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by - Yoshihide, Tokyo, Japan
Thais, Money and Shopping – Part 1
I have to admit that I have never been a big fan of shopping. I am a man, you see. My policy has always been “get in, get what you need, get out.” With this policy my first shopping experiences in Thailand were an absolute nightmare and caused great tension with my then wife, who simply loved to shop. She could turn a trip to the supermarket for some milk and bread into a three-hour expedition. Imagine her delight and my horror when we hit the markets and malls in Bangkok. It got to a point where we would make a time to meet, she’d go her way, I’d go mine and both of us would be happy. She could browse, bargain and shop for hours and I could get in, get what I needed (if my patience stretched that far) and get out, hopefully to somewhere very much less crowded that served cold beer that was openly priced on a menu.
What made shopping even more difficult for me here in Thailand was that there was rarely a price tag on anything and I had to enter into frustrating negotiations with well-practiced merchants who could sense my urgency and play me like a fiddle to extract much more money than I needed to pay. This led to even more tension with my then wife who would chastise me for wasting money needlessly by paying well over the odds. She was like a pig in muck negotiating bargains, discounts and deals with the enthusiasm and energy of a Wall Street trader. It has only been over the past few years with more experience traveling and living in Thailand that I have taken the time to reflect upon the differing views of money and transactions between Thais and tourists. These days, knowing what I know, I have no qualms about going out shopping and it has even become an enjoyable and satisfying experience. I still operate with more male-driven efficiency than my former wife, but the difference for me now is that I understand how the game is played and that is the key.
The Thailand shopping experience is a game. That’s right. It is a game. If you know the rules and can play within them with skill and control then you have a great chance of winning. Play outside the rules and you will be penalized both in terms of the money in your pocket and the level of stress you cause yourself when you are supposed to be on vacation relaxing. Before getting a good idea of what the rules are and how to play within them it is crucial that you have an understanding of how the Thais view money and how they view foreigners with money.
One of the things that used to confuse me was how the Thai people seemed to have a very short-term view of life. They have a different philosophy to the concept of saving and planning for the future and it is often said that Thais live in the moment or just live one day at a time. I know one street vendor on Sukhumvit Road where I sometimes stop to buy a few things and have a bit of a chat. I can tell how successful his trading has been by what time he is open until at night. Sometimes he is packing up in the early evening even though he could make more money by trading to the late night foot traffic. He finishes when he has made enough money for him to eat, drink and have sanook (fun) until he sets up again the next day. This is what he does day in, day out without any concerns about the future. In some ways it is baffling and in some ways it is admirable. He is one of the most happy, relaxed, life-loving people I have ever come across.
While having a chat with a friend of mine who has been resident in South East Asia for twenty-six years, I finally put my finger on the reason for this deeply ingrained mentality. Some of it comes down to Buddhist philosophies that encourage living in the moment but the key thing in my opinion is the tropical climate and the abundance of food that does not necessarily need careful cultivation. On my first visit to my girlfriend’s house and land near Kabinburi she pointed out dozens of fruit trees that produced coconuts, bananas, half a dozen different varieties of mangoes, sugarcane, limes, durian, lychees and a number of other fruits that I’d never heard of. Her mother tends a small vegetable and herb garden, chickens provide eggs and meat, and they catch fresh fish daily from a small self-sustaining fish farm. There is food all around them, all year around. They only need to buy rice and cooking oils. They are very healthy and contented people. Okay, so not everybody lives like this but over the centuries this has been the way. The difference with Western countries is that seasonal conditions force careful cultivation and storage of foods for tough times ahead. Historically there has always a very real fear of food shortages and planning for the future is often a matter of life and death. Not so in the tropics. Over time this has had a profound influence on the psyches of both cultural groups.
So how does all of this relate to your shopping experience in Bangkok? Click here for Part Two of this Blog where you will learn the rules of the game that result from these two opposed monetary philosophies.
by Bryan Daysh, a freelance writer living in Thailand
Read more articles in our ongoing education series:
Smiling Will Make Your Thailand Holiday
Giving, Maintaining and Saving Face in The Land of Smiles – Part 1
Giving, Maintaining and Saving Face in The Land of Smiles – Part 2
Thais, Money & Shopping, Part 1
Thais, Money & Shopping, Part 2
What’s with the Wai?
The Thais Love Their King
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