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

[Sayonarax]

Its the Europeans who do all the complaining.

BTW Front wheel is 100b

Back-wheel is 120b

[Sayonarax]

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.

Likes it morally wrong to incur debts you cant afford to repay? I see the Pots out calling the kettle black..

[Keith67]

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.

--

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. . .

-

-

You have no respect for my opinion although you owe your Thai landlord large sums of money for unpaid rent and staff that you could not

afford will not receive the agreed sevence pay or unpaid salary, You quite clearly state on here how you plan to return to your home country to repay the

debts you have accumulated over many years of living in Thailand with the debts you are now accumulating from borrowing money from friends and relatives from your home country or are these payment not loans more replies to the begging letters you sent?, You allowed yourself to outlive your bank balance with no concern for the Thai people you claim to admire so greatly PLEASE respect from the likes of you is something i would not require or need. You are a disgrace to yourself and your country wherever you are from.

[FunFon]

No motes in your eyes I assume?

If moral perfection were a prerequisite to discussion there wouldn't be any conversation at all would there?

You may want me to shut up, but just because I've been more honest than most would be about my moral failures doesn't give you a legitimate weapon with which to club me into silence.

[mauGR1]

Well, few years ago i saw a bunch of guys splashing the thousands for lady drinks, picking up the ladies and getting in a argument at late night with a song-taew driver over 20 Baht..

Disgusting, if you ask me...

Personally as a cheap charlie, i think in Asia it's just foolish to pay more..But a tip can be appreciated.

I prefer not to splash the money, and i can choose to tip the hard working people when the service is good.

[Keith67]

i will leave the clubbing you into silence to you landlord when they find you are planning on leaving the country without paying your debt first.

May i remind you that you were the one that talked about respect and morality when you stated that

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

Maybe if you had done just that instead of abusing the good nature of you landlord and staff you wouldn't have to think up plans and schemes to remove your personal belongings from where you live prior to anyone finding out you are leaving or have already left. My opinion of you still stands unchanged.

P.S

I was taught many years ago, you have to respect yourself before you can respect others a position you should not find yourself in for a long time if ever.

[Keith67]

Well, few years ago i saw a bunch of guys splashing the thousands for lady drinks, picking up the ladies and getting in a argument at late night with a song-taew driver over 20 Baht..

Disgusting, if you ask me...

Personally as a cheap charlie, i think in Asia it's just foolish to pay more..But a tip can be appreciated.

I prefer not to splash the money, and i can choose to tip the hard working people when the service is good.

Priorities go out of the window when people travel to Thailand for holidays myself included when i used to come for holidays many years ago, you pay excessive amounts for certain things and complain about the prices of others, there is no justification for it it just happens, the reality of things tend to sink in when people come and live here i.e. make comitments to g/f and her family buy land, houses, cars and motorbikes, much the same as they do in any country after all when on holiday be it Spain,Italy, Thailand or any other country in the world people always have an excess of cash for entertainment but they go home after the holiday and still have electric, water, gas, loan payments to come form their salary, the main difference here is most people live off savings or pensions and unless you are among the fortunate minority who have neverending bank balances you have to budget also.

[FunFon]

i will leave the clubbing you into silence to you landlord when they find you are planning on leaving the country without paying your debt first.

May i remind you that you were the one that talked about respect and morality when you stated that

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

Maybe if you had done just that instead of abusing the good nature of you landlord and staff you wouldn't have to think up plans and schemes to remove your personal belongings from where you live prior to anyone finding out you are leaving or have already left. My opinion of you still stands unchanged.

P.S

I was taught many years ago, you have to respect yourself before you can respect others a position you should not find yourself in for a long time if ever.

-

Since self-esteem is as fundamental to survival as air and water and food, I'm sure my capacities of rationalization and justification, as infinite in myself as the rest of mankind, will help me continue to soldier on.

I consider myself fortunate if these types of crimes against humanity are the worst I've inflicted on the world by the time I've shuffled off this mortal coil. . .

[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 .

To much wine before posting fair comment on wrong post.

Your post is fair.

Velly sorry.

[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 .

To much wine before posting fair comment on wrong post.

Your post is fair.

Velly sorry.

No problem.

[Keith67]

i will leave the clubbing you into silence to you landlord when they find you are planning on leaving the country without paying your debt first.

May i remind you that you were the one that talked about respect and morality when you stated that

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

Maybe if you had done just that instead of abusing the good nature of you landlord and staff you wouldn't have to think up plans and schemes to remove your personal belongings from where you live prior to anyone finding out you are leaving or have already left. My opinion of you still stands unchanged.

P.S

I was taught many years ago, you have to respect yourself before you can respect others a position you should not find yourself in for a long time if ever.

-

Since self-esteem is as fundamental to survival as air and water and food, I'm sure my capacities of rationalization and justification, as infinite in myself as the rest of mankind, will help me continue to soldier on.

I consider myself fortunate if these types of crimes against humanity are the worst I've inflicted on the world by the time I've shuffled off this mortal coil. . .

FunFon i have no will or no desire to discuss any further with you the way you have conducted yourself in the country you chose to live or the way you treated the people whom helped and allowed you to exist here, i am sure you will get your "just deserts" be it before you leave or after Karma can be a bitch sometimes as i am sure you will no doubt find out in the not so distant future.

[BradinAsia]

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

A statement riddled with naivety... contradicts the obvious reality of human behavior. Also, overly ludicrous for

someone who has failed so miserably in their own personal life to be giving any kind of advice to others.

[StreetCowboy]

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

A statement riddled with naivety... contradicts the obvious reality of human behavior. Also, overly ludicrous for

someone who has failed so miserably in their own personal life to be giving any kind of advice to others.

We could probably go on having a go at each other ad nauseam. I am sure some amongst us are only doing it to wind up the OP...

Personally, I'm amazed that there are so few road accidents...

[maidu]

I admit, I complain a lot here, but here's a true story on the positive spectrum:

I had gone to the local outdoor market to buy veges. I must have unwittingly put my wallet down. Anyhow, I didn't realize it until I got to my home, several Km away. I went back out to all the places I had been that afternoon. No avail. On my way home on dark country road, a guy on a motorbike coming the other way, flagged me down. Apparently, he had been at the market, and people were gathered around looking at the photo-ID in my wallet, trying to decipher who it belonged to. The guy was someone who had fixed my car one day, 10 years prior, and he remembered where my house was. He came with the wallet to try and find me, but I wasn't home - so he flagged my down on the dirt road as we were about to pass in the dark. No money in the wallet, but nice to get it back.

[Keith67]

I admit, I complain a lot here, but here's a true story on the positive spectrum:

I had gone to the local outdoor market to buy veges. I must have unwittingly put my wallet down. Anyhow, I didn't realize it until I got to my home, several Km away. I went back out to all the places I had been that afternoon. No avail. On my way home on dark country road, a guy on a motorbike coming the other way, flagged me down. Apparently, he had been at the market, and people were gathered around looking at the photo-ID in my wallet, trying to decipher who it belonged to. The guy was someone who had fixed my car one day, 10 years prior, and he remembered where my house was. He came with the wallet to try and find me, but I wasn't home - so he flagged my down on the dirt road as we were about to pass in the dark. No money in the wallet, but nice to get it back.

A good story with a good result, the cash in peoples wallets is not usually the biggest value it is the bank cards, driving licence and other things we keep in them, it becomes a complete nightmare when lost in any foreign country. I also assume the cash would have been used for reward for the safe return of the wallet anyway.

Edited April 14, 2013 by Keith67

[Neeranam]

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.

Yes, begging for tips is not right. Here's a story:-

I used to play golf with a couple of friends who work in the oil business in the middle east, who would tip the caddies 500 baht and buy them drinks all the way round the golf course. I wasn't rich at all at the time, being an English teacher with 2 young kids , a wife and extended family to look after. I worked my ass off to get by and relaxed with one or two games of golf per week, a game I love. I also played with my boss and some of his rich friends, who typically paid around 50 baht as a tip. It was an army golf course and only about 250 baht for green fees and caddie.

When playing with my two oily buddies, I was amazed at the way the caddies acted. One guy who came to live in Thailand in 1977 couldn't speak a sentence in Thai!! They would answer their telephones whilst on the green, talk while we were taking our shots and generally doing a bad job. Well, what's the point, the stupid farangs give a huge tip for nothing. They have absolutely NO respect for the ignorant farang, even if they do give lots of their money away. A big difference when playing with my Thai friends. Anyways, after one round, my pals gave the usual 500 baht and I gave what I thought a large 70 baht. The caddied giggled and beckoned for more! I opened my wallet and asked for the 70 baht back and told her to **** off. My wife was helping out by selling soft drinks outside my kids school earning about 150 baht a day. The next time I played with the same guys, I gave 100 baht tip and she didn't even thank me. So, in the end I stopped playing with these friends because of their extortionate tipping - it just wasn't worth the hassle.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Post containing profanity and inappropriate language removed, as well as replies to it.

General warning to get back on topic, or the thread will be closed (again). This thread isn't about cheap charlies.

[rene123]

Thais mostly deal with other Thais, unless they are in one of the few specific areas dealing strictly with tourists. When a farang needs help in a non-farang area the Thai usually charges the going rate, which is often much lower than in western societies. It the farang gives the Thai an excessive tip the Thai is not going to start charging his usual clients more. He just accepts it as some form of karma from Buddha. I have received many acts of kindness from Thais everywhere. Maybe it is because I am a woman, but I don't think so. I have an elderly Canadian friend who has received the same great treatment and he tells me it has been the same for many years. I had two flat tires on rental scooters before I bought my own motorbike. As soon as I started pushing the scooter down the road I had almost instant help from a Thai stranger who took me straight to the nearest repair shop where I was charged so little that I was almost embarrassed paying the fee.

[FunFon]

In fact I'd say it's fair to say in those non-scamming areas - IOW most of Thailand - we foreigners get much better treatment as such rather than worse, they treat us as guests in the positive sense of the word, not the negative version usually used here.

[driedmango]

Many of the people on here don't get it, where ever you go you considered a jerk and that always doesn't get respect.

[homeownership]

I forgot to mention, the owner of the repair place had a Honda GB 400TT sitting, I'm not that switched on with bikes but that's a smashing looking one. It was all he could do in his broken English to tell me all about it, with a look of joy on his face.

I asked him to let me see him ride it, he said " cannot, bike sleep one year, my back bad, cannot ride bike, but I love bike, no way I sell ".

That's a wee shame but it was lovely to talk to him and see the pleasure he takes from that bike.

Simple pleasures make life worth living.

.

I fail to see what pleasure he has got from this bike (tongue in cheek) that has obviously knackered his back in, now all he can do is point at it and say he wont sell it. Completly brain washed. Sounds like my sort of guy.

[thaibeachlovers]

I forgot to mention, the owner of the repair place had a Honda GB 400TT sitting, I'm not that switched on with bikes but that's a smashing looking one. It was all he could do in his broken English to tell me all about it, with a look of joy on his face.

I asked him to let me see him ride it, he said " cannot, bike sleep one year, my back bad, cannot ride bike, but I love bike, no way I sell ".

That's a wee shame but it was lovely to talk to him and see the pleasure he takes from that bike.

Simple pleasures make life worth living.

.

Hmmmmm. My BIL loves his old Kawasaki so much that it has to stay in the house, and is never used. It used to obstruct the hall till I put my foot down and moved it into a corner of the living room, where it is hidden under a sheet, and stuff is stored over it.

[thaibeachlovers]

In fact I'd say it's fair to say in those non-scamming areas - IOW most of Thailand - we foreigners get much better treatment as such rather than worse, they treat us as guests in the positive sense of the word, not the negative version usually used here.

REALLY . In the village, I get ignored unless they want to gossip about the "farang", and in the town, I get treated like anyone else. Certainly never felt I was a treasured "guest".

[FunFon]

In fact I'd say it's fair to say in those non-scamming areas - IOW most of Thailand - we foreigners get much better treatment as such rather than worse, they treat us as guests in the positive sense of the word, not the negative version usually used here.

REALLY . In the village, I get ignored unless they want to gossip about the "farang", and in the town, I get treated like anyone else. Certainly never felt I was a treasured "guest".

-

The context was travelling, out and about, meeting people for the first time.

Obviously familiarity breeds contempt, and for some more so (and more quickly) than others.

[maidu]

Just yesterday, I had some mechanic work which needed to be done. 2 water pumps needed fixing concurrently. Took the pumps to a local car shop. The main guy was out, but his assistant, a fellow in his 50's who is the premier re-cycler (always going through trash) in town. He helped me for over an hour, intensely grappling with the cheapo Chinese nuts and bolts (it was tougher job than expected) and using the shop's tools. I wasn't much help, because my wrists were weak from recent injuries. After it all, I tried paying him 100 baht. He kept smiling and wouldn't accept it, saying he was glad to help for free. I wound up leaving him a long length of insulated copper wire which was fried (overheated), which he will sell for recycling (Bt.120/Kg).