ALHOLK Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Hi! Just out of interest, waht's wrong with the blokes attitude. All he has done is pointing out what we all know. Scams are not uncommon and foregners (not only farang) are often the targets. A handfull of expats and a few others are obviously in complete denial of this but I'm sure the majority of poster know he is right. Also many Thais look down on us and think they are superior to us. regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Would you care to translate "fan falang". I do know what falang means. regards fan= "beloved" a boyfriend or girlfriend. Of course it all depends on the tone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check_bin_krap Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Yes, prices do often increase when people see tourists. In a country where bargaining is common this should be expected. And tourists spots is not the right place to get good deals. I agree that speaking Thai helps. Being with a Thai person who takes care of things is even a better idea. Thailand is not bad in this aspect compared to many other poor countries. I am far more relaxed and less on my guard in Thailand than for example India or VietNam. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stickman Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Thaihome explained my reason EXACTLY. Someone who stays in a 3,000 baht amonth apartment, takes public buses and eats on the street will find it far more necessary to speak Thai than someone who has the best of everything - because such places expect foreigners who do not speak Thai and therefore usually have English speaking staff. Stick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Hi, The problem I have with his attitude is that he is almost daring people to flame him. On top of that he does not seem to be able to relax and seems to believe everything is a personal attack. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pom_Jao_Choo Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Furthermore: I have worked in a tourist resort the last 13 years, trust me everyone who puts up with tourist bullshit on a regular basis regards all tourists as morons at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 Thinking you speak passable Thai when you actually don't can be dangerous. A year ago I thought I was sure I knew what certain Thai expressions mean, but I have discovered more recently to have been wrong, or only partially correct. Or that it is acceptable to say something to someone you know well, but not to a stranger. Just peruse the Language forum on this board. Many "fluent" Thai speakers will often debate the true meaning of seemingly simple Thai expressions. I have decided that it is better for me to stick with English unless I am willing to plunge into a full academic study of Thai. There's just too many chances of being misunderstood if I attempt anything beyond the most rudimentary Thai. And, as with many things Thai, everyone has an opinion on what things mean (and often express them as fact), so it is very difficult to determine what the "truth" is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man at Work Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 "Furthermore: I have worked in a tourist resort the last 13 years, trust me everyone who puts up with tourist bullshit on a regular basis regards all tourists as morons at best. " ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi there, where exactly did you work? In LOS? Was it hard to get a working permit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2002 Report Share Posted September 13, 2002 I totally disagree that knowing Thai is necessary for getting a good price. The trick to bargaining is knowing what the correct price is. Language doesn't come into play except in the beginning. Sure, a newbie looking farang that doesn't speak thai is more likely to be hit with a sucker price up front, but that doesn't mean he has to take it. That said, I do think Thai is essential it you want to have accessible to you the very inexpensive goods and services that Thai's get. Try negotiating a cheap monthly rate with a laundry service, or ordering pat ki mao with extra cauliflower and no onions at your local 15 baht food stall if you don't speak Thai. Sometimes the language barrier just makes some things unavailable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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