Attempted short change or just honest mistake

[vagabond48]

I didn't want to highjack the other short change thread.

Last week, I dropped by my bank branch at Festival Central to withdraw 15K. Normally when I deposit or withdraw, the teller 1st manually counts the bills, then uses the bill counter, sometimes several times. The pretty teller took out x bills and counted them by hand. The bill counter was right next to her but she did not use it. Perhaps, it wasn't working. Even if the bills are counted with the machine, I manually count them as well. I counted my withdrawal twice and I was 1000 short. Without blinking a eye, she handed me a 1000B bill.

Yesterday, I went to the vegetable/fruit market by the river, bought some mangoes for 30B. I gave him a 500B bill. He returned 370. After showing him the 3 100 bills, he gave me the additional 100 bill.

I don't recall this ever happening to me before.

Of course, neither apologized.

Honest mistakes or attempt to short change customers?

[HeavyDrinker]

Have a care. You'll have the apologists in a fury. "How dare you suggest Thais may be dishonest, it's far worse in your home country etc"

[Costas2008]

"Of course, neither apologized."

OP, Apologies, seem to be against Thai culture.

In my life in Thailand, I have been given, sometimes more change and sometimes less change, but never got an apology or sometimes not even a Thank you for returning the extra money.

I shouldn't complaint, it's nice to live here.

[how241]

Sounds like a short change to me, especially at the bank. The way she handed you the extra money implied that she was aware of the mis-count. IMHO

[RickFarang]

Happens too often to be honest mistakes every time. Even happened to me at the Post office.

[ezzra]

As a yard stick, from my personal experience, most of the street vendors who uses scales to

to weigh the products they are selling are short changing the customers anywhere between

50 grams to 150 grams whether by using faulty scales or intentionally trying to defraud the customer...

[cronus]

_{Wondering about the short change at the bank... it happens regularly at Tesco though...}

[Adeeos]

My experiences with being short changed,,, IF an honest mistake,, it usually takes a bit of convincing on your part to get the $,,,, when any thai hands you several hundred back, without questioning?,,,, it was done on purpose,,, ESP in a bank, where she'd be accountable for the lose if her drawer was $1000 short at closing,,,, Last month at my local Handy Mart,,, I bought a few things coming home,, about 2AM, (I had been drinking),,,, handed her $1000,, she handed me the $100's, and loose change,, when I noticed it,, She handed me the $500 bill,, which was already in her hand,, and actually SMILED about it,,, I went back the following day,, I'm a regular customer,, and mentioned it to the owner/manager,,, The young little thief no longer works there,,,

Edited May 2, 2014 by Adeeos

[uptheos]

Always count your change/money before moving away, regardless of who is waiting.

I learned this when I was 5 years old.

Edited May 2, 2014 by uptheos

[realenglish1]

My experience is they will try to short change you It has happened twice to me so far but they did not get away with it, First was in a night market I bought sometime for 40 baht and the vendor 1,000 baht since I did not have anything smaller. He then handed me back 70 baht I said Hey what gives I just gave you 1,00o He said I did not I said I did and if he wanted to argue ( In Thai) I would call the police , I told him he is a thief. He then relented and game me the difference. Just before I walked away I told him off in Thai,.

Second time was with another vendor. I bought a cut key for 90 baht I asked her if she had change for 1000 she said yes. She then counted the change 3 times and handing me 800 baht change. I had counted it in my head and she fumbled the bills and then counted then in front of her again and it was just 800 I told her Nice Trick Give me the extra 100. She meekishly smiled and handed it over.

So yes vendors from time to time will try and screw you because they think you are stupid farang. Now to avoid this in the future I try and have smaller bank notes so as not to attempt those thieves from tying to scam me

[oneday]

It has happened to me a couple times in 5 years so not that common in my opinion. However, it could be an honest mistake or a quick attempt at getting some extra cash. You'll never know, that is why I always try to make my return change easy to figure and count by giving enough change to them so my return change is simplified. I always carefully watch what they give back. I've also been under-charged twice in one day and gave them the money back. In this instance they were not so quick to save "face" and quickly accepted the money back with a nice smile and thank you.

It goes both ways, but incorrect change here happens more than in my home country.

Today I gave the cashier at Friendship Market a fright. She so diligently counted out the 6 100 baht bills of my change that when I took the change I pointed to the 100's and said with a smile, Jet-Roi baht with a smile. She quickly took the money back and counted again while I said "Law len, law len". She and another Thai had a good laugh. Way too many of these cashiers don't smile.

[Regyai]

Same thing here at supermarket

Cos you peel off from a stack of 1000's do these fools assume that somehow you cant add and subtract?

100 short changed & when challenged immediately handed over the shortfall without a murmur which equals an obvious tacit admission of guilt... so why the sour face when you call them a thief is beyond me

.

[Phoenix1312]

OMG you have to ask??

[ggt]

This is the most common form of corruption by everyday Thai thieves...don't ever expect an apology...they are actually quite upset that you wanted ALL your money back...this is Thailand...

[Metapod]

Only place I have seen deliberate short changing in Thailand is at the Ekkamai bus terminal.

[tubby johnson]

In Thailand, I always count my change. At the Emporium mall recently, I noticed that my change was 100 baht short. I told the cashier and she instantly handed me a 100 baht note with a startled look in her eyes. Her guilt was implicit in her lack of hesitation.

[Suradit69]

Wow some of you people have such interesting lives.

At the Farang Fantasy Factory we even have imaginary quotes from imaginary people to fuel the imaginary outrage.

Have a care. You'll have the apologists in a fury. "How dare you suggest Thais may be dishonest, it's far worse in your home country etc"

Seriously, one of the best things about Thai Visa, after reading some of these threads I know my worst days are still so much better than those some of the TV old ladies have everyday.

Natter, natter, natter. tsk, tsk, tsk

[amarka]

i bought a coffee for 30 baht or so and received change for a 1,000 baht, i only gave the girl 100 baht. i was a bit confused at first, then i asked the girl, 'is this change right'? she said yes yes, thinking i was complaining maybe. i checked it again and said no it cant be right i only gave you 100 baht. she blushed and seemed to have some sort of recall and said thank you... so many times i ended up more embarrassed than she was...

same sort of think happened in a Bank, i changed euros and the girl gave me the rate for GBP, again i asked her if it was right and she said yes... i pointed out the mistake to her discretely so that her colleagues would not be aware of what she had done.. she was very happy and thanked me so much...

and yes the Thais and everyone else in just about every other country short change people all the time, but there are lots and lots of honest mistakes too.....

[Ulysses G.]

i bought a coffee for 30 baht or so and received change for a 1,000 baht, i only gave the girl 100 baht. i was a bit confused at first, then i asked the girl, 'is this change right'? she said yes yes, thinking i was complaining maybe. i checked it again and said no it cant be right i only gave you 100 baht. she blushed and seemed to have some sort of recall and said thank you... so many times i ended up more embarrassed than she was...

I have had this happen more often than the other way around. I almost always count my change and it is usually right, but once in a while they give me too much or too little.

[Beetlejuice]

i bought a coffee for 30 baht or so and received change for a 1,000 baht, i only gave the girl 100 baht. i was a bit confused at first, then i asked the girl, 'is this change right'? she said yes yes, thinking i was complaining maybe. i checked it again and said no it cant be right i only gave you 100 baht. she blushed and seemed to have some sort of recall and said thank you... so many times i ended up more embarrassed than she was...

same sort of think happened in a Bank, i changed euros and the girl gave me the rate for GBP, again i asked her if it was right and she said yes... i pointed out the mistake to her discretely so that her colleagues would not be aware of what she had done.. she was very happy and thanked me so much...

and yes the Thais and everyone else in just about every other country short change people all the time, but there are lots and lots of honest mistakes too.....

The same has happened to me also. It can work both ways.

Perhaps there is an epidemic of short changing hitting Thailand at the moment? They’re out to get us.

My advice is, do as I do and always check your change. That’s about all we can do. Crap happens no matter where we are.

[Doznotdiz]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. You should always pay for things in Thailand with notes as near as possible to the asking price. Always use an ATM to get your 1000 baht bills. Always pay for supermarket goods with 1000 baht bills to enable you to get lots of smaller bills in change. Then maintain a stack of 100 and 20 baht bills at home and take some of these with you every time you go out. There are no "honest mistakes" here.

[northernjohn]

My experience is they will try to short change you It has happened twice to me so far but they did not get away with it, First was in a night market I bought sometime for 40 baht and the vendor 1,000 baht since I did not have anything smaller. He then handed me back 70 baht I said Hey what gives I just gave you 1,00o He said I did not I said I did and if he wanted to argue ( In Thai) I would call the police , I told him he is a thief. He then relented and game me the difference. Just before I walked away I told him off in Thai,.

Second time was with another vendor. I bought a cut key for 90 baht I asked her if she had change for 1000 she said yes. She then counted the change 3 times and handing me 800 baht change. I had counted it in my head and she fumbled the bills and then counted then in front of her again and it was just 800 I told her Nice Trick Give me the extra 100. She meekishly smiled and handed it over.

So yes vendors from time to time will try and screw you because they think you are stupid farang. Now to avoid this in the future I try and have smaller bank notes so as not to attempt those thieves from tying to scam me

Good idea to have the smaller bank notes. When I get my money for the month I will get 10,000 in 100 baht bills and 1000 or 2,000 in 20 baht bills. Lately 1,000 in 50 baht bills.

If I get ripped off it is not for much. As I never give that much more than the purchase.

[BB1955]

I had it happen a few times in the 7/11 . Can never tell if its an honest mistake or not . So I make it a point to count my change everywhere I go and I also watch them ring up my groceries and the supermarket ... A couple times I was over charged and caught it .

[belg]

if ur smart u do head calculation ur self and u give correct money ... up 2 a few baht over maybe

[Gsxrnz]

Here's something that happened to me just 30 minutes ago, which was ironic after reading this thread earlier in the day.

I've just returned from having a meal at Fish & Chips in Jomtien. Had fish and chips with peas, a fried egg on the side, coffee and a coke.

My bin for the meal was 270B and I handed the lady boy waitress 500B. She gave me change of 270B - obviously a brain fade on her part.

I asked her how much the bin was as she walked back past me and she confirmed 270. I showed her the extra 40B change, saw the penny drop, she gives me a big grin, a bow as I stand, three kohb kuhn maak's, two thank you's in English, two sa-wat-dee jaa's, and two jer gan mai's as I struggled to walk out to my bike as I think she was intending to drop my pants and return a favour.

[amexpat]

^^

"There are no "honest mistakes" here."

So, when they give me way too much in change it's because I am such a hansum man? Yes, I think so.

[Adeeos]

The problem is,,, if you actually count your change,, many look at you, as if you don't trust them,,,, hhhhhmmm wonder why?

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

[wandasloan]

My experience is they will try to short change you It has happened twice to me so far but they did not get away with it,

Are you certain it only happened twice? Why?

.

[Adeeos]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. You should always pay for things in Thailand with notes as near as possible to the asking price. Always use an ATM to get your 1000 baht bills. Always pay for supermarket goods with 1000 baht bills to enable you to get lots of smaller bills in change. Then maintain a stack of 100 and 20 baht bills at home and take some of these with you every time you go out. There are no "honest mistakes" here.

So your rational,, is to make a point of only carrying only smaller bills,, to help limit your losses from blatant thieves?,,,, great logic,,, how bout just take THIEVES to task,, MAKE THEM TREAT CUSTOMERS HONESTLY!,,, yes,, tough concept I know,,,,,

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

[Sparkles]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. You should always pay for things in Thailand with notes as near as possible to the asking price. Always use an ATM to get your 1000 baht bills. Always pay for supermarket goods with 1000 baht bills to enable you to get lots of smaller bills in change. Then maintain a stack of 100 and 20 baht bills at home and take some of these with you every time you go out. There are no "honest mistakes" here.

So your rational,, is to make a point of only carrying only smaller bills,, to help limit your losses from blatant thieves?,,,, great logic,,, how bout just take THIEVES to task,, MAKE THEM TREAT CUSTOMERS HONESTLY!,,, yes,, tough concept I know,,,,,

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

No the fact is if you hand a taxi or songteaw driver a 500 or a 1,000 baht note he's never going to have change no matter if he's been working 12 hours and has a stack under the front seat,he will round it out to his benefit.

That goes for any country in the world not just Thailand and in my 12 years experience in this country most businesses don't have a cash float and have to run next door to get change.So as Doznotdiz says carry small notes as well as biggies,seems a logical move to me..