I don't think i'm a cheap charlie, i just recognize the value of things or at least i think i do... Plus i think we have to differentiate between tourists and residents. The residents take notice when there is a 20 - 30 baht increase in drink prices or a 100 baht increase in barfines because we live here and go to the bars quite regularly. I'm not saying residents will make a big fuss about the increase in price, i think many threads were basically stating the increase in price and questioning why there is an increase from one week to the next.
Whereas tourists don't take notice of the increase as they are here on holiday and don't know what the prices were to begin with. Even the ones that come to LOS regularly, when you come to LOS once or twice a year i doubt you take notice if a beer costs 60 baht one trip and 80 baht the next. Its basically just gone from a $1.50 to $2 thats nothing....
As for ringing the bell... Well personally i've never rang the bell and its for the same reason as everybody else... Why ring the bell and buy drinks for people i don't know unless its my birthday or new years... I'd much rather buy drinks for my mates and be done with it...
However on a different note, I will accept a shot when offered one when someone rings the bell, but i will not move closer to them to get offered a shot... And when you buy drinks for someone i don't think you should expect the other person to buy you a drink back... I mean when we buy lady drinks we don't expect the ladys to buy our next drink do we... And when i'm out with a group of friends we never have any problems as we all just take turns to get the rounds... Or as Livin said, when my drink is empty and i go to the bar to get another one, whoever is is also out or running low will get a top up. I think its pretty simple and straight forward when you're with people you know.
Just because you don't buy drinks for people you don't know doesn't mean you're a cheap charlie... For me, if i'm sitting next to a bm/tourist at a bar (not knowing its a bm/knowing or speaking to them) i will never offer a drink. However if i've spoken to this person for a while be it guy or girl, tourist or bm or other resident, i will generally offer a drink... Simple and basic etiquette in my book.
Just my 5 cents worth... maybe 7 cents actually:ytounge: