The Grumpiest Ex-pat In Bangkok

[CarlBkk]

it is also extremely patronising to the thai staff to suggest that they are unable to handle difficult customers and therefore need the assistance of the falang to intervene in a problem that hardly existed before they arrived......and it also shows a serious lack of understanding of thai behaviour by the posters.

whatever they tell you (which is exactly what you want to be told) the staff there are actually just standing back and enjoying the show put on by the difficult customer falang , and the falangs who just cant leave things alone and have to push their big noses into things.

never underestimate thai psychology.....in this country it wins every time.

The problem has only just been discovered and although it may not have been a "problem" for the staff before, it was certainly an embarrassing irritation to be bullied in public. However, my motivation was how this guy treated me, an older expat couple and any other (I soon found out) sitting in this place. The first time I laughed it off thinking it was his bad day. The second time I realised this guy is used to getting away with it. If he rants near me for the 3rd time (close enough for me to speak to him before he stomps off) I will tell him what I think of him. Likewise, any other member of the public who now know about this guy and sits in his place may do the same.

If you think that the Thai staff are actually standing back and enjoying this guy embarrass them and cause a scene in a quiet coffee shop most mornings I suggest you do a bit of curtain twitching yourself and judge their body language.

[Domyamkung]

I would like to mention I was telling my Thai family about this and they thought it was great. Basically they said it is about time that the farang community dealt with the other farangs.

'familiarity breeds contempt' ....fits here, doesn't it?

Bit like you advertising pomelos, land, houses ,magazines.etc, etc

[taxexile]

well , this thread has certainly piqued my interest , and as i said earlier next time i'm up in bkk , in a weeks time , i will certainly pop in to see what all the fuss is about as i stay very close by to the emporium.

i think that if this customer was such a problem to the staff then they would have mentioned it to someone higher up the chain , and something would have been done.

does he ever have a go at thai customers ?

[CarlBkk]

well , this thread has certainly piqued my interest , and as i said earlier next time i'm up in bkk , in a weeks time , i will certainly pop in to see what all the fuss is about as i stay very close by to the emporium.

i think that if this customer was such a problem to the staff then they would have mentioned it to someone higher up the chain , and something would have been done.

does he ever have a go at thai customers ?

They have mentioned it to their manager after I took the guy's seat twice and he called the staff down to the ground floor to speak to him about it. After that I recommended that course of action and they did it straight away. The result was "no reservations of places".

I don't know if he has a go at Thai customers because I haven't yet seen any sitting down at 10am mornings, only foreigners, but I will ask.

[A_Traveller]

^ OK maybe it's me but I really am not sure what you are saying here, who went downstairs, who spoke to whom?

The 2 outlets are managed from the atrium location, so are you saying that the manager there informed the individual personally and directly that The Oriental had a no reservations policy for the upper floor coffee shop?

Regards

[Westerner]

What happened this morning?

[CarlBkk]

There were two things: The GOM stormed off when he saw me in the seat and went down to Salon de Oriental on the ground floor. After 10 mins he telephoned up to the staff in 5th floor cafe to ask if I was still there. He then demanded that the manageress come down to speak to him. She was gone 20 mins or more and had to endure his rant. She came back up and informed me what was said (this was in my original post).

Secondly about the complaint log, the manageress logged a complaint with her boss whom I assume is based at the Oriental Hotel, which is where the decision came to not reserve any stool and surrounding space for regular customers. I am guessing that the management are monitoring how this guy acts towards customers and their staff now and may well come and take a look themselves (just a guess).

[A_Traveller]

^ Thanks for the clarification, I'm not an avid reader of this thread, so apologies for missing details.

Regards

[mrt273nva]

What happened this morning?

I've been wondering that myself.

[Tod Daniels]

Good on you for getting there first this morning !!

If he’d have pulled that on me, I would have confronted him and/or followed him downstairs without a second thought. Then again I am a confrontational kinda guy, and not above asking people what their f*cking problem is.

Tell us; did you enter via the 6th floor theatre level and come down the escalator to get there early like "bino" the other day or another entrance? The day I went I mistakenly followed some thai employees into the B-1 level of the parking garage but the maintenance staff locked the elevator out with the doors open until 10, and security wouldn't let me up the escalators.

I hope I can make it for tomorrow's entertainment.

[CarlBkk]

Hi Tod, the GOM got his place yesterday, today I don't know because I didn't go. Tomorrow I will do though. I think Bino's way may be the only way to get in first unless the GOM's late.

[Murf]

All the polotics behind this thread are funny. Thanks for the good read.

I hate rude people.

[Crushdepth]

i think that if this customer was such a problem to the staff then they would have mentioned it to someone higher up the chain , and something would have been done.

One thing I forgot to mention - the shop had a security guard hovering within sight of the stools yesterday, politely making his presence felt. I doubt that continued harassment of staff will be tolerated.

[beammeup]

Soooo <deleted> Happened todayyyyyyy!!!!!!!

[zzdocxx]

You do realize of course, that in all likelihood this is a promotional gimmick by the restaurant to get more business, right?

[rott]

You do realize of course, that in all likelihood this is a promotional gimmick by the restaurant to get more business, right?

It is a long thread chum, we did that one over 400 posts ago.

[rott]

I am about to go eat lunch with a fellow moderator. We could discuss the obnoxiousness of brutish expatriates to one another. We could discuss Brutus' obnoxious behavior to Caesar and what he et. More likely we will discuss what we et, what Roy et, or Roi-Et.

No casualties here. Other than a few posts deleted when members insulted each other, and a personal photo that violated privacy laws. Gandhi non-violently liberated three nations by being confrontational to the brutish colonials.

''Brutish'' colonials PB?? A bit stereotypical surely?? I think Gandhi's point was being anti-colonial (rightly or wrongly) rather than the ''brutishness'', (real or imaginary).

[Prakanong]

You do realize of course, that in all likelihood this is a promotional gimmick by the restaurant to get more business, right?

[/quote

Are you kidding yourself or us?

[bino]

He seems to sit at some kind of counter or bar. Just one other stools aside from his, and he puts his shopping bags on it. About other stools being removed, does he really do that? The counter seems quite short and perhaps there is a total of only two stools. Can anybody confirm?

The depth of field in the photo has been flattened- likely shot by a cellphone cam that lacks an optical lens.

I can confirm that this counter is long enough for 4 (or even 5- I can't remember exactly how many there were) stools, which were there on Friday morning. 4 of us sat at this counter with ample space and not crowding each other at all. This amount of counter space would accommodate 7 or 8 stools at a Took Lae Dee restaurant.

The GOM has (or more likely the staff, based on his bullying / insistence) definitely removed all of the other stools in this picture except the one for his bag. He actually appears to be sitting closer to the center of the counter, judging by the employee in the background who would be operating the coffee machine.

The fact that he has removed the other stools so as to have the entire space to himself, he is denying other customers a place to sit and enjoy themselves should speak volumes about what kind of guy this is. After all, who in the h*ll makes reservations demanding that his breakfast be set out for him before he arrives and rearranges the furniture in a coffee shop?????

He has actually made the game easier for those who arrive after he does: carrying a stool back in there and sitting down would probably wind him up just the same! Or- if you get there before him, remove the stools like he does!

[palm]

Hi Tod, the GOM got his place yesterday, today I don't know because I didn't go. Tomorrow I will do though. I think Bino's way may be the only way to get in first unless the GOM's late.

Maybe the shop has a big cupboard, or store room, where you can sleep in overnight? Bring a sleeping bag, pack some snacks, that kind of thing?

I think ThaiVisa should give out an annual award to the opener of most popular thread of the year.

[bino]

You do realize of course, that in all likelihood this is a promotional gimmick by the restaurant to get more business, right?

I previously posted the following when someone suggested a "promotional gimmick". Maybe you have the answers?

Marketing scam? I doubt it. Only 3 members and one wife / gf stayed to order anything. Tod had a medical appointment, and couldn't stay, especially in light of the fact that the main event was cancelled. There was apparently another guy that Carlbkk saw scoping me out through the window to figure if I was the GOM. (I don't match the description. I've got dark hair, and at least a decade and half younger.) I didn't see this guy; I was probably reading the paper. He didn't even come in to the restaurant.

So, the total sales this morning were three slices of quiche and three coffees for the guys, some cake and a drink for the lady. If they are getting rich off that, god bless 'em!

Moreover, how many customers would the GOM have to offend, who would probably just leave and never come back, before they found someone like Carlbkk who would take it online to the "target market" of Thaivisa??

I'm curious to know who you think is the perpetrator of this marketing strategy? The Oriental Hotel? The staff? The GOM? Carlbkk?

Do tell.

Edited June 1, 2008 by bino

[maxman71]

If he can't get it (after the outbursts) he does downstairs to the Salon cafe...

So, anyone know where his favorite seat is down there, too?

Nope, I only found out that he resorts to a seat down there today. If you check out Oriental Cafe at 9.50 you will see the staff have placed a plate of quiche at his place. They gladly move it if you want to sit there. I will be there at that time and if anyone wants to join me and fill the 5 seats along the window next to me and await his arrival, you are welcome to. I'll be the blonde guy, medium height, early 30s. You will honestly be amazed at the guaranteed performance, more than I can describe in words on here. Besides, I need someone to take my place at weekends when I won't be there.

The assistant manageress (forgot her name) is a little worried about him complaining, so if anyone knows who to contact at the Oriental I'll put in a good word for her and let them know she's doing a good job as it is.

This guy is the definition of anal-retentive; having to sit in the same place every day??? I dunno, I wouldn't put up with it one bit. I'd tell the guy if he can remove me from "his" seat, he can have it. Good luck to the schmuck. Reminds me a little of a Brit in Hong Kong who for no reason poured a drink down the cleavage of a young Thai girl I just started talking to in a famous Wanchai Thai disco/pub. After asking both him and her if they knew each other (maybe they were BF/GF, or prior short-time acqaintances, etc) and got "no" for answers, I promptly told the bozo to get the &*^% out and proceeded to deck him. At which time 3 bouncers arrived, peeled me off of him, sorted out the story, tossed him out, and they bought me a beer. Sadly, the young little beauty was nowhere to be found.

[farang prince]

Good job Carl. We live in a country where the government could be toppled at any moment...where more than 2,500 people have been killed in an insurgency in the south...and where the economy is going nowhere...and you have generated more than 550 posts about some jerk that you don't like. Amazing.

[maxman71]

Good job Carl. We live in a country where the government could be toppled at any moment...where more than 2,500 people have been killed in an insurgency in the south...and where the economy is going nowhere...and you have generated more than 550 posts about some jerk that you don't like. Amazing.

So what do you suggest we farang expats do about Thailand's more serious problems??? If we get actively involved in internal Thai politics, that can be very risky. And what do you suggest we do about the 2500 killed in the south??? Aside from informing folks back home about what's going on so they understand the seriousness of the radical Muslim problem, I can't think of anything. As for the lackluster Thai economy, I would assume most of us are spending $$ here, paying taxes, hiring local Thais, etc. At least I do. Taking action against rude farang, deadbeat farang (like the farang who begs in BKK) and others who give the rest of us bad names, I think is appropriate.

[Sweet Dreams]

C'mon, was ANYone there today?

[yankeechief]

Excellent…. good on ya. These guys are all over the world. I love winding them up. I’m normally a nice guy, but for them…………

I ones I’ve encountered are usually ex military expats. They act as if they’re living in the colonial past and look down their noses at anyone or everyone.

They deserve everything they get.

I'm not only ex-military but retired military (from the US Navy) and i take issue with that stereotypical statement. I've always treated foreign nationals with respect and dignity. Don't lump ex-military expats into one group, it shows ignorance and narrow-mindedness

Regards

I concur, as a retired USN veteran and a someone who has been in Southeast Asia since 1986 (Both military and civilian), I find that peopel taht make that assumption are the ones who have left their home country for the first time and are now experts in expat lifestyles in asia. Ignorrance and narrow-mindedness is an understatement.

Regards,

ABHCS (AW) USN, Ret

[balo]

Good job Carl. We live in a country where the government could be toppled at any moment...where more than 2,500 people have been killed in an insurgency in the south...and where the economy is going nowhere...and you have generated more than 550 posts about some jerk that you don't like. Amazing.

Well as an expat theres not much you can do with the government people.

But theres a lot of good things you can do to help the ordinary thais.

So why not start with protecting the thai staff from very rude expats.

Its better than doing nothing!

[snakestick]

Hi

I want to start this post by stating that I am a british guy with tattoos on 50% of my body. I dont take no shit from nobody. I read each and every post in this 22 page THREAD (not post). I went to the place in question after viewing the subject on facebook (thx to posters here). I confronted the subject and clocked him after he gave me some lip. Last I checked he was sprawled on the ground with a bloody nose. The last thing I will tolerate is a farang being rude to thai coffeeshop employees. I want to thank the OP, other posters and the thaivisa moderating team for getting me worked up into a frenzy to do this dirty deed I am sure satisfies many. thank you all.

[bino]

Troll.

[A_Traveller]

Well I guess everyone hopes that's the case, but despite the probable response herein, I've got to say, like it or not, that it only takes one loony tune. If I'd been admin here this thread would have been at least more closely monitored, or more likely closed down days ago. Why, because if someone did do something really stupid I'm not going to have my business {and that is what this forum is guys/gals, not a charity} shot to hades by the ensuing publicity.

Regards