Skimping On The Check

[nietzche]

Has either of these scenarios (or similar) happened to you?:

- You are at the bar with talking with a fellow farang. He is acting like a big shot talking about how much money he has, houses, cars, Swiss bank accounts, etc. Check is handed to him and he then asks you to borrow 500 baht (ATM outside/and you don't know the guy). Some elaborate story about the Thai Wife, the Bank, blah, blah.

- You are drinking with a fellow farang. he runs up quite a large bar tab. He then dissapears. You pay for his share of the bar tab (small amount of money not worth trouble with the bar). You bump into the guy later in the week. He tries to play things off as if he was so drunk he just jamp in a cab and went home. Does not mention the unpaid bar tab.

Why are there so many of these characters here in Thailand????

[Soutpeel]

In 10 year been here, never come across any characters like this...must be the company you keep

Arent you an ex-wall street raider and incumbent Phd....you can afford it..

Edited April 30, 2012 by Soutpeel

[chrisinth]

1st scenario, no chance! If I didn't know the guy/girl, and had my own bin, they would be on their own no matter what excuse they came out with.

The 2nd scenario, if I knew the guy/girl, then yes, I would bail them out. But it would be a one time deal. I wouldn't mention it again, and if they failed to recall it, fine.

I base the above on what I would expect someone to do for me.

[StreetCowboy]

Sorry, Neitzche. I was expecting a patent payment for a miraculous new invention, but the agent says it'll be another week...

Can you sub us a tenner till the turn of the month?

SC

[mauGR1]

There are a few reasons why i don't drink in the bars anymore..

..One reason is i don't have to put up with characters described by the OP

[ShanePashen]

I know what you are saying but, happened to me in Phuket a couple of months back, got involved in ringing the bar bell, and low and behold farrang guy and his girl, and her friend, come time for their shout gotta go.

I say well what a bunch of tightarse's, I'd hate to be like that.

[Soutpeel]

I know what you are saying but, happened to me in Phuket a couple of months back, got involved in ringing the bar bell, and low and behold farrang guy and his girl, and her friend, come time for their shout gotta go.

I say well what a bunch of tightarse's, I'd hate to be like that.

You rang the bell..then its open season on your bill...thats your own fault...dont blame everyone else, just because you do it doesnt mean everyone else has to, nothing to do with "time for their shout"

[richard_smith237]

Yes, something similar anyway...

Always out with a group of friends, a friend of a friend always tagged along. He would never pay his full share of the bill. The first few times he said he only ever had 2 beers compared to our 4 or 5. I always suspected that this was not true, so another time a couple of us kept our eye on him, he in fact drank more than us and we called him on it. Next time we were out, we separated up bills without telling him, he'd apparently been quite extravagant expecting a shared kitty again... He was shocked at the price of his very own private tab - We strangely never saw him out with us again.

Yes, people do do it. They are never going to be honest or decent friends.

[glbv]

Theres a lot of broke alcoholics here on pension who are over their budget. Same reason you see white guys discussing where to save 1-2b on a can of already cheap beer.

[theblether]

Scenario one.........I can't stand the type of person that would boast in that way, so within two minutes they would be sent off

I've got a pal in Chiang Mai that is good with that type of person, he will just sit there and listen to their crap for ten minutes then summarise as thus to them " Okay, so you are a gangster connected international businessman with a massive monthly income, you won't mind paying this tab then?".

That always, always shuts them up.

Scenario two.............I just say " no problem, you owe me 800 baht, give it to me now ".

There is a third scenario though ( one you won't believe )...........I still live in the UK and derive my income from the UK. If I walk out the door on any given Saturday night it's going to cost me 7 or 8000 baht equivalent for a night out, easy.

When I arrive in Thailand to see my ex-pat pals I will always pay the vast majority of the tab, and I try to pay it all. I am mindful that I am on holiday and that my friends are not. We all know in Thailand that we can buy a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red, a couple of towers of beer and feed a few people for less than 3000 baht. Cheap. Love it.

So I pay because it's my pleasure.

However the OP has a point, the fundamental problem is that people are chancing their luck and playing on his good nature. I suggest the OP comes to visit me in Glasgow so that we can give him a crash course in how to say " gtf ya using pr*ck or ah'll deck ye".

That is the solution to his problems.

[wana]

Theres a lot of broke alcoholics here on pension who are over their budget. Same reason you see white guys discussing where to save 1-2b on a can of already cheap beer.

where do you see these people ? i have not seen them ......yet

[giddyup]

Theres a lot of broke alcoholics here on pension who are over their budget. Same reason you see white guys discussing where to save 1-2b on a can of already cheap beer.

where do you see these people ? i have not seen them ......yet

There's plenty around where I live. They won't drink in the bars, too expensive for them at 50 baht a small beer, they drink outside the mom and pop stores where they can buy big bottles of Chang for the same price. I figure if you have to be that frugal, you shouldn't be living in Thailand. If you want to see all the tightwads come out of the closet, got to a new bar on opening night when they have free food.

Edited April 30, 2012 by giddyup

[wana]

Theres a lot of broke alcoholics here on pension who are over their budget. Same reason you see white guys discussing where to save 1-2b on a can of already cheap beer.

where do you see these people ? i have not seen them ......yet

There's plenty around where I live. They won't drink in the bars, too expensive for them at 50 baht a small beer, they drink outside the mom and pop stores where they can buy big bottles of Chang for the same price. I figure if you have to be that frugal, you shouldn't be living in Thailand. If you want to see all the tightwads come out of the closet, got to a new bar on opening night when they have free food.

are they farangs or thais ? some of the places i drink charge upwards of 120thb for a small beer and they dont sell large bottles because its more profitable to sell loads of small ones .........bastards !

[giddyup]

Theres a lot of broke alcoholics here on pension who are over their budget. Same reason you see white guys discussing where to save 1-2b on a can of already cheap beer.

where do you see these people ? i have not seen them ......yet

There's plenty around where I live. They won't drink in the bars, too expensive for them at 50 baht a small beer, they drink outside the mom and pop stores where they can buy big bottles of Chang for the same price. I figure if you have to be that frugal, you shouldn't be living in Thailand. If you want to see all the tightwads come out of the closet, got to a new bar on opening night when they have free food.

are they farangs or thais ? some of the places i drink charge upwards of 120thb for a small beer and they dont sell large bottles because its more profitable to sell loads of small ones .........bastards !

They are all farangs. Where the heck are you drinking that you pay 120B for a small beer, Walking St? Almost all the bars where I live (the dark side) only charge from 45-70B, depends what brand you drink.

[pattayadingo]

Never happened to me at all.

[Plucky]

Or the guys you don't know but get awfully chatty and friendly when the wallet comes out for a beverage.

How's about jog on!

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[wana]

sometimes (not every time ) i drink in the more expensive bars of bangkok (pattaya is much cheaper ,i know )

there are plenty of places where the rich thais congregate in their suits after work

im not a back packer or on a particularly tight budget so paying a bit over the top for a few drinks in exchange for sitting in a nice environment ,leather sofas ,air con ,with good music and attentive bar staff is ok sometimes for a change

i dont really care that their beer is not as cheap as in the 7-11 usually meet stunning women in the more expensive bars also

[giddyup]

sometimes (not every time ) i drink in the more expensive bars of bangkok (pattaya is much cheaper ,i know )

there are plenty of places where the rich thais congregate in their suits after work

im not a back packer or on a particularly tight budget so paying a bit over the top for a few drinks in exchange for sitting in a nice environment ,leather sofas ,air con ,with good music and attentive bar staff is ok sometimes for a change

i dont really care that their beer is not as cheap as in the 7-11 usually meet stunning women in the more expensive bars also

Good for you. I don't think I could find a bar where I live that charges more than 70 baht, but they don't offer leather sofas or air con. either, or stunning women for that matter, some attractive yes, some downright fugly.

Edited April 30, 2012 by giddyup

[dean999]

I've had two different experiances drinking on the darkside.

One - drinking with a falang and we decided to play pool for drinks. I only played for 4 drinks and lost, but when it came to paying my bill, lets just say i should of checked the fines. I'm 99% sure he was still putting his fines in my pot. In this bar that i have drank in for a couple of years my bill is normally not even 2000 baht, but this one time it was 4,000. Big difference. I never said anything because i should of been watching. You learn from your mistakes.

Two - It was my birthday so i rang the bell, only about 8 people in the bar so no problem. There was a couple (both falang, i think from Russa) that was sat on the table next to us and i wasn't expecting him to get up and ring the bell too. What a nice couple they were. There kids where very happy too, they got about half of my cake between them. They must of been climbing the walls by time they got home. Kids and sugar don't mix. My best birthday ever.

[dave111223]

Sounds like you need to stop meeting guys in bars. Maybe try online dating instead?

[Sayonarax]

Sounds like you need to stop meeting guys in bars. Maybe try online dating instead?

Maybe this should have been posted in the "How do you make friends in Thailand" thread.

[RogueExpat]

Theres a lot of broke alcoholics here on pension who are over their budget. Same reason you see white guys discussing where to save 1-2b on a can of already cheap beer.

Well there is always Lao Khao or Red Cock.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

When there's a group - as opposed to me and a true friend - I always pay as I go, both for the pool games and the drinks. I don't drink alcohol anyway, so it's just a couple soft drinks over an evening anyway.

Then when it comes time for the others to work out their (much huger) "shared" tab I don't have to worry about it, maybe toss in for the tip if I see they've stiffed the server.

[KeyserSoze01]

When there's a group - as opposed to me and a true friend - I always pay as I go, both for the pool games and the drinks. I don't drink alcohol anyway, so it's just a couple soft drinks over an evening anyway.

Then when it comes time for the others to work out their (much huger) "shared" tab I don't have to worry about it, maybe toss in for the tip if I see they've stiffed the server.

Same here. I pay as I go after a couple instances of padded bills. It's an inconvenience, but prevents some feckwit trying to put one over on me.

[Beetlejuice]

Farang types that I find irritating and nauseating:

The so-called big shots, that during a conversation will tell you they are related to some sort of aristocracy or a famous movie star, that they have millions invested on the stock exchange, several flourishing businesses abroad, earning a King’s ransom per month, but if out socialising with them in a bar or restaurant will scrutinise every item on the bill in case they may be paying even one baht of a share of your tab.

The farangs that can speak Thai, and when out will converse in Thai either to a Thai partner, a shop assistant, or on a phone at the top of their voices just to let everyone know that they can speak Thai, perhaps expecting some applause or that everyone should be impressed.

The down on their luckers, those that like to give the semblance they are experiencing a run of bad luck; such as money not arrived in their bank and don`t know why. I try to avoid them and as the OP said; they are around, many to be found in drinking establishments propping up a bar somewhere.

It`s easy, I just turn away and ignore them or give the hint that I’m not interested.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Beetlejuice

[wana]

The farangs that can speak Thai, and when out will converse in Thai either to a Thai partner, a shop assistant, or on a phone at the top of their voices just to let everyone know that they can speak Thai, perhaps expecting some applause or that everyone should be impressed.

i seen this in a restaurant last week ,a english bloke comes in ,starts clapping his hands to call over a waitress

then insists on trying to order in thai even though there is a menu in english and the staff speak english also

it took him about 10 minutes to order a steak,salad ,french fries and a bottle of sprite in his loudest most ridiculous voice

( i ordered in english in about 5 seconds ,just before he walked in )

then he went on to intrioduce himself to another farang guy and tarted talking about how much tax he saves by living

in thailand 6 months of the year but actully ,he hates living here but all his property investments in the uk means he must stay here to save on tax ,how big his condo is and how much salary he gets paid for doing almost nothing

then he asked the guy if he could borrow a cigarette

[Ijustwannateach]

This may be part of the answer to the perennial 'why don't foreigners respond to friendly foreign strangers' thread elsewhere.

[edwinclapham]

When there's a group - as opposed to me and a true friend - I always pay as I go, both for the pool games and the drinks. I don't drink alcohol anyway, so it's just a couple soft drinks over an evening anyway.

Then when it comes time for the others to work out their (much huger) "shared" tab I don't have to worry about it, maybe toss in for the tip if I see they've stiffed the server.

Same here. I pay as I go after a couple instances of padded bills. It's an inconvenience, but prevents some feckwit trying to put one over on me.

After many padded bills in Thailand I always PAYG. It suits me best.

[ShanePashen]

I know what you are saying but, happened to me in Phuket a couple of months back, got involved in ringing the bar bell, and low and behold farrang guy and his girl, and her friend, come time for their shout gotta go.

I say well what a bunch of tightarse's, I'd hate to be like that.

You rang the bell..then its open season on your bill...thats your own fault...dont blame everyone else, just because you do it doesnt mean everyone else has to, nothing to do with "time for their shout"

I understand your point.. however, at the time there was like 8-10 people in the bar, and everyone "was" taking turns in ringing the bell, until the those last in line took the opportunity, to put the step on, and head for the door.

Which I feel was poor form, you had to be there I guess.

[wana]

I know what you are saying but, happened to me in Phuket a couple of months back, got involved in ringing the bar bell, and low and behold farrang guy and his girl, and her friend, come time for their shout gotta go.

I say well what a bunch of tightarse's, I'd hate to be like that.

You rang the bell..then its open season on your bill...thats your own fault...dont blame everyone else, just because you do it doesnt mean everyone else has to, nothing to do with "time for their shout"

I understand your point.. however, at the time there was like 8-10 people in the bar, and everyone "was" taking turns in ringing the bell, until the those last in line took the opportunity, to put the step on, and head for the door.

Which I feel was poor form, you had to be there I guess.

8-10 people in a bar

so you go in and ring the bell

some of the 8-10 people might have been drinking all day or already had 10 drinks when you rang the bell

so the next 7 times the bell rings ,they could have downed 18 drinks in that session

i know its shit when someone leaves who "owes" you a drink etc ,but how do u get out of a situation of being

stuck in a circle of bell ringers ? because at any time ,someone will have bought 1 round of drinks more than everyone

else

tricky business ........i must say .