Stories.

  In a previous blog I mentioned the interest rate for ordinary Thai being 20%.  What makes that even worse, I learned, is that that's the monthly rate!  Borrow $100. and in a month you owe $120.  Banks won't lend to  common people so they have to go to the money lenders.
   Gai and Mai were in their tuk-tuk one day following an older couple who had rented bikes to see Ayutthaya.  A motorcycle went past the woman and the rider snatched the woman's bag from the basket in front of the bike.  Gai and Mai chased the motorcycle with their tuk-tuk and recovered the bag.
  Now, this is where it gets interesting.  In the bag was the woman's passport and about $300. in Thai money.   Gai took the bag to the police station and turned it, the passport and everything else in the bag except the money.  She told the police that she had the money, gave the police her phone number and told the police to have the woman call her if she wanted her money back.  The woman did call and Gai gave her all her money  back and refused a reward.
  Why didn't Gai turn the money over to the police?  She wasn't confident that the police would return the money to the woman.  $300. ?  That would be a good month's earnings for Mai and Gai.

5th graders My, Mata and Noon.

The full name of my school.

3rd graders on the floor.