Can Thailand Really Do Anything Else To Alienate The Tourists And Expats?

[mommysboy]

I thought OP just told it the way it was. The minute you try to do anything constructive in this country you have a problem, and one that is likely to cost you. And goalposts don't just shift, they revolve.

Maybe if Vietnam or Cambodia are more corrupt, then just perhaps they are less likely to single out foreigners, whereas in Thailand it's a national sport it seems.

Personally, I just can't believe the Thailand defenders on this thread, beggars belief really, bit like a chicken defending the fox.

[tatt2dude]

Nope. Not in this case.

So let me get this straight, you have 20 stores so I assume you employ at least 20 people to staff those stores and not one thief amongst them?

Forget pointing the finger at any race, what are the odds?

You are either truly blessed which I doubt, a Mafia godfather again doubtful, or living on a different planet to the rest of us, in which case I would like to visit.

[Ulysses G.]

You said "robbed blind", which usually means very significant amounts of money. We are talking about corruption and cheating on a big scale, not a little petty cash. The accusations are that Thailand is somehow unusual. Do you really think that employees in the West do not do the same thing?

[MrJohnson]

Well this little dialogue is actually quite revealing. Phil was harmlessly joking that folks from Liverpool are thieves and TW practically blows his lid. Yet, the blokes on this thread are suggesting that all Thai's are corrupt and dishonest based on experiences with an extremely minute sampling of Thai's, and these same blokes are ok with that. Do you see the contradiction?

Good point and very often the case on this forum. Double standard?

I refer you to my posts in this thread and ask you to point out any double standards on my part, at no point do I say 'all thais' or even intimate 'all thais', in fact I state the opposite. your apology will be accepted as it is clea that you have not read the thread and only read Berkshires post, however when he reads the thread he will also see that there are no double standards on my part.

You misunderstand me I think. With regard to the double standard comment; I was merely referring to the fact that it appears to be OK, at times on this board, for people to bag out the Thais but it is not OK to bag out any other nationality. I was not refering to your posts in particular. No offence intended.

[robblok]

I have found that you always have to be careful for because if you don't you get robbed here. My gf who is Thai also says the same thing Thais love easy money and cheating. Sometimes as a farang you get cheated more as a Thai but often they cheat fellow Thais just as hard.

You cant really change it so you just have to accept it and prepare yourself against it. It is of course bad to see tourist get ripped off by the Thais. Knowing that the price they are charging is totally ridiculous. I hate things like that.

Mostly this will happen in tourist area's here i seldom get ripped off (or i just don't notice it). For stuff like my bike repair i could be ripped off but i don't know because i have no idea for the prices. Other things like renting a van and going somewhere (airport to some destination) my gf knows the prices and just plainly refuses the scams.

But we have to agree its not good for a country.

Just to be clear i get just as mad for taxi drivers in Amsterdam scamming tourist or refusing rides or being downright aggressive. Its not that i hate Thais or Thailand.. i just hate scams and injustice.

A note to the people who say don't moan and suck it up.. I do to a certain extent but i can still get angry when i see people get scammed. But you wont see me going postal on anyone or letting me spoil the nice times i have here.

[dannyman]

I get really tired of Canadian's whining,How come were not in the World Cup ?

[mugopp]

I completely agree with Philsw & tatt2dude. Not only take off the rose colored glasses, but lay off the Kool Aid. UG maybe you can BS the Newbies, but not the old timers.

[tatt2dude]

You said "robbed blind", which usually means very significant amounts of money. We are talking about corruption and cheating on a big scale, not a little petty cash. The accusations are that Thailand is somehow unusual. Do you really think that employees in the West do not do the same thing?

The emphasis was on blind.

So you have suffered losses from petty cash then?

Thailand is somehow unusual? Yes it's a national sport, if they put as much effort into their football team Brazil would be sh*tting themselves that they would meet Thailand in the final. It's a sad fact, some people can deal with it, others (like myself) find it unacceptable and feel alienated by it. Yes it happens in the West, no where near the same scale, in Thailand even the educated feel it's ok to skim a little here and there.

I dont think your even fooling the newbies, Thailand has been well and truly rumbled, I do not envy you with 20 stores, good luck with that.

[carmine]

I completely agree with Philsw & tatt2dude. Not only take off the rose colored glasses, but lay off the Kool Aid. UG maybe you can BS the Newbies, but not the old timers.

Nonsense. As a man that has lived here for twenty odd years and never been scammed, robbed or whatever, i forget now, he should be bestowed the status as a national treasure.

[philw]

I completely agree with Philsw & tatt2dude. Not only take off the rose colored glasses, but lay off the Kool Aid. UG maybe you can BS the Newbies, but not the old timers.

Nonsense. As a man that has lived here for twenty odd years and never been scammed, robbed or whatever, i forget now, he should be bestowed the status as a national treasure.

Good one !!!!

If I haven't really been ripped off that much, could I qualify as well ??

Is there a special National Treasure, advert for Thailand visa .

Ph

[Ulysses G.]

 

UG maybe you can BS the Newbies, but not the old timers.

Don't you mean the old whingers? Plenty of astute old timers have agreed with me. 

[tatt2dude]

UG maybe you can BS the Newbies, but not the old timers.

Don't you mean the old whingers? Plenty of astute old timers have agreed with me.

Astute ex pats.... dont even get me started on that one

[IanForbes]

I get really tired of Canadian's whining,How come were not in the World Cup ?

Us Canadians are taught from an early age to complain, whine and snivel. That is one reason why I feel so comfortable on thaivisa forums... there are so many snivelers.

Why should I care if some underpaid Thai scams me for a few extra baht if I can afford it? I don't eat Thai food in Canada because I hate paying $14.95 for something I pay 40 baht ($1.25) for in Thailand? Like I've said many times... it still comes down to value for your money. If something is worth it to you then you pay the going rate... even if it is exorbitant by some people's standards. I can't believe that people would pay 8 dollars for a package of cigarettes, but the smokers do so willingly. Same with the drinkers.

Certainly there are many problems in Thailand, and corruption is part of the way of life. Accept it, laugh about it and get on with enjoying life. Many times I've told Thais that I'm not an ATM machine, but I do so with a smile on my face and a hearty laugh so nobody's feelings are hurt. I've been over charged for taxi rides many times, but sometimes there is no alternative, or you haven't established a price before you take off.

However, I'm not in the position of running a business in Thailand, and don't have those worries, so I can understand people getting upset when contracts are not fulfilled and goods are being over charged for. After spending a number of years in Thailand I came to the conclusion I would never invest any more than I can afford to walk away from with few regrets. Those that get married and raise a family in Thailand have entirely different worries and I sympathize with them.

[Ulysses G.]

Astute ex pats.... dont even get me started on that one

Do you like to whinge about them too?

Edited June 17, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[anonymouse]

The op's subtitle to this thread was "Scams, buying property and corruption" petty theft wasn't mentioned.

I came to Thailand the first time 15 years ago, I have bought and sold two houses [with my wife for the pedantics out there ] and owned a business.

In all honesty I can look back over those years and list the scams/corruption that have happened to me.

First trip the 'old grand palace shut cheap tuk tuk scam', he realised he wasn't going to get any money from me and drove off withough charging me for the fare.

the first house we purchased I had to pay a 500 baht bribe to speed up the process this was my prerogative.

I caught one of my staff stealing from me so he got the boot, petty stuff again.

Obviously I've had the odd tuk tuk driver and songtaew driver overcharge me, I've probably been caught out at bars and restaurants as well though have never noticed.

similiar things have happened to me in most other developing countries that I've visited.

That's the sum total in 15 years

Do I get second place as a Thai national treasure after UG?

[Berkshire]

I completely agree with Philsw & tatt2dude. Not only take off the rose colored glasses, but lay off the Kool Aid. UG maybe you can BS the Newbies, but not the old timers.

Just because the whining brigade agrees with you, doesn't mean everyone else does. Maybe your life in Thailand sucks, but mine doesn't. I also know plenty of "old timers" who don't wear rose colored glasses or partake in Kool Aid and they're all doing just fine. Reading posts like yours reminds me of the saying "misery loves company."

[Ulysses G.]

The op's subtitle to this thread was "Scams, buying property and corruption" petty theft wasn't mentioned.

First trip the 'old grand palace shut cheap tuk tuk scam', he realised he wasn't going to get any money from me and drove off withough charging me for the fare.

The more canny posters seem to realize that I was not talking about petty stuff. I was talking about the major things that the OP brought up and that anonymouse has mentioned. I'm sure that I have been overcharged and gotten back the wrong change from time to time and perhaps an employee or two has pocketed something and never got caught. However, I can tell you for sure that a number of farang travelers have tried stealing stuff because I have seen myself and also heard about it from other businesses. Sure there are some dishonest Thais, but they have plenty of company.

I have to say that no one ever got me on the Grand Palace thing though as I had already realized that you can not listen to Tuk tuk drivers - they often do not know what they are talking about -  so I went and checked with the guards at the palace gate - went in - and never realized that the Tuk Tuk drivers were purposely lying until later.   

[tatt2dude]

Astute ex pats.... dont even get me started on that one

Do you like to whinge about them too?

How very ex pat of you. Anyone who does not agree with your point of view is a whinger and only the astute readers are intelligent enough to read between the lines in your posting in that when you said you had NEVER been ripped off in Thailand you meant never a figure in excess of ?

20 stores huh? What are they called?

toys R us?

[Ulysses G.]

Excuse me, but I never said that that I had 20 stores. Some whinging idiot who does not seem to be able to read (and keeps making up things that I never said ) attributed it to me in between asinine comments and a lot of moaning about this and that. Maybe you should address your clever observations and complaints to him.

Edited June 17, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[anonymouse]

 Excuse me, but I never said that that I had 20 stores. Some whinging idiot who does not seem to be able to read (and keeps making up things that I never said ) attributed it to me in between asinine comments and a lot of moaning about this and that. Maybe you should address your clever observations and complaints to him.    

I think that he would be replying to himself as he was the one that made up the 20 stores comment

he doesn't seem to be the brightest of lads maybe that's why he keeps on getting scammed

[tatt2dude]

You can bet your life that Berkshire and UG haven't done too much of the above and if they had they might be of a different opinion.

I own a chain of stores that are doing pretty well and have never been ripped off by a Thai in 20 years. Think again.

I do apologize!

20 years and a chain of stores, I can see clearly now..... so how many stores are there in a chain?

[Ulysses G.]

Five locations, but the biggest location is actually two double shop houses directly across the street from each other.

Apology accepted. 

[livinthailandos]

Where totally getting off topic from the pages I've seen. As for alienating tourists

1. Current instability issues every year seem to be doing some damage especially to the tourist sector.

2. Seems thailand, in major tourist areas are only going upscale, they seem to forget you can still make money from the average backpacker. ( today's backpacker could be the future middle class tourist )

3. From many people I talk to prices are becoming comparable to western prices. The only time this is different is if your eating and drinking at local thai places, shopping at family mart / 7-11.

Corruption: as long as this is here, or getting worse, how will anything improve.

Weither you love / like / hate thailand - every country has problems from minor - major. Things could be worse, look at mexico's fight with the drug war going on. How does burma or north korea sound. or even zimbabwe. Maybe some of you should move to those places for a while then tell me how bad thailand is after living there. ( I know thats not a realistic option but just worth saying )

[kevozman1]

Political Socialism.

[mommysboy]

If UG carries on much more he'll have us convinced grass is red!

Ruined a good thread.

[Ulysses G.]

How dare I interrupt all the narrow-minded whinging with some positive experiences.

Edited June 17, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[Berkshire]

How dare I interrupt all the narrow-minded whinging with some positive experiences.

Boy UG, these schmucks are really ganging up on you. No worries, you have a quiet coalition behind you, all of us just shaking our heads at the constant negativity. If my life was as bad as some of these guys make it out to be, I'd put a gun to my head. But yet they stay...and complain....and stay....and complain. One of the mysteries of the universe....

[carmine]

How dare I interrupt all the narrow-minded whinging with some positive experiences.

Boy UG, these schmucks are really ganging up on you. No worries, you have a quiet coalition behind you, all of us just shaking our heads at the constant negativity. If my life was as bad as some of these guys make it out to be, I'd put a gun to my head. But yet they stay...and complain....and stay....and complain. One of the mysteries of the universe....

UG has posted a number of rather silly comments.

Thats what happens when you talk a load of twaddle Berkshire i respectfully submit.

[Ulysses G.]

You certainly seem to be an expert when it comes to twaddle one has to admit.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Ulysses G.

[carmine]

You certainly seem to be an expert when it comes to twaddle one has to admit.

Oh i don't know. Looking at my post, #25, compared to some of yours on this thread, i think i'm doing just fine.