some of the teachers and staff would not wai me in the morning, nor would they say hello, even though I would always do both. My initial reaction to this was that they resented me for the salary disparity, and they were not afraid to show it. However, my Canadian co-worker, who had been teaching at the school for six years, corrected me on this. He said that for most Thais, it had more to do with a painful shyness (particularly if you are teaching in a more rural province outside of Bangkok as I am), and a worry they have that they will misspeak or incorrectly—even if it is just to say, “Good morning.” While it seems like a silly thing to worry about from the perspective of a Westerner, the potential of losing face is something many Thais will go far out of their way to avoid, even if means coming off as rude. In time, however, people will get used to you and realize you are there to help everyone with their English, and not to pick on anyone for their mistakes. Keep smiling and saying hello, in spite of the seeming rebuffs, and eventually most people will come around.