View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
murman
Joined: 22 Oct 2003 Posts: 18
|
Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2003 3:13 pm Post subject: Who can you trust?? |
|
|
I've been in Thailand three weeks now. So many sweet, inocent-looking people have engaged me in conversation. People who, if I were back in the UK, I would probably take one look at and trust with the keys of car. In Britain I've never, for as long as I can remember been taken for a ride, but out here these charming people are at it all the time. I've been caught time after time.
It means that I can't relax for one moment and above all, I get so paranoid that even if some genuine person came up to me and offered help, I would run a mile.
So many of the people who are involved in scams speak good English. Are TEFL teachers in Thailand training these touts? I guess so. Has anyone ever thought about this. I hope to teach in Thailand also. Is there anyway we can recognise who these future touts are? I'm appealing perhaps to longer term teachers here.
I wouldn't want my freinds from the UK to come to Thailand and get ripped off by someone I had once taught. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
sigmoid
Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 1276
|
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2003 2:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Quote: |
Are TEFL teachers in Thailand training these touts? I guess so. |
Oh yes, I teach a university course: English for Ripping Off Tourists and so many pople come up to me asking "Can you teach me Englsih so I can trick people into buying fake gems" that I have opened up private courses.
Anyway, when people approach you tell them you have been in Thailand three YEARS, not 3 weeks. If they are a scammer they will suddenly lose interest in you.
Quote: |
I hope to teach in Thailand also. |
Why? You don't seem to have a very good impression of the place and teaching salaries are quite low. |
|
Back to top |
|
|
struelle
Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai
|
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2003 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: Who can you trust?? |
|
|
Quote: |
It means that I can't relax for one moment and above all, I get so paranoid that even if some genuine person came up to me and offered help, I would run a mile. |
It isn't just Thailand, but these sorts of things happen all over Asia. I was already well-trained in spotting tricky tout tactics from being in China for two years previous.
Locals and long-term residents can spot these annoying touts a mile away and totally ignore them. It may seem terribly rude to blow off a stranger, as most Westerners come from countries where strangers are given a hand. But touts know this, and they will take full advantage of such innocence.
The trick is not to let the touts spoil your positive impressions about the place. If you're planning to stay longer, you'll get to know more locals genuinely. Once you build relationships with them, that will trump the experiences with negative people 10 times over. Patience is essential to spend time getting to know people and then you'll find trust comes easily.
Steve |
|
Back to top |
|
|
markoinbangkok
Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 27
|
Posted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:50 am Post subject: |
|
|
I use to teach corporate Enlish for Touts, but the barstards kept ripping me off, so I qut! |
|
Back to top |
|
|
|