Thai/farang prices vice versa -- higher prices for thais in other countries

[peergin]

I once met a Thai businessman who had flown to Amsterdam airport in the Netherlands. On arrival he took the train to Amsterdam-Central Railway Station and from there took a taxi to his hotel. The taxi driver dropped him off 50 minutes later. That ride was not cheap. Later the man found out that the hotel was located on the other side of the canal in front of the railway station. It would have taken him just 2 minutes to walk from the station to the hotel across the water...  

[notmyself]

22 minutes ago, tropo said:

Some Thai partners were probably making that in a month or two. Who gets only 3333 baht per month in wages? You claim this is average.

Figures were rough, obviously there are not exactly 52 weeks in a year for example. Minimum wage was set at 300 Baht a day for 5-6 years and was actually a good increase which business owners said would cost jobs but it didn't. Don't know where 3333 comes in as 300 Baht a day for a month less one day a week off is 8,100. As you a likely aware, Thailand a huge assembly line waiting for whatever someone else needs doing, and ample staff to run it, outside of companies that deal direct with brand companies such as Nike where you could well get 12k a month, most pay minimum wage to their workers. Thailand also has huge agricultural and fishing sectors employing a huge swath of the population and these people are getting nowhere near the minimum wage.... if anything in some cases.

 

 

 

 

 

[timkeen08]

Saakura, I am also living happily in Thailand. Both my wife and I were also professionals. I also speak some Thai-Isaan-Lao and read/write Thai even better. I was always cautious of being ripped off in America, why should I stop just because we now live in Thailand? I took care of my Thai wife and protected her when we lived in America. This is her country and I will follow her lead way above yours or anyone else's opinion. She now takes care of me and protects me and I like it. I trust her insight. She knows that Thais will try to rip you off if given the opportunity just as I knew the same in America. People are people everywhere, good and bad. It has nothing to do with being Thai or being farang. Thais do rip off Thais. Foreigners in any country, living there or tourist, usually stand out to people that take advantage. I will not deny that. Sorry for ripping off someone else's post, all farangs have farang tatooed on their forehead no matter how long they have lived here and no matter how much they think of themselves as Thai. We will just always stand out and they will always call us farang even if it's only behind our backs.

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[tropo]

9 minutes ago, notmyself said:

Figures were rough, obviously there are not exactly 52 weeks in a year for example. Minimum wage was set at 300 Baht a day for 5-6 years and was actually a good increase which business owners said would cost jobs but it didn't. Don't know where 3333 comes in as 300 Baht a day for a month less one day a week off is 8,100. As you a likely aware, Thailand a huge assembly line waiting for whatever someone else needs doing, and ample staff to run it, outside of companies that deal direct with brand companies such as Nike where you could well get 12k a month, most pay minimum wage to their workers. Thailand also has huge agricultural and fishing sectors employing a huge swath of the population and these people are getting nowhere near the minimum wage.... if anything in some cases.

 

3

You said: 

 

"400k Baht in the bank for a marriage visa equates to roughly 10 years of your average Thai partner's wages. If that were reflected equally then a Thai person would require over 150k GBP even at UK minimum wage."

 

400k divided by 120 months (10 years) = 3333 per month. That's a very easy calculation.

 

8,100 per month for 10 years would be 972,000, not 400,000.

 

I'm using your figures, not mine.

 

You should consider that the average wage and minimum wage are completely different. 

 

Also, your average sexy young Thai lady does not fit into a minimum wage category. 

 

 

[starky]

2 hours ago, saakura said:

Feel sorry and emphathise if you have been taken to the cleaners by some bar girl, or you are being ripped off daily by thai scamsters, they do seem to very easily sniff out certain victims. But why is it so difficult for you to accept that there are many farangs here who are living happily?!

It's not that they can't accept it. It's this overwhelming need that some posters seem to have in which you need to accept their statements as absolute truth. Instead of having your own beliefs, opinions, views and experiences their are some posters who just need for you to accept that whatever they say is gospel whether or not it totally contradicts everything in your life that you know to be true. Just ignore.

[chado]

11 hours ago, DLang said:

Many places.

 

Where locals get discounted rates.

 

 

It's not more expensive for you, it's cheaper for Thais. 

 

 

gibberish.

According to you,  in Thailand a discount is given to 95% of people -- thais. and the rest 5% -- farang, have no discount. what's the point of discount if it's given almost to everyone? It's not a discount then.

 

[oldhippy]

1 minute ago, chado said:

 

 

gibberish.

According to you,  in Thailand a discount is given to 95% of people -- thais. and the rest 5% -- farang, have no discount. what's the point of discount if it's given almost to everyone? It's not a discount then.

 

brilliant!

[hawker9000]

11 hours ago, timkeen08 said:

Thai vendors throw a price and my wife throws right back at them that she is Thai, don't give me that farang price. And the haggling goes on while I continue looking around or walk away to visit another vendor in seemingly indifference. She is a powerful negotiator and usually gets her way or walks away. No way is she paying farang prices. If we go to another vendor and she has to pay the same price she always walks past the 1st vendor, raises the bag, and gives a big sarcastic smile. Nothing wrong with saving face.

For those that do not think that there is sometimes a Thai price and a farang price are way out of the loop or in denial. Many Thai vendors take advantage of farangs but not all. It all depends but it does happen.

Our other strategy is for me to automatically point at the cheapest of anything and she looks at the better more expensive item while I shake my head no and walk away. She usually gets the item we initially wanted at a reduced price after I give her a smile and ok for the money she saved. She always gets a Good Girl before we leave.

I am very lucky to have a very frugal Thai wife. I don't go shopping without her because I don't want to be taken advantage of and shopping with her is still so much fun.

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I do this even without a "Thai wife" to do the negotiating for me.  I simply refuse the "farang price" and move on to another vendor, usually close by who's seen what happened with his predecessor and wants to make a sale.  If I look back at the first vendor, they usually avoid any eye contact. 

[notmyself]

4 minutes ago, tropo said:

You said: 

 

"400k Baht in the bank for a marriage visa equates to roughly 10 years of your average Thai partner's wages. If that were reflected equally then a Thai person would require over 150k GBP even at UK minimum wage."

 

400k divided by 120 months (10 years) = 3333 per month. That's a very easy calculation.

 

8,100 per month for 10 years would be 972,000, not 400,000.

 

I'm using your figures, not mine.

 

You should consider that the average wage and minimum wage are completely different. 

 

Also, your average sexy young Thai lady does not fit into a minimum wage category. 

 

 

 

Oops. Call it 4 years but the effect of it is still the same.

 

You should consider that the average wage and minimum wage are completely different. 

 

I used minimum wage as a gage but it can also be used as an indicator. If you have a kid to feed and/or an old relative to take care of then moving into a city and working as a slave for a corporation paying 8k a month with accommodation in a shared dorm available for 1.5k month ... give or take.  Nobody wants to work in a chicken factory for example in that it is not a career choice. They are doing it because they can generate more income that way. After must haves such as food which is often discounted in staff type canteens they might be able to send 5k back to the family and this is the figure that represents fight or flight.

 

 

 

[redbarron]

12 hours ago, DLang said:

If you can't figure that out old man, you should lay off your hippy drugs. 

If you can't figure out that the world is not a city then you are the one who needs to lay off the drugs, or better yet, just stop posting.

[timkeen08]

I do this even without a "Thai wife" to do the negotiating for me.  I simply refuse the "farang price" and move on to another vendor, usually close by who's seen what happened with his predecessor and wants to make a sale.  If I look back at the first vendor, they usually avoid any eye contact. 

I bet I have more fun.

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[timkeen08]

brilliant!

I see 5% as being a penalty.

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[DLang]

8 hours ago, redbarron said:

If you can't figure out that the world is not a city then you are the one who needs to lay off the drugs, or better yet, just stop posting.

 

You're talking to Oldhippy, but quoted me. He thinks the 2 cities that he lives in are the whole World and nothing but the World. 

[DLang]

11 hours ago, chado said:

According to you,  in Thailand a discount is given to 95% of people -- thais. and the rest 5% -- farang, have no discount. what's the point of discount if it's given almost to everyone? It's not a discount then.

Sure it is.

 

There is the standard price. 

 

And the local price for locals, that is discounted. 

 

Great system really, offering discounts to those born locally. 

[DLang]

18 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Not ask me. I don't.

Oh right.... no monthly salary....

 

How much sinsod did you pay for her and her kids?

 

1,000 times more than any Thai would pay for sure.

 

Or may it was your anger and mistrust issues that she fell madly in love with. 

[DLang]

19 hours ago, tropo said:

That's the way to most easily justify a 2 price system. One is the full price, the other is the discounted price.

 

I think this goes on in most countries. Should I get upset if students and old people pay less for public services in Australia?

 

Absolutely.

 

Those people that go to the cinema on a Wednesday afternoon pay half of what I pay for going on a Saturday night.

 

For the exact same service!!

 

Outrageous! Completely dayist of them. Making people pay double for the exact same service, based on the day and time!!! 

[oldhippy]

25 minutes ago, DLang said:

Oh right.... no monthly salary....

 

How much sinsod did you pay for her and her kids?

 

1,000 times more than any Thai would pay for sure.

 

Or may it was your anger and mistrust issues that she fell madly in love with. 

For your information, not that it is any of your business:

 

They asked for 5.000 euro (555 yes euro 555).

I said I don't pay sinsod, and - most importantly - I did not discuss or haggle.

Got her for free.

 

You seem to base your personal attacks on assumptions, that way you can always think you got it right.

 

And as for "1.000 times more than any Thai would pay for sure". If some Thais pay 50.000 and up, this means that you believe that farangs who pay sinsod, would pay 50.000.000 and up???

Are you having fun in your phantasy world?

 

[oldhippy]

33 minutes ago, DLang said:

 

Absolutely.

 

Those people that go to the cinema on a Wednesday afternoon pay half of what I pay for going on a Saturday night.

 

For the exact same service!!

 

Outrageous! Completely dayist of them. Making people pay double for the exact same service, based on the day and time!!! 

Making people pay double for the exact same service, based on the day and time!!! 

But not based on race.

[tropo]

 

15 hours ago, notmyself said:

 

I used minimum wage as a gage but it can also be used as an indicator. If you have a kid to feed and/or an old relative to take care of then moving into a city and working as a slave for a corporation paying 8k a month with accommodation in a shared dorm available for 1.5k month ... give or take.  Nobody wants to work in a chicken factory for example in that it is not a career choice. They are doing it because they can generate more income that way. After must haves such as food which is often discounted in staff type canteens they might be able to send 5k back to the family and this is the figure that represents fight or flight.

 

2

I know it's not always the case, but generally, foreigners coming to Thailand looking for partners are not going to settle for the type of ladies that work in factories, on building sites or farms. They are looking for the type of females that usually make a lot more money, whether it's dancing, freelancing or scamming.

 

Saying that a wife is paid 5x the minimum wage is not a valid way to look at it in my opinion. Many would consider that an insult. They have far loftier goals such as houses and other assets.

 

On the other hand, not many expats and wife hunters are/were minimum wages earners in their respective countries.

 

 

 

[tropo]

5 hours ago, oldhippy said:

Making people pay double for the exact same service, based on the day and time!!! 

But not based on race.

I really wish people would stop using the "race" word in relation to this discussion. It's not about what race you are, but whether or not you're Thai. My wife is the same race, looks the same, but they still try it on her as she's not Thai.

[chado]

On 7/4/2017 at 0:13 PM, DLang said:

Sure it is.

 

There is the standard price. 

 

And the local price for locals, that is discounted. 

 

Great system really, offering discounts to those born locally. 

No. The standard price - is the price which majority of people pay which is thai.
No matter how you slice it, those farangs who  justifiying  the farang price being higher are morons who love being ripped off and have no respect to themselves.

[grollies]

1 hour ago, chado said:

No. The standard price - is the price which majority of people pay which is thai.
No matter how you slice it, those farangs who  justifiying  the farang price being higher are morons who love being ripped off and have no respect to themselves.

Think I have to agree with you there.

[grollies]

On 2017-7-4 at 5:35 PM, tropo said:

 

I know it's not always the case, but generally, foreigners coming to Thailand looking for partners are not going to settle for the type of ladies that work in factories, on building sites or farms. They are looking for the type of females that usually make a lot more money, whether it's dancing, freelancing or scamming.

'Freelancing'

On 2017-7-4 at 5:35 PM, tropo said:

 

Saying that a wife is paid 5x the minimum wage is not a valid way to look at it in my opinion. Many would consider that an insult. They have far loftier goals such as houses and other assets.

So it's the farangs who are the freeloaders, looking for a rich wife to support them?

 

On 2017-7-4 at 5:35 PM, tropo said:

On the other hand, not many expats and wife hunters are/were minimum wages earners in their respective countries.

You sure about that? Last time I was at Jomtien Immigration I would hardly call most of the male expats there 'well-to-do'. It was like a doss house.

[Covertjay]

On 04/07/2017 at 5:39 PM, tropo said:

I really wish people would stop using the "race" word in relation to this discussion. It's not about what race you are, but whether or not you're Thai. My wife is the same race, looks the same, but they still try it on her as she's not Thai.

And there we have it in part at least. Too much race word indeed. There's a hint of irony in people from nations that colonized the entire region (except here) playing the race card. There are simply many local opportunists around and these financial interactions are an opportunity. Gullible Thais are also fair game so don't take it personally. I shrug my shoulders and take my money else where. Speaking Thai and smiling usually garners a discount, but every now and then someone digs their heels in and if they want the good or service so bad let them keep it. 

 

This is quintessential culture clash, western sense of fairness comes up against South East Asian opportunism. If you live here or visit it may never change so you've got to accept its existence or at least just ignore it and take your money elsewhere.  

[tropo]

14 minutes ago, grollies said:

'Freelancing'

So it's the farangs who are the freeloaders, looking for a rich wife to support them?

 

You sure about that? Last time I was at Jomtien Immigration I would hardly call most of the male expats there 'well-to-do'. It was like a doss house.

No, the point was that many of the ladies who are "snaring" foreign husbands are not poor and quite a few earn a decent wage doing whatever they do. Please keep up - we were discussing the minimum wage in Thailand.

 

Not earning the minimum wage (back at home) and "well-to-do" are world's apart. Not being one does NOT imply the other. How do you draw conclusions of how much money expats have from visiting the Jomtien Immigration? Do you feel superior to other expats? Do you dress and look better? I've been using that office for over a decade and never once felt I was in a "doss house".

 

[tropo]

2 minutes ago, Covertjay said:

 This is quintessential culture clash, western sense of fairness comes up against South East Asian opportunism. If you live here or visit it may never change so you've got to accept its existence or at least just ignore it and take your money elsewhere.  

2

I used to live in a tourist resort in Australia that serviced many (naive) Japanese tourists back in the 80's during their economic boom years. The Australians ripped them off at every given opportunity.  "Opportunism" is not restricted to SE Asia, but alive and well everywhere on the planet. 

[Peterw42]

8 minutes ago, tropo said:

I used to live in a tourist resort in Australia that serviced many (naive) Japanese tourists back in the 80's during their economic boom years. The Australians ripped them off at every given opportunity.  "Opportunism" is not restricted to SE Asia, but alive and well everywhere on the planet. 

Yes thats right, I lived in resort locations in Australia and restaurants had 10% off for locals, nightclubs free admission for locals, locals dinned for free if they bought in a large party of visitors etc, during low season they would switch to a lower priced menu to cater for locals. 

[oldhippy]

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes thats right, I lived in resort locations in Australia and restaurants had 10% off for locals, nightclubs free admission for locals, locals dinned for free if they bought in a large party of visitors etc, during low season they would switch to a lower priced menu to cater for locals. 

I am surprised to hear this about Australia.

I spent 3 years in NZ and was impressed by the honesty of the Kiwis.

I always assumed that since Australia is just off the NZ coast, Australians would be similar.

Actually, while in Kiwiland, I met many Australians who seemed like decent people, apart from their accent that is.

 

 

 

[Peterw42]

6 minutes ago, oldhippy said:

I am surprised to hear this about Australia.

I spent 3 years in NZ and was impressed by the honesty of the Kiwis.

I always assumed that since Australia is just off the NZ coast, Australians would be similar.

Actually, while in Kiwiland, I met many Australians who seemed like decent people, apart from their accent that is.

 

 

 

There was nothing dishonest about it, it was often advertised in the local paper etc. Lots of places worked out that they also needed the bread and butter customers, not only the cream tourists.

New Zealanders got charged double, lol.

[kannot]

Intrepid aircraft  carrier New  York, locals $12 visitors $33 dont matter what nationality