Bill fees that make you laugh

[JAFO]

To this day I have always laughed on some of our monthly bills or other costs. The other day the water bill came in for the house. Now mind you we have 2 wells and city water. The city water bill was 189 bht ($5). The water bill at the Condo I rent for work was 88 bht ($2.58). Electric was 301 bht ($8.80). We went and updated the Chanotes and the bill was 25 bht ($.73). My wife got a camera ticket for speeding coming out to stay with me for a few weeks, 250 bht ($7.35). Just seems that it costs more to print it out and mail some of this stuff. The water guy rides around on his Wave and takes meter readings. At the government building I laughed on the Chanote fee  wasn't even $1. Again I am not complaining, just laughing

 

This isn't a thread about living costs comparison(There are hundreds of them), I just wondered if other posters get bill and laugh at how low they are. Some cost more in gas to go pay them.

[JAFO]

21 minutes ago, transam said:

If I was on 300bht a day l may look at these bills and...............

Well good point I suppose.  The Chanote one really mare me shake my head. He updated. Sign. Stamped. Took 45 minutes to make it all official wasn't even a $1.  I walked away laughing and said "What's the point of the fee?"  25 Bht? Where does that $.73 cents go.  LOL

[Kwasaki]

If it isn't a thread about living costs comparison how would one know whether to laugh or not,  you are already comparing it to the dollar. 

Edited September 5, 2016 by Kwasaki

[JAFO]

I was comparing it to the dollar as reference for me, What I was hoping to avoid was a thread of people comparing their living costs to others. Those are pointless. I was laughing mostly on the cost of the bill itself. I mean 25 bht, 88 bht etc. ?

 

Maybe this thread was pointless.... I can laugh at myself. These are just things I notice and shake my head and wonder how it is cost effective. To me some I get its like Why? I have some a bit lower than 25 baht and a few 5 or 10 baht higher. More of an inconvenience to pay. Hell a big Leo costs more then some odd bills we get. 

 

Let me start a thread on Bar Girls, Drunken foreigners or the Old man with Young girls. Those seem to draw a big audience and lots of fighting. 

 

 

[Pdaz]

Some years ago I had my Ducati serviced at the main dealer in BKK. Labour was around 125 Baht. Amazing Thailand. I laughed all the way home.. And to think many prospective Ducati owners fret about 'servicing costs' 

[Pdaz]

Yeah, I had an old 900SS that needed a fair bit of TLC but never let me down. And my later more modern sport 1000 was very reliable. Sadly once a manufacturer has reputation for dodgy electrics (Ducati), poor reliability (TVR), rusty bodywork (Alfa), exploding (Ford). It can take years for it to dissipate. Owners and enthusiasts know the truth but others only remember the gossip they heard in the pub.

[Kwasaki]

18 minutes ago, Pdaz said:

Yeah, I had an old 900SS that needed a fair bit of TLC but never let me down. And my later more modern sport 1000 was very reliable. Sadly once a manufacturer has reputation for dodgy electrics (Ducati), poor reliability (TVR), rusty bodywork (Alfa), exploding (Ford). It can take years for it to dissipate. Owners and enthusiasts know the truth but others only remember the gossip they heard in the pub.

 

A bit off topic l guess Ducati's here in Thailand in buying & servicing are at reasonable cost.

Where as Ducati's UK were in my day a higher cost compared to the flood of jap bikes.

One for motorcycle forum really.

 

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, JAFO said:

I was comparing it to the dollar as reference for me, What I was hoping to avoid was a thread of people comparing their living costs to others. Those are pointless. I was laughing mostly on the cost of the bill itself. I mean 25 bht, 88 bht etc. ?

 

Maybe this thread was pointless.... I can laugh at myself. These are just things I notice and shake my head and wonder how it is cost effective. To me some I get its like Why? I have some a bit lower than 25 baht and a few 5 or 10 baht higher. More of an inconvenience to pay. Hell a big Leo costs more then some odd bills we get. 

 

Let me start a thread on Bar Girls, Drunken foreigners or the Old man with Young girls. Those seem to draw a big audience and lots of fighting. 

 

 

 

Nah it's fair call as a topic and l have always been amused at prices here in Thailand and one of my great enjoyments is when l get my family and friends visiting me they moan about costs in England.

At one time they didn't laugh much at all they felt pretty sick when they ask how much the council tax was we have to pay on our Thai house,  l said straight faced " Yes my wife thinks it outrageous what we have to pay, it goes to the local village government it's 8 bht per year about 20 pence."    then l laugh.

 

By the way my wife don't think that it one of the bills she don't bother to hand me. 

[JAFO]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

 

Nah it's fair call as a topic and l have always been amused at prices here in Thailand and one of my great enjoyments is when l get my family and friends visiting me they moan about costs in England.

At one time they didn't laugh much at all they felt pretty sick when they ask how much the council tax was we have to pay on our Thai house,  l said straight faced " Yes my wife thinks it outrageous what we have to pay, it goes to the local village government it's 8 bht per year about 20 pence."    then l laugh.

 

By the way my wife don't think that it one of the bills she don't bother to hand me. 

Yeah some are just head scratching. Don't get me wrong. Not complaining.  I think our tax bill was similar. Like 12 baht or something like that.  I was laughing pretty hard as my wife paid it with coins and of course she insisted on a receipt. 

 

To your point. I mention some costs to my friends back in the states. They respond back with some very choice words that would be deleted here for sure LOL.  It's all jokingly of course.  One colleague said "Yeah look at what you had to sacrifice though"  I laughed and said "what is that exactly? Funny the no response.  

[KhunBENQ]

Not exactly a bill.

I sometimes order shipments/packages to be stored at the post office (general delivery).

If you pick it up the day it arrives: 1 Baht fee, any added day 1 Baht.

No receipt
 

[Kwasaki]

5 hours ago, JAFO said:

Yeah some are just head scratching. Don't get me wrong. Not complaining.  I think our tax bill was similar. Like 12 baht or something like that.  I was laughing pretty hard as my wife paid it with coins and of course she insisted on a receipt. 

 

To your point. I mention some costs to my friends back in the states. They respond back with some very choice words that would be deleted here for sure LOL.  It's all jokingly of course.  One colleague said "Yeah look at what you had to sacrifice though"  I laughed and said "what is that exactly? Funny the no response.  

 

Yeah jealousy is a strange thing with some people. 

 

Well you can be sadistic   and ask like how much is your motorbike & car insurance which is another laugh l get.   

[blackcab]

We had to get a copy of a construction permit from the Department of Engineering. It took our staff 4 visits to their office and about 2 months to obtain.

 

The duplicate permit was signed by the Deputy Governor of Bangkok and came with a receipt that had been completed on a typewriter.

 

5 baht. I remember because the 5 was typed as ๕ in Thai.

[NoshowJones]

The mini bars in hotels, one I was in was charging three times what Family Mart charge for the same drink, and there was a Family Mart across the road.

I would not expect to pay the same as a Family Mart, but exactly three times as much??

Capitalism at it's worst, and what makes me laugh is some deluded people must actually be paying these prices.

[HerbalEd]

Yeah. Every time I get my USA tax bill I laugh. It's either that or cry ... and laughing is way more fun.

[wombat]

one day these guys will wake up to the money to be made property taxing condo owners.

 

[williamgeorgeallen]

1600thb for major service on the mitsu. had to tip 4 people  at the service center just to get it it up to 2000thb. major service on a 4WD i has in oz was 500AUD. how can it be that different?

[Emster23]

Real barrel of laughs when get the condo (renting) electric bill: charge 7 baht a unit when their cost is about 3.50. Imagine they laugh all the way to the bank

[Deez]

You do realise what country you are in , right?

[chiang mai]

1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

1600thb for major service on the mitsu. had to tip 4 people  at the service center just to get it it up to 2000thb. major service on a 4WD i has in oz was 500AUD. how can it be that different?

 

You tipped four people at the Misu. service centre. why did you do that! Please, don't do it again, it's not good for everyone else that lives here.

[wwest5829]

While I may not laugh, I do smile in gratitude for the lower cost of living. Yes, I looked at the lower cost of living before deciding to retire in Thailand. You see, I cannot afford to live in my own country on my $2400 a month. And yes, I count my blessing as I know there are others here surviving on less.

[BlindMagician]

On 9/5/2016 at 11:44 AM, JAFO said:

I was comparing it to the dollar as reference for me, What I was hoping to avoid was a thread of people comparing their living costs to others. Those are pointless. I was laughing mostly on the cost of the bill itself. I mean 25 bht, 88 bht etc. ?

 

Maybe this thread was pointless.... I can laugh at myself. These are just things I notice and shake my head and wonder how it is cost effective. To me some I get its like Why? I have some a bit lower than 25 baht and a few 5 or 10 baht higher. More of an inconvenience to pay. Hell a big Leo costs more then some odd bills we get. 

 

Let me start a thread on Bar Girls, Drunken foreigners or the Old man with Young girls. Those seem to draw a big audience and lots of fighting. 

 

 

I always laugh at my bills, cos they are sooo funny.

You want comments, but don't want comparisons. Seems to me you are a bit confused.

Can you get to the point of this thread...it seems a bit odd.

[Fookhaht]

My Hush Puppie dress shoes, normally a good sturdy brand, started unraveling and the shoe wouldn't stay on.  I mean this was sudden, and I needed an immediate fix as I had already left the house and was on my way to work.   I drove around a bit until I found a cobbler repairing shoes on the sidewalk.  While we chatted, he worked on my shoe. Meanwhile, I was mildly alarmed for four reasons:

1)  I forgot to ask "how much" up front, thereby opening myself to any possible outrageous charge, and weakening my ability to negotiate. 

2)  In the process, he unraveled another 1/2 of the shoe to replace most of the loosening stitches.

3)  He took about an hour.  I was already stressing out at the 1/2 hour mark. 

4)  He remarked what a normally well-made shoe this brand was, and "probably expensive." I knew he was fattening me up for the slaughter.  

When he was done, I sucked it up and asked,  "how much?"   

"Twenty baht."   

Edited September 7, 2016 by Fookhaht

[williamgeorgeallen]

2 hours ago, chiang mai said:

 

You tipped four people at the Misu. service centre. why did you do that! Please, don't do it again, it's not good for everyone else that lives here.

they gave me great service. bill came back less than quoted and free wash, thats why. also i like to tip. imagine what a great place this would be if everyone just gave a small tip when they were happy with something.

[Ulic]

75 baht to detail my scooter at the car wash to make it look like it came off the show room

floor. I always leave a hundred and shake my head at the low cost. Full scooter service at

a dealer all fluids and brake service, new front tire 1,800 baht. Runs like a top. I leave a

a 200 baht tip and feel guilty. Wednesday movies at the Avenue mall 80 baht. Lovely

comfortable chair and air conditioned splendor. A great way to spend a couple of hours.

I gave up on going to the movies back home when it reached 10 dollars. Now 15 + parking.

I really do love the value in Thailand.  

[Notowork]

I know we all like to compare home country currency to the Baht,...but ,..if the exchange rates were 1 for 1 ,....none of us would be laughing about cheap bills.

Just think many Thai people only earn 300baht a day!!,....if power and water bills were much higher these people wouldn't have much left to buy food!!

Most prices are all relative to income.

So really the only fair way to compare a bill or service is to calculate it as a percentage of average income earnings.

 

[Grubster]

Good idea laugh at the Thai's Maybe they should make all bills and fines equal to those in your home country, then we could listen to you cry. Why are you here? Ha Ha Ha

[smotherb]

On 9/5/2016 at 10:26 AM, JAFO said:

Well good point I suppose.  The Chanote one really mare me shake my head. He updated. Sign. Stamped. Took 45 minutes to make it all official wasn't even a $1.  I walked away laughing and said "What's the point of the fee?"  25 Bht? Where does that $.73 cents go.  LOL

Those are some of the dwindling benefits we derive from being here. Things in general are cheaper, if we stay away from the tourist ghettos and start interacting at local levels. The government paid my water bill for the first four or five years we lived here. However, I think you will find few foreigners who use only B300 for electricity.

[JAFO]

8 hours ago, smotherb said:

Those are some of the dwindling benefits we derive from being here. Things in general are cheaper, if we stay away from the tourist ghettos and start interacting at local levels. The government paid my water bill for the first four or five years we lived here. However, I think you will find few foreigners who use only B300 for electricity.

 

I concur. Live anywhere near tourist locals and prices soar and you will not see bill's like I mentioned. I do not live out in the boondocks either. Good developed area with a nice mix of a few top stores. Story similar to yours, for the longest time the light on the property was wired into gov power. Only after we moved the pole and we noticed that did we laugh about it. Same with both well pumps.

 

As for foreigners and 300 bht electric bills, I do not want to start that repeated debate. Its what it is. My thread was more about the how low some of the bills we get are and I laugh and say whats the point.   

[ardokano]

On 05.09.2016 at 1:15 PM, Kwasaki said:

 

A bit off topic l guess Ducati's here in Thailand in buying & servicing are at reasonable cost.

Where as Ducati's UK were in my day a higher cost compared to the flood of jap bikes.

One for motorcycle forum really.

 

It is one of the  quality items that are available in Thailand at a low price.
  else if you pay cheap. get even cheaper.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, ardokano said:

It is one of the  quality items that are available in Thailand at a low price.
  else if you pay cheap. get even cheaper.

 

lf you mean Ducati here in in Thailand yeah but not so sure about quality they have just up there game because of jap bikes they've never been my cup of tea not just because of price, they have trounced in so many ways same as BMW high cost bikes but it only as l see it and just IMHO. As l said off topic and a topic for motorbike Thailand form.