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

[hansgruber]

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

Thanks for the chortle.

[besth]

Years ago a girl who had approached me in a go-go bar in BKK and asked for a drink that I did not agree to pay for her, asked me for 1 Baht. I thought she

was going to show me some kind of trick but she just kept it and explained that if she did not make any money from the first customer she approached, it was going to be a bad night for her.

Good enough for me at the price of 1 Gaht.

[vivek130205]

nothing to be surprised of. it's common practice of most of Asian countries. if first customers comes as soon as shop opens and he buys some stuff and pay money. that particular amount revived is usually touch to forehead as 1 st income of the day and or good luck. at the same time when 1 st customer comes in and ask for credit then it's onside red unlucky. what people do in my country is that if the 1 st transaction of the day s to be made on credit, they either ask the customer to wait until someone comes in and pays cash or take minimal denomination of currency. the shop which you went at old have taken 1 baht from you and rest on credit. that's the way it works out in my oh try.

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[wooloomooloo]

I bought a box of cheap lighters from Makro so I could bring back a handful to the UK. I left the rest with mother-in-law. When we went back last time I asked for a lighter and my wife said I would have to give mother-in-law a few baht as it's considered unlucky to give 'fire' for free.

[vivek130205]

try going to some shop on1 st day of month, lets say you go to a clothing shop on 1st July and you are the 1 st customer of the day and month, they will be selling to settle a deal even at loss price, which will be a good deal for the buyer in terms of price tag, however if you still don't take the deal and try to walk away , don't be surprised if they start cursing you. common very common practice. you really wanna try it out try going on 1st jan, you will probably end up in a big fight if you walk away even if you are offered the best deal.

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[yoslim]

another boring thai superstition, glad I don't have a GF who wears the pants and don't have to put up with this daily nonsense

[Guest]

At the end .. sorry start of the day, we might conclude the following.

When a Chinese seller tells us "The ghosts told me so" is the same what we hear on 3rd year of our MBA Advanced level of sales psychology class as "Make sure your team will break the first deal magic. Do it even with loss. This will lead to successful spiral of sales with positive attitude which will continue during the whole sales cycle."

[NamKangMan]

I bought a box of cheap lighters from Makro so I could bring back a handful to the UK. I left the rest with mother-in-law. When we went back last time I asked for a lighter and my wife said I would have to give mother-in-law a few baht as it's considered unlucky to give 'fire' for free.

But she was happy for her son-in-law to have bad luck when you gave her the lighters for free. :)

[wooloomooloo]

But she was happy for her son-in-law to have bad luck when you gave her the lighters for free.

I didn't mention that mother-in-law gave me a few baht when I handed them over but never thought anything of it. It's also unlucky to receive fire for free.

[Morakot]

At the end .. sorry start of the day, we might conclude the following.

When a Chinese seller tells us "The ghosts told me so" is the same what we hear on 3rd year of our MBA Advanced level of sales psychology class as "Make sure your team will break the first deal magic. Do it even with loss. This will lead to successful spiral of sales with positive attitude which will continue during the whole sales cycle."

[SunsetT]

^ 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.

Yes I have heard this.....was once by chance offered a good discount because of this................but what the hell...........who is going to get up early and wait around waiting for a store to open in order to be the 1st customer? ............Mind u, the Malls dont open until 10am so easy to be 1st customer somewhere within.

[fredge45]

Won't work with an Indian merchant...

[canman]

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.

Yes, same in Singapore and you can use it to your advantage as quite a few Chinese Singaporeans believe that if a sale is made to the first customer it will bring good luck. Puts you in the bargining driving seat if you are aware of the superstition

[Rimmer]

Off topic posts removed as per report

[bikkalad]

Might have been the moths that flew out of your wallet ?? Hehe

[Roel]

another boring thai superstition, glad I don't have a GF who wears the pants and don't have to put up with this daily nonsense

Thai superstition: stupid, outdated, ignorant, call it whatever you want but it certainly is not boring!

Exiting, living in a country where even prime ministers are known to consult fortune tellers and base their decision making on the received advice b#llshit.

[Morakot]

thai superstition, glad I don't have a GF who wears the pants and don't have to put up with this daily nonsense

I once dismounted and told my plantation workers to beat it, after they kept saying that and this can't be done because of some voodoo magic.

Now my reputation is tarnished for being a culturally-insensitive slave driver.

Edited June 24, 2013 by Morakot

[vivek130205]

works a lot with Indian merchants.

Edited June 24, 2013 by vivek130205

[LivinginKata]

Ok - enough racist posts. The last 4 posts removed.