Thai Service Staff purposefully short-changing you.

[Luigi]

Okay or not? What's your view?

I usually go into the same Tops each lunch time to get some fruit from their salad bar.


Today it came to 100.20 baht. Before the cashier could say it (and have to decide whether to charge me the 20 satang) I gave her 120 baht.

Expecting either 19.80 satang or my 20b note back, I instead just got the receipt. I said in Thai that I gave her 120 baht and she picked the 20b up from behind the scanner box and gave it to me.

I recently went to the Honda dealership to get some small stuff done. Estimated about 300 baht. The girl at the desk said 450b, gave her it and got my change. I asked her where the receipt is (best to keep all the original Honda receipts for when selling) and she froze.


Went to her computer and sat frozen for 10 minutes. Came back and gave me the receipt with a 100b note saying that the mechanic made a mistake.

Both instances can be viewed as poor people who think they need the money and view it as okay to deceitfully steal/take it from someone with a much higher income than them. What’s your personal view, okay or not?


Or they could be people who think they spot a farang mark and deceitfully steal/take their money simply because of that. Okay or not?

[Loy Toy]

7Eleven staff try it on all the time.

Beware.

[palexxxx]

I bought some stuff in a supermarket chain in CM, came to about 250 baht. Gave the girl a 1000 baht note. When I got my change I saw that she had short changed me 100 baht.

I didn't say a word, just fanned out the change and held it up in front of her. She immediately opened up the till and gave me the missing 100 baht.

[Seekingasylum]

As a farang and a stranger you are not a real person of any worth in their society and therefore considered fair game by any Thai. They're thieving little tykes at heart. Just like children pilfering on impulse. They can't help it.

[Bettyboo]

I didn't realize that there were so many Indians working in Thailand; we live and learn...

[9999]

Don't think you're special coz you're a falang. These fukas will try it on with anyone, it's up to you to be vigilant. If falangs are marks for being falang don't be offended it's nothing racist, they are just trying for the easiest target. They also suck at counting I've had it go my way a few times, and don't give it back coz it would make them lose face better they just make the balance from their pocket eh.

[Bettyboo]

They also suck at counting

This is a fair point. My wife had a market stall, making between 1000 and 2000 per day, and she was always coming home with stories of her giving 100 baht or 500 baht too much in change, so I presume she gave too little change an equal amount of time...

[9999]

Thats why all these mamma poppa shops dont put their prices up for 35 to 37 a can. It's way too complicated even on a calculator. 35 is tough enough. 40 will be better for them as they are used to dealing in units of 20.

[Davis Knowlton]

What used to piss me off was in bars, when they'd give you all your change back in coins - hoping you'd leave the coins, even though four or five were ten baht coins. They knew two 20 baht bills would go in your pocket, so they'd do the 10 baht coin deal.

I'd take everything when they did that - not because of the money, but just because I don't like being played - poorly.

[thaimeme]

Rotten cheating scoundrels...

[pseudolus]

Only had this with delivery boys on their bikes. The shit eating grin when you catch them out. I wonder how often they get away with it verses being caught out and not getting a tip due to their attempt at theft?

[thaimeme]

Only had this with delivery boys on their bikes. The shit eating grin when you catch them out. I wonder how often they get away with it verses being caught out and not getting a tip due to their attempt at theft?

Did he wai you when departing?

[BaitongBoy]

^One-fingered wai...

[fishlocker]

We ate on one of the floating restaurants in Pakse Loas. Four of us pigged out for a whopping total of about 24USD. All I had were 100usd bills. Gave one to the gal at the register. Upon making change in loa kip at 8000 to 1, she totally fd up and gave me more back than the meal cost. I had to get out my calculator and count out the stacks of kip to make it right. Poor girl may have been fired for such a thing. Happy was she when we were done. Never had a problem in Laos yet. I did buy some sausages once and the wife was sure I got overcharged. We did the math and found I may have been by 25 cents. I photographed the girl at the market. That was worth more than the silly quarter. Any big purchases I stay out of sight for sure. The wife can haggle as it's her people. If I talk about anything Thai she says they will have my balls and that's putting it mildly as to what she says.

[BaitongBoy]

I did buy some sausages once and the wife was sure I got overcharged

Death by sausage is a popular theme at the moment...(Okay, it's a bit passe)...

Never had a problem except the usual with people making basic arithmetic errors...

Guess they "lub me tooo much"...It helps to have a wide smile when dealing with people, no matter how your day is going...

[BaitongBoy]

I do remember a crazy party we had one time at some bar/nightclub, and I was the only falang in our group...Had some rich Thai bitch pick up the tab, so I just stayed the fck out of the way,,,However, a fight broke out between two of the women and we were all moved to another table and one woman removed by security...

Time for the bill was funny...I'm sure the place double charged, at least, for the evening's entertainment...Watching them trying to figure the bill was hilarious...And they were all Thai...

One thing about drinks and drinking: It's very hard to prove you didn't drink what they have written down when you didn't keep track and became shitfaced, as these people all were...Not my promplem...

The establishment was very clever because I noticed the confusion when the tables changed at the time of the fight...

[danno5]

Davis, while that is slightly annoying in Thailand, I used to absolutely hate it in Singapore - where the change was in $1 coins! Give them a $50 for a $26 charge (cost of 2 beers in a place I used to hang out), and you would get four $1 coins in change. If they gave me two $10s and two $2 bills, I would leave a $4 tip....but if they gave me the four $1 coins I wouldn't leave a tip at all!

[Ratchaburi]

Went to a nice restaurant 1 time with 14 people, we had some good food & drinks.
A bottle of jonny red & same beer 3-4 bottles.
Asked for the bill as I was picking up the bill & 1 of the girl in my group asked can see check what was on the bill.
Well there was 2 bottle of Jonny Black that we did not order, I guess the staff had a party planed for that night & need some drinks.

j

[Bobcock]

7Eleven staff try it on all the time.

Beware.

I don't doubt you but I have never ever had a single issue in any 7 Eleven. Not one.

Difference between Pattaya and Bangkok maybe? I rarely use a 7 Eleven in what would be called a tourist area.... maybe that is the difference?

[taxexile]

if you are short changed in a 7/11, then the staff are trying to cheat you.
the electronic tills will show them the correct amount of change to give and it will be printed on the receipt.

if you are short changed in a local style thai bar or restaurant, then it is the cashier, rather than the server who might be cheating you.

thais are notoriously bad at maths so it might be a genuine error, but if so then there should be errors in your favour as well. if their intention is to cheat, it is easier for them to pad the bill by adding extra ice, water, rice, drinks etc. than to mess with the change.

[Fondles]

7Eleven staff try it on all the time.

Beware.

I don't doubt you but I have never ever had a single issue in any 7 Eleven. Not one.

Difference between Pattaya and Bangkok maybe? I rarely use a 7 Eleven in what would be called a tourist area.... maybe that is the difference?

Yeah I have never has a problem in pattaya.

[nigelandjan]

I avoid being short changed by using my touch + go debit card at all times

Allthough this can present problems at the local noodle bar

[BaitongBoy]

^I see you have a goat card...

[Ratchaburi]

[fishlocker]

I must say I loved the sausage. But I loved Komans black frankie as well. Death by sausage? Is that what happened to Freddy Mercury? Another one bites the dust. All joking aside the little red sausages are the richest sweetest I have ever had. And that's why I had to get a few more Kilos. Very good stuff and the price was right by me. This is down town Pakse. At the end of the day they throw a tarp over the goods and walk away. Wife says people don't steal because you don't want to go to the Willcocks hotel.