Indian Guys on Bikes

[llamedos]

Hi All i have lived on the outskirts of Bangkok in two locations (Bang Na & Rangsit) while walking on the main Sois i have seen these Indian guys peddling past and wondered what they did as they cannot have work permits etc.

My Thai wife tells me they sell things at inflated prices on a daily payment basis the rate is about 25% per month, they also give small loans to Thais on the same basis however they can become very nasty if you cannot pay i am told they have beaten up old ladies when they could not pay the 50 Baht payment.

One wonders who they pay to get away with it there must be hundereds of them in Bangkok.

Good Buisness

[Curt1591]

You are talking about the East Indian Peanut Mafia.

Although they are resented by many of the low income street vendors, no one of any stature gives a flying backflip.

I'm sure many of them supply free peanuts to the local squad room.

[jdinasia]

Or the simple fact that there are a fairly large number of Indo-Thais ...... that do not need work permits.

[Naam]

My Thai wife tells me they sell things at inflated prices on a daily payment basis the rate is about 25% per month, they also give small loans to Thais on the same basis however they can become very nasty if you cannot pay i am told they have beaten up old ladies when they could not pay the 50 Baht payment.

please more interesting fairy tales from a Thai wife that does not exist.

[HeavyDrinker]

The bigger fish are of the Chettiar caste who originally came to Thailand from Burma after the peasant revolts of the early 20th Century forced them out.

many of them work in the rag trade flogging off cheapo clothing. They are working for large Indian clothing manufacturers (owned by the big fish). They sell a lot of clobber on the 'never, never' which is at an inflated rate of interest. as well as make cash loans in the Chettiar tradition.

As most were born here there is no need for WPs visas etc....

[Naam]

The bigger fish are of the Chettiar caste who originally came to Thailand from Burma after the peasant revolts of the early 20th Century forced them out.

many of them work in the rag trade flogging off cheapo clothing. They are working for large Indian clothing manufacturers (owned by the big fish). They sell a lot of clobber on the 'never, never' which is at an inflated rate of interest. as well as make cash loans in the Chettiar tradition.

As most were born here there is no need for WPs visas etc....

in all these years i have never seen a Chettiar Tamil in Thailand but a "zillion" Punjabi Sikhs who own tailor shops.

[Scrooge]

If they're similar to the "Indian men on bikes" that peddle around the areas I've spent much time in (Klong Toei, Ratchada, and Rama II), they're basically loan sharks. They collect on the loan each day, thus the bikes. Like another poster mentioned, I understand things can get ugly if they're not paid each and every day. One family I used to know actually fled Bangkok for the provinces in the middle of the night because they couldn't pay any more and were afraid of what might happen.

[ultimate weapon]

Speaking of indian men. Me and 2 female buddies were having supper at hway khwang night market and these freaking vendors came over and harrassed us. 1 was an old thai lady and we bought something from her. Next 3 yes 3 guys came along they came 1 after the other over a span of 1 think 10-15 mins. They were all indian and kept on harrassing us. Wouldn't take no for an answer and one of them even touched me. They did the same for the other patrons too. Goddamnit.

[MB1]

@ llamedos...OP..

Don't believe all that your Thai wife tells you, they have been known to be telling lies and untruths, sometimes they know nothing and just make things up to make it seem to the listener that they are knowledgeable about things Thai..

Also remember that if they are telling untruths about one thing, then what else could they be telling untruths about eh..?..

A little look on wiki will educate you about Indians in Thailand, many whom live and work in Thailand quite legally, so don't believe all the wifey tells you..

Like Naam said, beware of wives fairy tales....If she does exsist of course...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indians_in_Thailand

Edited November 28, 2013 by MB1