Coming between a Thai and money

**Smeg** · 13-06-2006, 11:31 PM

The look on the face of a Thai returning your apartment security deposit, or when you ask a shop assistant for a refund for a faulty product, says it all.

Nearly all of the banks pay no interest to foreigners with savings, and the country has laws to stop foreigners wholly or majority owning longterm assets that might gain in value, such as houses and businesses. And if a condo gains, they'll make it as hard as possible for the profits to leave the country.

On a related theme, I went to a restaurant near Kasetsart uni earlier with a Thai friend. We finished eating and then jumped in a taxi. She jumped out as the taxi conveniently stopped in traffic near her home at Rachada, and the taxi continued to Sukhumvit. I then looked at the meter, which said 35 Baht, and 0.1 kms. I asked the driver if it was broken, to which he replied that he had reset it when my friend got out, as it was a new journey now. I told him that I wasn't paying two fares for a one direction trip. He immediately slammed on the brakes, popped the boot, got out of the car, went to the back, came to my door, and opened it armed with a steel hammer. I got out of the opposite door. Another taxi screeched to a halt next to me. The driver jumped out and shouted "What is the farang doing? Can I help you?"

I threw 100 Baht on the floor and walked away. I could have disarmed the ****, but what is the point for chicken feed money.

My point is that money is a religion in Thailand. Its eery. Thus I made a vow just now; to ensure then when I leave Thailand, I have sent more money back to the UK than I ever imported during my first time here from 2002-3. I'm half way there already, even before I made this decision.

It might be a petty token gesture, but I decided that I want to be one of the few Westerners, if any, that leaves Thailand with more money than when I arrived.

**kingwilly** · 13-06-2006, 11:35 PM

yeah - that well pisses me off also - those taxi drives are all kunts!

**Sir Burr** · 13-06-2006, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by Smeg

.....with a Thai friend.

You have Thai friends? You surprise me.

**baldrick** · 14-06-2006, 12:03 AM

it amazes me that all this stuff happens to you smeg.

do you wear shirts with slogans on them in thai?

**dirtydog** · 14-06-2006, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Smeg

I could have disarmed the ****, but what is the point for chicken feed money.

hmmmm, it's always best to run away if you are the one without a weapon, it only takes one hit and your down, you aint gonna win while being on the ground and having your head kicked in. But I agree all or almost all taxi drivers are cnuts, I have had several that were on the verge of attacking me, my mate an ex vietnam vet was attacked by one outside my old place, this was over a 20baht fair discrepancy, I was at the back door which was locked at that time and me mate was walking back, this Thai taxi driver started rushing at him with a great big lump of wood in his hand, I shouted out to him and he turned and blocked it, I mean this cnut was willing to kill a farang over not getting his 20 baht overcharge, unfortuneately my mate didn't kill the cnut although he deserved it.

I had another wanker taxi driver pull a knife on me, but he lost his bottle real quick when my dog walked up to him, I mean did that wanker think he was gonna kill farangs on Jomtien Beach road?

Another thai wanker taxi driver pulled out a lump of wood on me in Pattaya but thought better of it.

I for one would be quite happy if all these cnuts were executed, violence and death to Thai taxi drivers is a way of life and we really don't need that shite.

**Smeg** · 14-06-2006, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

I for one would be quite happy if all these cnuts were executed, violence and death to Thai taxi drivers is a way of life and we really don't need that shite.

I take around ten taxis per week, and have only had three problems in over two years, last night's being the worst. Most of the guys in BKK are harmless.

**Marmite the Dog** · 14-06-2006, 12:41 AM

I've never had a problem with a taxi driver in nearly 5 years.

Funny how the nutters tend to invite trouble...

**MeMock** · 14-06-2006, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I've never had a problem with a taxi driver in nearly 5 years.

Funny how the nutters tend to invite trouble...

Summed up perfectly.

**Tippaporn** · 14-06-2006, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I've never had a problem with a taxi driver in nearly 5 years.

Funny how the nutters tend to invite trouble...

Never a problem in 4 years. Not even close. In fact, most taxi drivers are polite as hell to me.

Regarding refunds, I once bought office furniture (can't remember the name of the store, but it's just east of Central Bang Na) and paid for it up front (40,000 baht). Got a call from the store telling me that what I had picked out was no longer available. So I asked for my money back since there was nothing else I liked. I was told that it wasn't possible but I could have in-store credit. My fucking jaw dropped to the floor. In the end I did get what I wanted. Never pay up front.

**Smeg** · 14-06-2006, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

I've never had a problem with a taxi driver in nearly 5 years.

Funny how the nutters tend to invite trouble...

Wow, that is a lot of tourist visas.

I hear that tourists like yourself are often the target of taxi scams.

I guess its quite lucky that your ability to permanently walk on eggshells and avoid possible confrontation with the locals and any resulting unwanted attention from the Thai authorities has helped you no end.

You should contact wikapedia to let them know that their definition is wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism
Tourists are persons who are "travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited" (official UNWTO definition).

**Fabian** · 15-06-2006, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by Smeg

You should contact wikapedia to let them know that their definition is wrong.

You don't contact Wikipedia, you just make stuff up yourself there.

**danbo** · 14-06-2006, 01:03 AM

I got stung once with the old 'reset the meter' trick - but for the sake of 35B it wasn't worth putting on my catwoman outfit. Apart from that it's generally been okay. That said, Chiangmai doesn't have any taxis - just Sorngtaews; and I usually just steal a free tow off of these by hanging off of the back rail riding my skateboard....crazy surf-dude that I am.

**Dougal** · 14-06-2006, 01:51 AM

Mrs D and I put down a deposit on a used pick-up in April intending to come back in three days after some remedial work had been carried out.

Due to the salesguy fucking about and basically doing nothing we walked away and took our deposit back.

The old gal who ran the place was clearly feeling physical pain at having to return our dosh. If looks could kill the salesguy, the wife and I would all be pushing up the daisies.

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during the post sales meeting between the salesman and the boss.

**mrsquirrel** · 14-06-2006, 06:17 AM

when you ask a shop assistant for a refund for a faulty product

Now we know that you are telling prokies.They don't refund on faulty products here, didn't you starta thread on this?

I have a good friedn called Phil the Snake who was always getting his head kicked in by randoms in the street and being kidnapped by gay taxi drivers and other such stories.

Everything happened to him. WE never could figure it out other than he had a face that you wanted to smack.

**Smeg** · 14-06-2006, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by mrsquirrel

when you ask a shop assistant for a refund for a faulty product

Now we know that you are telling prokies.They don't refund on faulty products here, didn't you starta thread on this?

Now we know that you are an idiot, because I didn't actually state that the refund referred to was given.

**RandomChances** · 14-06-2006, 08:07 AM

We have'nt got any taxi's up here, I've also never had a problem with them.

**ChiangMai noon** · 14-06-2006, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Danbo

That said, Chiangmai doesn't have any taxis - just Sorngtaews

I hate to have to correct you....
Actually, i'm lying, I love to Lord it over on people who are wrong.
Taxis have been introduced over the last year, they are apparently going to phase out the sontaews, i believe there are now about 200 metre taxis in Chiangmai.

**danbo** · 14-06-2006, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

Originally Posted by Danbo

That said, Chiangmai doesn't have any taxis - just Sorngtaews

I hate to have to correct you....
Actually, i'm lying, I love to Lord it over on people who are wrong.
Taxis have been introduced over the last year, they are apparently going to phase out the sontaews, i believe there are now about 200 metre taxis in Chiangmai.

That's a good thing. I used to hate having to do a round trip of all the sois everytime I went out. What's the minimum fare? The 10B cost of a short Songtaew ride home was well worth it if it saved having to do the soft shoe shuffle around the men in dresses at Tae Pae. If it's 40B I may have to consider taking my chances getting passed the brazen hussies unscathed.

**RandomChances** · 14-06-2006, 08:52 AM

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

there are now about 200 metre taxis in Chiangmai.

How do they manage to get around bend's being that long, why did'nt they just have standerd lenght taxi's

**NickA** · 14-06-2006, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by mrsquirrel

Now we know that you are telling prokies.They don't refund on faulty products here, didn't you starta thread on this?

Yes they do!

**njdesi** · 14-06-2006, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Smeg

And if a condo gains, they'll make it as hard as possible for the profits to leave the country.

How so?

**poolcleaner** · 14-06-2006, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by njdesi

Originally Posted by Smeg

And if a condo gains, they'll make it as hard as possible for the profits to leave the country.

How so?

The bank will give you the withdrawl in one baht coins!!

**njdesi** · 15-06-2006, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by poolcleaner

Originally Posted by Smeg

And if a condo gains, they'll make it as hard as possible for the profits to leave the country.

The bank will give you the withdrawl in one baht coins!!

Next time a gal asks for taxi money, you know what to do.

**Rigger** · 14-06-2006, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by Smeg

I threw 100 Baht on the floor and walked away. I could have disarmed the ****, but what is the point for chicken feed money.

Well he is right it is a second journey and why the fucking worry about 35 bht and the girl must have paid the driver who reset the meter and it atuomaticaly adds 35bht which if it wasnt his cab he would have had to pay out of his own pocket. Plus if it was a lady friend why didnt you pay for the cab any way or you just like riding for free fucking tight barsted

**cantona** · 14-06-2006, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Smeg

She jumped out as the taxi conveniently stopped in traffic near her home

Is she dead now, Smeg?

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