Yes the stories are infamous, and in all reality, real-life accounts of being ripped off in Thailand are better. I have only been here just over a week and... how many times has the world been pulled over my eyes? I'm sure more than I know. Tonight my friends and I went to the local "Health Land" to get massages. The brochure had listed many different styles of massage and two friends agreed they wanted to select the Thai massage. However it was listed as 2-hours for 450 Baht (roughly 13 dollars). We were going to dinner after and the Foot massage only last an hour (as what three of us were getting) so on the phone they told us, "no problem; 1-hour Thai massage for 250 Baht."
When we showed up immediately the price scaled up to 450 Baht no matter how long the massage was. "That price was never quoted to you" they said.
This is typical. Often westerners are associated with oodles of money-- which... sometimes these judgements are based on survival and understood. This time was different, "Health Land" is a thriving spa.
Tonight when I got home I saw the new cd I bought at the market last week, it said, "Special Thailand Edition" and it reminded me of all the wonderful "Special Thailand Editions" we have been receiving upon arrival. One being that dollar cd that had a 50/50 chance of working...
Discounts are famous here, each market we "Wai" the seller and say "special special discount"... and I realized: I should not look at each scenario as something I am loosing, but a special, special Thailand edition... and then "Wai" them and say, but "special special Thai discount?"
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