Cheap Charlie Farangs that expect service but do not want to pay

[scorecard]

41 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Sorry but your comment about big stores sending out of date stuff to mini marts is incorrect.

Yes i am a cheap charlie, many times i buy reduced items in big C, never have i seen out of date food forsale.

Last date yes, but never past the sell by date.

 

I didn't mention Big C. 

 

I was meaning a different chain which does do what I mentioned. They move the produce from the big store to their mini mart chain so that the big store doesn't have products on display which look stale.

 

This happens near me, and the staff in the mini-mart (same owner as the big stores chain) often forget to check the dates, end result things still on the shelves which are 1, 2, 3 days out of date.

 

My Thai son has a couple of times taken these items to the cashier and pointed out that the product is over the date. Cashier quickly takes the product and puts it out of sight. 

 

But I'm not going to say their name. 

[NancyL]

I have seen dairy products past the sell-by date in several stores here, but in all fairness, I've seen that in the U.S. from time-to-time.  Not often, but it happens.  I don't think it's deliberate, but an oversight that is corrected when brought to the attention of the staff.

[trainman34014]

Red Bus story doesn't sound right to me.    My Brother-in-Law owns his own Yellow Bus and i asked him about the OP and he said 1200 Baht will get you the Vehicle and driver for the whole day to take you and up to seven other people anywhere you want to go in the Chiang Mai area.    He has been driving his Yellow Bus for nearly 20 years and has only ever had two people who didn't want to pay and they were both Indians.   He also says he knows many of the Red Bus drivers in town and if people get a bus to the Zoo it will cost 20 Baht and the Bus up the hill to Doi Suthep is 40 Baht.

 

I have two Thai friends with Restaurant's in town and they say they have more problems with Chinese than they ever had with Western people.

[transam]

21 minutes ago, NancyL said:

I have seen dairy products past the sell-by date in several stores here, but in all fairness, I've seen that in the U.S. from time-to-time.  Not often, but it happens.  I don't think it's deliberate, but an oversight that is corrected when brought to the attention of the staff.

My local Tesco Express outlets are on the ball regarding sell by dates..About a week before stuff expires, or stuff that ain't selling they put a yellow revised price sticker on the items..Just bought packs of onions at 6bht each pack..I am now programmed to spot yellow stickers..

[NancyL]

21 minutes ago, transam said:

My local Tesco Express outlets are on the ball regarding sell by dates..About a week before stuff expires, or stuff that ain't selling they put a yellow revised price sticker on the items..Just bought packs of onions at 6bht each pack..I am now programmed to spot yellow stickers..

Yeah, I think there isn't much uniformity from store to store and some sections of a store have the inventory maintained by the supplier, not store staff.  

 

Our local Tops sells many packaged meals they prepare on-site.  Around 6 pm, they put 1/2 price stickers on the day's unsold meals, with customers standing around waiting the half price stickers appear to buy their evening meal.  (mostly Thai people, not just Cheap Charlies).  If I happen to be in the mall around this time, I try to find their grilled salmon.  Makes a nice addition to a salad, with cheese for a light evening meal.  Hubby points out that Tops has most of their cooked meals sitting on display all day without refrigeration, but we've never suffered ill effects from the grilled salmon.

[transam]

3 minutes ago, NancyL said:

Yeah, I think there isn't much uniformity from store to store and some sections of a store have the inventory maintained by the supplier, not store staff.  

 

Our local Tops sells many packaged meals they prepare on-site.  Around 6 pm, they put 1/2 price stickers on the day's unsold meals, with customers standing around waiting the half price stickers appear to buy their evening meal.  (mostly Thai people, not just Cheap Charlies).  If I happen to be in the mall around this time, I try to find their grilled salmon.  Makes a nice addition to a salad, with cheese for a light evening meal.  Hubby points out that Tops has most of their cooked meals sitting on display all day without refrigeration, but we've never suffered ill effects from the grilled salmon.

As the yellow stickers show the reduced price for the customer the bar code is what the teller scanner goes bye, there must be Tesco stuff going on, I would have thought...

[connda]

On 1/7/2018 at 12:39 PM, MaeJoMTB said:

Thai consulate, Suvannakhet, Laos, 1 year multi entry marriage VISA, 5,000bht (requirements Original marriage cert (+ copy), signed copies of partners ID card and house book, your passport (+ copy))

I'm going to bookmark that.  Good for a year? No financial statements? Don't need your significant other with you at the time of application?
If so:  Agoda booking: "Hotels in Suvannakhet in March." 

Edited January 10, 2018 by connda

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, colinneil said:

Sorry but your comment about big stores sending out of date stuff to mini marts is incorrect.

Yes i am a cheap charlie, many times i buy reduced items in big C, never have i seen out of date food forsale.

Last date yes, but never past the sell by date.

As long as it is frozen soon as get home it doesn't matter if it's near expiry date.

It's all the same when it's cooked and eventually ends up in the same place too!

[amexpat]

Look up 

sell by date

best if used by date

expiration date

They may not mean what you think they mean. 

 

 

[LivinLOS]

19 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Red Bus story doesn't sound right to me.    My Brother-in-Law owns his own Yellow Bus and i asked him about the OP and he said 1200 Baht will get you the Vehicle and driver for the whole day to take you and up to seven other people anywhere you want to go in the Chiang Mai area.    He has been driving his Yellow Bus for nearly 20 years and has only ever had two people who didn't want to pay and they were both Indians.   He also says he knows many of the Red Bus drivers in town and if people get a bus to the Zoo it will cost 20 Baht and the Bus up the hill to Doi Suthep is 40 Baht.

Totally agreed 1200 is a price high enough to be bordering on scam territory.. You get a nice SUV and driver for almost that for a day tour to multiple sites.. 

 

The fact someone is defending that pricing just shows how silly it gets.. Trip up, 1 hour wait, return journey 400 - 600 maximum. 

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, LivinLOS said:

Totally agreed 1200 is a price high enough to be bordering on scam territory.. You get a nice SUV and driver for almost that for a day tour to multiple sites.. 

 

The fact someone is defending that pricing just shows how silly it gets.. Trip up, 1 hour wait, return journey 400 - 600 maximum. 

One of the benefits of the internet is that tourists can find out what things SHOULD cost as against what the scammers ask for.

Before internet it was only the books.

[Mark1066]

On 07/01/2018 at 11:21 AM, MaeJoMTB said:

Yes, it always surprises me the number of people who think rich foreigners come to live in Thailand.

If I were rich, there are plenty of other countries I would choose to live in.

I live here because I'm poor.

So why, in a recent thread, when I stated there was nothing wrong with returning a wai from a supermarket cashier, did you claim to be a wealthy foreigner who should be deferred to by the locals?

[faraday]

3 minutes ago, Mark1066 said:

So why, in a recent thread, when I stated there was nothing wrong with returning a wai from a supermarket cashier, did you claim to be a wealthy foreigner who should be deferred to by the locals?

Think you perhaps should take a pinch of salt on here.

[MaeJoMTB]

24 minutes ago, Mark1066 said:

So why, in a recent thread, when I stated there was nothing wrong with returning a wai from a supermarket cashier, did you claim to be a wealthy foreigner who should be deferred to by the locals?

We're all wealthy compared to minimum wage Thais.

[Mark1066]

3 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

We're all wealthy compared to minimum wage Thais.

Whatever makes you feel good about yourself.

[Shoeless Joe]

On 10/01/2018 at 11:55 AM, NancyL said:

I have seen dairy products past the sell-by date in several stores here, but in all fairness, I've seen that in the U.S. from time-to-time.  Not often, but it happens.  I don't think it's deliberate, but an oversight that is corrected when brought to the attention of the staff.

And so we slide into even more obscure posts! Because really, what does this have to do with the 1200 bhat price for a songthaew ride to Doi Suthep????

[suzannegoh]

 

 

And so we slide into even more obscure posts! Because really, what does this have to do with the 1200 bhat price for a songthaew ride to Doi Suthep????

 It establishes that people who buy postdated meat cannot afford to go to Doi Suthep. I did not previously know that.

 

 

 

 

 

[MaeJoMTB]

12 hours ago, suzannegoh said:

It establishes that people who buy postdated meat cannot afford to go to Doi Suthep. I did not previously know that.

I'm the one buying discounted meat,

Doesn't cost anything to go to Wat Doi Suthep if you walk up, free.

And you can walk in the back entrance to the temple, also free.

I usually walk up 2-3 times a week.

[transam]

I can remember when there were no sell bye dates, strange we never got food poisoning init.....

[colinneil]

3 minutes ago, transam said:

I can remember when there were no sell bye dates, strange we never got food poisoning init.....

Showing your age Trans ole lad, if you can remember that far back.

[transam]

18 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Showing your age Trans ole lad, if you can remember that far back.

The strange thing is I can remember near everything from my young days but can't now remember what day it is....

[colinneil]

12 minutes ago, transam said:

The strange thing is I can remember near everything from my young days but can't now remember what day it is....

Trans... You are not alone.

[faraday]

Yup, I have issues remembering what day it is. But maybe it's because it's not important to remember anymore.

 

No more getting monthly reports in on set day: no more Monday blues.

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎1‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 8:24 PM, Shoeless Joe said:

And so we slide into even more obscure posts! Because really, what does this have to do with the 1200 bhat price for a songthaew ride to Doi Suthep????

Because it's page 18 and the OP was answered way, way back. It's an entertainment forum, unless you want to go on the information only subforums like DIY or visas.

[thaibeachlovers]

11 hours ago, transam said:

The strange thing is I can remember near everything from my young days but can't now remember what day it is....

I had a wonderful life at times. I just wish I could remember it.

[cyberfarang]

On 1/12/2018 at 9:11 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

I had a wonderful life at times. I just wish I could remember it.

Good times are only good when they`re happening. It`s like watching a good movie, once it`s finished that`s it, the movie gets stored in our brain`s memory cells and then we wait to see what`s on offer next.

 

Life is about moments, most of them are crap but once in a while we grab a good one that often remain with us as fond memories for the rest of our lives, as well do when we have been through bad experiences.

 

The older we become the more it takes to stimulate and please us and could be why so many older people become mean, grouchy and frustrated in their later years.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎1‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 2:15 PM, cyberfarang said:

Good times are only good when they`re happening. It`s like watching a good movie, once it`s finished that`s it, the movie gets stored in our brain`s memory cells and then we wait to see what`s on offer next.

 

Life is about moments, most of them are crap but once in a while we grab a good one that often remain with us as fond memories for the rest of our lives, as well do when we have been through bad experiences.

 

The older we become the more it takes to stimulate and please us and could be why so many older people become mean, grouchy and frustrated in their later years.

 

 

Unless watching too much tv and spending too much time on TVF constitute "good times" my memories are the only good things I have left. Luckily I took lots of photos on the journey, or I wouldn't even remember those good times now.

[cmsally]

As per usual most TV members can't remember what the topic is about !

 

I guess those songtaew drivers are cashing in on people who can't remember what the songtaew fare is. That would seem to be a large percentage of the people on here ?

[faraday]

Forgetfulness

 

When my memory
was a film library
with a keen curator

who knew precisely
where to find clips
of every word

I wished unsaid,
or deed undone,
to play back to me

on sleepless nights,
I’d have welcomed her
muddling the reels.

But now the curator’s
retired, the ordered
shelves are in chaos.

I roam the racks
without a guide
searching for scenes

I’ve lost. Sometimes,
unable to remember
what I’m searching for,

I find Forgetfulness
kneeling on the floor –
an old woman, pale

and worried as a ghost,
rummaging in a tangle
of shiny black ribbons.

Vicki Feaver

 

Might not be 'on topic' but nevertheless, apt.

[cyberfarang]

12 hours ago, cmsally said:

As per usual most TV members can't remember what the topic is about !

 

I guess those songtaew drivers are cashing in on people who can't remember what the songtaew fare is. That would seem to be a large percentage of the people on here ?

To put this thread back on topic, the songtaew part of my OP is only used as an example to show how conniving some westerners are. They agree a price then find excuses or try to get out of paying. Regardless, I consider 1200 baht all inclusive for a personal chauffeur driven taxi all day is a good deal and I would not begrudge or complain about paying that, if the price was agreed beforehand that in actuality is a contract. 

 

Throughout my life I have never been able to tolerate meanness and mean people, and there seems too many of those types over here now.