Regardless of time and location, if you're in Thailand, you're bound to be asked this questions at least once a day. The phrase in Thai, "Ja pai nai, krap?", is similar to "What's up?" or "How's it going?" in English. It's a standard way to greet someone and rarely does the person care what the answer is. The only time it really matters is if you're both going the same place.
In learning English, Thais have simply carried this phrase over and nothing could be more frustrating. Even after learning why Thais always asked where you were going, it took weeks to get used to it. Someone I'd run into would ask "Where are you going" and I'd stop, think about it, and then start to explain, only to be cut off by a blank smile and the realization that they didn't actually want to know where is was going. I could be on my way to surgery or to rob a bank and they couldn't care less.
It isn't anything personal. It isn't that they don't care about you. It's just a Thai phrase that takes some getting used to. Everytime it happens I feel like I'm in this Budweiser commercial.
I've since grown somewhat accustomed to the question and in doing so, learned to fight fire with fire. The two prongs of my attack: (1) Ask where they are going first. (2) Tell them I'm going to do work. This later response is one you'll get from the Thai's about 90% of the time. When in Rome. . .
But wherever I do end up going, I do so in style:
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