How Low Will You Go?

[MiG16]

My mum and grandma said this too. However, they would only pick it up if the "head" was showing. If the "tail" side was up, they would turn it over and leave it for another person to find and benefit from the luck.

I like this one

provided the next person doesnt ignore the coin thinking its too little

the other day i saw a 5cent near 2 women. I was quite sure one of them dropped it, no one picked it up, so I did and tried to hand to either of the 2. each said its not theirs. I didnt know what to do, so put it above the counter for someone else to take (hopefully)

[Heng]

Hopefully they'll have learned a lesson that most people never do until much much later in life.

That's the same grin I get when I see folks making car/house/credit card payments, it's the same concept only with real playing pieces, not gumdrops and potato chips.

Don't follow? You should pay your car payments with satangs that children throw on the street?

Yeah, a lot of folks don't get it. They take a short term mindset when they spend their money (throwing change for amusement at their teacher, which is fine if you can afford it / spending one's hard earned cash on whatever booze, gambling, gals, electronics, clothes, etc., also for amusement, which is fine if you can afford it) and then scrimp and scrape when they find that they actually want to make a purchase for themselves (snacks at the 7-11 / capital purchases like property/homes/etc.).

[fiercesnake]

I pride myself on being incredibly tight so I think I'll go for any amount of money. It's MONEY and I'm super kee nieow!!! LOL! Having lived on and off in the Philippines for 25 years, seen many other countries from rich to very poor, and now living in LOS, I've seen how incredulously poor people can be in SE Asia in general . I don't live off any government welfare from my own country but yeah I DEFINITELY know the value of money! Sorry but I'm tight. You tend to get like that if you've seen a lot of poor areas in life!

[Ieyuhrah]

I would pick up any of them. I have a number of coins from 1/2 Stg up (copper coloured with a hole in it). In the early 60's I picked up all sorts of older coins of all denominations in change. Back then though, it was 20 Baht to the US$1 and some things were actually priced as low as 10>25stg with 5 stg increments). And they gave full change.....

[Jingthing]

I don't understand why the bending for satang. I have never spent a satang coin once, and I don't think I ever will. On the other hand, I use one baht coins frequently (love to give them to baht bus drivers, keeps them on their toes wondering if the fare was correct, hard to count and drive ....). Even I am not cheeky enough to pay baht bus drivers with satang coins though. They have a breaking point and I don't want to go there.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Jingthing

[Heng]

There was a recent news story about some banker at one of the dinosaur banks: either Sonkro or Agricultural who got away with embezzling XX millions for years with one of the keys being skimming those satangs out of interest bearing accounts. Like any amount of money, it can and does add up.

I'd say on average folks who ignore their satangs probably have a few hundred Baht worth in their homes with who knows how many hundreds of millions in the dead float with all the change out there combined, essentially out of circulation, a free loan to an organization that probably doesn't deserve it. I don't believe in free rides (even if it's the Thai treasury getting that free ride), hence you'll rarely find more than a hundred Baht in change in my house/cars/etc, and probably no more than 10-15 of those 25 and 50 satang coins (super easy to get rid of them paying for phone bills, cell bills, groceries, etc.). Only 4 x 25 satang coins to make a Baht. Only a thousand of those to make a 1,000 Baht bill. Only 100,000 of those pieces of paper to make 100 million Baht.

...Feeling a 'Thai Chinese conspiracy to keep the Issanites down' comment coming on.

[desi]

Only 4 x 25 satang coins to make a Baht. Only a thousand of those to make a 1,000 Baht bill.

Yeah, and those suckers are heavy (they were buckling my bookshelf, so it was time for them to go). So by giving the small change to the maid, I not only get rid of a chore I don't want, but I give her and her family a treat. And besides, she's worth it.

[pattaya_girl]

I saw on an episode of Candid Camera a few Years back, they super glued the Coin to the pavement, and this guy went home for his hammer and chissel, it was hilarious.... He was so embaressed when he knew it was the Candid Camera team.....

Good thread and poll Jingthing - good idea.....

(I voted for 1 bt because only yesterday I found one)

As they say back at home, pennies make pounds !!!

[bkk_mike]

I voted 5 as that's the smallest I'd pick up if seen on the street.

However, if I drop it myself, I'll even pick up a 25 satang, but I consider that littering more than the monetary value of the coin dropped.

[docholiday123]

While it might serve as a good lesson for a young child, picking up a satang coin is a purely a symbolic action. The opportunity cost in terms of the time required to stop and bend over is greater than the value of the coin. It reminds me of when people say "If you care about democracy, you should vote!" or "If you don't vote, don't complain later on!".

Picking up a satang coin has no bearing whatsoever on your long term wealth nor does casting a vote in an election where 150,000,000 other people will also vote have any value besides the mental boast these actions give to people who can't see the bigger picture.

[gotlost]

I have to hand it to you Jingthing you have had two crackers of threads today.

[Tinkelbell]

quoted^{....."Picking up a satang coin has no bearing whatsoever on your long term wealth....."}

...............................................

Obiously, this comment must be from someone who is new to Thailand or someone who hasn't met and be friended with many Thais.

Thais are very serious in believing and highly respect the concept of "nguern-goon-tung ( money in the pouch).

Next time you meet some Thais ( preferable someone on the campus), ask them about this 'nguern-goon-tung' long believed tradition.

[docholiday123]

So you want me to proposition a University student? That's the best idea I've heard all week.

[MrHammer]

quoted^{....."Picking up a satang coin has no bearing whatsoever on your long term wealth....."}

...............................................

Obiously, this comment must be from someone who is new to Thailand or someone who hasn't met and be friended with many Thais.

Thais are very serious in believing and highly respect the concept of "nguern-goon-tung ( money in the pouch).

Next time you meet some Thais ( preferable someone on the campus), ask them about this 'nguern-goon-tung' long believed tradition.

Maybe not satangs, but the 1 and 2 baht add up fast. I don't go around lugging the endless supply of change with me. I put it in a box. Should be a few thousand baht. Good for a Christmas present or night out, but I was actually considering donating to charity instead, as long as I don't have to count it first! If more people donated their change to charity, I think it would be serious money

[Tinkelbell]

So you want me to proposition a University student? That's the best idea I've heard all week.

Forget what I suggested.

Your response implies you're not into learning Thai traditions, you're more interested in some other thing, it's better for you if you're just continue hunting on your usual ground.

[docholiday123]

So you want me to proposition a University student? That's the best idea I've heard all week.

Forget what I suggested.

Your response implies you're not into learning Thai traditions, you're more interested in some other thing, it's better for you if you're just continue hunting on your usual ground.

Sorry I don't consider old wives tales and voodoo important traditions.

[priorstp]

I have a 1 satang coin from 1937 that makes a grat necklace and a older 5 satang coin thats silver and looks really cool on my girls bracelet so yes i would pick them up. newer satangs i would pick up and give to a beggar.

I believe that coins also have a picture of the king on and if anyone drops one especially Thais then they would be picked up immediately...may just be a load of c**p though that one.