My GF asked me to collect the 5000 baht government handout on behalf of a family in her village. She gave me their credit card and the PIN number for the card, they are unable to collect themselves as they have no means of transport to the ATM, not even a bicycle.

I was quite touched they placed their trust in a farang to get them their money. Brought it back, with the remaining balance on the printout 210 baht. They needed the money badly.

Perhaps the xenophobia is not universal.

I am the banker in the family.

I sent money on their behalf (cash in, transfer by internet banking).

One granddaughter uses my account for her savings (sends 2000 Baht about every month).

 

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

My GF asked me to collect the 5000 baht government handout on behalf of a family in her village.

This was likely today? (Saturday, branch closed?).

Yesterday I wanted to update the book of the daughter at BAAC (the agricultural bank).

Came around the corner and the crowd was as big as never seen before.

Hundreds of people outside. Long queues at the ATMs. All there for the handouts.

Book update postponed.

6 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

I am the banker in the family.

I sent money on their behalf (cash in, transfer by internet banking).

One granddaughter uses my account for her savings (sends 2000 Baht about every month).

 

This was likely today? (Saturday, branch closed?).

Yesterday I wanted to update the book of the daughter at BAAC (the agricultural bank).

Came around the corner and the crowd was as big as never seen before.

Hundreds of people outside. Long queues at the ATMs. All there for the handouts.

Book update postponed.

Makes two of us that are trusted. Yes, today. Don't know how the family knew the money was available.

I hear it all the time that up-country other people are send to the ATMs to collect money. And obviously they all need to know the PIN.

The trick? Nobody has any money in any of those accounts. If they receive any money then they know about it and they send someone to collect the cash right away. And after that the card and PIN (or an illegal copy) are almost useless because there is nothing to deduct. Until the next time...

Maybe the reason for them getting you to withdraw the cash was now you know how much they have you are more likely to be more generous with your cash 

It's also possible there maybe a second account for savings and quite probably a motorbike or 2 at a neighbor's house

(Very unusual for a thai to have no form of transport) 

 

2 hours ago, wobblyjohn said:

Maybe the reason for them getting you to withdraw the cash was now you know how much they have you are more likely to be more generous with your cash 

It's also possible there maybe a second account for savings and quite probably a motorbike or 2 at a neighbor's house

(Very unusual for a thai to have no form of transport) 

 

Why would he be more generous to family in a village he barely knows?

There doesnt always have to be a hidden reason. 

Trust is very rare commodity and cheating is in our gene according to study by a doctoral candidate.

Don't have to feel guilty unless get caught. 

can confirm, i invariably get entrusted with the bill if i hang out with thais

I usually get "trusted" with picking up and paying bills and other outgoing rather the other way around...but that's lovable me...

I have had the same experience in my village.. helping w/banking and ATM cards... obviously they knew you... everyone knows how well I have taken care of my family... 

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I was quite touched they placed their trust in a farang

That is the difference - they didn't place their trust in a farang - they placed it in you... surely a respect you earned. Thai are not as evil as some make them out to be on this forum.

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Perhaps the xenophobia is not universal.

Everyone knows white foreigners are rich, why would you steal from them? 

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Everyone knows white foreigners are rich, why would you steal from them? 

the more astute has come to realize we aint got more then them,

we are just less frugal

Trolling comments and responses removed.

1 hour ago, brokenbone said:

the more astute has come to realize we aint got more then them,

we are just less frugal

That may be true for you, but I have far far more than them, and am extremely frugal.

Each of my tea bags gets used 3x (sometimes 4x).

25 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

That may be true for you, but I have far far more than them, and am extremely frugal.

Each of my tea bags gets used 3x (sometimes 4x).

i could enjoy that when i came, but how do you remain focused

and how do you continue finding a thrill of it ?

i have a theory the endless tipping demands kinda ruined my discipline,

like, why bother to be careful with money if im just giving them away anyway ?

24 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

That may be true for you, but I have far far more than them, and am extremely frugal.

Each of my tea bags gets used 3x (sometimes 4x).

I'm not sure if I should be asking if the same applies to condoms.

I work within a monthly budget. Provided I am within said budget, I spend on whatever I want. No point in being the richest man in the cemetery.

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure if I should be asking if the same applies to condoms.

I work within a monthly budget. Provided I am within said budget, I spend on whatever I want. No point in being the richest man in the cemetery.

what motivates you to set up a budget and stick to it

if it causes discomfort ?

how do you mobilize discipline ?

i had it but i lost it long long ago

Just now, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure if I should be asking if the same applies to condoms.

I work within a monthly budget. Provided I am within said budget, I spend on whatever I want. No point in being the richest man in the cemetery.

1) never use them, always happy to have more children (all claims will be DNA tested).

2) Me too, but if I save money this month, I can spend more on holiday in Siem Reap next month.

 

Back to OP,

I don't think Thais mistrust us, but that doesn't mean they like us.

As they used to say about the Americans in the UK during WW2, overpaid, oversexed, and over here.

15 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Perhaps the xenophobia is not universal.

Thai xenophobia has never has been quite as universal or pervasive as the expat living in Thailand's xenophobia.

 

15 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Makes two of us that are trusted. Yes, today. Don't know how the family knew the money was available.

Most likely because they can understand Thai.

 

 

4 hours ago, brokenbone said:

what motivates you to set up a budget and stick to it

if it causes discomfort ?

how do you mobilize discipline ?

i had it but i lost it long long ago

It doesn't cause discomfort, it's just the way I do things. Examples:

I always pay invoices immediately I get them. Several GF's thought that was crazy, pay when they are due. But I did have the comfort of knowing I could dismiss those bills straight away, didn't have to think about them again.

I won't buy anything unless I have the cash to put down for it. I defer the pleasure of the purchase until I can afford whatever it is. The last time I owed anybody any money was 1974.

I also won't buy anything that's a new model until other people have established for me it is reliable. I prefer to avoid lemons. I used to read consumer magazines from cover to cover.

I could be called obsessive-compulsive. However, it has worked for me for a long time and while there are posters here who are bewailing their financial situation, I won't be one of them. My big financial mistakes have been women, not happening again.

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

1) never use them, always happy to have more children (all claims will be DNA tested).

2) Me too, but if I save money this month, I can spend more on holiday in Siem Reap next month.

 

 

Somewhat ironic you are talking about oversexed Yanks when you are looking forward to Siem Reap. The thought of a tribe of BMT's does give me pause.

I have no desire to add to the population, for what I think are practical reasons. The first is fathering a child now means I will be trying to set boundaries when I am in my eighties, stuff that for a lark.

The second is as we get older, we are producing more sperm with genetic defects and mutations. I just don't feel comfortable with having progeny of the same intelligence level of several TV posters.

17 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

It doesn't cause discomfort, it's just the way I do things. Examples:

I always pay invoices immediately I get them. Several GF's thought that was crazy, pay when they are due. But I did have the comfort of knowing I could dismiss those bills straight away, didn't have to think about them again.

I won't buy anything unless I have the cash to put down for it. I defer the pleasure of the purchase until I can afford whatever it is. The last time I owed anybody any money was 1974.

I also won't buy anything that's a new model until other people have established for me it is reliable. I prefer to avoid lemons. I used to read consumer magazines from cover to cover.

I could be called obsessive-compulsive. However, it has worked for me for a long time and while there are posters here who are bewailing their financial situation, I won't be one of them. My big financial mistakes have been women, not happening again.

but that doesnt address, you said you stay within a budget,

and if you are within the budget you allow yourself to spend,

that implies if you exceeded the budget you dont allow,

so what is the trick of setting up the budget and then proceed to stick to it ?

ages ago i was thrilled how much money i saved, when

i compared everything to prices back home,

and if it wasnt the deal of the hour i wouldnt buy,

now i get no pleasure from saving and no discipline to use common sense

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I have no desire to add to the population, for what I think are practical reasons. The first is fathering a child now means I will be trying to set boundaries when I am in my eighties, stuff that for a lark.

The second is as we get older, we are producing more sperm with genetic defects and mutations. I just don't feel comfortable with having progeny of the same intelligence level of several TV posters.

1) Never had that problem, all my kids are very well behaved.

2) Not true, the kid I produced at 56 is as good as the four I produced in my 30s and 40s.

No.2, I produced at age 32 is the least capable, both mentally and physically of my five.

 

11 minutes ago, brokenbone said:

but that doesnt address, you said you stay within a budget,

and if you are within the budget you allow yourself to spend,

that implies if you exceeded the budget you dont allow,

so what is the trick of setting up the budget and then proceed to stick to it ?

ages ago i was thrilled how much money i saved, when

i compared everything to prices back home,

and if it wasnt the deal of the hour i wouldnt buy,

now i get no pleasure from saving and no discipline to use common sense

I know what I earn every year from a part pension and investments. I transfer it over here in lump sums as required. My aim is to stay capital stable on the investments, and live off income from that plus the part pension.

Right now, I am saving 20-30 K baht per month, and really only need the part pension to live on.

My GF is a good cook, and I can cook myself. Restaurants are an outing, not a habit. I dress pretty well by farang standards, but it's all secondhand clothes my GF buys for me. Buy food at the local markets, it's fresher than the stuff in stores anyway.

I guess the discipline comes from buying only what I need, then buying the stuff I want with what is left over. Being a minimalist, that isn't much.

18 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

1) Never had that problem, all my kids are very well behaved.

2) Not true, the kid I produced at 56 is as good as the four I produced in my 30s and 40s.

 

I keep telling you it's not possible to reach a valid conclusion on the basis of a statistical sample of one.

You really think you are going to enjoy new fatherhood at age 76?

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I keep telling you it's not possible to reach a valid conclusion on the basis of a statistical sample of one.

You really think you are going to enjoy new fatherhood at age 76?

Yet you did before

13 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

You really think you are going to enjoy new fatherhood at age 76?

Probably, not only because of the baby, but considering none of my family have made it to 70.

I'd be getting six more years of life than I expected.

39 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I guess the discipline comes from buying only what I need

i will try to memorize and adhere to this principle,

i guess i try to fill my life with activities that cost money

but im none the content either way

41 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Probably, not only because of the baby, but considering none of my family have made it to 70.

I'd be getting six more years of life than I expected.

Couldn't think of anything worse myself, but perhaps you enjoy parenthood.

Both my parents lived to 83, despite their best efforts to kill themselves with obesity, cigarettes and booze. I might even make it past that with the miracles of modern medicine, or COVID-19 could knock me off in a week. Time to go when my quality of life isn't.

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

That may be true for you, but I have far far more than them, and am extremely frugal.

Each of my tea bags gets used 3x (sometimes 4x).

I have a friend like you, when she makes tea its a pass over method

The bag barely gets wet 

To each there own taste