Atm Time Wasters

[Berkshire]

Its not just Thais that do this its everyone. 90% of the planet struggle with it and yes I can't imagine what the hel_l they are doing.

You're pretty well spot-on, but this is a Thai-bashing thread. When I go to an ATM in the states, the person ahead is almost always slower than me. But since this is Thailand, let's bash the Thai's for being slow. It must be a Thai thing!

[fredob43]

Some month's ago a Thai man was having a problem at atm. The man wanted to check his ballance and get cash. He gave me his card that had his pin no: on the back, smart A, In with card tap,tap. His ballance was over 50000bt. How much do you want??? 10000bt Ok, I then let him take his cash, with that he walk off no card, left it in atm. Called him back got his card and recipt. Lot's of thank you's. I wonderd just how long his money would last at that rate.

[ukrules]

If I sense annoyance behind me, I swish funds back and forth between various accounts just to increase their annoyance levels.

Lets all hope that some day you don't do this to a mafia type who then proceeds to seriously beat you to within an inch of your death for a small percieved loss of face.

Things like this happen for the smallest of reasons.

[anothertorres]

Why is waiting in line at a atm any kind of problem.

it's not a problem, we're just having a laugh here. this is what we do with our spare time when the sun is out

[Flatouthruthefog]

You can pay your mobile phone bill, pay quite a few other bills for that matter, pay for airline tickets, etc etc etc, in addition to transferring money to other accounts, etc. You can also now deposit money (special atm tho) and get your passbook printed as well.

In fact, the banks encourage people to do their transactions at the ATM machine. And while you may find it annoying that you have to wait, I suspect were you in the same position you would want someone to have a little patience while you undertook your transactions.

Oh, what the heck am I talking about? naturally, all farang are perfect, never make anyone wait while they get their business done and can always figure everything out immediately.

Some of you really need to get over yourselves.

//rant over//

Hi.

If you keep records, sbk, you will see that I only post when I think I can be helpful to someone. I am almost certain that this is the first 'complaint' I have ever made here on tv, and as you will see it has drawn a full and very fast response.

Touched a familiar note with many people, most of whom seem to agree with me in whole or in part.

By doing this, I myself have received help. Thank you for that neverdie & sbk! You have taught me about these other ATM facilities of which I was ignorant. Explains a lot and it will help me to be more patient in future.

So far, so very good.

However, I must add, sbk, that you 3 lines of sarcasm do represent one of the worst aspects of tv. Impolite and unhelpful, so why bother writing it? Why can't we all be positive - or just shut up?

As for your last line, while I understand "get over IT" I have no idea about us 'getting over ourselves'. An offshoot of English new to me.......

I promise not to bother you again.

[PoorSucker]

In my wife's village in Chiang mai there is no ATM.

17 km to neighbour town and there is one.

30 km to Amphur where there are three ATM, and also one 7/11.

[Shuguk]

Well one of the features of ATM's now is the ability to transfer cash to others accounts, pay bills, order pizza etc, so I guess you are wrong, they have these features.

Is it annoying at times, yes.

I`ve only taken cash out and didn`t know about the extra facilities. Thanks for enlightening me.

It happened once to me and the guy had a lot written down on a piece of paper, now I know why. Next time I won`t get annoyed.

Shug

Thailand is the ATM capital of the world. Just go to another one couple hander meter away

Yes, you are correct but I am paranoid the machine gobbles up my card....again. Did it once and I was lucky it was outside a bank, and it was during banking hours. I was in Thailand on holiday at the time. Can you imagine the predicament I would be in if it had been a remote ATM? And how much sleep would I have had that night?

But you are theoretically correct.

[Heng]

If I sense annoyance behind me, I swish funds back and forth between various accounts just to increase their annoyance levels.

Lets all hope that some day you don't do this to a mafia type who then proceeds to seriously beat you to within an inch of your death for a small percieved loss of face.

Things like this happen for the smallest of reasons.

That's when I start withdrawing 100 Baht at a time and carefully inspect each note for imperfections before withdrawing another one. I've got all day.

Edited May 28, 2010 by Heng

[Lancelot]

Sometimes a Thai will go to the ATM for a group of friends. I've seen them have a list (pin numbers I would guess) and a stack of cards, the "cashier" then proceeds to withdraw 100 or 200 hundred baht per card and yes, it can take quit a while. Now I can pretty much size up the "cashier" type ATM designee and I just book and go to another ATM.

While its true that all nationalities are capable of selfishness, most asians are pretty much self absorbed and only think of them selves, e.g. walking into the elevator before departing people can exit, blocking traffic to order food from a street vendor, etc. However the reverse is also true-if we as foreigners do the same, 98% of the locals would never raise an eyebrow or complain.

Jsut the way it is here

[Mossfinn]

in pulling off an atm hoist.

then lift them onto the back of the truck.

Just had to include a lift somewhere

[Lammbock]

If i ask foreigner what they remember the most about Thailand. They all answer the same question.

Every 100 Meter = 7/11 and ATMs All over the Country!

[Huey]

She was just being a ignorant B*&^h, I have often taken out hundreds of thousands of baht 20,000B at a time from a ATM and when I see someone behind me I let them know I'm going to be there awhile and if they just need a quick withdraw I let em use it before I go back to taking out the cash. Just a lil common courtesy.

[Lammbock]

She was just being a ignorant B*&^h, I have often taken out hundreds of thousands of baht 20,000B at a time from a ATM and when I see someone behind me I let them know I'm going to be there awhile and if they just need a quick withdraw I let em use it before I go back to taking out the cash. Just a lil common courtesy.

But anyhow, to tell everyone that you are going to pull out a 100k or more might be not a good think to do either.

[Huey]

She was just being a ignorant B*&^h, I have often taken out hundreds of thousands of baht 20,000B at a time from a ATM and when I see someone behind me I let them know I'm going to be there awhile and if they just need a quick withdraw I let em use it before I go back to taking out the cash. Just a lil common courtesy.

But anyhow, to tell everyone that you are going to pull out a 100k or more might be not a good think to do either.

Your right, but I don't tell them I'm going to be taking out a bunch, I just say "I'm gonna be here for a lil while" But I usually do that in a mall somewhere in a busy area, and fortunately I'm not exactly the softest of targets. They really gotta want the money to stick me up. Possible sure thing, plausible, not likely.

And as for your signature..."It's working out great, Love it"

[shadiadi]

I sometimes think they are playing PAC Man or Space Invaders

[Valentine]

Whenever I see a Thai couple at an ATM machine it always seems to be the girl withdrawing. The girls are usually well dressed or are wearing a uniform from their workplace. The guys are generally slovenly & hanging over the girls keeping a close eye on proceedings. My perception is the guys are lazy, no good & just using the girls for sex & money although for sure this is not always the case.

[Scott]

Let's take care in our generalizations about Thai people. My observation, Valentine, has been the opposite of yours. Perhaps we only see those things that support our basic position?

But this thread probably isn't about why people are withdrawing money or dawdling at the ATM machine, so let's stay on-topic.

[bonobo]

 

I watch in amazement as Thai guys build a house with no formal training, it just seems to come naturally for many of them. ( Now we'll have posts about how poor their workmanship is ), my house is great, and no way could I or any bunch of untrained Farangs that I know have built it.

And at the time these guys were getting something like 150 Baht per day !! Amazing !

Most anyone with a modicum of handyman ability can build a house.  But that is not to say that that is a good idea.  My US house is in the Permit hel_l of San Diego County (the county itself is pretty stringent, too.)  And I moaned and bitched as I built my house and had to change my plans, get inspection after inspection, etc.  BUt that house has already survived two huge wildfires and several earthquakes with only some air conditioning units being scorched and two windows breaking.

Just recently in Thailand, there was a teenager electrocuted in a shower due to faulty grounding.  And while there aren't too many earthquakes here, compare a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in California to one in Turkey or China.  In LA, 17 people die.  In Turkey and China, the number is in the hundreds of thousands.

Being able to erect some walls and a roof without formal training does not always mean that doing so is a good idea.

[Heng]

If you want to help yourself a bit in avoiding the general dawdle crowd, avoid the 1st-2nd, 15th-16th, 25th-26th, and of course last 1-2 working days of each month, the most common pay days for the working masses (not to mention for all of the people who have to pay these masses, sometimes through ATMs). Also avoid the day after big football matches: particularly Premier, FIFA, World Cup etc. championships. Payout and collection day for the bookies. May as well throw in two days after each lotto draw as well, same reason.

Find a balance between being skint all the time and being overloaded with cash. You probably won't be targeted by professional cat burglars for keeping 20-30 thousand Baht in the house.

Sorted.

[Chunky1]

just do what i do and take off 50k everytime u go to atm.

[Valentine]

Let's take care in our generalizations about Thai people. My observation, Valentine, has been the opposite of yours. Perhaps we only see those things that support our basic position?

But this thread probably isn't about why people are withdrawing money or dawdling at the ATM machine, so let's stay on-topic.

I wondered if someone would pick it up as a generalization or stereotyping & I originally planned to expand my explanation. I was merely making an observation. I have personally met many more hard working, honest Thai guys than the layabout, ne'er do well type. In fact I have had many do some small job & refuse to accept any fee.

Back to the slow ATM people, most of the comments repeated here come into play at sometime or other. Middle & end of the month are good times to avoid ATM machines especially in shopping centres.

[Lumumba]

I was at an ATM the other , an Indian fella just came up to my side to observe what I was doing.

The slow people i hate most are the ones that would put the cash in their wallet then put the wallet in the handbag, then read the slip carefully, then fold it neatly and put in the bag and start to make a call on the cell. Thats when I through their side start using the ATM while they are still there.

[bonobo]

I was at an ATM the other , an Indian fella just came up to my side to observe what I was doing.

The slow people i hate most are the ones that would put the cash in their wallet then put the wallet in the handbag, then read the slip carefully, then fold it neatly and put in the bag and start to make a call on the cell. Thats when I through their side start using the ATM while they are still there.

I get frustrated with, shall we say, people who can't quite seem to comprehend what they are doing.  BUt I give them the benefit of the doubt and just patiently wait.  But those as you described above, the ones who do all those steps after getting their cash, they drive em up the wall as well.

I put them right up there with the people who wait in line at a fast food restaurant for 5 or 10 minutes, then only look up at the menu when the cashier asks them for their order.  THey couldn't make up their mind while they were waiting?  And they really don't know what McDOnald's has to offer by now?