whatchamacallit

45k is probably just the implant itself you will still need the crown which will cost you anywhere from 5k to 15k depending on the type of crown. A ceramic and zirconia crown cost about 13800 baht.

Got pull over by an Ageing Farang cop with a sour face in front of central mall on 2nd road. He seemed to only be targeting Farang motorcyclists. What's the deal with these Ageing Farang men coming to Thailand and wearing a Thai Police Uniform. I don't think it's for the pay or is it?

I'm game...can't be any worse than many of the massages I've had in the professional shops. Now the only thing is I wonder if they have any ladyboys.

Maybe yes maybe no... would you settle for a boylady? :-)

I knew I shouldn't have opened this.

You come onto an interent forum crying that a Thai girl was rude to you?

Absolutely pathetic.

I feel you Pat... or is it Patricia? :-)

23 years ago it was a common occurrence although no tablet and facebook but that 'tetris' hand held game that EVERYONE was playing.

The OP was rude to knock. A simple, 'khor thot na crap' will work wonders. Can't blame a bank worker having to deal with foreigners all day long.

Apparently you haven read all my postings :-). Again: I knocked on the glass partition gently - I am Asian and look Thai. I put a big smile when I asked the question. She was playing with her tablet when I asked her the question - she looked pissed and was not happy to be disturbed. It's not about cultural differences - it's about attitude.

Why any of you would lower yourself to sub-par service from anyone and have to tip toe around just to get a decent service is beyond me.

I thought exchange booths were for only exchanging foreign currency to Baht.

To purchase foreign currency you are required to comply with currency controls in a Bank branch?

Sooo - maybe She Cannot in the OP and at least was being truthful.

First of all - no I didn't knock on the glass partition so hard that it startled her - it's more like a gentle tap to get her attention and yes I said excuse me while I was knocking. Your explanation about being stuck in a small cubicle with such meager salary sounds reasonable. FYI I am Asian like your wife born and raised in this part if the world - and no I am not trying to force my values on anyone - I thought being polite, and common courtesy should be universal.

I was using my wife as one example of how people differ in attitude depending on nationality and origin., Asia is a huge area with many different cultures. Where exactly were you brought up?... because if you're Filipino and brought up in the Philippines I would be very surprised at your reasoning....

... because every country and nationality will have a different take on "common courtesy" and "polite" and there is no universal code. One nationality's behaviour can quite easily be construed as rude by another.

Let me use a few examples to illustrate this.

In Pattaya the Russians are a very good example, You might consider their behaviour rude whereas their own countrymen will not. What you consider "common courtesy" is for them uncommon, unusual and probably even annoying.

Some nationalities will offer a straight "no" as an answer to a request, whereas other nationalities would consider this rude and require "no thank you". My wife had to learn "no thank you" as it wasn't natural for her.

Here's a funny one from the Philippines. When the family wakes up in the morning they do not say good morning to everyone in the house. My insistence on saying good morning to everyone was considered weird and uncomfortable by the family and I eventually gave it up as a bad habit. I actually prefer their way.

IMO many Western nations have taken politeness and "common courtesy" to ridiculous levels and expect far too much from natives of other countries.

Chinese (and others) will just push past you and think nothing of it while a Westerner will be getting all upset due to the absence of excuse me's.

Are they being rude? They don't think so.

If you wish to live happy in Thailand, as JSixPack suggests, you need to let go of at least some of your Western expectations or traditions. It has nothing to do with honour or dignity - it's just commonsense for easy living.

Thank you for your explanation. No I am not Filipino - but I have many Filipino friends who would not tolerate such blatant rudeness. Maybe I fail to see the connection which makes it okay and acceptable to do personal stuff while working then be angry when disturbed by a customer needing your attention. Ask your wife - doing personal stuff while working is not acceptable even in the Philippines.

But attitude is partly determined by culture (including your own), as I explained, and can't be considered in isolation from it. You're not yet making progress.

Absolutely, and going a step further, reaction to the attitude is also a cultural thing. For example, if my Filipino wife was treated in the same way she would have just walked away and not given it a second thought, unlike the OP who was so upset he had to go home and make a special thread about the incident. My wife is just not as demanding when it comes to service, which is a cultural thing. Things that upset many foreigners don't bother her at all. She also treats the staff members as people and not servants, which makes a big difference to her attitude toward their attitude. If treated brashly she would just walk away and not say a word.

There is no wrong or right when you're crossing cultural borders. Sure, the owners of these businesses want their staff to behave in a more foreigner friendly manner than they may be accustomed to, but they don't want to pay foreign wages. I bet if they paid the moneychanger staff the same salary as someone doing the same job in the OP's home country, he would have been met with all manner of fake hospitality.

Just re-read what you just wrote - I can see being polite, that's what I was brought up.

Gotta be polite according to their standards, pal, not yours. If you want to get what you want with least resistance, that is.

BUT acting pitiful to try to get somebody to do their job seems absurd. I seem to be hearing a lot of excuses for unprofessional and rude behavior.

Aren't we all high and mighty now. Suppose you were a Thai, used to dealing w/ this culture. Think what a different response you'd have made. When in Rome . . . . Thai friend o' mine is dealing w/ the admin of a public uni. Unbelievable! You ain't seen NOTHING. But, all taken in stride. No time to tell that story now . . . . Anyway,

My way: you lose the self-defeating ego, recognize you're not in Kansas anymore, and act polite and humble according to Thai culture--while maintaining a dispassionate sense of humor and noblesse oblige about having to do so. You're immediately recognized as a highly intelligent, respectful, pleasant personage who deserves consideration in a minute or two after a couple of photos are appreciated, makeup adjusted, and a quick glance at a friend's facebook page completed. Having waited patiently that couple minutes for the Thai gatekeeper to accomplish matters of grave importance to her--whose importance you've acknowledged--you leave with your money, a smile, and good feelings all around. You're happy.

Your way: you're immediately confirmed as a pest and told to buzz off with nothing. You leave feeling a deep sense of injustice, discrimination, wounded pride, and self-righteousness. You have to waste a lot more time running around until your mission is finally accomplished. You complain bitterly on an internet forum and double down when your unsuccessful behavior is pointed out. But a chorus of ignoramuses cheer you on, so you remain in stubborn denial. Later, in some other context, exactly the same thing happens to you again and you continue thinking and saying negative things about Thais and Thailand. You're unhappy.

I like my way better, and I learned it the hard way, too. But you just keep running around doing it your way if you wish.

Squashed into a small booth all day in a crowded and unpleasant atmosphere, dealing with gruff and malodorous and sweaty and vile tourists who demand your full and instant attention at the snap of the fingers - ok, she should accept her situation and realise she's in the service industry, but I can understand why she would be somewhat prickly under the circumstances outlined by the OP. Still, like JSixpack (you sweet talker, you), the answer can be found in your own attitude - you can disarm anyone, especially Thais, if you show them you can't be rattled and smile.

Anyway, she might have just dealt with a rude Russian, and probably genuinely didn't have US money.

Regards,

Wit - world renowned charmer.

At TOT (one of many examples) I was at first TOTALLY ignored by an entire roomful of ladies. Not all of them were by any means busy. Nobody wanted to help. Could have stood there all day. But did I want my B3000 or not? Finally I went to one cubicle and gave the smile and Sawatdee krab and a little bow and a Chuay pom dai mai, krab? (Can you help me?) in a pitiful voice. Worked like a charm. Lady ran around for me and took me to the right place and it all went well from there.

The guy goes around giving wais and groveling to Thai staff.

What a fool.

But he got served, left a contented man and probably had a very nice day, thank you very much.

with no dignity left :-)

Squashed into a small booth all day in a crowded and unpleasant atmosphere, dealing with gruff and malodorous and sweaty and vile tourists who demand your full and instant attention at the snap of the fingers - ok, she should accept her situation and realise she's in the service industry, but I can understand why she would be somewhat prickly under the circumstances outlined by the OP. Still, like JSixpack (you sweet talker, you), the answer can be found in your own attitude - you can disarm anyone, especially Thais, if you show them you can't be rattled and smile.

Anyway, she might have just dealt with a rude Russian, and probably genuinely didn't have US money.

Regards,

Wit - world renowned charmer.

At TOT (one of many examples) I was at first TOTALLY ignored by an entire roomful of ladies. Not all of them were by any means busy. Nobody wanted to help. Could have stood there all day. But did I want my B3000 or not? Finally I went to one cubicle and gave the smile and Sawatdee krab and a little bow and a Chuay pom dai mai, krab? (Can you help me?) in a pitiful voice. Worked like a charm. Lady ran around for me and took me to the right place and it all went well from there.

Just re-read what you just wrote - I can see being polite, that's what I was brought up. BUT acting pitiful to try to get somebody to do their job seems absurd. I seem to be hearing a lot of excuses for unprofessional and rude behavior.

Please explain the cultural aspect on this - I just don't get it.

Explained to you already. Expect similar negative experiences until you finally do get it through your thick skull.

Playing with your tablet doing personal stuff while working is wrong in any culture!!!!! Duh...

Gotta stop worrying about what's wrong and instead worry about what's going to work best to get you want you want ASAP. Moral superiority and self-righteousness aren't going to get you anywhere.

Next.

Not worry at all. Lack of common courtesy is not due to culture - it's due to attitude. Nuff said on this subject. Got nothing to do with moral superiority or self-righteousness - never said I was better than anybody just made an observation. But you seem to be hung up on something and I dont really care what that is.

Please explain the cultural aspect on this - I just don't get it.

Explained to you already. Expect similar negative experiences until you finally do get it through your thick skull.

Playing with your tablet doing personal stuff while working is wrong in any culture!!!!! Duh...

I was at Tuckom over the weekend and went to the KrungSri money changer to buy US$. The girl behind the counter was busy (working/playing?) with her tablet and was obviously not paying attention to anyone (potential customer) standing in front of her. So I knocked on the glass partition - she looked at me pissed off with the look of "how dare you...." and said "What you want!!!". I told her if I can buy US$ - looking annoyed she replied "CANNOT" and then returned her attention directly to her personal tablet.

What ever happened to the Land of Smile?

So apparently they have two menus, correct?

My understanding now is that the menu I was shown was the outdoor, more casual, lower priced menu (for the unwashed masses?) and the indoor menu is the more sophisticated one, with higher prices.

Were you offered both menus inside, or only one, if so, which one? Your message confused me, reasonable prices, that doesn't sound like the high end inside menu.

They should get a website and do lots of promotion to explain their schtick, people can't read minds, and the dressing up thing to get into the inner sanctum really is pushing it for that neighborhood.

In general I like the idea of a high end restaurant offering a casual low priced option in a separate venue. That seems to be what they are doing. But even on that score (this is a popular tactic in California) I think they have a flaw. The casual menu is so boringly conventional that I don't feel it even suggests a taste of the good stuff. When it's done successfully, the dishes are actually much more SIMILAR between the high end and casual. No, not exactly the same of course, but there is running theme between the two menus, not just they are both "Italian" food.

Sure I wish them good luck, but personally I'm quite turned off by the class system they've imposed, it feels SNOBBY rather than really inclusive, partly for the reason above, give the poor folks more of a taste if you're gonna push them out in the sun, why don't you?

I know, snarky snarky.

I was shown only one menu, with simple dishes and reasonable prices. To make it more clear, I ordered a beef carpaccio, very well prepared, didn't have to look for the parmesan under the last piece of meet as usual, there was plenty of it. I think 240 Baht. Plus a pasta dish, 200 Baht.

To me, in that kind or restaurant that is more than reasonable.

After "fighting" my way in, I wanted something simple anyway and they delivered it very nicely.

Maybe there is a different menu outside.

Worth trying, maybe a few weeks from now they will have sorted out that "inside" "outside" thing

You must have been given the outside menu! My garden salad was 300 baht and this is the least expensive. My sausage risotto was 460 baht.

All the best! Where are you moving back to?

We are in Fort Worth Texas now and we will be starting a road trip this morning destination Florida :-). We still prefer a tropical climate.

It may be true that at one time Thailand was the Land of Smiles, but after living here for 7 years, it seems the smiles are getting fewer and further in between. Whether it sales people, waiters, motor bike taxis, immigration officers, not to mention the police. Or have we just become jaded?

When a farang says "my boy/girl friend" = money boy/girl

But why buy a dehydrated hash brown with preservatives that comes in a box when you can have fresh potatoes and use a cheese grater, form it into patties and fry them? Much cheaper and it's fresh food!

Been there once - good place to eat but not great. Owner is very defendsive even with constructive criticism (check out their TripAdvisor postings). Advise to the owner: the expat community is what keep most businesses alive especially during low season.

We almost enrolled our son there 4 years ago, but decided to send him to ABAC (Bang Na Campus) instead. Not impress with the curriculum, too isolated, and too few students. Not sure what you meant by expensive - If your kid has been attending St. Andrews or the Regents - going to Asian U is a bargain and a half

Not under 1000 baht... Homeworks on sukumvit sells them... Cheapest price 1300 baht.