[lost99]

Originally Posted by ahtecklim

This is the not the best advice you can give someone. I cant tell you the number of times I walked out of a situation just being nice. The power of the smile goes a long way! The hard way doesn't always work , the soft approach is always better.

Yes most of the time they are bluffing but even a smart poker player knows whats at risk and where and when to take that risk.

Its more important to read the situation and react to it than standing firm all the time.

So what are you saying? If a manger comes to you demanding you pay an inflated 6000baht bill, just smile and take the soft approach and be nice, and it will work? If you look at the video, these guys tried to be nice about it first, but when they were met with hostility they had to match it and argue fierce and hard to get it reduced. The soft approach doesn't always work, its a pussy's way out, and you should stand firm when you have no other choice (but not necessarily all the time, or as a first option).

Smiling and being a soft boiled carrot does not work in these situations when someone is being aggressive, hostile, and trying hard to scam you. Its Women who cry and smile to get out of problems, but it takes a real man to stand up. In fact just smiling and being passive can make you more vulnerable as it shows fear and that you'll likey open your wallet to pay your way out of the problem. In fact look at this video where a Songthiaw driver try to scam a tourist who was trying to act nice...and smiling and acting soft got him nowhere.

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Thai Scammers know that most tourists don't want trouble, and will deliberately look for those that are 'weak' and 'soft' for fear of reprisal and easy targets. I can' tell you the number of situations where people backed down from me once they realised i wasn't a soft chump and they are not getting anything from me. In this situation you can either develop your spine and take control, or act like a carrot, 'Smile' and say 'yes sir' to open your wallet for them to rob you. its your choice - i don't force anyone to take my approach, but there is another option than 'smiling' like a useless carrot.

Of course try to be nice to avoid these kind of situations in the first place, but sometimes we have no choice and trouble finds us because we are always targets, as foreigners in another country. I'm sure Mario above tried to the the soft approach like you and smile, but the manager didn't care and became hostile. In the end his smiling cost him 900baht scam, and he complain about it here afterwards, when he could have stood up to the manager there.