Why shopowners use a calculator to know the sum of 3x20 baht ?

[rubberduck]

It keeps amazing me, especially in little village shops it's almost everywhere. You buy a few simple items of a total less then 100b, few beers or noodles or crisps or chocolat or whatever sometimes as easy as 3 times 20 baht and they need a calculator to find out it's totally 60 baht. I wonder if it is a deep rooted habit of (lazyness?) systematically refuse activating the brain as not unknown here. But <deleted> for 3x20b you don't even NEED brains, and that's the part I really don't get. Or is it more easy to let the calculator be responsible ? But even when using a calculator they often manage to make errors, and not especially for their own benefit... What is this weird phenomenon ? I mean if one runs a business he does have to be, a very little bit good at figures, because it's your daily rice ? Nothing really matters, as it seems, does it ?

[Kitsune]

Some write the price even if there is no calculation.

I am not worthy of their saliva.

[Mrjlh]

Because if they are "short" money in the "till" at the end of the day, it comes out of their paycheck. Better be safe than sorry.

[Wavefloater]

Try to notice if the shop keepers do this with Thai customers; I bet they don't.

I thought it was because their maths skills were so terrible, but now I believe it's because it's easier and clearer. They're going to assume that you can't speak or understand Thai, and they can't speak English, so this is a sure-fire way to let you know the total of your purchase without question or confusion. BTW, I still think their maths skill are bad, but not so much that they can't handle 20+20+20.

[shaggy1969]

Why does any shop in the world use an electric till with digital display ?

Surely it could be all added up in the cashiers head!

Hope this isn't going to be a 'have a go at the Thai's thread'

[FritsSikkink]

How do you know they own the shop and not just work there?

I think Wavefloater is right with the translation thing though there are quite a few people who just can't do the math.

Edited June 12, 2013 by FritsSikkink

[Soutpeel]

Try to notice if the shop keepers do this with Thai customers; I bet they don't.

I thought it was because their maths skills were so terrible, but now I believe it's because it's easier and clearer. They're going to assume that you can't speak or understand Thai, and they can't speak English, so this is a sure-fire way to let you know the total of your purchase without question or confusion. BTW, I still think their maths skill are bad, but not so much that they can't handle 20+20+20.

There are farangs in the visa section of TV who cant add 90 days to their date of entry into Thailand and come up with their next reporting date at immigration...

[kannot]

Why does any shop in the world use an electric till with digital display ?

Surely it could be all added up in the cashiers head!

Hope this isn't going to be a 'have a go at the Thai's thread'

well known fact Thais and maths aren't good but you can keep apologising for them here, they'll love you right up to the moment they have milked you dry and kicked you out with a nice smile.

[Cluey]

Most of the shops I go to the proprietor uses their abacus thingie, much faster than any calculator.

But the 3x20 thing is more for fail-safe communications with the customer, or possibly pure habit.

It is not true that most Thai shopkeepers are bad at maths, not at all.

[Jasun]

They don't have enough fingers and toes.

[pattayadingo]

Because if they are "short" money in the "till" at the end of the day, it comes out of their paycheck. Better be safe than sorry.

That is often the case from what I understand plus the fact it is often easier for them to show you how much the total cost is than to try and say it in English.

[Radar501]

Try working in a workplace where you are adding up, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers for hours and hours. By the end of the day, your brain turns to mash, and even simple calculations can hit a road block.

Best way to ensure you have the correct total is to add up in your head, and use a calculator to confirm the numbers.

Edited June 12, 2013 by Radar501

[Kitsune]

Try working in a workplace where you are adding up, subtracting, multiplying and dividing numbers for hours and hours. By the end of the day, your brain turns to mash, and even simple calculations can hit a road block.

Best way to ensure you have the correct total is to add up in your head, and use a calculator to confirm the numbers.

even when no calculation is needed?

[mad mary]

I guess they just like 'pushing buttons' ...It certainly worked for the OP

[itchybum]

Try to notice if the shop keepers do this with Thai customers; I bet they don't.

I thought it was because their maths skills were so terrible, but now I believe it's because it's easier and clearer. They're going to assume that you can't speak or understand Thai, and they can't speak English, so this is a sure-fire way to let you know the total of your purchase without question or confusion. BTW, I still think their maths skill are bad, but not so much that they can't handle 20+20+20.

There are farangs in the visa section of TV who cant add 90 days to their date of entry into Thailand and come up with their next reporting date at immigration...

To be fair, some months have different numbers in em and one month changes from time to time.

[transam]

Try to notice if the shop keepers do this with Thai customers; I bet they don't.

I thought it was because their maths skills were so terrible, but now I believe it's because it's easier and clearer. They're going to assume that you can't speak or understand Thai, and they can't speak English, so this is a sure-fire way to let you know the total of your purchase without question or confusion. BTW, I still think their maths skill are bad, but not so much that they can't handle 20+20+20.

There are farangs in the visa section of TV who cant add 90 days to their date of entry into Thailand and come up with their next reporting date at immigration...

Hey, leave me out of this. ............................

[benalibina]

Why does any shop in the world use an electric till with digital display ? Surely it could be all added up in the cashiers head! Hope this isn't going to be a 'have a go at the Thai's thread'

Yes it will.

[benalibina]

Try to notice if the shop keepers do this with Thai customers; I bet they don't. I thought it was because their maths skills were so terrible, but now I believe it's because it's easier and clearer. They're going to assume that you can't speak or understand Thai, and they can't speak English, so this is a sure-fire way to let you know the total of your purchase without question or confusion. BTW, I still think their maths skill are bad, but not so much that they can't handle 20+20+20.

There are farangs in the visa section of TV who cant add 90 days to their date of entry into Thailand and come up with their next reporting date at immigration...

That is called: INTEGRATION !!!!

[chris2155]

ok,

i often was confused at the same as the OP has asked.

the truth to the matter is that the thai's dont learn the times table,as well as the farang have leant it.

an easy way to find out is ask your lady what is 4x4 we know its 16, but watch how long it take for a thai to

find the answer.

there is in fact the answer to the question.

the times table.

[Kitsune]

ok,

i often was confused at the same as the OP has asked.

the truth to the matter is that the thai's dont learn the times table,as well as the farang have leant it.

an easy way to find out is ask your lady what is 4x4 we know its 16, but watch how long it take for a thai to

find the answer.

there is in fact the answer to the question.

the times table.

what about when they use them to negotiate?

[barrybankruad]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought that compulsory learning of the mathematical times tables had been scrapped in the U.K. and there is talk of they're being re-introduced. I have seen Western children who appear to be heavily reliant on calculators.

[boosta]

My four-year-old already knows 10s, 5s and 2s, now working on 3's just singing along with Daddy, he thinks it's fun.

[Kitsune]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought that compulsory learning of the mathematical times tables had been scrapped in the U.K. and there is talk of they're being re-introduced. I have seen Western children who appear to be heavily reliant on calculators.

what a disgrace and some children can't even spell nowadays due to spellcheck

[Bagwan]

My niece's teacher cannot calculate 10% of 200 yet she is less than happy that I have taught my niece algebra and have made a start on trigonometry. We started by her learning that to multiply by 10 all that you need to do is add a nought to the right hand end of any whole number or move the decimal point one position to the right. Showing her that to multiply nine by nine all one has to do is multiply nine by by ten and then subtract nine. 9 x 9 = 10 - 1 x 9 = 90 - 9 =81. You don't need a tablet to teach that.

Given the quality of teachers in Thailand, particularly in the rural areas, and that many children are withdrawn from school at an early age to help in the business or on the farm, or somebody else's farm, can you wonder that mathematical skills are lacking in many, if not the majority? Some parents have two sometimes three jobs so that they bring in enough money to feed their families and as a result have little time to attend to raising their children and sharing quality time. How many children have been dumped on their grandparents who, and I hesitate to state this, are little more than peasants. Even those who make the effort are all too often the victims of nepotism and eventually realise that they are banging their heads on a ceiling.

My view is that the World's population is getting dumber and dumber. Those who availed themselves of the opportunity to be, in part at least, educated are sneered at by those who didn't, and labelled as 'nerds'. Success in one's career is often put down to luck as if application and dedication had nothing top do with it. TV now has a greater priority than homework, parents complain and sometimes offer violence to dedicated teachers in the UK who have disciplined children. The chattering classes and the' do gooders' have caused untold harm. No longer can (dare?) a policeman give a lad a cuff around the ear and extreme cases take the child home where they may be punished more severely by it's parents for shaming them. Discipline has become a dirty word. To a Thai I suspect it ranks in distaste as corruption does with me as a farang.

i offer no remedies. I am merely an observer - and I don't like what I see. I left the UK because I thought that society was sick and getting sicker by the year - and unsafe for those in advancing years. Out of the frying pan and into the fire some might think. To bring about a situation where the ability to perform simple mental arithmetic is the norm would require a massive sea change in the Thai philosophy and culture. I'm not holding my breath.

[Bagwan]

Please correct me if I am wrong but I thought that compulsory learning of the mathematical times tables had been scrapped in the U.K. and there is talk of they're being re-introduced. I have seen Western children who appear to be heavily reliant on calculators.

what a disgrace and some children can't even spell nowadays due to spellcheck

I'd be pleased if more contributors here used a spellchecker and software to check for grammatical errors. The statement offered that English is not my home language is a bleat. Nothing more. Take the easy opportunity to use the aids readily available and improve your knowledge and expertise in using a different language to that of your own. All it takes is a small effort. Who knows? You might even get some satisfaction and a boost to your self esteem. Of course an added bonus would be that your message stands a better chance of being understood by the readership.

[huahinjoe]

Regard the OP`s question i was amazed too in the first years in Thailand then i thought it must be something with the way the boss threat the workers in case of missing money they need to pay for it at the end of the day ,so it just common sense they want to make sure the price and change is right...

[transam]

I bought two items at my local ma & pa, one item was 100 bht, the other 76 bht. Calc came out . I admit I failed maths but this did make this numnut smile.

[pomchop]

maybe some of the shops have had so many brain dead farangs go ballistic and accuse them of cheating them so the calculator is their defense that the price is right?...perhaps the shop keeper has already calculated it in HIS head but has no confidence that the farang can calculate it in THEIR head?

how many farangs yell and scream about being cheated because THEY can't figure out a simple bill?

Edited June 15, 2013 by pomchop

[transam]

maybe some of the shops have had so many brain dead farangs go ballistic and accuse them of cheating them so the calculator is their defense that the price is right?...perhaps the shop keeper has already calculated it in HIS head but has no confidence that the farang can calculate it in THEIR head?

how many farangs yell and scream about being cheated because THEY can't figure out a simple bill?

Your still in farangland you rascal. Come on, tell the truth.

[Kitsune]

maybe some of the shops have had so many brain dead farangs go ballistic and accuse them of cheating them so the calculator is their defense that the price is right?...perhaps the shop keeper has already calculated it in HIS head but has no confidence that the farang can calculate it in THEIR head?

how many farangs yell and scream about being cheated because THEY can't figure out a simple bill?

Especially bills in Thai