How can newbies to Thailand avoid paying farang prices?

[wildewillie89]

20 hours ago, Mitkof Island said:

Omg! A foreigner that is smarter than the average idiot. Learning to speak Thai might also help if you plan to live here or spending much time in the country. I don,t think there are any Thais holding a gun to your head. It is idiot foreigners who drive up the prices also.

 

I understand how it could be difficult for some. The first few times I ever traveled to Thai I guess I would have had the same complaints. However, if you extensively travel or move to live here, there should be a little understanding of how the place works (whether you speak Thai or not). I guess it also comes back to the people you mix with also, good Thai will fight for you. I remember whilst at a tourist spot with my wife, a bunch of local Thais came into bat for me as the guard was being unreasonable. He was happy to go on a power trip and verbally fight the one farang and his wife, but not a group of 15 random Thai. Also, it is the same with most things in Thai and all over the world, if you hang out with uneducated people, don't expect to have the smoothest of times. Uneducated people generally wont understand their way around systems, whether societal or government systems...Just a bit of the advice for the guys who come to hang around the bars.

[Get Real]

On 2017-01-03 at 2:32 PM, sanemax said:

 

    Thais can go to 7/11s and they keep the receipt and then they go to 7/12s and get a free item of whatever they purchased , making it HALF-PRICE .

You just have to go off that buzz, and stop overmedicating.

[sanemax]

11 hours ago, Get Real said:

You just have to go off that buzz, and stop overmedicating.

You need to attend  lessons in the subtle art of ridicule and satire

[grollies]

Simple answer JimmyJ, you can't.

[scorecard]

Yes it does happen but not with everything or every time.

 

some examples where dual pricing doesn't usually occur :

 

- Plenty of restaurants everywhere with same prices for all customers.

- Supermarkets and 7/11, Family Mart convenience stores - all one price.

- Department stores.

- Big hardware stores.

- Taxis in Bkk - standard charges on the meter (but sometimes drivers try to play games).

- Telephone packages / call charges.

- and lots more.

 

You can find people trying to rip off customers in many counties for many different types of goods and services.

 

In Thailand it's not really as bad as some folks make out.

 

 

 

 

[scorecard]

On 1/2/2017 at 10:52 PM, daveAustin said:

Op, a clueless Thai will still pay inflated prices the same way a farang would in tourist and non-tourist areas alike. In the likes of the Night Bazaar in CM, neither would get a great price even when using the ole walking away ruse because the vendor knows full well that some sap will be right along behind them. If you knew a fair bit of Thai and how things work, you might fair better, but a fresh-off-the-boat farang with no experience of the world of Thainess will generally be bent over and delivered a nice big fat wet one at every turn. 

 

" Op, a clueless Thai will still pay inflated prices the same way a farang would in tourist and non-tourist areas alike. I "

 

A twist - we have a full on ladyboy in the outer family. He's on a low salary.

 

He offers high prices to vendors so that he will look rich - which he ain't.

 

He gets his moment of glory.

 

The vendors readily accept his money, they're happy too..

[rott]

On 1/23/2017 at 10:43 AM, lungnorm said:

I have been in the Phils over 3yrs and never paid to Pee yet. No shortage of toilets in the malls and the coffee shops and Macca's dont stop you just walking in and using the loo. 

Call me confused. 

 

Presume you replied to the wrong quote, I never mentioned going for a pee.

[overherebc]

On 24/01/2017 at 5:06 PM, Mitkof Island said:

What the hell are you talking about?

If you don't know where your local 7/12 is you haven't been here long enough.

[phuketrichard]

10 hours ago, overherebc said:

If you don't know where your local 7/12 is you haven't been here long enough.

ahh and u have?? so please give us just ONE address ANYWHERE in thailand for a 7/12

 

there are NONE here on phuket isand

[overherebc]

Just now, phuketrichard said:

ahh and u have?? so please give us just ONE address ANYWHERE in thailand for a 7/12

 

there are NONE here on phuket isand

 

Took me 12 years to find it and you think I'm going to tell anyone where it is????

 

[meatboy]

tha wife went to the mall [korat] sat. to buy a remote control battery,went to 2shops the first wanted 300bht.its a special one said the shop staff,WHAT? the next shop mtrs.away 150bht.

thais will RIP OFF their own granny.

[The Deerhunter]

On 1/24/2017 at 2:47 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

How was the zoo?

Truly we had a wonderful day together and it finished very nicely too

[smokie36]

I once paid 1000 Baht for a cheesegrater.

 

Same price for Thais though so I feel it was justified.

[Bikeman93]

Learn the power of "No".

[observer90210]

why not just send your chesty Thai cutie GF to negociate or purchase and you'll get the "Thai price??!!!"

[grollies]

On 2017-1-29 at 9:26 AM, overherebc said:

 

Took me 12 years to find it and you think I'm going to tell anyone where it is????

 

Ha, only been here 2 years and found our local 7/12 last week. 

[Mitkof Island]

Avoid where foreigners hang out. learn to speak at least basic Thai

[Chou Anou]

1) Accept that as a newbie, you WILL sometimes pay "farang prices"

2) Keep things in perspective...50 baht is $1.47 USD, 500 baht is $14.70 USD, etc...i.e. don't lose it over getting "taken" for a tiny amount of cash

3) LEARN TO SPEAK THAI (yes, I know it's a slow process and an ongoing project, but if you're going to live in Thailand, begin as soon as you arrive)...knowing how to speak Thai well will not save you from paying "farang prices" on all things, but it will help with a lot of them

4) Always be polite and respectful when dealing with Thais in money matters.  And please don't say, "but they're not always polite and respectful, wah-wah, blah blah..."  You are a foreigner.  And you have a reputation as a farang (aggressive, crude, loud, quick to lose your temper) that it's YOUR responsibility to overcome.  

5) Learn the "real" prices of things so you can bargain accordingly, and be able to "choose your battles" (getting overcharged 50 baht is a lot different than getting overcharged 5,000 baht, etc.)

6) LEARN TO SPEAK THAI.  And make sure it's polite, and formal when necessary--not just "bar girl Thai"

7) Learn to accept the things (admission to state parks, temples, etc.) that you're just not going to be able to "pay the Thai price" for

8) LEARN TO READ THAI.  This will help more than you know, because sometimes prices are posted differently in English and Thai.  And trust me, if they see you've gone to the effort to learn to read Thai in order to know the Thai price, they will be impressed, and give you the Thai price (as long as you're not loud and arrogant about it...see item number 4)

[observer90210]

17 minutes ago, Chou Anou said:

1) Accept that as a newbie, you WILL sometimes pay "farang prices"

2) Keep things in perspective...50 baht is $1.47 USD, 500 baht is $14.70 USD, etc...i.e. don't lose it over getting "taken" for a tiny amount of cash

3) LEARN TO SPEAK THAI (yes, I know it's a slow process and an ongoing project, but if you're going to live in Thailand, begin as soon as you arrive)...knowing how to speak Thai well will not save you from paying "farang prices" on all things, but it will help with a lot of them

4) Always be polite and respectful when dealing with Thais in money matters.  And please don't say, "but they're not always polite and respectful, wah-wah, blah blah..."  You are a foreigner.  And you have a reputation as a farang (aggressive, crude, loud, quick to lose your temper) that it's YOUR responsibility to overcome.  

5) Learn the "real" prices of things so you can bargain accordingly, and be able to "choose your battles" (getting overcharged 50 baht is a lot different than getting overcharged 5,000 baht, etc.)

6) LEARN TO SPEAK THAI.  And make sure it's polite, and formal when necessary--not just "bar girl Thai"

7) Learn to accept the things (admission to state parks, temples, etc.) that you're just not going to be able to "pay the Thai price" for

8) LEARN TO READ THAI.  This will help more than you know, because sometimes prices are posted differently in English and Thai.  And trust me, if they see you've gone to the effort to learn to read Thai in order to know the Thai price, they will be impressed, and give you the Thai price (as long as you're not loud and arrogant about it...see item number 4)

Very sensible and useful recommendations, dear fellow poster!...Learning to speak fluently as you say is quite a lenghty process.

 

In the meantime, I always use a google translator in my phone and tweak out the phrase required in Thai. Some locals giggle but it remains friendly...nevertheless, it definately helps to get a buck less here and there, and more important they appreciate and respect the try.

 

Numbers are bit more tricky for non Thai speakers.. as you need to guess the figure and input the number in our usual indo-arab figures, in order to get the thai translation number and need guess if it's correct...guess it's good to start to learn the thai numbers first and it won't be such a big deal from 0 to 9!!

 

I like your non colonial approach to the whole issue. One could not abide more by the fact that the farangs, those who are the loud, drunk, arrogant, crude or impolite types,  tend to give a disastrous image for all of us and leaves a bad check for the farang expat communities. 

[Chou Anou]

4 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

Very sensible and useful recommendations, dear fellow poster!...Learning to speak fluently as you say is quite a lenghty process.

 

In the meantime, I always use a google translator in my phone and tweak out the phrase required in Thai. Some locals giggle but it remains friendly...nevertheless, it definately helps to get a buck less here and there, and more important they appreciate and respect the try.

 

Numbers are bit more tricky for non Thai speakers.. as you need to guess the figure and input the number in our usual indo-arab figures, in order to get the thai picture and guess if it's correct...guess it's good to start to learn the thai numbers first and it won't be such a big deal from 0 to 9!!

 

I like your non colonial approach to the whole issue. One could not abide more by the fact that the farangs, those who are the loud, drunk, arrogant, crude or impolite types,  tend to give a disastrous image for all of us and leaves a bad check for the farang expat communities. 

Thanks.  Yes, I realize the language thing is a tall order, but hey, if one is going to live somewhere...plus, for the most part (yes, I know there are exceptions), Thais appreciate an earnest effort on the part of foreigners to speak their language...it really does go a long way.

[observer90210]

5 minutes ago, Chou Anou said:

Thanks.  Yes, I realize the language thing is a tall order, but hey, if one is going to live somewhere...plus, for the most part (yes, I know there are exceptions), Thais appreciate an earnest effort on the part of foreigners to speak their language...it really does go a long way.

very very true and who would not appreciate? Immagine an Asian tourist loudly asking us something in a Chinese style language, on the streets of some European capital? ..

 

I noticed in In Spain, sometimes even the locals who speak your language, (either english, french or german)  will pretend not to understand until you utter a few broken words in spanish ....then after having said "no comprendo"...suddenly you will notice them responding in your languguage......(not all are like that, but I did notice this phenomena quite a few times in Spain)...and so on....dynamics of human nature seem to have gone global.

[wildewillie89]

If in your day to day area then get a Thai person to buy it the first time, so you know the price. If they expect more than that then don't bother. Walk away. It is their loss. 

Only really happens in touristy areas though from personal experience. Your local rural village will be more likely to undercharge you/give for free than charge you extra. Gave me the shits when the old man came over for a holiday and we went to some of the tourist spots. 

[bbi1]

Quote

 

How can newbies to Thailand avoid paying farang prices?

Don't buy anything at all, then you will avoid paying farang prices. Or go and get yourself reborn as a Thai person.

[opalred]

when i was younger here and hansom man

i was never overcharged 

but my body went through torture 

always asked to cut charges out by using my body

[KhaoYai]

Agree that learning to speak Thai will help but there will also be times where they insist that you, the rich foreigner, must pay more.  Sometimes you can't avoid it at all - I'm refererring to those official rip off's such as 40 baht for a Thai to enter a national park and 400 baht for us.......really angers me. But some shopkeepers do genuinely think you should pay more. With those types, you might barter them down but you will never buy the goods at Thai price.

 

I can ask for most things that I need in Thai but sometimes forget and speak English. On one of those occasions a couple of months back the young shop assistant shouted to her boss "how much should I charge him"? The boss was clearly a decent person because for once she said "normal price". However, the assistant asking sort of says it all.

 

When I was a newcomer travelling in a taxi in Bangkok a hideous row broke out between my normally placid wife and the taxi driver when we arrived at our destination.  I spoke very little Thai at that time but when things settled down I asked my Mrs what had been going on.  Apparently the driver had asked her "how much can we get from the farang, I'll go 50/50 with you".  Partly my fault for taking my wife into Sukhumvit I suppose but I didn't know any better then.  The taxi driver obviously thought my wife was a working girl and would assist him with his intended rip off.  He was wrong, I'd seen the meter before he turned it off. He would normally have got a tip but due to his behaviour I counted out the 177 baht slowly and exactly.  One thing this incident taught me is that, although it didn't work for him on that occasion - such conspiracies must take place.

 

It was amusing watching him get a  b*ll*cking from my Mrs though, although I couldn't work out what was being said I was fairly sure that it was about some intended rip off.

[Ks45672]

On 1/3/2017 at 9:02 AM, helloagain said:

You should be happy he had your slopy seconds

As if she only has one customer per day..... ?

[BritManToo]

7 hours ago, KhaoYai said:

I can ask for most things that I need in Thai but sometimes forget and speak English. On one of those occasions a couple of months back the young shop assistant shouted to her boss "how much should I charge him"? The boss was clearly a decent person because for once she said "normal price". However, the assistant asking sort of says it all.

Never buy anything that doesn't have a price clearly displayed.

[naboo]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Never buy anything that doesn't have a price clearly displayed.

Why not?

 

I bought a couple of t-shirts in the market for my daughter today. No price marked, I asked how much, knocked her down 20B for buying two. She was happy, I was happy. Maybe someone else pays less, I was happy to pay what I paid, in fact I'd have paid more.

[grollies]

1 hour ago, naboo said:

Why not?

 

I bought a couple of t-shirts in the market for my daughter today. No price marked, I asked how much, knocked her down 20B for buying two. She was happy, I was happy. Maybe someone else pays less, I was happy to pay what I paid, in fact I'd have paid more.

And the world still goes round. Nice post.

[Dick Crank]

Now and again I just pay and get my monies worth...

 

one of my favorite things to do is agree on a tuk tuk price and ride with my feet up on the back grill near the guys head. Feels like I'm riding a horse.

 

could even pass some gas (fart), have not tried that one yet

 

horsey dumb doit bite boy!!