How Low Will You Go?

[needforspeed]

I would pick up any coin that I had dropped purely to avoid any awkward exchange of confused facial expressions with passers by. But I wouldn't pick up a coin that wasn't mine to begin with.

Interesting. Once I was walking with a friend in the US and he found a 100 dollar bill on the street. For real, I was there. Would you bend over for that?

Since you are talking about coins in your poll, I will say that I don't pick up anything lower than a 5 Baht coin. It's bad luck (so I am told) to pick up coins you see on the street or something to that affect.

Correct "Bad Luck" as you are missing yearly a lot off money and everything 5 Baht or below are much more frequently seen than 10 baht and notes as they flying around .

I go for all, as every satang is a satang, but i agree that they need to take them out off there finacial system asap, waste off time, weight and space.

[Credo]

Jingthing, are you trying to get on to the Election Commission.

Man of the Polls 2009

He's just trying to see who he can get to bend over and how much it's going to cost him.  

A real 'cheap charlie'!

[Norrad]

I usually pick up every coin or banknote. It's a habit that I developed as a kid, but I always give it back to the person if I know who dropped it.

[Scott]

The other day I was in 7/11 and a rather wealthy man at the counter dropped a 25 satang coin and it landed on my shoe. He was quite heavy and it was a rather uncomfortable look that he gave me, but I sure wasn't going to pick up his coin. He then bent over exposing enough of the rear crack to make things even more uncomfortable and elicit a few chuckles from behind. He picked up his coin, got back in his Mercedes and sped off.

[needforspeed]

The other day I was in 7/11 and a rather wealthy man at the counter dropped a 25 satang coin and it landed on my shoe. He was quite heavy and it was a rather uncomfortable look that he gave me, but I sure wasn't going to pick up his coin. He then bent over exposing enough of the rear crack to make things even more uncomfortable and elicit a few chuckles from behind. He picked up his coin, got back in his Mercedes and sped off.

Could be one off the reasons that he was driving a Mercedes

[geriatrickid]

Bending down to pick up a small coin is how you get pickpocketed or run down by an out of control vendor cart.

Judging from the size of some people, it might prove dangerous; emittance of noxious fumes, ripping of those bargain pants, or worse, pulling a muscle. I leave the change for those that need it most, the beggars that crawl about. Removing such coins is cruel and deprives these hardworking souls of their livelihood. Don't be a bad farang.

[Jingthing]

Well, I voted 2 baht found on the street.

I agree if you dropped your own coins, it is the polite thing to pick them up.

As far as satangs, I definitely wouldn't bend for those. When I get them in change, I usually just leave them on the counter. If they make it back home I put them in a jar, never to be touched again.

I understand the fear of looking cheap bending for coins and why in certain company people wouldn't do that. As far as good or bad luck, that is really interesting to me. I don't recall ever being explicitly taught it is good or bad luck to pick them up. However, I have an obviously irrational feeling that to fail to pick up found money is a slight slap in the face to the good winds of fate, and metaphysically asking for trouble. You don't pick it up, you are so rich you don't need some money when chance presents it to you. That kind of "I am special" thinking will backfire in the end ...

How low will I go in poll topics? Well, I have gone lower, and I have gone higher, so no comment ...

Wiki says the 1, 5, and 10 satangs are used by banks internally. I think I recall seeing those occasionally as well.

Edited December 8, 2009 by Jingthing

[Max2000]

Man, your headline had me fooled (tempted) for a moment.

Unless I was in Prison for a very long time, I would not bend over for any amount. On the streets, a 20 baht bill I would pick up.

My better half saves all 5 baht and less after shopping, and in a year she have more than 3.000.

It shows that it's not stupid to be tight / cheap.

[bkkjames]

Well, I voted 2 baht found on the street.

I agree if you dropped your own coins, it is the polite thing to pick them up.

As far as satangs, I definitely wouldn't bend for those. When I get them in change, I usually just leave them on the counter. If they make it back home I put them in a jar, never to be touched again.

I understand the fear of looking cheap bending for coins and why in certain company people wouldn't do that. As far as good or bad luck, that is really interesting to me. I don't recall ever being explicitly taught it is good or bad luck to pick them up. However, I have an obviously irrational feeling that to fail to pick up found money is a slight slap in the face to the good winds of fate, and metaphysically asking for trouble. You don't pick it up, you are so rich you don't need some money when chance presents it to you. That kind of "I am special" thinking will backfire in the end ...

How low will I go in poll topics? Well, I have gone lower, and I have gone higher, so no comment ...

Wiki says the 1, 5, and 10 satangs are used by banks internally. I think I recall seeing those occasionally as well.

Perhaps wiki needs to an update. Why would a bank use a 1 satang coin internally when the could do it electronically?

While on the topic of your polls, why not do one on the types of polls you are considering coming out with and we can pre-judge the relevance / interest level first. Call it a public service JT.

[PoorSucker]

I pick up money I drop.

Money I don't know who it belongs to I leave it alone.

My wife says it's ghost money, bad luck.

[Jingthing]

I pick up money I drop.

Money I don't know who it belongs to I leave it alone.

My wife says it's ghost money, bad luck.

If its on the street, it is lost money that doesn't belong to anyone anymore. Of course if its bills in a wallet with ID that's another story.

Ghosts? I guess that's an issue if you believe in ghosts.

Edited December 8, 2009 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Perhaps wiki needs to an update. Why would a bank use a 1 satang coin internally when the could do it electronically?

While on the topic of your polls, why not do one on the types of polls you are considering coming out with and we can pre-judge the relevance / interest level first. Call it a public service JT.

Thanks for the suggestion but I think that is completely unnecessary. The popular topics gain interest and the duds just die, law of the market.

About the 1, 5, and 10 satang coins, again, I think I recall seeing these occasionally, so that means they do exist, yes? Was I hallucinating? Does anyone know if they are being minted anymore?

Edited December 8, 2009 by Jingthing

[bkkjames]

While on the topic of your polls, why not do one on the types of polls you are considering coming out with and we can pre-judge the relevance / interest level first. Call it a public service JT.

Thanks for the suggestion but I think that is completely unnecessary. The popular topics gain interest and the duds just die, law of the market.

Ok I get, kinda like the door to door salesman routine. Open enough topics and odds are one will be a hit. Not bad, I think I will try it...no.

Back to coins, do people still use pay phones with coins in the country? I see all these old broken down pay phone boxes that even superman wouldn't use in a rush, but instead of taking them away to some pay phone graveyard, they just leave em there and put up new ones right beside them.

[Jingthing]

I get ragged enough as it is. I am not going to open a poll about which topics you would like in polls! Geez! (I wouldn't even believe the results anyway.)

Edited December 8, 2009 by Jingthing

[bkkjames]

I get ragged enough as it is. I am not going to open a poll about which topics you would like in polls! Geez! (I wouldn't even believe the results anyway.)

Why not? Could be the start of something good.

[Jingthing]

I get ragged enough as it is. I am not going to open a poll about which topics you would like in polls! Geez! (I wouldn't even believe the results anyway.)

Why not? Could be the start of something good.

Aside from the reasons I have already given, the reality is the poll topics just kind of pop into my brain at odd moments. I can't even begin to predict what poll idea I may have tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. So I couldn't even execute your idea if I wanted to. Happily, I don't want to!

[bkkjames]

I get ragged enough as it is. I am not going to open a poll about which topics you would like in polls! Geez! (I wouldn't even believe the results anyway.)

Why not? Could be the start of something good.

Aside from the reasons I have already given, the reality is the poll topics just kind of pop into my brain at odd moments. I can't even begin to predict what poll idea I may have tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. So I couldn't even execute your idea if I wanted to. Happily, I don't want to!

Ok on that note, why don't we all take a poll on what your next poll with be?

My guess will be "When you find coins in your pocket after a night out, do you wash them in the morning?"

Just kidding mate, carry on.

[Naam]

Jingthing, are you trying to get on to the Election Commission. Man of the Polls 2009

He's just trying to see who he can get to bend over and how much it's going to cost him. A real 'cheap charlie'!

:D

[Huey]

1 Stang because it's a rare coin and it would be cool to leave as a tip for very crappy service

[Jingthing]

Jingthing, are you trying to get on to the Election Commission. Man of the Polls 2009

He's just trying to see who he can get to bend over and how much it's going to cost him. A real 'cheap charlie'!

:D

You have grossly misjudged my taste. The question rather is how much I would be willing to pay for you lot NOT to bend over within my view!

[mahtin]

[tropo]

Correct "Bad Luck" as you are missing yearly a lot off money and everything 5 Baht or below are much more frequently seen than 10 baht and notes as they flying around .

I go for all, as every satang is a satang, but i agree that they need to take them out off there finacial system asap, waste off time, weight and space.

It's better to keep the satang. As soon as you remove the lowest denomination coin prices start going up more quickly in bigger jumps. I've seen this happen in Australia when they eliminated the 1c and 2c coins. Now prices jump in 5c increments.

[tropo]

The other day I was in 7/11 and a rather wealthy man at the counter dropped a 25 satang coin and it landed on my shoe. He was quite heavy and it was a rather uncomfortable look that he gave me, but I sure wasn't going to pick up his coin. He then bent over exposing enough of the rear crack to make things even more uncomfortable and elicit a few chuckles from behind. He picked up his coin, got back in his Mercedes and sped off.

Could be one off the reasons that he was driving a Mercedes

I'd put money on it. People who are miserly with their money are often the ones who become rich.

Take 1 insignificant satang and double your money every day.

7 days = 1.25 baht

14 days = 163 baht

21 days = 20,971 baht

30 days = 10.74 million baht

40 days = 5.498 billion baht

50 days = 5.630 trillion baht

(don't mind me, I'm just having some fun with numbers)

[somluck]

Some months back picked up a coin, did not looked like anything I have seen b4....took it home showed to the gf. She told me it was a 5 baht coin minted in 1977 for the King's 50 years birthday. Did some research and found out it was a limited edition piece. Some thai guy offered me 5k for it but i am not selling still

[bkkjames]

JT, as a follow up to yesterday and not by coincidence me thinks on my way home I got off a motorbike taxi and went into my pocket for 25 baht. As I pull out a 20 baht bill and went for a 5 baht coin, two 1 baht coins fell on the ground at the feet of the taxi driver. As I bent over to pick them up he went "oh oh oh", I proceeded to hand them over to him and said, you can have them mate, I don't need the bad luck. He laughed but still took them.

[Meridian007]

In my 3 years here I've never seen a 1, 5, or 10 satang coin. Are they still in circulation at all?

[PhilHarries]

In my 3 years here I've never seen a 1, 5, or 10 satang coin. Are they still in circulation at all?

Me neither, the only place I've ever seen the 25's and 50's is in places like Foodland.

Went to my corner shop a few years back to buy some eggs. There was only five left in the tray and that did me so I just took the five not wanting to put them to the bother of getting a new tray. Oh, big problem. They scurried out the back and got the new tray so I could have six eggs. Turned out eggs were 1.50 Baht each but as the shop didn't deal in 50 satangs you had to buy an even quantity.

I'd not have bothered, nor even noticed, if they had charged me 8 Baht for the five eggs.

[Jingthing]

In my 3 years here I've never seen a 1, 5, or 10 satang coin. Are they still in circulation at all?

Wiki states they are not in circulation but do exist for the purpose of internal banking transactions. A poster here said that is wrong, but nobody has yet presented any proof that Wiki is not correct about this.

[bkkjames]

In my 3 years here I've never seen a 1, 5, or 10 satang coin. Are they still in circulation at all?

Wiki states they are not in circulation but do exist for the purpose of internal banking transactions. A poster here said that is wrong, but nobody has yet presented any proof that Wiki is not correct about this.

Your opinion that Wiki is 100% accurate is interesting JT.

[Jingthing]

In my 3 years here I've never seen a 1, 5, or 10 satang coin. Are they still in circulation at all?

Wiki states they are not in circulation but do exist for the purpose of internal banking transactions. A poster here said that is wrong, but nobody has yet presented any proof that Wiki is not correct about this.

Your opinion that Wiki is 100% accurate is interesting JT.

Are you joking??!

Read my post. I did NOT say or believe that. Its just the only source info presented so far on this issue on this thread so far. The one poster just stated an OPINION with NO source. If the poster was a Thai minting official, we would know the truth, but he didn't state any such qualifications. Of course there are better sources than Wiki. However, in this case, one random poster with an opinion does not trump Wiki. Duh!

BTW, here is even more evidence that the small satang coins exist, according to Wiki this 1 baht coin was minted in 2008 and released in 2009!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1_satang...erse_(2008).png

Here is a 5 satang, minted in 2008.

Here is a 10 satang, minted in 2008.

BTW, on different Wiki sources there is a contradiction about whether the 1, 5, and 10's are in CIRCULATION although all the Wiki sources I have found say they exist. Some Wiki sources say the 1, 5, and 10s exist but are not in circulation, but rather used only for internal banking purposes. I personally recall seeing satangs smaller than 25 but can't prove that.

So we have two issues.

Do the 1, 5, and 10 satang coins exist in current Thai coinage? Challenge to disprove Wiki if you can.

Are the 1, 5, and 10 satang coins not in general circulation? I think most of our subjective experiences will tell us they are NOT in general circulation even if some of us encounter them from time to time.

Edited December 9, 2009 by Jingthing