Honesty In Thailand

[F1fanatic]

Ohhh please guys come on, a whole thread about amazing Thailand and its 30 bht refund

A whole thread all about one USA dollar?

You all think shop owners are so desperately poor that this is front page news? good grief..

No but it makes a change from the Thai Bashers who regularly fill dozens of pages with their rants....

But heres another nice story...

A neighbour rang me in a panic, he was on his way to Bkk and when reaching Udon airport realised he had left his bank card at the ATM about 1Km from where we live. (he said he may have left it on top of the machine in a plastic wallet while putting his cash away) I motored down there but it wasn't to be found.

The plastic wallet also had his address in Thai, on his return from Bkk the wallet and card was in his mailbox.

There are the good and the bad everywhere. The trouble is we move here thinking everyone is good...

We learn the hard way and appreciate the good experiences whilst 'shaking off' the bad.

[Hooters]

Ohhh please guys come on, a whole thread about amazing Thailand and its 30 bht refund

A whole thread all about one USA dollar?

You all think shop owners are so desperately poor that this is front page news? good grief..

Nobody claimed it was "front page news", just a 'nice' story that elicited replies.

I think its patronizing to be honest , fancy that, a thai person refunding one dollar and every one jumps on the band wagon with high praise,, eek!

[hehehoho]

Even though to me it is a small amount,I thought that this was a fantastic display of honesty, and it made sure that i will be a regular customer from now on

Shrewd move.

Buying your loyalty for a pitiful 30b.

He'll make more than that on the xmas present you buy him alone, for being such a nice chap.

Edited December 8, 2011 by hehehoho

[marstons]

not front page news either Hooters but here goes, lost my $300 phone in a bar recently, next day wife rang the number and thai girl answered and said where it was, in the bar and she had found it. went and had all on to get her to accept the 500 baht i gave her, and yes she was a working girl but new to it. secondly went into pattaya beer garden few weeks ago and noticed a few looks and staff going to the manager, she came over with a bill, i thought here we go what now, to my amazement she said last time you pay and go leave 1000 baht, we think you not leave 520 tip. so got 500 baht back. and yes gave it back 50/50.

one the flip side when i felt the need to check change it has usually been wrong against me, but still some good ones out there.

Hooters if your not bothered about dollar stories why read and waste ya time posting, nobody puts a gun to anybodys head and say must read this.

[Tafia]

I think its patronizing to be honest , fancy that, a thai person refunding one dollar and every one jumps on the band wagon with high praise,, eek!

No more patronizing than those who post (and there are many)when they have been overcharged a dollar. Its already been said its not headline news but a change from the usual Thai bashers.

Its a pleasure to read some heartwarming stories whether its a dollars worth or not!

Hooters if your not bothered about dollar stories why read and waste ya time posting, nobody puts a gun to anybodys head and say must read this.

[hehehoho]

I'm still waiting for the 10,000thb refund from the Honda dealer who added it onto the 100,000thb rrp on bike I bought last year.

Only 10% fleecing was good, as most others were up to 30-40%.

Perhaps he'll give it back next time I'm in saying it was all a mistake.

Edited December 8, 2011 by hehehoho

[davey26]

I was waiting for the negative responses to my story everyone is entitled to their opinion. Im not a regular poster, but regular reader. Just thought a bit of positive news wouldn't go astray now and then.

Even if it was a so-called PR stunt, well good on the owners for doing so, it sure did work. They will be getting my $ in the future, and if that helps them, then that is great.

I am a business owner here, and i am all for customer service. Whether it be honesty, a smile, or going that extra mile to make your customers happy, is what it's all about. 9 times out of 10, they come back, and iv'e made some wonderful friends this way, and kept my business going strong in the mean time. word of mouth is a very powerful tool also!!!

Thanks to everyone for the replies, good to hear some other positive stories also,

Good day

[norrona]

I'm still waiting for the 10,000thb refund from the Honda dealer who added it onto the 100,000thb rrp on bike I bought last year.

Only 10% fleecing was good, as most others were up to 30-40%.

Perhaps he'll give it back next time I'm in saying it was all a mistake.

so to clarify, the price was 100k and you counted out 110k?

I've got a few things for sale....special price for you

[philw]

Doesnt matter if you really did get overcharged or not. The owner has now bought your patronage for 30 bht

Unfortunately, I suspect this is right. An excellent PR ploy.

What a load of crap.

It''s a record UG, I agree with you........

Actually you omitted the "total" load of crap.

100% agree with you on this one.

Edited December 8, 2011 by philw

[hehehoho]

I'm still waiting for the 10,000thb refund from the Honda dealer who added it onto the 100,000thb rrp on bike I bought last year.

Only 10% fleecing was good, as most others were up to 30-40%.

Perhaps he'll give it back next time I'm in saying it was all a mistake.

so to clarify, the price was 100k and you counted out 110k?

I've got a few things for sale....special price for you

Nope RRP was 100k.

Dealer would laugh when you tell them this. Unfortunately it being such a great little bike the demand was far higher than supply so the dealer price upon release was 110-120k.

Then demand became even higher and the supply even less so I could have sold it at a profit 3 months later, as the dealers were up to 130k. Most with a waiting list of 2 months.

But if you're selling something now that will be worth more in a few months I may be interested.

Edited December 8, 2011 by hehehoho

[lovelomsak]

About 20 years ago I had to exchange some currency at the currency exchange that used to be in front of Nana plaza. It was early morning about 8 or 9 if I remember right. After doing the exchange, I was walking down the Sukhumvit and the cashier from the exhange came running up behind me to tell me she had given me the incorrect exchange she had given me Australian exchange rate instead of Canadian and at that time Canada was higher. I went back to the exchange place and she redid the figures and gave me the extra money I had coming. I donot think you would see that to often anywhere.

[norrona]

I'm still waiting for the 10,000thb refund from the Honda dealer who added it onto the 100,000thb rrp on bike I bought last year.

Only 10% fleecing was good, as most others were up to 30-40%.

Perhaps he'll give it back next time I'm in saying it was all a mistake.

so to clarify, the price was 100k and you counted out 110k?

I've got a few things for sale....special price for you

Nope RRP was 100k.

Dealer would laugh when you tell them this. Unfortunately it being such a great little bike the demand was far higher than supply so the dealer price upon release was 110-120k.

Then demand became even higher and the supply even less so I could have sold it at a profit 3 months later, as the dealers were up to 130k. Most with a waiting list of 2 months.

But if you're selling something now that will be worth more in a few months I may be interested.

can't guarantee anything I sell will be worth more in a few months time....

just dumbfounded why you had to share about paying an extra 10k for something when you now seem quite chuffed about it :jap:

[Thongkorn]

I wish all the Bankers in the West where as honest, as this lady in Thailand, Then no of us and shop keepers would be in the Financial mess that we are in now because of Dis honesty.

[Beetlejuice]

Doesnt matter if you really did get overcharged or not. The owner has now bought your patronage for 30 bht

Unfortunately, I suspect this is right. An excellent PR ploy.

How on earth would they know that an assistant had overcharged you by 30 bht?

HOWEVER, my local store (that I visit every now and again) handed me 300 bht(!) a few months ago, telling me that I had been overcharged! I can't remember why or how, but it made sense at the time.

I'm now wondering whether it was just a ploy as they realised that I live here ....

How cynical you are. Even if someone does do a nice deed all in good faith, you lot will still try and find a dubious reason in the background.

Believe or not, even in today’s jungle, there are still true, honest and sincere people out there.

I always believe that people are more good than bad, but the problem is that although the bad maybe in the minority, it is them that make the most impact which leaves the actions of everyone else as suspect.

Sad but true.

[seedy]

I let it be on their karma and not let it upset you.

[TingTawng]

You can never win against the cynics.... "Now the Owner has bought your patronage for 30 baht" ??? come on, are some of you so bitter that this is all you see ?

The Op has posted a positive experience on a forum much more frequently populated by negative ones. People find something wrong with this ?

Exactly. The cynicism runs so deep on this forum - it's like some people here are so negative, they just don't accept a positive story - there simply must exist a more negative layer under the positive one.

[TingTawng]

Do people become terminal cynics after arriving in Thailand, or do Cynics gravitate to Thailand for some reason?

I think cynics fall into one or more of the following categories:-

• they live in the farang ghettos (Pattaya, Patong, Bangkok centre etc) where attitudes to money are a bit more cut-throat - and they simply think all of Thailand is like this
  
• they've had one or more shitty relationships with Thai women without actually having a good one
  
• they may have had good relationships with Thai women in the past, but are currently in a shitty one
  
• their only experience with Thai women is with bar girls
  
• they simply have a low opinion of Thais because of a perception that first world countries are "better" than second world countries (an old imperial attitude)
  
• they hang around with farangs most of the time
  

If someone's cynicism is so strong, I truly wonder why they remain in a country where they turn every positive story into a negative one.

Edited December 9, 2011 by TingTawng

[xthAi76s]

About 20 years ago I had to exchange some currency at the currency exchange that used to be in front of Nana plaza. It was early morning about 8 or 9 if I remember right. After doing the exchange, I was walking down the Sukhumvit and the cashier from the exhange came running up behind me to tell me she had given me the incorrect exchange she had given me Australian exchange rate instead of Canadian and at that time Canada was higher. I went back to the exchange place and she redid the figures and gave me the extra money I had coming. I donot think you would see that to often anywhere.

I think that you are likely to see something like this most anywhere you go. Esp because there's no incentive for the cashier to cheat you. Essentially, all those transactions are recorded as it's a bank of sorts. She cannot cheat you to benefit herself.

Edited December 9, 2011 by ThailandMan

[chuang]

Few weeks ago at the BKK Intl airport i dropped my mobile phone in the gents' toilet...only realised it half an hour later, went back and asked the cleaner and she led me to the security counter and my phone was there...thank you.. :jap:

[xthAi76s]

In a country of `65,000,000 of course there will be some good deeds.

I went to a dermatologist in that CRC tower building over there near the All Seasons on Wireless Rd. He took me in for a consult the first time and had me pay nothing. There was a promotion in this regard anyway. However, during my second, follow up visit (which was lengthier), he also refused my attempt to pay him. His advice has been the first to actually solve my problem. I had been going to rather expensive, high end derms in NY for some time which helped but didn't ever actually solve my problem.

Anyway, was this just a kind act by the doctor for refusing the 2nd consult fee or was it good business? I don't know, but either way, I received it as a good thing.

As for the cynicism, yeah, I agree that there are all kinds of foreigners here in Thailand. Some are decent, and others probably not so much. However, as a guy who has it together and who tries to see the good in people/life, Thailand does often leave a rather unpleasant taste in my mouth. Rather, the areas I visit and people I often interact with often leave an unpleasant taste in my mouth. (hey, no jokes about that, please ) It's a rugged place and most people (despite their ever smiling faces) have it pretty rough, so they are trying to survive. Since I've been here, I've learned to stop taking the negative things that I encounter personally (as I chalk it up to survival), but it doesn't make me notice them any less. You can't deny that 'mai bpen rai' cultural attitude makes for many issues challenging to us non-Thais. It's essentially a free-for-all ... The only rule is that there often are no real rules so long as nobody protests. I'm reading a book on this now.

[Berkshire]

Do people become terminal cynics after arriving in Thailand, or do Cynics gravitate to Thailand for some reason?

I think cynics fall into one or more of the following categories:-

• they live in the farang ghettos (Pattaya, Patong, Bangkok centre etc) where attitudes to money are a bit more cut-throat - and they simply think all of Thailand is like this
• they've had one or more shitty relationships with Thai women without actually having a good one
• they may have had good relationships with Thai women in the past, but are currently in a shitty one
• their only experience with Thai women is with bar girls
• they simply have a low opinion of Thais because of a perception that first world countries are "better" than second world countries (an old imperial attitude)
• they hang around with farangs most of the time

If someone's cynicism is so strong, I truly wonder why they remain in a country where they turn every positive story into a negative one.

Agree with you 100%, TT, especially your last sentence. The funny thing is that most farangs that I meet in Thailand are generally decent people. But behind the anonymous keyboard, they tend to become Grade A a**holes. We have some truly racist scumbags on TV and I do wish they'd just leave the Kingdom.

[janverbeem]

You can never win against the cynics.... "Now the Owner has bought your patronage for 30 baht" ??? come on, are some of you so bitter that this is all you see ?

The Op has posted a positive experience on a forum much more frequently populated by negative ones. People find something wrong with this ?

So why the hell post positive experiences on a negative forum.

The OP should know better.

[TingTawng]

Do people become terminal cynics after arriving in Thailand, or do Cynics gravitate to Thailand for some reason?

I think cynics fall into one or more of the following categories:-

• they live in the farang ghettos (Pattaya, Patong, Bangkok centre etc) where attitudes to money are a bit more cut-throat - and they simply think all of Thailand is like this
• they've had one or more shitty relationships with Thai women without actually having a good one
• they may have had good relationships with Thai women in the past, but are currently in a shitty one
• their only experience with Thai women is with bar girls
• they simply have a low opinion of Thais because of a perception that first world countries are "better" than second world countries (an old imperial attitude)
• they hang around with farangs most of the time

If someone's cynicism is so strong, I truly wonder why they remain in a country where they turn every positive story into a negative one.

Agree with you 100%, TT, especially your last sentence. The funny thing is that most farangs that I meet in Thailand are generally decent people. But behind the anonymous keyboard, they tend to become Grade A a**holes. We have some truly racist scumbags on TV and I do wish they'd just leave the Kingdom.

Me too - I've met decent farangs here in real life - so it's always kind of jarring to read the negative comments on TV - it doesn't reflect what I've seen in Thailand over 8 years. It's fair enough to make a negative comment when something bad has actually happened, but when a shop vendor gives you back some money, to then see it as some kind of "ruse" - well, I guess every silver lining has a cloud.

Edited December 9, 2011 by TingTawng

[Berkshire]

You can never win against the cynics.... "Now the Owner has bought your patronage for 30 baht" ??? come on, are some of you so bitter that this is all you see ?

The Op has posted a positive experience on a forum much more frequently populated by negative ones. People find something wrong with this ?

So why the hell post positive experiences on a negative forum.

The OP should know better.

But why in <deleted>'s name does it have to be a negative forum??

[hehehoho]

I'm still waiting for the 10,000thb refund from the Honda dealer who added it onto the 100,000thb rrp on bike I bought last year.

Only 10% fleecing was good, as most others were up to 30-40%.

Perhaps he'll give it back next time I'm in saying it was all a mistake.

so to clarify, the price was 100k and you counted out 110k?

I've got a few things for sale....special price for you

Nope RRP was 100k.

Dealer would laugh when you tell them this. Unfortunately it being such a great little bike the demand was far higher than supply so the dealer price upon release was 110-120k.

Then demand became even higher and the supply even less so I could have sold it at a profit 3 months later, as the dealers were up to 130k. Most with a waiting list of 2 months.

But if you're selling something now that will be worth more in a few months I may be interested.

can't guarantee anything I sell will be worth more in a few months time....

just dumbfounded why you had to share about paying an extra 10k for something when you now seem quite chuffed about it :jap:

Isn't this thread about being chuffed at Thais who give you money?

The Thai dealer only fleeced me by 10k as opposed to 20 to 30k like the other Thai dealers.

Thus saving me 10k-20k.

I suppose your glass is always half empty. Be positive, see the brilliance of living in Thailand.

[UKJASE]

i was in bangkok and lost all my money and phone and camera...... had not a bean to my name at 5am, but had to get to hua hin

so i walked to victory monument and i said to the lady "i lose all my money"

she points at the bus and signals me to get on

buddha bless her!!

paid her back next time i was in bangkok and will use that bus service everytime from now on

i think thai people are great

[F1fanatic]

Ohhh please guys come on, a whole thread about amazing Thailand and its 30 bht refund

A whole thread all about one USA dollar?

You all think shop owners are so desperately poor that this is front page news? good grief..

No but it makes a change from the Thai Bashers who regularly fill dozens of pages with their rants....

But heres another nice story...

A neighbour rang me in a panic, he was on his way to Bkk and when reaching Udon airport realised he had left his bank card at the ATM about 1Km from where we live. (he said he may have left it on top of the machine in a plastic wallet while putting his cash away) I motored down there but it wasn't to be found.

The plastic wallet also had his address in Thai, on his return from Bkk the wallet and card was in his mailbox.

There are the good and the bad everywhere. The trouble is we move here thinking everyone is good...

We learn the hard way and appreciate the good experiences whilst 'shaking off' the bad.

You don't appear to have 'shaken off' the bad by allowing yourself to believe that your patronage could be bought for 300 baht. Did you leave your Benz parked outside?

PS I don't need any tips from YOU on how to organise transportation here, thank you.

Somehow you seem to have missed the point of my post, that I was v happy about my 300 bht refund until reading this post.

I agree though that, thinking about it, it is more likely that they recognised me so were waiting for me to come back to sort out the error.

I was helped in re-thinking this by another incident recently where the owner of a garden centre I frequented (but had avoided for a few weeks after receiving bad service) was 'all over me' to make amends when I finally went back.

As for your final comment - "PS I don't need any tips from YOU on how to organise transportation here, thank you." Presumably I replied to a post on another thread about arranging taxis (rings a vague bell), and you have somehow taken exception to this ?

Edit - Oh Christ, is that you again using yet another username? Get over it - it must have been a year ago that I offended you so badly!

Edited December 10, 2011 by sbk

[webfact]

Some of these comments are extremely distasteful and in violation of forum rules regarding extreme negativity towards Thais.

I find it very saddening that some can only reply with nastiness to what is a positive topic.

If that is all you can offer, then I suggest you refrain from posting otherwise there will be something more than just a warning involved.

I shake my head in disbelief at some of these posts.

/Admin

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Do people become terminal cynics after arriving in Thailand, or do Cynics gravitate to Thailand for some reason?

Original motives for hanging around in Thailand, doing so in environments and with people expressly intended to extract maximum cash for minimum return, get cleaned out, rinse repeat ad infinitum.

As opposed to actually learning the language, getting away from the farang-oriented neighborhoods and actually involved in the local community, building real relationships over time in which they are actually concerned with improving the lot of the significant other.

garbage in garbage out

[freedom4life]

A rare, but wonderful thing to have happened.