South Asians are also prone to this irritating behaviour. I am avoiding eating at an Indian temple where I usually enjoy the vegetarian food because of the staring and gossiping and personal questions.

I think it is also a question of culture, in countries like China and India with the population well into the billion plus mark, life is expendable and invading ones personal "bubble" is seen as the norm, unlike in the West where we prefer to maintain a distance and keep our personal space, this is simply an unknown in the minds of your average Chinese person/Indian person.