Is This A Thai Trait?

[Flashermac]

A friend rented a nice enough house for a very reasonable price. Then he found out why. The previous owner had wasted a way there during a lengthy illness. No one else would touch the house, and he did say it felt sort of creepy inside. He promptly got the monks to come over and bless the house, putting on a big feed for them. His landlady was tickled pink ... and then everybody else was ofering to rent the house for more money.

[dean]

I'm not sure that my wife subscribes to that. The Honda Odyssey that she has driven for 6 years was purchased salvaged, being in a pretty bad front end wreck. I bought it before moving back to the U.S. and she never saw it wrecked. I purposely never let her see the Civic wrecked. It went directly from the previous owners to the body shop. After seeing my van purchased wrecked 2 years ago, she commented on how she thought it was a bad purchase and I didn't want her to see the Civic in the same shape. She has wanted a new car since we moved here but didn't work until our son was in Kindergarten. As far as karma, I guess that I go the opposite direction. Thirty years ago, I was the first tenant in an apartment, where a lady had been stabbed to death. I knew it when I looked at the apartment and it didn't spook me. After several years, I moved into a high rise apartment building that had just re opened after a fire where several people died. Again, I lived there several years with no problems but have since rented houses with less notorious pasts.

[scoobydoo]

everyone needs delorean !!

[scoobydoo]

browns restaurant in Cambridge uk was formally the std clinic attached to the main hospital..both no longer medically related ....some clap with your clams sir?!!!

[radioman]

I'm with you on the karma thing, never bothered me. Thais seem to have a different approach though they often will not come out and tell you for fear of either losing face or worse still causing you to lose face. Doesn't mean their inner self isn't wrestling with the whole thing. YMMV though, we're all in unique situations. Tell her you just found out from a neighbour that years back somebody was killed in your house and watch her freak out. Guaranteed.

[JaiRai]

I know more people that are in debt and overspend, some severely, than I do those without significant debt (talking about non-Thais). So definitely that phenomenon is way beyond being Thai. One thing I have noticed is that Thais are more likely to share money between family (read: give freely), without a thought. Kinda easy come easy go approach - I've met very few with some sort of investment plan or idea about saving for the future.

 

btw - It might be a challenge getting 6k for an 07 Civic with an accident on record.

 

Also - you can lease something like a Hyundai Elantra for a couple hundred a month with 2k down, poor man's way of saving face and eliminates the hassle of maintenance, etc.

[dean]

I didn't buy the Civic from an insurance company or auction. It was directly from the owner, who owned it outright but just insured it for liability and didn't (or couldn't) care to pay to have it fixed. I assume that there was an accident report but the car will not have a salvage title. 2007 Civics that have 80,000 miles in good shape sell for between $8,500 and $9,000. I may have the entire car re painted same color, which may make the total that I have in the car closer to $7,500. That still allows me $1,000 in negotiating space to make back my money and, hopefully, a little extra.

[JaiRai]

My error I assumed a salvage title (which one still might be able to sell for 6k, but -- a challenge). At any rate good luck.

[bust]

I thought the answer was obvious. Thais always know better. They listen to our advice out of politeness then do what they want anyway.

[dean]

Things have settled a bit over the last week. I talked with the manager at the honda dealership where she bought the Civic. I didn't get much information from him, except that it was a five year note. I asked if it was too late to offer our 2003 Odyssey as a trade in and, no surprise, it was (although he offered to buy it outright for, what I assume would be next to nothing). I talked with my insurance agent and found out that the monthly premium was $150 per month. I got that down to to $100 by declining all the extras (like free tow and reimbursement for car rental taken because of damaged car; mainly going from a $250 to a $1,000 deduct able). Last night, I gave my wife her grocery allowance and subtracted $100 from it. There was no argument from her. She did ask when her monthly payment of $350 would start ($350 times 60 I believe is $21,000, which should mean that there must be 0% interest built into most of the loan). I haven't had a car loan since 1983, when the bank sent me a payment book and I mailed in the payments by the due date. Has it changed at all over the last 30 years (I'm assuming that payment books can be replaced with notifications by internet and payments can be made electronically)? I did find out by the Honda dealership that they have already charged the sales tax and built it into the payments. However, she still owes property tax and has to pay it before getting tags (she now has 30 day tags). So, I guess that the end of this month should prove to be interesting.