Quit Complaining, Thais Are Amazing Because.......

[Johnniey]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

[StreetCowboy]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

So you would deny others the pleasure of generosity and gratitude to try and keep an entire nation in poverty so that you can maintain your lifestyle at their expense?

Not criticising, just trying to make sure we both understand the point you're trying to make.

SC

[FunFon]

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

-

Being mean doesn't make you wealthy, but the other way around.

I'd much rather be poor and generous, and pity you more than I do the legless homeless man that sleeps in the phone booth on my corner.

Edited April 13, 2013 by FunFon

[taninthai]

^

phone booth probably to good for you,probably more suited to the gutter in your case......lol

[Johnniey]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

So you would deny others the pleasure of generosity and gratitude to try and keep an entire nation in poverty so that you can maintain your lifestyle at their expense?

Not criticising, just trying to make sure we both understand the point you're trying to make.

SC

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Johnniey

[FDog]

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

-

Being mean doesn't make you wealthy, but the other way around.

I'd much rather be poor and generous, and pity you more than I do the legless homeless man that sleeps in the phone booth on my corner.

Poor and generous as long as you aren't generous enough to pay your rent but generous to all those lovely ladies.........right?

[FunFon]

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

-

No I completely understand your point and completely disagree with it.

A relatively wealthy person handing out whatever amounts of money to whomever they please for whatever reason is IMO an inherently positive act that overwhelms whatever negative side effects may accrue.

Your concern that raising their expectations will result in we foreigners being overcharged is to me abhorrently selfish.

Plus I don't see that result being at all likely in practice.

[BradinAsia]

They obviously realised quickly what a nice guy you are, and your manner etc was merely relfected back to you.

Thais in my opinion reflect your own attitude, if you are hot and bothered and try the superior ferang attitude talking to a peasant , you get what you deserve, treat them like normal human beings with kindness and respect and they are great.Just like most I have encountered.

Good post. Great advice.

[BradinAsia]

I had a flat on the way to Issan.

Pathetic little jack I was struggling with to jack the car up. A pick up pulls in front of me, gets out a trolley jack, they jack up the car, change the wheel and they drive off.

Wonderful.

G/f tells me these people actually patrol the roads to help people with flat tyres. No payment just helpful service.

I've had so many experiences similar to this in the last 21 years -- in Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. In many instances the good samaritan would not even accept a tip. Lots of decent people on this side of the world.

[BradinAsia]

I know same great Thai people, but many are not at all trustworthy so I would say the majority are not at all very amazing.

It's amazing how a small sample size (one's limited circle of acquaintances) so often become "the majority."

In Thailand's tourist areas, indeed the scammers/shysters may be the majority (as in many other countries).

This begs the question: If these intelligent farangs already know this why do they chose to live in such areas?

[StreetCowboy]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

So you would deny others the pleasure of generosity and gratitude to try and keep an entire nation in poverty so that you can maintain your lifestyle at their expense?

Not criticising, just trying to make sure we both understand the point you're trying to make.

SC

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

We're lucky that we have people like you to redress the balance and keep the Thais in their place

[theblether]

I know same great Thai people, but many are not at all trustworthy so I would say the majority are not at all very amazing.

It's amazing how a small sample size (one's limited circle of acquaintances) so often become "the majority."

In Thailand's tourist areas, indeed the scammers/shysters may be the majority (as in many other countries).

This begs the question: If these intelligent farangs already know this why do they chose to live in such areas?

You just nailed it.......I often get bemused at the wails of " You don't know what it's really like living here ".

it seems to me there's a contingent that love to wallow in misery, and they don't know how absurd they are when they comment.

There's been a couple of classics on this thread already, complete and utter absurdities.

[BradinAsia]

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

-

No I completely understand your point and completely disagree with it.

A relatively wealthy person handing out whatever amounts of money to whomever they please for whatever reason is IMO an inherently positive act that overwhelms whatever negative side effects may accrue.

Your concern that raising their expectations will result in we foreigners being overcharged is to me abhorrently selfish.

Plus I don't see that result being at all likely in practice.

In most Asian countries, any farang giving a 2,000 baht (or equivalent) tip would usually be seen as a fool.

Such foolishness would usually be seen as completely overboard. There are sensible ways to show one's

appreciation, but a huge tip would likely be seen as a stupid farang trying to show how rich he is.

[Keith67]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

So you would deny others the pleasure of generosity and gratitude to try and keep an entire nation in poverty so that you can maintain your lifestyle at their expense?

Not criticising, just trying to make sure we both understand the point you're trying to make.

SC

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

We're lucky that we have people like you to redress the balance and keep the Thais in their place

The way i see it is, it's not about keeping Thais in their place it's more a case of finding an equal balance of kindness and not stupidty, by giving large tips yes it makes you feel good and you feel you have made the reciever of your generosity feel good too, not always the case it could be seen as belittling them because you have far more money than them and you can afford it and they couldn't, anyone who lives in a Thai village has probably heard the stories of the farang who has to show he's got big money, those stories are usually from the recipients of these large tips and payments that most assume is making everybody feel better.Just my opinion.

[driedmango]

I love how cheap ass people and corporations justify being a nickel and dime stealing bum with some morals. Your examples are bunk and made to make yourself feel like less of an douche bag but why argue with us about it ? We don't care what you think about yourself.

[driedmango]

Similar to theBlether last weekend.

Brake pedal went to floor at the entrance to Khao Yai NP. Crawled down the hill in low gear expecting the worst because I don't speak a word of Thai, it's Saturday and a holiday weekend and I'm a 2 hour drive from home.

Found a tiny shop, no inventory at all. He starts to work, takes the bad hose, off on his scooter and back in 10 minutes with a new one in the shrink wrap. Another few minutes, some stomping on the pedal to bleed the air and he's done.

Now, this guy has me by the short and curlies and I'm expecting to wince at the cost.

Tries to charge me all of 400 baht ($13). Handed him 2000, knowing it would have cost at least twice that "back home".

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

are you crazy 300 bhat is the min wage, mist Thais make 1000 bath a day, they have work all day, they do something more in the evening.. you are fooling yourself, the Thais around you are not only happy, they have more money than you most times

[driedmango]

Yes, prices are bases on ability to pay in Thailand.. you will see if you watch that if someone has less money, they will pay less, if someone has more, they pay more.. if your a farang they figure you have more, but I think they understand very clearly that many scrape a ticket somehow but are really poor, they will give you a better deal if this is the case, most humans can tell when someone is a lair thou.

[Johnniey]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

So you would deny others the pleasure of generosity and gratitude to try and keep an entire nation in poverty so that you can maintain your lifestyle at their expense?

Not criticising, just trying to make sure we both understand the point you're trying to make.

SC

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

We're lucky that we have people like you to redress the balance and keep the Thais in their place

What do you mean people like me, I'm not cheap. I never said anything about how much I pay or tip.

I assure you I don't tip 400% like the poster did, do you?

If my car broke down, I'd pay the 400 baht because that was the price.

Nothing to do with keeping Thais in their place. Looks like you think honest, hardworking Thais have no pride. Arrogant.

The wealthier people I know are quite stingy when it comes to tipping and generally know the price of things unlike you.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Johnniey

[StreetCowboy]

I know same great Thai people, but many are not at all trustworthy so I would say the majority are not at all very amazing.

It's amazing how a small sample size (one's limited circle of acquaintances) so often become "the majority."

In Thailand's tourist areas, indeed the scammers/shysters may be the majority (as in many other countries).

This begs the question: If these intelligent farangs already know this why do they chose to live in such areas?

You just nailed it.......I often get bemused at the wails of " You don't know what it's really like living here ".

it seems to me there's a contingent that love to wallow in misery, and they don't know how absurd they are when they comment.

There's been a couple of classics on this thread already, complete and utter absurdities.

I think perhaps that they don't love to wallow in misery - just that they care so little about their fellow man, and have such a low opinion of him, that they are not bothered about being surrounded by those whom they perceive as a crooks and thieves.

Perhaps they feel that they blend in well; personally, that's one of the reasons that I prefer to live in a city - where one doesn;t know one's neighbours too well, and if they want to go out burgling or whatever, then they don't need to restrict themselves to my suburb, my building. They've probably got decent jobs defrauding innocent investors in the city (probably naive peasants and foreign pensioners from the boondocks), anyway, if they are of villainous inclination...

SC

[StreetCowboy]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Yes really.

You might have been able to pay your rent if it weren't for these guys being generous for their own feelgood.

So you would deny others the pleasure of generosity and gratitude to try and keep an entire nation in poverty so that you can maintain your lifestyle at their expense?

Not criticising, just trying to make sure we both understand the point you're trying to make.

SC

You're missing the point completely.

I think giving 100 baht tip is generous. 2000 is being ignorant of the value of money here adding to the Thais thinking that we are all stupid.

May as well give a masseuse a weeks wages as that I'd how much it would

cost in your home country.

Or 7 11 staff an extra 200 baht when buying cigarettes as that's what they cost back home.

We're lucky that we have people like you to redress the balance and keep the Thais in their place

What do you mean people like me, I'm not cheap. I never said anything about how much I pay or tip.

I assure you I don't tip 400% like the poster did, do you?

If my car broke down, I'd pay the 400 baht because that was the price.

Nothing to do with keeping Thais in their place. Looks like you think honest, hardworking Thais have no pride. Arrogant.

The wealthier people I know are quite stingy when it comes to tipping and generally know the price of things unlike you.

I don't think the fellow offered the money as a percentage, but as an indication of what the good service was worth.

Remember that the value of a service is to the customer, although the cost is to the supplier.

I thought your concern was that if tourists paid 2000 baht for services, then Thais would inflate their prices and hence Funfon could not afford his rent. Is your point now that Thais may feel insulted if they discover that we value their services much more highly than they do?

SC

[Loptr]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Err, yes. Why do you find that odd? The locals can't tell a tourist from an expat unless they are known in an area. When a 2-week millionaire pays way over the odds for everyday service, the locals begin to expect this from everyone. The next step is begging for tips if you don't ante up. Just go to any tourist destination in Thailand for evidence.

[StreetCowboy]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Err, yes. Why do you find that odd? The locals can't tell a tourist from an expat unless they are known in an area. When a 2-week millionaire pays way over the odds for everyday service, the locals begin to expect this from everyone. The next step is begging for tips if you don't ante up. Just go to any tourist destination in Thailand for evidence.

Like I say, we are lucky for guys like you who make it clear to the Thais that we are not all weekend millionaires. Thanks for haggling over every baht on our behalf. Perhaps we should have a whipround to send you and some of your mates to Pattaya to bicker and stinge down the prices for us

SC

Edited April 13, 2013 by StreetCowboy

[Thaddeus]

I love my life (apart from the noise) I live amongst the friendliest and most helpful people I have ever met, I wouldn't want to change a thing (apart from the noise)

And the locals know all of us that have lived here for a while, and their making the most of a tourist has no effect on us at all, we may not be Thai but we are kin.

edit// I'll just qualify that, the ones that make an effort are.

Edited April 13, 2013 by Thaddeus

[theblether]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Err, yes. Why do you find that odd? The locals can't tell a tourist from an expat unless they are known in an area. When a 2-week millionaire pays way over the odds for everyday service, the locals begin to expect this from everyone. The next step is begging for tips if you don't ante up. Just go to any tourist destination in Thailand for evidence.

Like I say, we are lucky for guys like you who make it clear to the Thais that we are not all weekend millionaires. Thanks for haggling over every baht on our behalf. Perhaps we should have a whipround to send you and some of your mates to Pattaya to bicker and stinge down the prices for us

SC

[Keith67]

Similar to theBlether last weekend.

Brake pedal went to floor at the entrance to Khao Yai NP. Crawled down the hill in low gear expecting the worst because I don't speak a word of Thai, it's Saturday and a holiday weekend and I'm a 2 hour drive from home.

Found a tiny shop, no inventory at all. He starts to work, takes the bad hose, off on his scooter and back in 10 minutes with a new one in the shrink wrap. Another few minutes, some stomping on the pedal to bleed the air and he's done.

Now, this guy has me by the short and curlies and I'm expecting to wince at the cost.

Tries to charge me all of 400 baht ($13). Handed him 2000, knowing it would have cost at least twice that "back home".

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

are you crazy 300 bhat is the min wage, mist Thais make 1000 bath a day, they have work all day, they do something more in the evening.. you are fooling yourself, the Thais around you are not only happy, they have more money than you most times

Not exactly true: Tesco/Lotus pay thier staff B8,900 p/m a garden maintainance worker in Bangkok gets paid B250-300 per day a local village worker cutting sugar cane, picking rice or cuttin down eucalyptus trees get B200 per day maybe a slilled worker employed in a large company may earn B1000 per day, all this aside though most of the over tipping as people are complaining about occur in the tourist areas Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok and Chiang Mai and as it's mainly restricted to bar areas that most expats only frequent occasionally i don't see it should be a real issue.

[jocko]

Similar to theBlether last weekend.

Brake pedal went to floor at the entrance to Khao Yai NP. Crawled down the hill in low gear expecting the worst because I don't speak a word of Thai, it's Saturday and a holiday weekend and I'm a 2 hour drive from home.

Found a tiny shop, no inventory at all. He starts to work, takes the bad hose, off on his scooter and back in 10 minutes with a new one in the shrink wrap. Another few minutes, some stomping on the pedal to bleed the air and he's done.

Now, this guy has me by the short and curlies and I'm expecting to wince at the cost.

Tries to charge me all of 400 baht ($13). Handed him 2000, knowing it would have cost at least twice that "back home".

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

are you crazy 300 bhat is the min wage, mist Thais make 1000 bath a day, they have work all day, they do something more in the evening.. you are fooling yourself, the Thais around you are not only happy, they have more money than you most times

Not exactly true: Tesco/Lotus pay thier staff B8,900 p/m a garden maintainance worker in Bangkok gets paid B250-300 per day a local village worker cutting sugar cane, picking rice or cuttin down eucalyptus trees get B200 per day maybe a slilled worker employed in a large company may earn B1000 per day, all this aside though most of the over tipping as people are complaining about occur in the tourist areas Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok and Chiang Mai and as it's mainly restricted to bar areas that most expats only frequent occasionally i don't see it should be a real issue.

The Thais around you are making more money <deleted>.

There has been some great posts on this thread but your's is not one of them if you start thinking like that there is. no hope for you. Unfortunately for me when I have had a good time among these amazing people it's Santa Claus is back in town it all depends who you socialize with same as anyplace in the big wide world.

And I don't regret any moment if it apart from the sore heid in the morning.

PS,

Not only in Thailand but many places were the average person is poor,

I feel great about it I started of poor myself never to be forgotten .

[hotandhumid]

You love a bit of attention don't you, Blether.

[Keith67]

Similar to theBlether last weekend.

Brake pedal went to floor at the entrance to Khao Yai NP. Crawled down the hill in low gear expecting the worst because I don't speak a word of Thai, it's Saturday and a holiday weekend and I'm a 2 hour drive from home.

Found a tiny shop, no inventory at all. He starts to work, takes the bad hose, off on his scooter and back in 10 minutes with a new one in the shrink wrap. Another few minutes, some stomping on the pedal to bleed the air and he's done.

Now, this guy has me by the short and curlies and I'm expecting to wince at the cost.

Tries to charge me all of 400 baht ($13). Handed him 2000, knowing it would have cost at least twice that "back home".

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

are you crazy 300 bhat is the min wage, mist Thais make 1000 bath a day, they have work all day, they do something more in the evening.. you are fooling yourself, the Thais around you are not only happy, they have more money than you most times

Not exactly true: Tesco/Lotus pay thier staff B8,900 p/m a garden maintainance worker in Bangkok gets paid B250-300 per day a local village worker cutting sugar cane, picking rice or cuttin down eucalyptus trees get B200 per day maybe a slilled worker employed in a large company may earn B1000 per day, all this aside though most of the over tipping as people are complaining about occur in the tourist areas Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok and Chiang Mai and as it's mainly restricted to bar areas that most expats only frequent occasionally i don't see it should be a real issue.

The Thais around you are making more money <deleted>.

There has been some great posts on this thread but your's is not one of them if you start thinking like that there is. no hope for you. Unfortunately for me when I have had a good time among these amazing people it's Santa Claus is back in town it all depends who you socialize with same as anyplace in the big wide world.

And I don't regret any moment if it apart from the sore heid in the morning.

PS,

Not only in Thailand but many places were the average person is poor,

I feel great about it I started of poor myself never to be forgotten .

I don't know how you did that jocko, my coment is only the last paragrph in red but you made it all look like mine.

[FunFon]

The way i see it is, it's not about keeping Thais in their place it's more a case of finding an equal balance of kindness and not stupidty, by giving large tips yes it makes you feel good and you feel you have made the reciever of your generosity feel good too, not always the case it could be seen as belittling them because you have far more money than them and you can afford it and they couldn't, anyone who lives in a Thai village has probably heard the stories of the farang who has to show he's got big money, those stories are usually from the recipients of these large tips and payments that most assume is making everybody feel better.Just my opinion.

-

In most Asian countries, any farang giving a 2,000 baht (or equivalent) tip would usually be seen as a fool.

Such foolishness would usually be seen as completely overboard. There are sensible ways to show one's

appreciation, but a huge tip would likely be seen as a stupid farang trying to show how rich he is.

-

And I have no respect for anyone that would refrain from indulging in their desire to be (IYO over-) generous just to prevent the locals from thinking him a fool.

Imagine going through life modifying your behaviour due to how you think others will judge you. How sad. . .

-

-

The wealthier people I know are quite stingy when it comes to tipping and generally know the price of things unlike you.

-

It is an objective fact that wealthier people have much less empathy and show less kindness in their day-to-day interactions with others.\

Whether the chicken or the egg came first is still an open question, but more recent research indicates that being wealthy increases heartlessness.

And of course being mean does help one accumulate wealth, so maybe just like the poultry they evolved together.

[FunFon]

Actions like this are why many Thais overcharge us living here.

400 baht is a days wages.

2000 baht is a Weeks wages!

That's like giving a mechanic in England 500 pounds.

Please stop this.

-

Classic.

Tourists and wealthier residents willingly pay more than local rates because it makes them feel good, consciously being generous and kind. And you want to put a stop to it because you think it will help keep prices at the level you can afford.

Really?

Err, yes. Why do you find that odd? The locals can't tell a tourist from an expat unless they are known in an area. When a 2-week millionaire pays way over the odds for everyday service, the locals begin to expect this from everyone. The next step is begging for tips if you don't ante up. Just go to any tourist destination in Thailand for evidence.

-

You misunderstood. Although yes I do question the cause-and-effect, my real incredulity is being expressed at the idea that anyone would use that "fact" to try to persuade people not to throw money about.

As stated clearly enough above, I find that desire - to keep prices low by discouraging generosity - to be morally bankrupt and reprehensible.