Do You Always Need Exact Change?

[tattoodrob]

i also get caught out when i have something delivered to the house or work done etc as i never seem to have the right amount in smaller money and they never seem to have change.........a bit annoying when i have to give them a tip bigger than i would like to just coz they arent carrying any change.....i think a lot of them know this little trick

but surely a shop of any sort should have a large enough float but i presume the boss is scared the worker might run away with it if its over a few hundred baht.

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

If you do not want to give a tip, just ask them to go get some change. Or not get paid. It works every time. Some times I think people here are making things more difficult than required, or is it just me?

[zorro1]

It is now 3.30 in the morning here in Saudi - I have just got up, getting ready for work.

What do I find - the packet of corn flakes I bought yesterday was put in the shopping bag upside down!!

And you think you've got problems. Ha!

What, cornflakes .. you have got problems fella, what about milk? I never seen no cow out in no deset

[tattoodrob]

If you do not want to give a tip, just ask them to go get some change. Or not get paid. It works every time. Some times I think people here are making things more difficult than required, or is it just me?

u give them the money and they actually come back with the change.....wow .most of the time its just the workers..not the boss so they couldnt give a monkeys about getting the change for you.i could go myself to the local 7 11 but im just as lazy as they are and dont think i should be the one to do that anyway.

its not difficult your right but surely its common sense for a business to have/carry change....if it only happened once then im sure no one would moan but it seems to be a daily experience that isnt necessary.....thats all.

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

Ha-ha, well I did once, and yes the person came back with change for the 1,000 Baht bill. But normally, if this situation arises, they have to go back to their office and arrange for change. Or I will pay at a later date. It is not rocket science.

[cali4995]

I know the difference between someone who is tired (and they do often stay

at their posts 10-12 hours a day) someone who is not feeling well and maybe

someone who is just having a bad day. This girl was just being a total bit_h.

Often I tip staff here. At my apartment many times I give the cleaning girls

a couple hundred baht so they can sit-down and have a nice lunch on me.

The receptionists also, for many little services they perform. And they do

appreciate it. For many of these girls making 4-5k month, that's like a day's

wages. I am anything but loud, demanding and barking orders at timid staff.

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

I am not sure if it is me you are targeting with this tipping stuff. But I certainly do not want to go into another tipping debate, neither do I want to discuss Songkran or smoking anymore. It is just going around in circles, each of us having our own opinion, and nobody wanting to give (I certainly don't, BECAUSE I AM ALWAYS RIGHT!)

[Farma]

The OP may have got the girl on a bad day for change.

For the smaller places change can be a problem. The small change float can easily go if a few customers walk in with big notes. Other days they can have 20 Baht notes coming out their ears with the largest note being 100 Baht.

Coins are another problem. Small businesses love them. It saves them a trip to the treasury or whatever the correct name for the bank is, where we live it’s the bank in the Governors building. It’s nearly impossible to get coins out of a normal bank.

Humphrey Bear get yourself a multi entry visa if you can. It saves lots of heartache and you can spend your weekends on the real stuff in Bahrain.

[edwardandtubs]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

[tattoodrob]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

because the managers are too busy on there phones to notice

[NanLaew]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

It's all down to etiquette and customer service, neither of which are practiced here.

Having said that, I went into a small business in a large US city a few years back to purchase an item upward of 300 bucks. Twice during my conversation with the owner, he interrupted our conversation to answer his business phone (not a cell phone). When the phone rang a third time and he lifted a finger and said 'excuse me a minute', I lost the plot and asked why he was delaying my business. He said he had to answer the phone. I asked him if the other 2 calls had resulted in a sale and he admitted no but said he had to answer the phone. So I took my business elsewhere. He was a youngster too.

[PeaceBlondie]

I have never been charged for getting change in a Thai bank, in five years. I often get 25K from Bangkok Bank ATM, go to Kasinkorn next door, and get lots of 100-baht banknotes (an even hundred is handy, and needn't be counted manually). I used to get lots of coins for my corner store at the end of the road, several km from a bank; that lady loved me. Now that 7-11 is selling the small bottles of chocolate milk, I have begun collecting satang coins again. When the satang piggy bank gets nearly full, we will take the satangs to a big store like Lotus or Big C, which can use them.

Mexico was much worse. The entire southern state of Chiapas was almost always low on change. When we went to the wilderness where little stores had almost no change, I would take half a kilo of coins in my backpack.

[egg6447]

coincidental, my wife has a stall at the maket, change rarely a problem, she has a {corner shop too} all the kids spend mum and dads change. she was just bemoaning the fact that her helpers at the market are so soar faced to her customers. she lives for the big open thai smile and was oviously peed of this morning with her helpers, one of them her daughter. made me smile, she understands customer relations without knowing it. amazing thailand indeed

[Humphrey Bear]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

Lots of people seem unable to let a phone ring, if they are otherwise engaged.

The phone should not take precedence over other tasks, for instance when driving or operating machinery - but it does.

My wife, my previous wives, my sister and my mother all rush to answer the phone. My daughter is like me - if it's convenient, then answer it. If not convenient, ignore it.

[thaihome]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

How many countries have you lived in since the mobile phone revolution?

Haven't lived in the west for 10 years, so cannot comment on there. But I do know that this endemic across Asia. Not just women.

TH

[Kaojai]

This morning I'm at the 7-11, Thai girl in front of me buys a 5 baht pack of

chewing gum and pays with a 1,000 baht note. NOBODY SAYS A WORD.

You seem to be getting very frustrated about something very minor. Maybe it's time to give Thailand a break and go back to your home country. I'm sure even there you'll find some shops are sometimes all out of change.

Exactly. It seems there's no end to the frivolous, trivial things people on this forum want to elevate to major cross-cultural-divide status.

If you're a tourist, juggling the currency may present problems, but if you live here then surely you've figured out that you use large denominations at the chain stores and major groceries and keep the change for taxis, street food sellers and other small businesses.

While it may be less of a problem in more developed countries, I'm sure you still need to use some common sense when presenting large denominations for small purchases wherever you are.

Edited March 16, 2008 by Kaojai

[Kaojai]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

Yes and in any other country you won't see 60 year old, ugly, fat men wandering about hand-in-hand with stunningly beautiful women (unless they made a fortune in Greek shipping).

Life is different in Thailand. That's its attraction to those of us who come from countries where everything is regulated to death and anal retentive types run around micro-managing every aspect of everyone's life. Viva la difference.

[999Aacha]

What is it with Thai women chatting on their mobile phones when they're at work? I've never come across this problem in any other country. Of course you might get the odd one or two but the manager or supervisor would be on to it before it became a problem. In Thailand many women seem to think it's perfectly acceptable to chat on their phone while at work, even when a customer is clearly nearby and in need of assistance. It's totally disrespectful to their employers and customers so I'm surprised managers don't come down firmly against it.

Lots of people seem unable to let a phone ring, if they are otherwise engaged.

The phone should not take precedence over other tasks, for instance when driving or operating machinery - but it does.

My wife, my previous wives, my sister and my mother all rush to answer the phone. My daughter is like me - if it's convenient, then answer it. If not convenient, ignore it.

...I do the same as the Bear. I actually ignore the missed calls afterwards. Too many people using the cellphone as if it's your external organ!

[tattoodrob]

the definitive answer to original question is ..yes...........<deleted> me i gave a grand as usual ,as thats what atm gives me,to usual restaurant/outside food vendor type thingy and i must have waited a good 10 mins or more(felt like 30) for change........my note went from father to son to wife to dog to inside pick up and finally after a lot of soul searchin i got my change,it werent like they didnt have it just dont like keep more than 100 bt or so on each person.by the way this vendor is busy all the time so i know they get loads a small money in.taught me ...but now i think i have to go to 7-11 everyday and queue to buy some small item to fill my pockets with change to get thru the day without standing around everytime.just imagine if they had a 2000 bt note or more........id be doing a triple pike off the nearest condo ...maybe thats the real reason all these concrete divers do it.

[moo9]

I usually tip 20 Baht, whereever I go.

Coins we collect over a certain period and then donate it to Sawang Boriboon.

Amazing which amounts sum up in quite a short period.

[bkklife]

Guys,

This is Thailand not UK,America,Canada etc... this is way of life and if you live here you should get used to it because complaining isn't gonna change a thing. If you fight against it you will loose everytime guarenteed. I understand that people are used to western life style but come on fellaz, we are all here at relax and have a great time. Who gives a fxxk about the small change??? If they don't accept it then walk down the road get change and go back for your purchase. Easy done!!!!

Some people need to relax, you don't see Thais complaining about change.

[tattoodrob]

Guys,

This is Thailand not UK,America,Canada etc... this is way of life and if you live here you should get used to it because complaining isn't gonna change a thing. If you fight against it you will loose everytime guarenteed. I understand that people are used to western life style but come on fellaz, we are all here at relax and have a great time. Who gives a fxxk about the small change??? If they don't accept it then walk down the road get change and go back for your purchase. Easy done!!!!

Some people need to relax, you don't see Thais complaining about change.

its a way of life here but so is murder,cheating,lying etc but doesnt mean we cant have a bloody good whinge about it to get it off our chests

ps i do see thais complaining about change.....they moan when i give them the 1k baht note and they aint got enough change .....they say "blooody rich falangs,why dont they stay in uk(or wherever) and just send us there money"

[pattaya_girl]

I also went into a 7.11 on Pattayaklang the other day, it was mid-afternoon. I wanted 20 cigarettes and only had a thousand baht note, I was turned away apparently they had no change in the till. wierd!!!!

[HydeParke]

After 24 years in SE Asia, and having spent many millions of baht here, plus educating 4 Thai kids to University level, I feel that I have every right to hit back at some of these myopic idiots that keep repeating, "if you don't like it, go back to your own country". I DON'T THINK SO! When you yak yak enough (politely, but firm) things do get changed here, albeit slowly. There is absolutely no excusse to open your business, large or small, and not have the ability to make change. I, of course, agree that you should not pay for small purchases with large bills, but no being able to make change is inexcusable, and shows a complete lack of customer service (but, we all know that this term is foreign to Thais). It is always smart to carry small change for the baht taxis to avoid problems....paying with the ten baht coins always is a smart move. If you can't beat the Thai methods, just out smart them is the true answer in avoiding problems. One last thing about these transparent overly patronising folks, who are here to 'remake' themselves; you are obviously here because you are social outcasts from where you came; never liked to follow socially accepted rules..since there are few here; couldn't get a date back home if you were 'rolled in gold' and still fail to take a good look in the mirror, as for most of you, all you would see is a big ATM card; and what is with all of these tatoos and earrings...don't feel adequate as you are? Yes, this is a diatribe, but it only applies to certain farangs, and you know who you are. Phonetically, remember: "tum dee die dee, tum chua die chua". For those of you who do now respect your host enough to learn Thai, it means "what comes around, goes around". Khawp khun khrap to all of those farangs who add to this culture, rather than just take from it.

Hyde Parke

[barryofthailand]

I took a songtew the other day with a Tha lady and gave him 20 Baht and politely asked for 5 baht change. The driver politely said no. At that point I shook my head. pulled out my Thai police badge and he quickly came up with the 5 Naht change. it's a shame that we have to go through all that for 5 Baht.

Barry

[tattoodrob]

I took a songtew the other day with a Tha lady and gave him 20 Baht and politely asked for 5 baht change. The driver politely said no. At that point I shook my head. pulled out my Thai police badge and he quickly came up with the 5 Naht change. it's a shame that we have to go through all that for 5 Baht.

Barry

i bet hes never had a cop pay for a ride before in his life.....he must have been in shock after ,at least you got one of em to think in the future.....well maybe

[tattoodrob]

After 24 years in SE Asia, and having spent many millions of baht here, plus educating 4 Thai kids to University level, I feel that I have every right to hit back at some of these myopic idiots that keep repeating, "if you don't like it, go back to your own country". I DON'T THINK SO! When you yak yak enough (politely, but firm) things do get changed here, albeit slowly. There is absolutely no excusse to open your business, large or small, and not have the ability to make change. I, of course, agree that you should not pay for small purchases with large bills, but no being able to make change is inexcusable, and shows a complete lack of customer service (but, we all know that this term is foreign to Thais). It is always smart to carry small change for the baht taxis to avoid problems....paying with the ten baht coins always is a smart move. If you can't beat the Thai methods, just out smart them is the true answer in avoiding problems. One last thing about these transparent overly patronising folks, who are here to 'remake' themselves; you are obviously here because you are social outcasts from where you came; never liked to follow socially accepted rules..since there are few here; couldn't get a date back home if you were 'rolled in gold' and still fail to take a good look in the mirror, as for most of you, all you would see is a big ATM card; and what is with all of these tatoos and earrings...don't feel adequate as you are? Yes, this is a diatribe, but it only applies to certain farangs, and you know who you are. Phonetically, remember: "tum dee die dee, tum chua die chua". For those of you who do now respect your host enough to learn Thai, it means "what comes around, goes around". Khawp khun khrap to all of those farangs who add to this culture, rather than just take from it.

Hyde Parke

i agree ...mostly ....you lost me on the tattoo(or as you say tatoo) comment ,as i feel adequate thankyou and cant quite see how having a tattoo/tattoos would make anyone feel more adequate.....most i would say have them(and an earring) as dont want to look to be conforming to what society calls normal/straight.nothing wrong with that i say.i think people who wear suits to work and have combover hairstyles and never drink alcohol are strange but hey variety makes the world go round ....or is that money??? money makes the girls do something here....cant quite remember ....not as young as i used to be.

i also wish that some of the thais would remember that saying as there seems to be more murders,assaults,robberies,frauds etc than you would expect from a buddhist society

[HydeParke]

I meant to add that those who sport all of those head to toe tatoos and earrings, and think that they are expressing their individualism, should realize that they are not one of a kinds, as there are thousands like that who are deluded into thinking that they are independent trend setters. I never thought looking like a decorated lamp shade or trinket kiosk showed much class. Many of these guys are an embarassment to all men, but you must realize that stupid people never know they are stupid (it is the other guy that is stupid), but smart people realize when they are stupid and correct themselves so they no longer act stupid. As you can see, the admin people are trying to cater to a higher income class here that is more family oriented; maybe good, maybe not so good, but it would do away with the massive amounts of losers that congregate here for ladies, that otherwise would have nothing to do with them, but for their ATM cards.....sad, but true. I repeat myself when I say, that all of you who are here to re-invent yourselves, you are so obvious that it is laughable. Chohk Dii, all.

Hyde Parke

[kingwilly]

On the other hand, if you try to give exact change and the price includes satangs they never accept them, not from me anyway, received loads in change but not been able to give them as payment!!

In Jakarta you may also receive candy as change inside of small coins. all supermarkets etc carry a small jar of candy next to the till for this purpose.

true story.

[tropo]

On the other hand, if you try to give exact change and the price includes satangs they never accept them, not from me anyway, received loads in change but not been able to give them as payment!!

In Jakarta you may also receive candy as change inside of small coins. all supermarkets etc carry a small jar of candy next to the till for this purpose.

true story.

Places that give satang in change will accept them. Places that don't deal with them won't.

I've always found it surprisingly easy to get change anywhere in Pattaya, including markets.

Edited March 30, 2008 by tropo