You're About To Pay For Something..

[Travel2003]

I'm not feeling that guilty. I usually eat overcharges if they are minor so if once in a blue moon I get an extra 10 baht, big whoppee. Just the other day I was given 500 baht too much change on a 300 baht-ish bill. I gave the money back and let me tell you the business owner clearly thought I was an idiot! I don't regret it though. If you think I am scum, I can live with that. Cheers.

I dont think you are scum.

Really up to you.

I just think it should be a general honesty everywhere.

I would not be dishonest to another person, just because someone else has been dishonest to me.

[473geo]

On a related matter, (and in this related thread) not just in Thailand but in many places there is a reliance on 'do what the till says' and where data entry errors are made people are not using any mental arithmetic in considering what the total might before the grand total is displayed. And then what the best fit of tendered money might be to get a simple transaction.

My personal hate is restaurants and bars that can not give simple change (eg 100 Baht note in change to a bill of 900 Baht) but must give a tray of coins and 20s - presuming that I would leave a tip. In those cases I take it all. /rant.

That is just sad.......you might say no problem keep the change if tendered 100 baht note.......but if tendered 5 x 20 baht, as may be company policy, not controlled by the staff.....and allows you to leave a lower tip than 100 if you choose ......you take it all!!!..............because in your mind they are trying it on?

[Jingthing]

On a related matter, (and in this related thread) not just in Thailand but in many places there is a reliance on 'do what the till says' and where data entry errors are made people are not using any mental arithmetic in considering what the total might before the grand total is displayed. And then what the best fit of tendered money might be to get a simple transaction.

My personal hate is restaurants and bars that can not give simple change (eg 100 Baht note in change to a bill of 900 Baht) but must give a tray of coins and 20s - presuming that I would leave a tip. In those cases I take it all. /rant.

That is just sad.......you might say no problem keep the change if tendered 100 baht note.......but if tendered 5 x 20 baht, as may be company policy, not controlled by the staff.....and allows you to leave a lower tip than 100 if you choose ......you take it all!!!..............because in your mind they are trying it on?

It is situational. I don't like the smarminess of the small bills gambit, but I agree you should tip what you were going to tip, but frankly sometimes the waiters are so smarmy in the way they present the small change that it degrades the overall experience, thus a smaller tip is justified.

[SeanMoran]

I'm not feeling that guilty. I usually eat overcharges if they are minor so if once in a blue moon I get an extra 10 baht, big whoppee. Just the other day I was given 500 baht too much change on a 300 baht-ish bill. I gave the money back and let me tell you the business owner clearly thought I was an idiot! I don't regret it though. If you think I am scum, I can live with that. Cheers.

I dont think you are scum.

Really up to you.

I just think it should be a general honesty everywhere.

I would not be dishonest to another person, just because someone else has been dishonest to me.

The reason I treat bars and restaurants differently to typical shops is because the truth is that minimarts and supermarkets are in the business of selling at the lowest retail prices they can afford to, but nobody goes to expensive bars or restaurants to save money, because it is well-known that the charges are somewhere from double to quadruple what you might pay if you bought the same provisions at your local minimart and took them home. It's not about the money. It's about the fun. If the bill comes out slightly miscalculated, it's not going to ruin my good night, and I'd still offer a tip if the bill was a few baht over, or under.

In such a situation, questioning a check-bin might render the whole experience worthless, so I'd rather not do it when it's so expensive to start with.

[473geo]

On a related matter, (and in this related thread) not just in Thailand but in many places there is a reliance on 'do what the till says' and where data entry errors are made people are not using any mental arithmetic in considering what the total might before the grand total is displayed. And then what the best fit of tendered money might be to get a simple transaction.

My personal hate is restaurants and bars that can not give simple change (eg 100 Baht note in change to a bill of 900 Baht) but must give a tray of coins and 20s - presuming that I would leave a tip. In those cases I take it all. /rant.

That is just sad.......you might say no problem keep the change if tendered 100 baht note.......but if tendered 5 x 20 baht, as may be company policy, not controlled by the staff.....and allows you to leave a lower tip than 100 if you choose ......you take it all!!!..............because in your mind they are trying it on?

It is situational. I don't like the smarminess of the small bills gambit, but I agree you should tip what you were going to tip, but frankly sometimes the waiters are so smarmy in the way they present the small change that it degrades the overall experience, thus a smaller tip is justified.

Not disgreeing with that Jing.......in fairness, perhaps the example was a bad one.......if the change was say 140 baht and 7x20 baht notes were returned...I too, would out of principal, take 5 and leave a 40 baht tip......but we digress!!!.....if I was overchanged I would give it back.......but in all honesty......I thought about the busy nightclub bar and in that instance I probably would just pick up the drinks and move out of the way!!!.....however I would if feasible give back.

[WeeGB]

Very enlightening this topic. Amazing that people who continually try and claim the moral high ground, over Thaksin and the red shirts, are quite comfortable stealing small change from small businesses. Theft is theft, plain and simple, the amount doesn't matter, it's the act that is important.

[Jingthing]

Very enlightening this topic. Amazing that people who continually try and claim the moral high ground, over Thaksin and the red shirts, are quite comfortable stealing small change from small businesses. Theft is theft, plain and simple, the amount doesn't matter, it's the act that is important.

Actually in reality there is a difference between 10 baht and tens of billions of baht.

[473geo]

Very enlightening this topic. Amazing that people who continually try and claim the moral high ground, over Thaksin and the red shirts, are quite comfortable stealing small change from small businesses. Theft is theft, plain and simple, the amount doesn't matter, it's the act that is important.

Currently 88% would return 'over change' to the 'small business' on the poll - although not perfect that is in my opinion a good showing.

It appears the larger companies are not so well considered as the small business however!!

[7by7]

If I noticed that I had been undercharged or given too much change then I would always endeavour to rectify the mistake; just as I would if overcharged or given too little change; it works both ways.

This is so whether it's a small business or a large chain store. As others have said, if their till is under at the end of their shift then the cashier often has to make up the shortfall, and not just in Thailand. My wife used to work for Primark in the UK, and if her till was short when checked then she had to make up the difference; though she never got the money if her till was over!

So remember the next time you are given too much change in Tesco or similar and keep it; you are not taking money from a large multinational that wont miss it; you're taking money from a low paid worker who will!

[Lammbock]

That do remember me of a story from my Dad. One time he went to Carrefour or Tesco and wanted to buy 10 Packs of Photo Paper each one for 1.600 THB = 16.000 THB

The cashier got it all wrong. She charged my dad only with 1.600 THB for all 10 Packs. He asked Her: "1.600 THB, are u sure "Nong"??? Yes i am. 1.600 THB please Mistaaar."

He was quiet happy and walked out the door with a big smile on his face.

[NALAK]

i voted yes yes yes in hind site i should have voted yes no yes, just to make up for all the times mom and pop have added the farang tax, even though they knowingly sell the same products to my wife cheaper.

[JetsetBkk]

I was over charged this week by about 30 baht on 4 curries. As they are each 199 baht, I knew the cost was just under 800 baht, so I was ready with 1,000 baht expecting 204 baht change.

But when I saw the bill, it was for 826 baht. So I said it was wrong and she went away to check the menu and when she came back she apologised and gave me 800 baht change!

So I said she had given me too much and she said it was OK, it was a discount! I think she thought she had given me 4 baht discount, but in fact she had given me what should've gone in the till - 800 baht - and put in the till what should've been my change - 200 baht.

So I said "Are you sure - it's a big discount!" and she said "Yes, no problem."

So I put the extra 600 baht in my wallet and watched her walk away and waited for the penny to drop. Or the 600 baht to drop.

I watched as she first looked at the till, then looked at the bill, then looked at me and then we both burst out laughing.

"I think I need a coffee" she said as I gave her the 600 baht back.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I'm not feeling that guilty. I usually eat overcharges if they are minor so if once in a blue moon I get an extra 10 baht, big whoppee. Just the other day I was given 500 baht too much change on a 300 baht-ish bill. I gave the money back and let me tell you the business owner clearly thought I was an idiot!

Well, he wouldn't be the only one, and it may not have been in relation to doing the honorable thing in this case.

Still, in relation to this particular case I bet you he did not think you were an idiot for doing the honorable thing! So good on you.

[PhilHarries]

I read the remarks regarding the small notes in your change and it reminded me of an incident a few years back. There was a couple of Europeans in a bar I was at who, on receiving their change, proceeded to witter away to each other how they hated that, seeing it as pressure to leave a tip.

I see it as a good thing. Firstly it gives me the option of leaving anything upward of a small tip or nothing at all. Secondly it gives me small denomiation notes which are always handy especially with song taews.

You don't have to leave tips, just keep wearing those deep pocketted trousers.

As for the overcharged bit, I'd rather be honest with ten places and be ripped of by one than be dishonest with all. It's all about how you see yourself in the mirror, you have to sleep with what you see reflected.

[Edmond]

It's all about how you see yourself in the mirror, you have to sleep with what you see reflected.

If you look anything like your Avatar you must have bleeding nightmares then.

[Jingthing]

If a business GIVES you the money, it is not theft.

[Ijustwannateach]

Would point it out in all the listed cases- especially if I was a regular customer there.

[Forkinhades]

Seems obvious really. If you are over-changed you give the money back every time, no exceptions.

and what about when YOU are shortchanged IN Thailand, is that obvious that you will get your money back, think not buddy NO EXCEPTIONS!

In answer to the op, depends where I am, and the situation, small bar, I have in the past told the staff of the undercharging, and they said cashier fault no problem, just a left a bigger tip.

Its not going to happen in a big store, because everything is scanned in, so the cashier cannot be to blame, and you probably would not know yourself anyway.

Anywhere else as a Farang, the thais will try to overcharge anyway, so you need to agree a price before hand, and if they a make a mistake, its their problem, as they was going to rip you off anyway.

TiT

[Forkinhades]

Seems obvious really. If you are over-changed you give the money back every time, no exceptions.

Agreed. No exceptions. I wouldn't want the under paid person at the till charged for an honest mistake. Staff usually have to make up the difference out of their own pocket. 52 years ago I vowed never to lie, cheat or steal under any circumstances. I've never regretted that decision. I'm not really a believer in karma, but it has seemed to work for me. I can sleep each night with a clear conscience, and any losses I might take are not really a problem. It's the problem of the person who steals from me or treats me wrong.

So you have never lied in 52 years, <deleted> (thats a lie in itself), and you are a Monk?? with a top of the range mobile?

[Forkinhades]

If I noticed that I had been undercharged or given too much change then I would always endeavour to rectify the mistake; just as I would if overcharged or given too little change; it works both ways.

This is so whether it's a small business or a large chain store. As others have said, if their till is under at the end of their shift then the cashier often has to make up the shortfall, and not just in Thailand. My wife used to work for Primark in the UK, and if her till was short when checked then she had to make up the difference; though she never got the money if her till was over!

So remember the next time you are given too much change in Tesco or similar and keep it; you are not taking money from a large multinational that wont miss it; you're taking money from a low paid worker who will!

Everything is scanned in...............dum de dum

[Huey]

I would point it out in each occasion. I wouldn't want to pay more if the mistake was against me, so fair is fair.

[7by7]

If I noticed that I had been undercharged or given too much change then I would always endeavour to rectify the mistake; just as I would if overcharged or given too little change; it works both ways.

This is so whether it's a small business or a large chain store. As others have said, if their till is under at the end of their shift then the cashier often has to make up the shortfall, and not just in Thailand. My wife used to work for Primark in the UK, and if her till was short when checked then she had to make up the difference; though she never got the money if her till was over!

So remember the next time you are given too much change in Tesco or similar and keep it; you are not taking money from a large multinational that wont miss it; you're taking money from a low paid worker who will!

Everything is scanned in...............dum de dum

In most large stores, yes. But if they missed something I would still point it out, if I noticed, just as I would if they scanned something twice.

And having everything scanned doesn't stop the cashier giving you too much, or too little, change.

[Lite Beer]

inflammatory post deleted.

[phetaroi]

For me it is a situational decision.

For example, once back in the States one of the department stores had a lot of extra workers for the holidays. I went in to buy a set of cookware which was on sale for 50% off. The dummies at the cash register were chatting away and paying no attention to the customers or their jobs. The girl rang up the item and then said, "Oh this is 50% off," and reduced it another 50%. I started to say something, but stopped myself. Why should I tell them how to do their jobs?

On the other hand, when a clerk is pleasant and seemingly efficient, but makes an honest error, yes, I will speak up.

[noise]

This is one way of looking at it.

[toybits]

To answer the OP's question, I would say yes to all situations. Unfortunately if you do not point out the error, Tesco or BigC management will make the clerk responsible for the error. So your not pointing out the error saves you money and to your mind - take THAT Tesco or BigC but it is not Tesco or BigC that will hurt. It will be that clerk.

So be kind to that poor clerk who needs that job.

[lioness]

I've always believed that honesty is the best policy, and do unto others etc . When over or under charged I always point it out.

Actually it's a nice to see so many of the posters on here that would do the right thing, I'm a great believer in what goes around comes around.