Understanding Their View of Your $$$ Money $$$

[pattaya127]

Irish are worse than thais, i guess. LOL

[Guest]

Well, ignoring the morality of it all, I always look at it like the transaction is a reverse auction, with the vendor having a movable reserve and accepting a bid that is not too low for their sensibilities.

 

 

 

I on the other hand hope to bid down the initial asking price.

 

 

 

Having said that I have often paid Thai rates when on my own, by virtue of having a chat about the merits and so forth of the goods in question. Though most Thais who have dealt with Farangs can tend to have an immovable price point.

[Guest]

"Irish are worse than thais, i guess. LOL"

 

 

 

Hmmm. Now that I think about it, the (Irish) owner of The Dubliner WAS busted for running a boiler room last year, so you are right.

[Old Hippie]

I once tried to explain to a faily educated Thai girl about the cost of things and money in the USA. After about 20 min, of me explaining, I make this much, rent is this much, car etc...she said, yes, very expensive, cost more, so get more...in Thailand very rich! so only spend in Thailand...lol I think the only way they would understand is to live here and see how different the money situation is here. Especially in a place like San Francisco.

[iuytrede]

zane's examples have nothing to do with Thailand, more with capitalism.

 

 

 

Overcharging of tourists:

 

the village of my parents has a "tourist tax" (every tourist must pay). In European resort areas, many services are cheaper for locals (skiing etc). Taxi drivers in my hometown routinely overcharge foreigners. Staff at Citibank and at the biggestbank in my country both ripped off Asians, when I called them they apologized (Citi never payed back the money, though. The others sold an Asian student a building loan agreement - after seeing her one year student visa).

 

 

 

Prostitution is common all over the world, Germany ("Fraeuleinwunder") and France were famous for it.

 

 

 

Bait and switch is commonwith all airlines and travel agents.

 

 

 

Accidents: US "frivolous lawsuits" follow the same line of thinking: make some rich guy pay for an unfortunate event.

 

 

 

The West is not the paragon of honesty that you think. Remember Enron?

 

 

[JJsushi]

lets also add that Disneyworld is always cheaper for Floridians who get discounts versus tourists. Don't get me started about perks and privileges and dicounts given by businesses to people who are considered "good" customers vs the unwashed masses. Political lobbyists, campaign finance,police coverups,War on drugs,equal rights,college admissions?

 

Thais are just more honest about their "corruption" than those of us in the West. It's in your face and it offends Western sensitivities.

[Guest]

"lets also add that Disneyworld is always cheaper for Floridians who get discounts versus tourists."

 

 

 

Many discounts in the U.S. are based on residency, NOT nationality or ethnicity. When I was in school in the U.S., every foreign student that I knew who had a local drivers' license shared in the discount to local tourist attractions. Residents of other states, but yet Americans, paid the same price as foreigners who did not have a local driver's license. No funny use of two different systems of rendering numerals to obscure this fact. I see nothing unfair about that, it was above-board.

 

 

 

In Thailand, I am a resident, and I pay more in taxes, probably, than the average Thai, I even have a Thai driver's license, but there are no discounts for me. Thai numerals are used to try to hide this from the average farang who might not be familiar with Thai numerals.

 

 

 

(I'd STILL rather be here, though, so I tolerate the two-tier pricing.)

[JJsushi]

"Many discounts in the U.S. are based on residency, NOT nationality or ethnicity. When I was in school in the U.S., every foreign student that I knew who had a local drivers' license shared in the discount to local tourist attractions. Residents of other states, but yet Americans, paid the same price as foreigners who did not have a local driver's license. No funny use of two different systems of rendering numerals to obscure this fact. I see nothing unfair about that, it was above-board.

 

 

 

In Thailand, I am a resident, and I pay more in taxes, probably, than the average Thai, I even have a Thai driver's license, but there are no discounts for me. Thai numerals are used to try to hide this from the average farang who might not be familiar with Thai numerals. "

 

 

 

Corrupt practices based on race or ethnicity is no worse than corruption based on social status, wealth, or any other type of discrimination.

 

I think we can safely say that discrimination and corruption in the US is fairly more sophisticated than in Thailand.

 

 

[pattaya127]

this subject has been so over done on every LOS board I know, again and again. Obviously, it's very little compared to your happiness in living in LOS, so why not give it a rest once and for all. It does not reflect any special thai attitudes but a common attitude towards tourists (you can be resident all you want, for 99% thais,you are still a tourist) in most countires. i avoided Italy for many years because of my first experience traveling there.

[Guest]

"The West is not the paragon of honesty that you think. Remember Enron? "

 

 

 

Hopefully we got a consensus on this one!

 

 

 

"Thai numerals are used to try to hide this from the average farang who might not be familiar with Thai numerals."

 

 

 

So far I've noticed thai numerals only in places practicing double pricing,i.e. I think to be avoided.But I don't see them often

 

 

 

 

 

" is it any more acceptable to like someone because of their looks/personality? - these are not things that we can control, they are to such a large extent, genetically determined"

 

 

 

I don't mind the rest of your post but I'll note that looks come to a large extent from how you take care of yourself.Alimentation,drugs and physical activities have a big role.As have clothing and cosmetics.

 

Talking about the topic,while i'm a bit fussy about those I understand that a guy working very hard and making good money lets his body going a BIT lose.But I definetely don't think the same from people supposed to get money from that body