Buriram Expats
Buriram Province - General Category => Jobs, economy, banking, business, investment in Buriram => Topic started by: AML on May 23, 2011, 12:16:23 PM
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It would be nice to get the views of people how it is justified that we pay more or is it ok to be over charged as we are guests in the Land of Smiles
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The old Double pricing thread rears its ugly head again ::) ::)
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It would be nice to get the views of people how it is justified that we pay more or is it ok to be over charged as we are guests in the Land of Smiles
Business, Tourism, Language barrier, Misunderstanding, Discrimination, Racism, Greediness, Stupidity.
ALL FIT INTO THE SITUATION YOU DESCRIBED. YOU JUDGE!
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I bought motorcycle insurance in Pattaya some years ago from Liberty Insurance. The price then was 208bt. The woman prepared all the paperwork whilst I waited, and when she handed over the completed item asked for 400bt. I queried this, whereupon her answer was. "Yes it is 208bt -for Thais. but 400bt for farangs!".
Needless to say not only did I tell her what she could do with her insurance, but immediately wrote to Liberty HO. Of course no response!
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OK get this,i took my missis and family to korat zoo one price for them and one for me and our daughter who is not even 2.My missis said she is thai and showed her passport but they said no she is farang,explain that to your kid,in there eyes she was a farang not thai just because what she looks like.
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This sounds like a great place and good service but back to the point of why we pay more not all the time but it will happen.Those who have kids here i mean half thai farang and the child u have to prepare them for the worst just like the zoo incident and i u dont u may have some explaining to do when they are older.
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Whenever you go somewhere, go prepared.
I am a Thai resident and take my residency and alien registration books with me when I go to zoos, national parks etc.. On hand too are copies of my kids birth certificates.. Never needed them though despite my son looking nothing like a Thai.
Never had a problem
When the children are 15, they will have their own ID cards.
With regard to tyres, batteries etc, it is necessary to shop around first. My last battery I bought for 1800bt, whereas Bridgestone ACT wanted over 2000bt.
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Glad to here of your success but i afraid that may not be the case everytime,if u think that us aliens have the same rights and prices as locals im sorry to burst your bubble but that is incorrect,it wont happen everytime but a some point it will.
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We have the power to vote with our feet.
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This website is expats helping expats ok and every person has been leaving in the Land of Smiles for a number of years so its best to be realistic and honest,just because some of us have been here a while like myself dont kid yourself or think u are getting the same deal as locals.
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It rather depends on what it is you are buying and perhaps more importantly where.
In local markets I do better than my wife, as she and like most Thais do not bargain as hard as us farangs.
If you've been here for a number of years, as you say, you soon learn the correct price of things, and ensure that when you buy that is what you pay.
If you are paying more then you are doing something wrong.
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Will agree with the market thing but was not really meaning buying fruit or veg,as i said some people have not been here a long time and need to be aware.Even like yourself u have so u know what to do but even so at some point u will pay over the odds FACT
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Do you think Thais do not pay over the odds? I can assure you that they do -often.
Book a hotel online - some will charge Thais more than foreigners.
Pattaya baht buses charge obvious Thai tourists (ie those form Bangkok) more than the local Thais
Some Thai traders will rip anyone off if they think they can get away with it.
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We have the power to vote with our feet.
Which I do everytime
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When I am forced to vote with my feet I normally voice my discontent to anyone in earshot!
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What u are saying is probably correct but mor aliens will get ripped of than locals now if u want to believe otherwise then thats fine,and one alien is your goodself Nick FACT
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When I am forced to vote with my feet I normally voice my discontent to anyone in earshot!
Likewise Nick,,,they DO learn pretty quick when its costing them money
I often do the morning shopping in the market,,,,On a couple of occasions whilst being served Thais have pushed in ,,,,,,,I just fcuk of to another stall & when the jungle bunny goes they ask why I go,she tells them & by fcuk it doesnt happen again!!
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Locals pushing in thats another story maybe another thread coming
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Locals pushing in thats another story maybe another thread coming
They need to be told first politely and if that doesn't work forcefully to go to the back of the queue and wait their turn. Also the server/cashier needs to be told to deal with first person and not try and help everyone at the same time.
We may have white skin, but as humans we are equal to the Thais, and have the same basic rights. it is just necessary on occasions to enforce those rights.
That of course I appreciate is difficult for tourists and those not speaking Thai. But for those who can speak Thai it is necessary to ensure we are treated fairly.
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Well said Nick and if u can acheive this every day u have swam the english channel daily
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Don't swim the English Channel anymore. Its full of immigrants and terrorists UK bound!
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Not to bad where i come from sussex i here u are not far from there.
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Long way from Sussex and the Channel.
Bedfordshire/Cambridgeshire border was my last abode in the UK
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Ok sorry to here that Anyway we are the Negros in this country so lets not be treated like them .
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I am given to believe that the Pattaya girls treat the "Chocolate Men" like God's!
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Locals pushing in thats another story maybe another thread coming
Accidently stading on ones foot works wonders too ,,,,,they dont like 130kgs on their flip flops!!!
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Well today is negro day and tommorow stamping of locals day then is it boys
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AML is right. smilenod
Farang Always Farang even if you are living in Thailand for many years, feels like Thai and live like Thai, face reality - You are still farang and will be treated in a different way, sometimes its very nice because you can/could feel superior when it comes to money issues or cleverness (some farangs seriously think they are smarter than Thais, I don't agree with this assumption of course but it makes them feel good and proud they are farangs!) but it is always HARDER to get fair price the Thais get and that's a FACT.
Prakhonchai Nick, Are you playing innocent?
I also speak Thai but you know(!) you have to struggle too often to get your rights, stand on the ground and getting into situations of arguments/discomfort when it comes to money issues BECAUSE you are farang. Avoiding this truth won't help you to change this FACT.
Now, all foreigners know it and live with it, you can't complain about it all the time but you can't deny this simple truth either!
My first approach when going to buy something or fix something is market research to avoid being ripped, many good people along the way of course but the general attitude and approach is that you SHOULD pay more otherwise it wasn't a good deal because the job was done for farang.....
The key is to be AWARE of it and navigate through this blockage and know reality.
sawadi
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Amazing Admin agreeing with me i will not say a bad thing about jews again he he
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Prakhonchai Nick, Are you playing innocent?
I also speak Thai but you know(!) you have to struggle too often to get your rights, stand on the ground and getting into situations of arguments/discomfort when it comes to money issues BECAUSE you are farang. Avoiding this truth won't help you to change this FACT.
I never said it was easy.
You have hit the nail on the head by saying we have to struggle. The main thing is to know your rights and demand them
Last year I had problems with the passport office in Korat, an amphur dpartment in Buriram and the Prakhonchai amphur. None would assist me, because they wanted my wife to be there. I refused, was polite, smiled, and got everything I wanted without my wife being there.
Of course I see it as a challenge rather than a struggle, and I love a challenge!
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Im glad to have this thread as this can be a touchy subject but we seem to have come to some agreement and understanding each other All The Best.
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Maybe there are other menbers with there views on this matter
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I wouldn 't have a problem paying more if it concers an attraction build and payed by thai taxmoney as I were a tourist, like I was before, but now I'm living here and contribute to thai society I have a problem with it. If the thai government gives you a Visa you shouldn't be treaten as a second hand citizen but I guess we are and we always will be.
Thais think they're the greatest country in the world, and thais from Buriram think they have the greatest city in Thailand, so Buriram is the greatest city in the world. :D
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Have to agree with u the locals do think like that but some aliens living here think they are thai and its the best place in the world as well,but on the other hand there are worse places.Some aliens even tell people i am thai now oh come on get a grip.
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Nothing wrong with being proud about where you come from. To be honest I think that right now Thailand is a far better place to be than England. Even if you do fall victim of the double pricing you are still getting better value for money than in England.
Has a Thai mechanic ever charged you 80 pounds an hour?
Prak Nick talked about 1800baht for a battery. no change from 5000baht in England. Have you ever been charged 5 pounds an hour for parking in Thailand? Nearly 3 pounds for a small bottle of Chang.When In got married in Thailand the biggest rip off was the 2500baht for a letter from the British Embassy.
Talking about being Thai. OK.Because of the difference in looks I don't think any westerner, even with residency or even Thai passport, is going to be regarded as Thai by locals when walking down the street. You can however make it so that you are accepted by the people that know you as, for want of a better word, Thai like.
I for one really do feel "at home here in Thailand and particularly Buriram. Maybe it's because I have been here for a long time, I don't know. I really have no desire at all to go back to England and be ripped off every day for everything.
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OK good points made sure be proud of where u come from so why a alien say they are thai.The pricing thing is relative to were u are of course and the prices u mention may be cheap and u think is a good deal but a local will pay fair less so yes u could say DONE UP LIKE A KIPPER OR HAD OVER or whatever.Sure thailand is a great place to live and u are better off here than home but i u are offered a 100,000 pounds job at home u might just change your mind SIR.
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Sorry. 100000 pounds not enough.
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Sorry. 100000 pounds not enough.
You say far better but the only reason you mention is prices. Can you buy a house in England for 20000 pounds, can you eat in restaurants in England for 2 pounds a person, prices are relative so that's a BS argument for Thailand being better.
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The original post was about paying out money. So that is the arguement I used. I would imagine that many people out here on retirment are here because their money goes further. I for one know a few Englishmen that admit that their current pension is nowhere near enough to live baak in England.
I'm not arguing but mearly showing how I feel.
I really do feel at home here. The weather is great, the locals are good people, the food is tasty ..... need I go on. I like the way of life here.
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OK good points made sure be proud of where u come from so why a alien say they are thai.The pricing thing is relative to were u are of course and the prices u mention may be cheap and u think is a good deal but a local will pay fair less so yes u could say DONE UP LIKE A KIPPER OR HAD OVER or whatever.Sure thailand is a great place to live and u are better off here than home but i u are offered a 100,000 pounds job at home u might just change your mind SIR.
Would that be weekly,monthly or yearly??
After deductions ,not worth too much!!!
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I really do feel at home here. The weather is great, the locals are good people, the food is tasty ..... need I go on. I like the way of life here.
That were some of the reasons I moved here. Nice.
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The original post was why we pay more than locals now we have moved on to a diiferent issue i feel.
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We pay more because the Thai person you are dealing with thinks that you can afford it and in their eyes that's fair because you are much wealthier than them.
Ofcourse Greed can lead people to overdo it, just like just everywhere else in the world.
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And most of us just can't. :D, you feel you get screwed just walk away, or ask for a sigaret afterwarts.
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I normally enjoy getting screwed but not all the time
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love4