I've just been refused service at a restaurant due to ghosts.

[NomadJoe]

The foreign run company I work for partially owns the restaurant next door. Our staff eat there regularly and regularly pay at the end of each month. When we went for breakfast this morning, the Thai part owner refused to serve us due to a Thai superstition that says if your first customer of the day doesn't pay cash, then likely the rest of the customers for the day will also not pay. Ghosts have apparently told the Thai part owner this. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

One thing I love about Thailand, always exciting and always a surprise just around the corner even for people like me that have lived here over a decade.

[hansgruber]

Do they have a waving cat?

[LivinginKata]

Yes, I know about this custom/superstition. Heard vendors saying this a number of times over the years. I was up in Udon Thani last year and my shoe broke up in the morning so I went out to a small shoe shop in the market and bought new shoes. She was so happy I was her first cash customer, allowed her to offer credit for the rest of the day. Nice old lady and she completely believed this custom.

[maanoi]

Seems like a valid fear to me

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Songhua]

Most Thai businesses get around this superstition by leaving a banknote in the till. We permanently leave a US $1 note in the drawer.

[bubblegum]

That's funny. Now you mention surprises; My wife wanted to buy a new white bike. Her mum however said she would not be able to sleep, it had to be a red bike for luck. Now they compromised.

Edited June 23, 2013 by bubblegum

[Roel]

I love it when you apparently are the first customer of the day and then they frantically touch all their merchandise with the bank note you just handed over. So these items will attract bank notes too!

[devolad]

Fantastic superstition - I will be adopting this with immediacy!

Will be seeing my bigger fee paying clients first thing every day of the week.

[bubblegum]

How does one add a picture ?

[hansgruber]

Do they have a waving cat?

[stevenl]

So the dive operators buying their food there in the morning don't count?

[grumpyoldman]

O.K. gweilo

[NomadJoe]

So the dive operators buying their food there in the morning don't count?

Good question. I guess it only applies to the days first walk in customers?

Edited June 23, 2013 by NomadJoe

[NomadJoe]

Do they have a waving cat?

I don't recall/ It was my first time there actually. (New job) and I was only there for 2 mins. I'll go check.

Edited June 23, 2013 by NomadJoe

[LivinginKata]

Reminds of my first month here in Thailand. Obviously I wanted a vehicle and I always fancied a pickup. Off to show room, I really liked the look of a fire red model, put down a deposit. But them my then new lady clearly demanded we go see the monk for the 'lucky' day and time to buy. Being new here I thought this crazy but just to keep the peace I agreed. So off to see a monk, after a series of questions like date of births etc he told us we could buy a white truck this week but had to wait a few weeks before could buy a red one. I thought this complete nonsense but why rock the boat. Then the time to buy had to be 09.09 on the Lucky day. Oh well - this is Thailand.

[NomadJoe]

^ These things are cute little endearing aspects of Thailand until you realize the white one is a 3 month wait and 10,000B more, or in my case, my stomach is grumbling for some breakfast now.

[David48]

Often, when I have been the first to buy from the street vendor (selling non-food items), would brush my money against his/her stock on display for ... 'good luck' ... such is their custom.

A bit of and ... thus is life in colourful Thailand.

Mind you, if I was well hungry like NomadJoe was .. I'd be well pissed ...

.

[Tywais]

My wife wanted to buy a new white bike. Her mum however said she would not be able to sleep, it had to be a red bike for luck. Now they compromised.

A pink bike now?

[Guest]

Being the first customer of the day also means that we have a good bargain position as the seller wish to open up the sales with the first one coming in. That will make the money flow in for the whole day.

[NomadJoe]

^ I don't understand.

[IrishIvan]

I dont understand. Didnt you have any money on you Joe? Were you trying to get credit or something?

[Guest]

When the first customer who walks to the shop ends buying something, it will bring luck of sales for the rest of the day.

You can test this by going to a shop today and ask for the price of some shirt or other product. Then do the same after few days as a first customer. in the morning.

I think it's more of Chinese believe than Thai. I first learned this while I was in Chinatown at Kuala Lumpur.

[NamKangMan]

^ I don't understand.

If you are the first customer of the day, in a shop, the owner will give you a very good price on the haggle. They believe if they can sell to the first customer of the day, the rest of the day's sales will be good business.

[Roel]

Now everybody knows that. You spoiled it.

[Guest]

Now everybody knows that. You spoiled it.

You mean that now 200 TV members know the same what 70 million Thais new already

[Roel]

Only farangs buy the crocodile leather wallets from the street vendors.

[NomadJoe]

I dont understand. Didnt you have any money on you Joe? Were you trying to get credit or something?

The members of my party were trying to get credit as they always do, apparently. I planned to pay cash but one in our party was pretty pissed off and stormed out and we were planned to all eat together so the rest followed.

[retell]

That's funny. Now you mention surprises; My wife wanted to buy a new white bike. Her mum however said she would not be able to sleep, it had to be a red bike for luck. Now they compromised.

white with red dots or a white redbull bike

[joeaverage]

Often, when I have been the first to buy from the street vendor (selling non-food items), would brush my money against his/her stock on display for ... 'good luck' ... such is their custom.

A bit of and ... thus is life in colourful Thailand.

Mind you, if I was well hungry like NomadJoe was .. I'd be well pissed ...

.

i wouldnt bother being pissed, i would just pay cash

[retell]

Now everybody knows that. You spoiled it.

You mean that now 200 TV members know the same what 70 million Thais new already

70 million thai and 1.344 billion chinese