Was I Ripped Off?

[BangTaoBoy]

Yes, anybody working in a factory would abandon their kids to their parents...

Not the point of this post though - the OP may have been 'ripped off', but its to be expected.

Admittedly I've only lived here for coming up to 5 years, but I know better than to believe that I'll get the same deal as a Thai.

BUT, there are times we are v lucky and follow friends and find local people that provide a good service at a reasonable price.

That's just it. What you see as being 'very lucky' others find quite easy and manage to do on a daily basis. These threads always get quite confused because you have tourists and you have long term residents and then you have long term residents saying how bad things are for tourists, you have tourists talking as if they were long term residents etc etc.

As far as I can tell, the OP is a long term resident and so are you. You say 'only 5 years'. five years is a large chunk of anyones life, and I think you should be finding it a bit easier than 'very lucky' to find places that are prepared to charge you a Thai price.

If you walk in to a business in a foreign country, without any knowledge of that country or any ability to speak the language, having done no research or brought a native with you, then I'm sorry, be it wrong or right, you are opening yourself up to being taken for a ride. That isn't a Thai thing, that's a human thing. The onus is upon you to take steps to eliminate the chances of this happening.

If you're on holiday in Brazil and you walk alone in to a Favela late at night, and get murdered. Does that make the murder OK? Does that make the murderer not wrong? No of course it doesn't, but the person who made the decision to go in there needs to be held responsible for his stupid actions. If people then blamed Brazilian people in general, they would be even more stupid. That's a bit of an extreme example, but the principle is exactly the same. The OP was silly to do what he did (all be it to the consequence of being taken for £4) but nothing that happened can be blamed on Thai people being a certain way.

[FritsSikkink]

@ the OP getting your car fixed for 200 bath is not a rip off in my view

How much money did / do you make per hour?

[Wallaby]

@ the OP getting your car fixed for 200 bath is not a rip off in my view

How much money did / do you make per hour?

What does that have to do with the price of eggs?

If he is charged more than what others pay for the same service then he was ripped off. The amount in relation to what he makes per hour is irrelevant. Wouldn't matter if he had 20 mil in the bank.

[jocko]

Rip off's happen in most tourist hot spots in the world always have always will you have to live and learn. If you change money in a airport the wrong side of check in you dont get as good a rate is that a rip off.

I recently changed £200 pounds in a bank in Australia and got charged $8 dollar's for the transaction is that a rip off ,compared to the uk too right it is so you live and learn.

[svtbg]

It's a RULE OF THE THUMB in Thailand: FIRST ask how much a job will cost and then decide whether you wanna pay or leave. Every shop has a different price and can charge you whatever it wants. But to answer your question: YES, you were ripped off since they saw you were a foreigner and the Thais will charge you as much as they want as long as there is no pricelist on the wall!

[barka]

And I believe that comment is totally false. Truth is honesty, and Thais dont have a problem with saying things totally untrue, for face, for profit, for many reasons.. How many women do you know who would rather be drinking and partying than raise their own kids, and how many in the uk palm them off on grandma.. And please dont give me the 'poor things, they need to do it to support the child' <deleted>.. They do it because it easier than other work, because its 'sanuk' and getting pissed with your mates is easier than working in a factory.. Because they can have the latest cellphone and motorbike (otherwise please expalin uni girls from middle class families hooking for a new iPhone).. 9 from 10 times thats the case.

Family oriented !! Their kids are usually 1000 kms from them !!

How many Thai people do you know personally 'Kropotkin'? How many times a day do you interact with normal every day Thais?

100's.. 1000's.. A decade full time on the island.. And you ?? Still in the RTG phase I guess.

Firstly, it is quite clear for most to see, that the name right before the question mark is 'Kropotkin', which means the question was addressed to him. We all know you have millions of friends. I'm sure you know 3/4 of CM already!

So this Thai girl in the UK, and yourself, would happily walk in to a garage that you've never been in to before, ask for a new gear box, and then walk out without asking how much it's going to cost? You then come back the next day waving your cash about, knowing that you'll be happy with the price when they hand you the invoice? And you're a self titled entrepreneur ?? That's no way to do business I assure you.

How does anybody on this thread know how much that company would have charged if the OP asked the price first? They may well have quoted the exact same price, which means he wasn't ripped off at all, he just didn't ask the price first.

You then write a paragraph in response to my comment on every day Thai people, entirely about prostitutes!! If that doesn't sum up my point perfectly I don't know what does. Those factories that the bar girls are too lazy to work in, who's in them then. They must be empty?? Those factories are full to the brim with young parents, men and women, who are grafting every day in a <deleted> job, so they can afford to take care of their children. That will often mean kids being left with grand parents, or whole extended families, moving to live together in BKK. I'm talking about every day normal Thais, and you're talking about bar girls, need I say more. It's the same mentality that people use when they use the word Phuket when they mean the word Patong.

The people at that garage did nothing worse than any other garage would have done, anywhere else in the world, but people who know nothing about anything will jump all over it, and take the moral high ground.

Finally, as for your RTG phase comment. As I have said before, I have been married for a decade. That means normal life, normal Thai people for ten years. How much of the ten years you spent on Phuket was in a stable relationship, and how much of it was in bars and clubs, mixing with the kind of people that you now constantly refer to? Lots of people on this forum have been in long healthy relationships, and have lived on Phuket happily for long periods of time. Surely they would be in the best position to discuss Phuket and Thai people? No of course not, silly me, it's the people who don't live in Phuket because they don't like it, and the people who think all girls are bar girls!

Why dont you and LOS ...START YOUR OWN FORUM....your like 2 big.. KIDS... wanting the last...WORD...GROW UP...

[BangTaoBoy]

Why dont you and LOS ...START YOUR OWN FORUM....your like 2 big.. KIDS... wanting the last...WORD...GROW UP...

If I did, anyone using random capitals in such a bizarre way would be instantly banned! It's as if you've got some sort of writing version of Tourette's syndrome!!

It's quite simple to understand. I like to discuss interesting topics, and I enjoy arguing my point. I will do this with anyone who cares to share their opinion, if the only person doing the same is 'LLOS' then so be it, but you are more than welcome to join in.

If your wave length is more suited to threads such as 'Where can I buy Marmite' (I remember once a thread with that exact same title ran for 5 pages!) Then that's up to you, I don't open half the threads posted, because I know they won't interest me, the ones that do, I will reply to as I see fit, (within TV rules) and to whom I see fit. I believe that is my prerogative. As it is everybody elses to discuss where the best place to by Marmite is, and other such riveting topics.

[NamKangMan]

Why dont you and LOS ...START YOUR OWN FORUM....your like 2 big.. KIDS... wanting the last...WORD...GROW UP...

If I did, anyone using random capitals in such a bizarre way would be instantly banned! It's as if you've got some sort of writing version of Tourette's syndrome!!

It's quite simple to understand. I like to discuss interesting topics, and I enjoy arguing my point. I will do this with anyone who cares to share their opinion, if the only person doing the same is 'LLOS' then so be it, but you are more than welcome to join in.

If your wave length is more suited to threads such as 'Where can I buy Marmite' (I remember once a thread with that exact same title ran for 5 pages!) Then that's up to you, I don't open half the threads posted, because I know they won't interest me, the ones that do, I will reply to as I see fit, (within TV rules) and to whom I see fit. I believe that is my prerogative. As it is everybody elses to discuss where the best place to by Marmite is, and other such riveting topics.

Good reply.

I'm also one of the more argumentitive posters, but never post anything abusive. The forum is here for all members, and for all things Thai and Phuket related. There are thousands of members. Everyone can not agree with everyone, all of the time.

[barka]

Why dont you and LOS ...START YOUR OWN FORUM....your like 2 big.. KIDS... wanting the last...WORD...GROW UP...

If I did, anyone using random capitals in such a bizarre way would be instantly banned! It's as if you've got some sort of writing version of Tourette's syndrome!!

It's quite simple to understand. I like to discuss interesting topics, and I enjoy arguing my point. I will do this with anyone who cares to share their opinion, if the only person doing the same is 'LLOS' then so be it, but you are more than welcome to join in.

If your wave length is more suited to threads such as 'Where can I buy Marmite' (I remember once a thread with that exact same title ran for 5 pages!) Then that's up to you, I don't open half the threads posted, because I know they won't interest me, the ones that do, I will reply to as I see fit, (within TV rules) and to whom I see fit. I believe that is my prerogative. As it is everybody elses to discuss where the best place to by Marmite is, and other such riveting topics.

Good reply.

I'm also one of the more argumentitive posters, but never post anything abusive. The forum is here for all members, and for all things Thai and Phuket related. There are thousands of members. Everyone can not agree with everyone, all of the time.

My.. last word..if it was abusive or out of order the MODS would have delated it...Freedom of speach...Agree...?

[LivinginKata]

Why dont you and LOS ...START YOUR OWN FORUM....your like 2 big.. KIDS... wanting the last...WORD...GROW UP...

If I did, anyone using random capitals in such a bizarre way would be instantly banned! It's as if you've got some sort of writing version of Tourette's syndrome!!

Use of capitals is considered shouting. In this case the poster seemed just be highlighting some key words to make his point.

Please get back on topic, thank you.