Something just happened that I really must share with you. For the past few months I have been buying my eggs from an old lady around the corner. She is really kind as she always sorts through the eggs for me picking out the largest eggs. Her prices are also good. However, when I went there a couple of weeks ago, her daughter was in the shop and told me the price had just gone up to 43 baht a dozen. I thought fair enough. She was quite apologetic and it never crossed my mind that she would try to cheat me. You often hear stories of foreigners being cheated by Thai people in situations like this. But, that has hardly ever happened to me.

Anyway, on Saturday morning, I went again to buy a dozen eggs. The daughter was in the shop again. She picked out 12 eggs for me and then I handed her a 50 baht note. She then said that wasn't enough. It was 55 baht! I didn't batter an eyelid. I don't usually argue in these situations. I said OK and then handed over 55 baht. At the point it did cross my mind that she was cheating me. But, I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. It was possible that these eggs were bigger than usual. Or maybe there was a nationwide shortage of eggs. So, I didn't argue or get angry, I just said "thank you" and walked away. I made a mental note to buy my eggs elsewhere in future. Or at least whenever I saw that it was the daughter in the shop.

Then this evening, the daughter came around to my house! I didn't know she knew where I lived. She even knew my name. She said she came to apologize for overcharging me yesterday. She said she had calculated it wrong! She then gave me 15 baht. I said that was too much and that it was no problem. I tried to give her the 5 baht back but she kept on insisting. So, I gave in and let her give me the 15 baht. She then gave me a wai and then left.

Morale of the story? Don't get angry. Not everyone is trying to cheat you. Sometimes it is an innocent mistake. Give them the benefit of the doubt. You will make more friends that way.

Comments (3)

But...
written by Teesha, 2007-09-02 16:09:23

This just happened one week ago: On my way hom from work I like to buy some fresh fruit. There is only one shop that sells it on my way. The first time i went there the mother was selling. I asked for two kind of fruits and she said: "30." This is 10 Baht higher than usual, as you can buy fruits for 10 baht a kind all over Bangkok. But same as you I dind't argue, bought, said "Thank You" and walked away. The next day I wanted to buy again, although the price was hogher than usual. This time the daghter was working there to. I picked Guave, which is called "Farang" in Thai. The daughter han asked her mother (although she should know the prices): "Farang tao-rai?" - How much for the Guave/Foreigner? The mother said 20 which is the double price.
I thought of this so unfair and greedy. And quite disappointing. She could have estimated that I would come every dy and buy from her. If she had given me honest prices she would have had a lot mor benefit than cheating me, because of course I will never buy from her again.

Thai Guave and Eggs are sheap
written by motka, 2007-11-11 14:04:23

I still think is sheap to buy food in Thailand.Five Baht, ten Baht even fifty Baht you can buy food to eat. In England,America, or other countries maybe more,$5.00 per pound for Guave in US. White largest dozen Eggs $1.50 and not include sale tax.I am lucky that I don't have to buy a Guave, I have a Guave tree in my front yard and I never sale them.I share it with my friends and squirrels. Most of Thai pepple who are living in over sea, they like to grow their own plants or vegatables .They will share some of their home grow Guave,Bananas, Papaya,Green stuffs with eachther.I believe that in Thailand food always sheap. Thank you wai.

My poor wife
written by Shawn, 2008-04-23 08:33:43

Picture this, my Thai wife is coming home on Christmas Eve 2003 from Bangkok to Seattle. As she unloads all her belongings from the taxi she leaves her purse, with her Thai passport and permanent US resident card in the taxi as it pulls away. She does not realize her mistake until the taxi is long gone. My wife calls me in Seattle to give me the news, I call the US Embassy which is locked up tight for the holiday, they tell me it'll be a minimum of 14 days before she can get a new green card and with the holidays that'll more likely be 21 days. My wife calls her friends in Bangkok and stays there. Meanwhile, our whole theory on the dishonesty of the Bangkok Taxi Driver unravels. He finds my wife’s purse and goes through it but not for money, he finds her address book and calls my wife’s nephew up in Pitsanoluk looking to find her to give back what she had lost. My wife, being stubborn, not to mention embarrassed, refuses to call anyone in her family to let them know what has happened, when she finally does everyone is angry with her for not making a call to let them know. She then finds out the taxi driver is trying to find her to return her purse. She was home by New Years Eve.