Thais Giving Thais A Bad Name

[chevykanteve]

Thais only give other Thais a bad name if farang are foolish enough to believe that the actions of individual Thai people represent the entire 60 million Thai people in this country.

Yes, that's absolutely, politically correct!

[qwertz]

Thais only give other Thais a bad name if farang are foolish enough to believe that the actions of individual Thai people represent the entire 60 million Thai people in this country.

Yes, that's absolutely, politically correct!

Tourist spots and red light areas will inevitably attract people on the make and visitors to a land will naturally report their bad experiences and label the whole land bad. I notice there are very few bad reports on in country experiences.

[Pepe']

Are we really going to have another "bash Thai people" thread?

----------------

I beg to differ. So far it doesn't appear to be a Thai bashing thread.

Just honest observations and reports. I was just thinking this morning that hosest opinions about Thailand are allowed to be much more candid than years gone by.

Come on after all the truth is obvious about what goes on there.

Bashing on the other hand should be not tolerated.

At the same time the words honesty and straight forwardness are hard to put in the same sentence with the word Thailand or Thai people.

I think if one is very creative or imaginative, it can be done...

[bkkmadness]

Thais only give other Thais a bad name if farang are foolish enough to believe that the actions of individual Thai people represent the entire 60 million Thai people in this country.

Yes, that's absolutely, politically correct!

Politically correct or not does not bother me, it's a fact.

[jdinasia]

Actually knowing Thai folks would often help

[KhunMarco]

Actually knowing Thai folks would often help

[qwertz]

Actually knowing Thai folks would often help

Without Thai bashing, I've seen many instances of farangs being ripped off, admittedly only in Patt, Phuket and BKK. Most of the victims were totally naive, gullible or drunk. There are posts without number warning of the upstairs joints in Patpong but there are still enough gulls to keep those places in business. Robberies from people with their wallets, cameras and mobiles begging to be lifted. And drunks, who don't even know what day, it is being rolled. Almost every land has its quota of predators. LOS has less than most, IMHO.

[Pepe']

My mother in-law in Samut Sakorn has always been extremely kind and generous with me it's true.

She is old school and very kind hearted indeed.

My two sister in laws and one brother in law and the sorted relatives have proven not to be trusted as far as I could throw them.

What happened?

Maybe just the younger generation?

Maybe people just being people?

They are certainly nothing like my mother in law, who I like to think of as an angel...

[stuandchris]

I am sure farangs get ripped off in Thailand, brits get ripped off in britain all the time, we don't go around saying all brits ars bastards though.

Recently I was in Phuket with a hire car, we were cruising the Island when our battery in the rental car went flat outside a garage around Kathu, some 30 miles from where we were staying.

Whilst trying to phone someone to help a Thai guy in the a Volvo off roader pulled up to get fuel, he saw me with my head under the bonnet and came to ask if he could help.

I explained what had happened, he phoned someone and told me to wait ten minutes, he then drove off.

Ten minutes later two Thai Muslims turned up with jump leads and started the car, I then asked how much they wanted and the answer was nothing. Needless to say they gat a great tip.

Would that happen in the UK, not a bleeding chance, you would have sucking of teeth, a £60 tow charge and the price of a new battery.

All humans are the same, some are gits, most are good, it is a shame the gits get all the press.

[qwertz]

I am sure farangs get ripped off in Thailand, brits get ripped off in britain all the time, we don't go around saying all brits ars bastards though.

Recently I was in Phuket with a hire car, we were cruising the Island when our battery in the rental car went flat outside a garage around Kathu, some 30 miles from where we were staying.

Whilst trying to phone someone to help a Thai guy in the a Volvo off roader pulled up to get fuel, he saw me with my head under the bonnet and came to ask if he could help.

I explained what had happened, he phoned someone and told me to wait ten minutes, he then drove off.

Ten minutes later two Thai Muslims turned up with jump leads and started the car, I then asked how much they wanted and the answer was nothing. Needless to say they gat a great tip.

Would that happen in the UK, not a bleeding chance, you would have sucking of teeth, a £60 tow charge and the price of a new battery.

All humans are the same, some are gits, most are good, it is a shame the gits get all the press.

Thank you for these nice words, S&C, and you're right, there are bastards and nice folks everywhere . From a nice Brit.

[jdinasia]

folks getting ripped off at "adult entertainment" venues .... wow you should see what happens in the US

I live in Phuket and had bike problems ... called the guy that I had previously paid to take the bike out to the Motor Vehicle place in his truck (to get it registered) and he came out about 30 minutes away and loaded me up ... and would NOT take any $$ (Said it was different ... taking a stranger at the time and his bike into Phuket town to spend time getting the bike registered was different than helping someone that is now a friend who was having mechanical troubles) <<I bought 2 paintings from his shop the next week ... and sent them to friends ... but he wouldn't charge me the list price ... gave me the local price ... so I still feel like I owe him >>

[Tingnongnoi]

folks getting ripped off at "adult entertainment" venues .... wow you should see what happens in the US

or try a night out in London at Soho while you are at it, make the Patpong rip offs look small time.

[The Skipper]

This morning I caught a taxi from Suk Soi 15 to Suvannabhumi Airport, using meter and paying tolls of 65 baht. About 300 meters from airport terminal building, the taxi conks out on highway. Luckily we got onto shoulder lane, out of main traffic, and a motorcycle policeman came by to help. Taxi driver couldn't get motor restarted. So I hopped out of taxi, paid driver baht 200 for the 185 showing on the meter. And began trying to flag any empty taxi on way to terminal.

Luckily, or so I thought, a private car with single driver stops, and offers me a ride. I hop in and off we go. First thing, driver says is, "This is limousine service." I said, "Thank you for picking me up." 15 seconds later, we reach the departure level of the terminal, and the driver pulls out this card, and wants baht 600 for picking me up. I said, "Jing jing? Only song roi meter (200 meters)" and offer him baht 40 for what a taxi would have cost to go the 2 - 300 meters.

Then I just got out of the cab, extended the two 20 baht notes to him, and of course he took them.

I can understand Thais wanting to earn a living, but something like what the driver wanted shows to me, a lack of human decency. I think it's indicative of Thais who are trying to make a living off of foreigners and visitors to Thailand.

Just trying to screw another Farang. Who would care? It's national policy.

[cdnvic]

Just trying to screw another Farang. Who would care? It's national policy.

How can you stand living here when every post you make is dripping with bitterness and cynicism?

[terry57]

I am sure farangs get ripped off in Thailand, brits get ripped off in britain all the time, we don't go around saying all brits ars bastards though.

Recently I was in Phuket with a hire car, we were cruising the Island when our battery in the rental car went flat outside a garage around Kathu, some 30 miles from where we were staying.

Whilst trying to phone someone to help a Thai guy in the a Volvo off roader pulled up to get fuel, he saw me with my head under the bonnet and came to ask if he could help.

I explained what had happened, he phoned someone and told me to wait ten minutes, he then drove off.

Ten minutes later two Thai Muslims turned up with jump leads and started the car, I then asked how much they wanted and the answer was nothing. Needless to say they gat a great tip.

Would that happen in the UK, not a bleeding chance, you would have sucking of teeth, a £60 tow charge and the price of a new battery.

All humans are the same, some are gits, most are good, it is a shame the gits get all the press.

last week end i had 2 english tourists knock on the door of the fire station asking if anybody had some jumper leads and could help them get there car started.

myself and one of the boys jumped in the truck and off we went and got them started.

i asked them, why they did not ring there hire company.?

there answer was,

we did, but the company wanted $100 to get them going.

they were well happy with us and wanted to give us money but we wished them good luck and sent them on there way.

just to keep on topic,

i would bet 3000 quid, that there is more good deeds done by thai's than bad ones, and thats from my personnal experience of many years coming to the mighty los.

thank you very much.

[terry57]

Just trying to screw another Farang. Who would care? It's national policy.

How can you stand living here when every post you make is dripping with bitterness and cynicism?

thats a very good point vic,

these totally negative people give good farangs a bad name, and yes indeed, what is this cat doing here?

one can only assume that the said person is unable to leave and must live here under sufferance.

[OlRedEyes]

It's quite funny actually, reading the statements of getting ripped off in tourist spots, taxi's etc, as it happens everywhere, to be expected in tourist spots etc.

I've met many good Thai people. However, I get ripped of at immigration, not for a tourist visa, but for a retirement visa. B5000 please. All paperwork in order. Everybody rips you off, it's institutionalised. A national sport. Get real.

Yes, there are a surplus of Thais giving Thais a bad name. They cannot really complain if people don't end up respecting them or their country. It's up to the 'good' Thais to change this, but they don't really try hard, from what I've observed.

Edited March 27, 2007 by OlRedEyes

[cdnvic]

Just trying to screw another Farang. Who would care? It's national policy.

How can you stand living here when every post you make is dripping with bitterness and cynicism?

thats a very good point vic,

these totally negative people give good farangs a bad name, and yes indeed, what is this cat doing here?

one can only assume that the said person is unable to leave and must live here under sufferance.

Maybe he's the infamous begger everyone keeps talking about.

[terry57]

i would like to say that if one hangs around at patpong, soi cowboy, nana plaza and the many other numerous farang entertainment area's , they must have there scam radar on full alert, as it's a national pass time to rip of farang.

i dont seem to have a problem with that, as if one decides to play the game he needs to know the rules, and the rules are, there aint any.

on the other hand, go to any other shonky area in any other country and you must do the same.

thank you very much.

the majority of thai are decent people but dont expect to find too many of them in these places.

[terry57]

Just trying to screw another Farang. Who would care? It's national policy.

How can you stand living here when every post you make is dripping with bitterness and cynicism?

thats a very good point vic,

these totally negative people give good farangs a bad name, and yes indeed, what is this cat doing here?

one can only assume that the said person is unable to leave and must live here under sufferance.

Maybe he's the infamous begger everyone keeps talking about.

well if he is, i aint giving him nothing but a kick in the bollicks. :D

[cdnvic]

I'm in the tourist industry and I hear allot about the ripoffs our guests encounter EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

From the moment they pass thru Thai Customs till the last taxi ride back to the airport, they are scammed, cheated, overcharged, ripped off and lied to.

It tickes me off that nothing is done to protect the novice tourists.

Does make one very cynical.

I challange anyone, to go to any hotel lobby, and interview some departing guests.

7 out of 10 will say they were screwed around.

The other 30 percent are 'clued up' .

I don't know which one you need more but take a double helping of each and get back to us.

[marc288888]

This morning I caught a taxi from Suk Soi 15 to Suvannabhumi Airport, using meter and paying tolls of 65 baht. About 300 meters from airport terminal building, the taxi conks out on highway. Luckily we got onto shoulder lane, out of main traffic, and a motorcycle policeman came by to help. Taxi driver couldn't get motor restarted. So I hopped out of taxi, paid driver baht 200 for the 185 showing on the meter. And began trying to flag any empty taxi on way to terminal.

Luckily, or so I thought, a private car with single driver stops, and offers me a ride. I hop in and off we go. First thing, driver says is, "This is limousine service." I said, "Thank you for picking me up." 15 seconds later, we reach the departure level of the terminal, and the driver pulls out this card, and wants baht 600 for picking me up. I said, "Jing jing? Only song roi meter (200 meters)" and offer him baht 40 for what a taxi would have cost to go the 2 - 300 meters.

Then I just got out of the cab, extended the two 20 baht notes to him, and of course he took them.

I can understand Thais wanting to earn a living, but something like what the driver wanted shows to me, a lack of human decency. I think it's indicative of Thais who are trying to make a living off of foreigners and visitors to Thailand.

[marc288888]

Its normal for Thai’s to rip farangs off as we all are millionaires …. lol

[The Skipper]

I'm in the tourist industry and I hear allot about the ripoffs our guests encounter EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

From the moment they pass thru Thai Customs till the last taxi ride back to the airport, they are scammed, cheated, overcharged, ripped off and lied to.

It tickes me off that nothing is done to protect the novice tourists.

Does make one very cynical.

I challange anyone, to go to any hotel lobby, and interview some departing guests.

7 out of 10 will say they were screwed around.

The other 30 percent are 'clued up' .

I don't know which one you need more but take a double helping of each and get back to us.

It would lift my mood the day I hear one of these scammers goes to jail.

Millions of tourists cheated and not one person held accountable.

Why? Because the Thais think it's OK.

[terry57]

I'm in the tourist industry and I hear allot about the ripoffs our guests encounter EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

From the moment they pass thru Thai Customs till the last taxi ride back to the airport, they are scammed, cheated, overcharged, ripped off and lied to.

It tickes me off that nothing is done to protect the novice tourists.

Does make one very cynical.

I challange anyone, to go to any hotel lobby, and interview some departing guests.

7 out of 10 will say they were screwed around.

The other 30 percent are 'clued up' .

i used to be in the tourist industry as well skip ( 7 years ) and although i seen a few rip offs its not as bad as you make out.

go to any country with a huge tourist industry and you will find the same.

in the hotel i stop in ive never had a problem, so where are you talking about.?

if you are talking about the sleazy little places off sukumvit you could possibly be wright.

its a big call to label all hotels with your assessment of dishonesty, and im sorry but i dont find this as a rational statement and possibly verging on slanderous.

thank you very much.

[OlRedEyes]

i would like to say that if one hangs around at patpong, soi cowboy, nana plaza and the many other numerous farang entertainment area's , they must have there scam radar on full alert, as it's a national pass time to rip of farang.

Absolute rubbish IMHO. I NEVER go to these places anymore, haven't even been to non-Thai bars in 3 years. I stay away from tourist spots.

It's a national pastime to rip off farangs EVERYWHERE. Keep trying to sweep the dirt under the carpet. It won't work.

[LoveDaBlues]

I'm in the tourist industry and I hear allot about the ripoffs our guests encounter EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

From the moment they pass thru Thai Customs till the last taxi ride back to the airport, they are scammed, cheated, overcharged, ripped off and lied to.

It tickes me off that nothing is done to protect the novice tourists.

Does make one very cynical.

I challange anyone, to go to any hotel lobby, and interview some departing guests.

7 out of 10 will say they were screwed around.

The other 30 percent are 'clued up' .

This is an accurate post. Happens to almost everyone; including me. I reckon my first trip to LOS I was scammed out of roughly $300 USD. As the Skipper said; now I'm 'clued up'. I just look back and laugh at how naive I was. BTW, all the scams happened in tourist areas.

[The Skipper]

I'm in the tourist industry and I hear allot about the ripoffs our guests encounter EVERY DAY, ALL DAY LONG.

From the moment they pass thru Thai Customs till the last taxi ride back to the airport, they are scammed, cheated, overcharged, ripped off and lied to.

It tickes me off that nothing is done to protect the novice tourists.

Does make one very cynical.

I challange anyone, to go to any hotel lobby, and interview some departing guests.

7 out of 10 will say they were screwed around.

The other 30 percent are 'clued up' .

i used to be in the tourist industry as well skip ( 7 years ) and although i seen a few rip offs its not as bad as you make out.

go to any country with a huge tourist industry and you will find the same.

in the hotel i stop in ive never had a problem, so where are you talking about.?

if you are talking about the sleazy little places off sukumvit you could possibly be wright.

its a big call to label all hotels with your assessment of dishonesty, and im sorry but i dont find this as a rational statement and possibly verging on slanderous.

thank you very much.

Hi Terry,

The Hotels are not the problem. Sorry if I was misunderstood.

It's the moment the guests step out the door, the GAMES begin.

Notice the "professional ripoff taxi crew" staked out in front of almost every hotel.

An honest taxi driver won't be allowed to stop there for fares.

[Heng]

one can only assume that the said person is unable to leave and must live here under sufferance.

That's the typical farang scenario I've seen. That said, there are bitter foreigners from all nationalities here as well, not just farangs. On the whole though, just IMO, I'd say the crap they have to put up + living conditions they have to endure + slim chances for any kind of long term happiness or prosperity far outweigh the minor whinges and rants that they indulge in from time to time.

[cdnvic]

Yet you still run a business that attracts people to this place?