Taking A Look At The Prakan Chai Market In Thailand

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HW1 Field Observation
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SOCI213
American Public University
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I am currently on assignment in Thailand. I am the only African American at the Prakan Chai Market in Buriram, Thailand. I am taking an excursion into one of the rural provinces, and the market is one of the centers of activity in the city. Thailand being known as the Land of Smiles is known for its friendly people. My name is Ralpheal Hoyle. I cannot speak Thai. When spoken to I can only return a smile, and I am helpless without my Thai guide. Today is good day to visit the market.
It is a Saturday evening. The temperature is not hot but it quite humid. The market is outdoors on a closed center street. There are two main aisles, with

They made their selection and moved on. The Big family consisted of the mother and four children. The mother appeared to be early forties, and there a preteen daughter and three toddler boys. The boys were unruly, more so than any other people I observed. The mother constantly spoke to them in Thai, as did the stall owner. They were misbehaving and it was obvious, as passerby’s and the old man in particular chastised them. The big family made their purchase and moved on. The old man asked a question, and with the answer he immediately got upset. I asked what happened and was told that the stall owner wanted to charge the old man more than the big family was charged. My guide explained to me that that the stall owner said that the big family was owed previously and that is why the price was different. The old man was upset and as explained by the Thomas theorem, “when people define situations as real, those situations become real in their consequences.” (Rohall, Milkie, & Lucas, 2011, p. 33) The old man thought he was being mistreated and wanted everyone to know it.
The trip to the market for me was an enlightening experience. There were so many people and so much activity that sometimes it was hard to keep focused. What I observed most was the relative order. The behavior and actions seemed almost scripted, because despite a lot going on, it went on almost effortlessly. I could see the social structure and personality perspective most