hit-up for baht by European on bicycle in Thapae Gate area ?

[orang37]

I went ahead and helped him out; he was in a very agitated state. Tall fellow, maybe six-feet-3~4 inches.

 

The cynical side of me (alas, there are so many cynical sides) was left ... wondering.

 

I don't think I've ever been hit-up by a farang here.  

 

~o:37;

[suzannegoh]

By any chance did he say that he had just been mugged or pickpocketed and that without some money he'd need to sleep in the streets and would be unable to go home?

[orang37]

17 minutes ago, suzannegoh said:

By any chance did he say that he had just been mugged or pickpocketed and that without some money he'd need to sleep in the streets and would be unable to go home?

 

No.

 

~o:37;

[Spaniel]

Over the years I have been asked by a variety of ex-pats for money..   If I could identify with 100 %  accuracy the truly needey I would give them a few bucks  but it seems those asking for handouts are all con artist.     If you talk to any of them for a few minutes you will see their sad stories all fall apart.       Try to offer help like you will take them to the police station to file a theft report.  locate their embassy, banking assistance etc and they soon lose interest and quickly move on to look for another sucker.

[Berkshire]

How much?

 

By the way, my attitude has always been to help those in genuine need...except when it comes to money.

[orang37]

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

How much?

 

By the way, my attitude has always been to help those in genuine need...except when it comes to money.

 

Because, in case this was a "case" of "real need" ... in my  judgement it was, and that's based on years working with mentally ill, and troubled, people, long ago ... I have omitted details of the interaction, and my response, which might identify the person ... out of respect for their privacy.

 

I took a chance; I don't regret it. สมน้ำหน้า  sohm nam naa

 

~o:37;

[jak2002003]

What does 'hit up' mean?

 

Same as 'hit on'?.. 

 

Was it one of the crazy cycling chiristian boys spreading the lords word to the ignorant savages.. they are the only farang cyclist that try to talk to me there.

 

 

 

 

[cmsally]

Probably the same guy that asked me for money last month!  German accent and said he was Swiss. The weird thing was he asked me for something like 43 Bt, it seemed like an unlikely number to ask for. He said he needed it to make up enough money to call someone so he could get a money transfer.I almost gave it to him as it was a small amount but to me it was obviously a scam so I declined. If that is all the money he needed I am sure he could easily ask for a small loan from somewhere where people knew him. So it didn't make sense.

Interestingly a couple of weeks later I came across him in a soi and he obviously remembered me as I was on the receiving end of a string of not so nice expletives !

[cyberfarang]

1 hour ago, orang37 said:

 

Because, in case this was a "case" of "real need" ... in my  judgement it was, and that's based on years working with mentally ill, and troubled, people, long ago ... I have omitted details of the interaction, and my response, which might identify the person ... out of respect for their privacy.

 

I took a chance; I don't regret it. สมน้ำหน้า  sohm nam naa

 

~o:37;

You have to ask yourself; who would give you money if you were in desperate need?

 

I have money, comfortable but certainly not eligible to join the rich bustards club. Then I have to consider, what happens if I fall seriously ill or involved in a serious accident, I may need my savings for that purpose one day. It`s my sort of backup, like an insurance.

 

For this reason I place myself first and don`t lead or give handouts.

[EricTh]

If he's six feet tall and young, I am sure a lot of ladies will let him do some private massages to earn some extra money 

 

How old is he?

[Cutty Shark]

This reminds me of a scam from the early 1980’s:  A well-dressed, English-speaking Thai man would approach foreigners, asking for 100 baht.  He explained that his car had been accidentally locked and he needed the money to hire a locksmith. 

 

The story was eventually reported in the local English-language press, and I happened to read it.

 

A little later, my friend and I were approached by this same guy on Ploenchit Road.  Recognizing his story, we offered to go with him to his car and help him open it ourselves.  He declined of course, though I can’t remember the reason he gave for not accepting our help, if any.

 

Some of you folks who have been here a good while may recall that scam.

[Vacuum]

If you get approached by an unknown farang in Thailand, you should know it's a scam. Met a lady outside Kad Sun Khaeo (sp?) who wanted to change US 100 dollar bills to baht. Told her that there are several banks inside the mall. Should have called the police,but didn't bother. Counterfeit money obviously. Scum!

[dave moir]

20 hours ago, suzannegoh said:

By any chance did he say that he had just been mugged or pickpocketed and that without some money he'd need to sleep in the streets and would be unable to go home?

I was hit on by a guy on a push bike in loikhro claiming he had lost his wallet and needed money to phone his bank in Switzerland! Answer no chance! Walked on.

[cmsally]

10 minutes ago, dave moir said:

I was hit on by a guy on a push bike in loikhro claiming he had lost his wallet and needed money to phone his bank in Switzerland! Answer no chance! Walked on.

Definitely the same guy !

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, Spaniel said:

Over the years I have been asked by a variety of ex-pats for money..   If I could identify with 100 %  accuracy the truly needey I would give them a few bucks  but it seems those asking for handouts are all con artist.     If you talk to any of them for a few minutes you will see their sad stories all fall apart.       Try to offer help like you will take them to the police station to file a theft report.  locate their embassy, banking assistance etc and they soon lose interest and quickly move on to look for another sucker.

I once got talking to a German guy at the bar of a hotel I was staying in, when I said goodbye, I walked up the stairs to my room, which was at the top of the stairs, a few mins later there was a knock on my door, it was the German guy asking for money. I said something like " if you don't .....off, I will knock you down these ......stairs", he couldn't get away quickly enough.

[Straight8]

I believe the OP got stitched up.

 

If this was genuine, whatever it was, there are other options than to ask other farangs for handouts. A farang in any country outside (on holiday?) his home should have someone to call on, somewhere in the world for help. Go to the police, files a report, explain your situation, you would at least get to make a couple of free calls.

 

Chances this incident was genuine are next to zero.

 

OP, seems you are a generous person, but seriously, unless you like being taken for a ride, go with statistics.

 

 

[connda]

My answer would be short and sweet:  You obviously can't afford to be here, so what are you doing here.  And regarding the handout - "No!" 

[suzannegoh]

Though the OP didn't actually say what the guy's story was, only that he was agitated.

[watcharacters]

3 hours ago, Cutty Shark said:

This reminds me of a scam from the early 1980’s:  A well-dressed, English-speaking Thai man would approach foreigners, asking for 100 baht.  He explained that his car had been accidentally locked and he needed the money to hire a locksmith. 

 

The story was eventually reported in the local English-language press, and I happened to read it.

 

A little later, my friend and I were approached by this same guy on Ploenchit Road.  Recognizing his story, we offered to go with him to his car and help him open it ourselves.  He declined of course, though I can’t remember the reason he gave for not accepting our help, if any.

 

Some of you folks who have been here a good while may recall that scam.

 

You forgot the caps lock?

 

 

[totally thaied up]

Years ago, I use to watch some soak use a sad story to scam farangs outside the front of Loi Kroh, Jammers, Dragon Fly Bar area.  Said he was rolled by a bar girl and had no money. He needed two hundred baht to call home to transfer money. He would make enough for a bottle of cheap Thai whiskey and then go and drink in a side Soi bar nearby laughing about it. I have been told by a few girls another farang is riding around at the moment on push bike asking for money.

 

These days I am a lot less likely to help out. How many of these guys are overstaying, I could not say, but I got to the point a long time back of watching farangs asking friends for short time loans of like 200 baht and then doing that like 20 times to 20 different people and never paying them back, I just will never loan a farang money, even if it seems they are in deep need. Some people need to go back home but for some strange reason, ten years on, they are still drinking at the same bars saying the same thing over and over again and seem to get by.

[orang37]

19 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

You have to ask yourself; who would give you money if you were in desperate need?

With respect, my foolish lives have been so blessed by unexpected, and unasked for, acts of kindness, and empathy, that I would rather be a fool, again, as a result  of mistaken perceptions and errors in judgement ... than ... be, possibly, wiser, but, perhaps, have missed the chance to give a little back.

 

Quote

"Nobody is ever impoverished through the giving of charity."

Moses ben Maimon (aka: Maimonides)

 

 

from the zoo in Tralfamador, Billy Pilgrim

 

~o:37;

[Bundooman]

22 hours ago, orang37 said:

 

Because, in case this was a "case" of "real need" ... in my  judgement it was, and that's based on years working with mentally ill, and troubled, people, long ago ... I have omitted details of the interaction, and my response, which might identify the person ... out of respect for their privacy.

 

I took a chance; I don't regret it. สมน้ำหน้า  sohm nam naa

 

~o:37;

RUBBISH!

 

You post your trendy do-goody act on TVF - and then omit the details of the 'hit-up', (as you called it). Why not reveal what was said - the person isn't going to read this - or is he? If he does, nobody is going to recognise him. are they?

 

Then, you try to look clever by typing Thai language to express "som nam naa" - pompously quantifying the statement by informing us mere mortals what it means in transliterated English - just to show what a clever boy you are. 

 

So,  what a clever and good boy you are. Now, I want to vomit! 

 

By the way - why is it "Som nam Na"? Do tell, oh clever one...…...

 

[orang37]

14 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

So,  what a clever and good boy you are. Now, I want to vomit! 

 

Thanks, but, I've seen the movie: the scent of old wounds, festering

 

? ~o:37;

[suzannegoh]

20 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

RUBBISH!

 

You post your trendy do-goody act on TVF - and then omit the details of the 'hit-up', (as you called it). Why not reveal what was said - the person isn't going to read this - or is he? If he does, nobody is going to recognise him. are they?

 

Then, you try to look clever by typing Thai language to express "som nam naa" - pompously quantifying the statement by informing us mere mortals what it means in transliterated English - just to show what a clever boy you are. 

 

So,  what a clever and good boy you are. Now, I want to vomit! 

 

By the way - why is it "Som nam Na"? Do tell, oh clever one...…...

 

If virtue signalling bothers you then you must not be on facebook.

[Happy Grumpy]

Was almost scammed here once.

 

Was told I'd need to pay a lump sum at the marriage and a set monthly amount thereafter.

 

 

Anyone else hear about this scam?

 

[Skeptic7]

Have been asked once...the answer was "NO"

[CMHomeboy78]

6 hours ago, Straight8 said:

I believe the OP got stitched up.

 

If this was genuine, whatever it was, there are other options than to ask other farangs for handouts. A farang in any country outside (on holiday?) his home should have someone to call on, somewhere in the world for help. Go to the police, files a report, explain your situation, you would at least get to make a couple of free calls.

 

Chances this incident was genuine are next to zero.

 

OP, seems you are a generous person, but seriously, unless you like being taken for a ride, go with statistics.

 

 

Very good post.

Factual and concise.

Farang panhandlers are nothing new in Chiang Mai.

Anyone who has had real problems here knows that there are ways to help yourself out of almost any situation involving money. Health issues and accidents are a different matter.

In 1980 on one of my early trips I had over $2000. in travelers checks stolen - due to my own carelessness - from a guesthouse room. I was left with only 200 baht and some coins.

After reporting it to the cops [555], I pawned my Nikon F camera for 800 baht. Then I went to see a girl I knew from a previous visit. Her family had several houses and agreed to let me stay rent-free until I was on my feet again.

I also contacted the US Consulate, which in those days was well-run and helpful to American citizens in trouble. They gave me a $100. loan [interest-free] which I repaid a few months later.

 The Chiang Mai girl who helped me became more than a friend and we eventually married and had two daughters. They are both grown-up girls now and very successful.

That was my Happy Ending.

[sanemax]

On 7/13/2018 at 6:37 PM, cmsally said:

Probably the same guy that asked me for money last month!  German accent and said he was Swiss. The weird thing was he asked me for something like 43 Bt, it seemed like an unlikely number to ask for. He said he needed it to make up enough money to call someone so he could get a money transfer.I almost gave it to him as it was a small amount but to me it was obviously a scam so I declined. If that is all the money he needed I am sure he could easily ask for a small loan from somewhere where people knew him. So it didn't make sense.

Interestingly a couple of weeks later I came across him in a soi and he obviously remembered me as I was on the receiving end of a string of not so nice expletives !

Bumped into the same guy , started of very polite and explained that he needed 46 Baht to put into his bank account , so he could add it to the 54 Baht already in there and withdraw 100 Baht, because 100 Baht is the minimum withdrawal .

   I couldnt help thinking that the bicycle wasnt the only thing that he was on

[Straight8]

5 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

Was almost scammed here once.

 

Was told I'd need to pay a lump sum at the marriage and a set monthly amount thereafter.

 

 

Anyone else hear about this scam?

 

I'd say more than quite a few are living this very dream as I write.

 

 

[scottiejohn]

10 hours ago, Straight8 said:

this very dream

That is not a dream, it's a nightmare!