Lending Money

[Guest]

Over the years, I'd say 25 LBs or so asked to "borrow" money from me, not only Thais, but Filipinas, Malay and Indo. I always say no. If you start, it never ends, it never comes back, and the need is dubious.

One day last year, I got a message from Jing (not her real name) of Phuket to borrow money for her sick mother. We've all heard that story. I was a bit shocked, because I know Jing really, really well, and she knows how well I know the scene. But because it was her, it was the first time I said, "ok". I "lent" her 6000 baht.

After a few weeks I asked if her mum was ok, and she said, yes, thank-you, but no mention of returning the money. I thought, same-old, same-old LB made up story, and I felt it bit disheartened as she'd abused our friendship.

So to my unbelievable surprise I got a message this week (1 year later), saying, "I have the 6000 baht now and can pay you back. Thank-you for giving me before." While rare, it made me realize we whitewash everyone with the same brush, and while our stereotypes are often true, they do not apply to everyone.

I'd be curious of any other 'positive' stories.

This forum tends to be like the media, with negative, sensationalist stories grabbing most peoples' attention.

[Guest]

A few years ago I gave money to one of the motorcycle taxi girls that worked right out by Nana at Sukhumvit / soi 4. I had known her for several years but she told me right up front that she could not pay me back (4000bht) about a years later she flags me down and something happend (i did nor speak Thai very well at the time) where she got some money for something and she payed me back.

[dummy_plug]

(ziggystardust @ Sep. 22 2007,13:23) This forum tends to be like the media, with negative, sensationalist stories grabbing most peoples' attention.

Agreed x2, but perhaps the forum tells it like it is. It's great to hear you have a positive story lending someone money and having them return it to you. The fact that you are posting this means it is a rather extraordinary event for you (i.e. you didn't really think it was going to happen), which is rather consistent with what is usually posted on the board. I haven't let any Thais money and the reason is that I have dealt with enough of this same BS about lending money and not having it paid back with my friends in the West! I guess this is a global problem, huh?

[olekunde]

when i lived in rompotong condo(a complex in pty soi vc full of bgs) there were sometimes girls(as in gg) that would knock on my door to lend money. usually due to gambling debt, but sometimes the stories could have been true.
i must say it really depended on my mood and as you say it never stops, but again i have no problem saying 'no' the next time. so it really is up to you.
actually i believed the more ridicolous requests ...
but i always emphasized that they didnt have to pay me back, which they probably wouldnt anyway.

[peterpan]

I have never got the request from any of the LB's I know of in town, with a couple of Thai Girls, though that doesn't work the night scene..

Both occasions it has been written down to charity and it is quite a turn off for me these days if it happens..

Just say "no" with a smile :-)

PP

[anicon]

..well i suppose it never hurts to ask, if u say 'ok' then they get the cash, but i never expect a return payment.. to them a 'loan' from a foreigner is the same as a 'gift'..  

[moe666]

Don,t kid yourself a loan from a Thai to a Thai is also a gift. My girl friend likes to talk about her brother-in-law who got a loan from her sister who lives in France to buy a pickup. now he likes to talk about his truck, but when the girl friend is around she calls him on the fact he never repaid the loan.

Loanded $1000.00 dollars to a female friend, in the U.S., she had been good for loans in the past. She leaves town not a word from her she comes back after 1 year still not a word, one day she hands me a check for 100.00 dollars check 1 of 10. Well to make a short story shorter not another check and not a word. I have wrote her off as well as the 900.00 dollars.

Thats life.

[Guest]

Make this a hard and fast rule. "I Don't ever lend money and I don't ever borrow money" That is what I say to anyone asking me for my hard earned money.

[stogie bear]

(aperry @ Sep. 23 2007,08:36) Make this a hard and fast rule.  "I Don't ever lend money and I don't ever borrow money"

I second that.

Agreed x2, but perhaps the forum tells it like it is. It's great to hear you have a positive story lending someone money and having them return it to you. The fact that you are posting this means it is a rather extraordinary event for you (i.e. you didn't really think it was going to happen), which is rather consistent with what is usually posted on the board...

I second that, too!

Sensational doesn't have to be negative... Most posts on this message board are positive if you count them up, but a few negative ones get the most attention.

[Guest]

Believe ir not, I have had an opposite experience....my top ladyboy in Pattaya has actually lent ME money when I asked her (about 3K baht for a couple of days!). Paid her back of course!

[buttafly]

(stogie bear @ Sep. 23 2007,13:43) Most posts on this message board are positive if you count them up, but a few negative ones get the most attention.

That would be my fault!!   sorry....

 I  "Loaned" Ponlien  40K baht back in 2003 for her postie operation, she needed 80K ....'tricked' would be a better word for it [damn, I hate it when ladyboys are smarter than me and of course there are many] and no, I never saw even one baht back.

  Success stories or not, keep your money in your jeans...... 3rd-world people find a way to survive every day of their lives with or without our help.   the quote above is good  "Don't ever lend money and I don't ever borrow money", especially with family or transgendered people in Asia who may or may not have good intentions with the dough.

[jimslim]

Ladyboys get a bad reputation at times for stealing , so its nice to see positive posts .

Last year I had a late night drink at Didis bar in Pattaya , to cut a long story short Id been drinking in quite a few bars that night and when it came to pay my bar bill I was a few hundred baht short .
The girl I was with (Patty) paid the remainder of my bill and also her barfine .
When we got back to my hotel , the Eastiny they wouldnt let her in (no ladyboys , Id only checked in and didnt know this ) The safe was also closed till 9am next morning .
We ended up at a hotel on second road for the night , again she had to pay .
So in all she was out about 1200 baht , plus what I was to give her next morning .

This was the first time Id met her and so she trusted me to return next night with the money (which I off course did ) And I also checked out of the Eastiny sharpish  

Ive never forgot that though and will always have a lot of time for her  

[moe666]

When I had my wallet pinched on a trip a few years ago, my girl friend was ready to loan me everything she had about 12,000baht, and I would have repaid her, she has a big family to care for.

[kathylc]

I used to used the I Don't ever lend money and I don't ever borrow money thing myself but with moochers and cigarettes. It used tp piss off quite a few folks over the years. With me you would be better off asking for a blow job than loaning you $20

[donnnnnny]

ill never lend money to anyone why because i dont have any)