MorristheRunt

Import tax is a scam, if your dealing with Fedex or Upc.....no comeback, pay up and bend over and give them your undies for good measure.

A few years ago Iwas in a shop I frequent often paid for my food with a 20 she gave me change for a 10. I explained to her the problem she insisted I gave hera 10 but no I only had a 20 and I come in here a lot and would not want to cheat the owner please give mecorrect change, she did. She didn't last long only one week. this happened in the states at the time myfavorite coffee shop. Cheats happen every where. I do not expect to get cheated and it doesn't happen too often.

I have had to stop my habit of giving a combination of notes and coin to assist the shop-keeper, say my meal was 85baht, and I would give a 100 baht note and a 5 baht coin, expecting a 20 baht note in return, but the looks I get are out of this world. It appears to be outside the wit of the average Thai to accept this method of payment. I have stood over cashiers and added up in my head the list of 9 items we ate, have said out loud in Thai the total sum, and the cashier is still inputting data.

Why not just give them 85 baht? That's what I try to do. Makes life easier for everyone.

So you think it's acceptable to rip someone off, regardless of the amount?

To be honest I wouldn't wish to live here for one minute more than necessary if anything happened to the Boss. (And I dont think that returning to the UK is an option either)

I realise that without her I would be at the mercy of so many completely ruthless and disreputable Thai people.

My ability to "buy" anything or even seek legal services is made more or less impossible by the fact that most Thai business people, store or professionals don't seem to haver a price tag and I will not on principle ask for a price knowing that it will be seriously inflated for my benefit as a farang

Far from being a Thai basher, I think that most of the ordinary Thai folk are the salt of the earth but I am beginning to think that I have made a big mistake in making Thailand my last resting place.

From the BIB to the hospitals, to Lawyers. Judges, to shops to stores to even 7/11s , you have to be scrutinising their every move you begin to realise that cannot expect an even and fair deal. ( of course its not all of them but how do you find the exception to the rule?)

When I came here I thought that the corruption and the way of the culture was within my capability to handle or at least tolerate., I was wrong and the political debate on the "Brexit" shambles is making me realise just what a I am missing in the UK.

Having said that I think its too late for the UK, I dont think that the UK or the Euro union can be saved from over bureaucracy and fraud and eventual bankruptcy.

I also dont think that Thailand in the short term will change so I have rather unwillingly on the basis that I am too old and unable to adapt to any massive changes decided to stick it out here. My main and only reason is my aged mother and father in law and what this means to my wife (The boss)

So very true, you cannot relax for one second , because if you do, you will be had over.

From my wife's family whose members spent between 4 and 6 years in school, we now have the next generation of kids , 8 of which graduated from college or university. I'd say that's progress.

I would not descrive graduating out of a Thai instiute of education as progess, but each to their own.

Religion is a man made scam to control people by fear.

If I had my way it would be banned and I feel the world would be a safer and more pleasnt place.

In my experence people who practice religion are liars, hypocrites and people I have no wish to spend time with.

I find that generally those who actually have any skills or credentials tend to keep quiet about them.

Agreed. apart from former members of the SAS, SBS or Delta force 6

Some poms are never happy

Why's that mate?