JRA

Dude, they are not price gouging non-thai people, they are price gouging ignorants. ;-) Some places have fixed prices where a small discount can sometimes

be negotiated, but CalWow is not one of them. You want to pay double, triple, or more, the staff will happily take it.

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Nice try on baiting me buddy but I bought 2 - 3 month passes and they gave me 1 month free pass with each so it was actually 8 months. They asked for much more than 5500 baht for each but negotiated what I thought was a fair price for each or what I was willing to spend and that was 11k B for what turned out to be 8 months not the 3-4 months you speak of. They are or were price gouging because they have a faulty business model that will as some point fail and they are attempting to use new members to bail them out.

At the end of August when I was more than willing to pay 5500 for 3 month membership with 1 month pass they said 3200/month and I said no thanks and walked. I don't or didn't mind paying more, if I wanted the cheapest gym I would have never walked into CWow. I was looking for what I thought was a fair price based on value and being over-priced and a membership person telling me 3200 was a price set from BKK I walked, simple as that.

Many people walked the past couple months and guess what, they realized a member willing to pay 1500-2k B on average/month beats no customer at all. So when they call me and I walk by last weekend and the manager lady offers me 3900 for 3 months I was like, ok sounds fair and and reasonable and since I want to head South to live my final 3-4 months I rejoined until end of january when I will fly South. I never wanted a lifetime membership for CM as I hadn't plan to live in CM this long but I liked so I stayed. Wow has 1 club near the sea in the one place I would never want to live. No surprise Phuket Wow out of business and just watch there will be more to follow if they keep trying to use new members to cover these lifetime memberships than mean nothing when they go under. May not be this year or next but they are in $ trouble for a reason pal.

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Hmm, hmm hmm. Exactly how dirty is it there?

If I hadn't already bought a life time membership at calwow some years ago (for the same price as as you paid for 3-4 months of training it seems. But don't worry, some less ignorant people than me paid less than that too) ...

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Apples and oranges bro, what does what you paid for a lifetime membership some years ago have to do with this year or 2011? I paid $180 or 600 baht for my new iphone some years back (2008), christ I must be an moron because I can't find a new one (or 4th generation) in Thailand for under $600 or 19k B from Apple Store here.

Dirty was one of the few reason like bad parking that play a part in a customer willing to listen to new offers. Get it? Had Wow not offered what I thought was a fair price I would not have returned.

haha McG I agree but I was rolling with #2 because there is always one idiot grunting at any gym especially Gold's in USA. At FT people really slam weights, grunt and bark which I don't get?

What is funny, sometimes I look over and see the girly weights you speak of and think <deleted> are you grunting about bro?

Your #3 is probably better said than me but so very true.

Well I guess I may have to finally learn to use the sprayer thingy in my bathroom since Tops is out of everything I seem to walk over to buy after my massage.

Just relaxing this evening, not on ThaiV much but if anyone interested I have a California Wow update from when I left because I felt they were price goudging western or non-thai folks.

Ok I have to say sorry I spell really bad and just type and send ...to: the typo police folks. haha we all have flaws and I have more than most ;-)

So I am 45 on a 1 year visa because I am too young for retirment visa but I joined Californai Wow because it was nice, clean and large. I not mind paying more because I saw the value before. I paid 11,000 b for 7 months and they told me 3200 b each month after so I said you are nuts and out of principle alone I left and joined FT on a month basis for 2 months. 1200, then 1000 for 2nd month at FT. Truth be told, I much prefer Wow but I refuse to be ripped off so I left.

Last weekend, I walked past Wow while at Plaza and Manager lady asked me where I had been? I expalined, me about 4 other members I saw joined another club and I not tell her I had actually seen CWow trainer exercising at FT. Well she offered my 3900 for 3 months so I jumped since it was 3200/ month prior but really their business model is going to fail hard because their prices are the only thing I have seen more expensive that Seattle in the past 9 months here in CM.

One thing I will miss about FT is the ladies asking me for my phone number or on a date Nice staff and people but it is kinda dirty there and the equipment could be in better repair but overall it wasn't bad but the motorbike parking sucked royal.

have a good and safe weekend people

Prior to Fitness Thailand I exercised at California Wow for 7 months and one of the things I found rather annoying was the lack of gym etiquette here. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/mastering-gym-etiquette.html

Mainly at Wow it was older folks, mostly Thai ladies that really didn't have a clue but the club itself should educate their members slighty IMO. Same goes at Fitness Thailand where someone sits on a machine and does 2 sets in 20-30 minutes and never stands up. I find this and leaving sweat the worst, bring an exercise towel folks. I myself do a set or 2 on a machine and then get up and go stretch or do some abs for my rest period and then come back, letting other members use the machine unless I am doing something like incline or bench press where I would rather not unload all the weights (see link).

So if you are reading this and you exercise at a gym you probably feel my pain. Older folks or people with little experience get a slight pass in my book but their is the most annoying clown at Fitness Thailand and being an American like me he should know better. I had a run in with him my first month at FT because I was on a machine he was using 20-30 minutes prior to me? <deleted> dude? So this guy treats the gym like it is his own personal club. I guess he hasn't figured out you can do something differnt using the same muscle group yet he is highly educated and has more money than Steve Jobs, his words not mine.

Picture a guy, not in bad shape...tall, long hair and maybe 60ish that loves to hear himself talk, surfing, yadda yadda yadda. I find him extremely annoying and completely full of $ but I just avoid him or alter my workout slighty which is easier than hearing him b and moan like a lttle girl. If you want a visual, picture a guy that smoked too much stuff in the 70's, dreams of his days driving his VW van or what I call a burnout from Berkley CC that likely lived in a tree at some point in his life.

Yesterday, I went to exercise in the am and the first machine I use after seeing nobody using, guess who comes over to expalin he was using? While I was stretching, the shoulder press was idle a good 10 minutes. Yadda yadda yadda aka dipstick comes over again saying he wants to work in and I sadi NO and explained my reason. In short, go away numb nuts and no you can't work in because I have 3 sets lefts and you annoy me because I have waited for a machine you have sat on for 15-20 minutes just talking and not even doing a fricken set. He keeps b'ing and moaning then finally I had enough. SInce he was pestering me, I said to him American to American, keep talking buddy because we see each other often because we live in same n'hood here. If you really want to talk, come pester me outside you dipstick, picture a lost stoner "where's my car dude?" look. Finally he walks away and keeps giving me the stink eye and crys to the staff/trainers and the machine I was using was idle for an hour after me and not one person used including VW guy with hempfest stickers rocking the van.

After that I was nearly finished with my cardio and 4 actual FT members came up to me and said kop koon krup because that guy had issues with them even calling him a perv working out with his lady. His insult to me was I am a 30 year old yadda yadda yadda, guys like you are why I left USA. Thanks, I am 45 but here are your glasses maybe your pony tail is in your eyes. Also, 2 trainers said to me he causes the most problems at FT and I explained to them no worries someone had to put him in his place and I was glad to do. I expalined to them I rejoined California Wow starting Nov 1 because they lowered their prices so I was just using FT because a lady I was feen on asked me to come say sawadee krup one last time at FT. I won't miss that idiot but FT has a nice staff and many nice members, I just found the motorbike parking so bad (and one nasty burn) and then WOW called and offered me a new rate and I jumped last weekend starting Nov 1st.

To those of you I say hello to at FT, nice chatting. Sorry to vent but the gym ettiquette is a valid topic imo because I got a nasty cold from someone not wipping the machine off but if I had as much money as Mr. Jobs I guess I would just own my own gym and not B and moan. ;-)

Not Huay Kaew Residence and that sad thing is the high spped I pay extras for is 200 more/month. Its really bad and has to cost them customerd each month. zthe Chinese owners when western folks bolt like I have near done myself...just lost my connection, go figure '-)

I can't remember the place's name but the floor under California Wow, like 3rd floor in Airport plaza. My issue was I opened a bad email and my 4 month dell got a Virus and I left overnight in my leather case and they fixed for 300 baht....haven't had an issue with my Dell since. Any help out there from the people that know the name of the place here on Thai Visa? Krup

I stopped using CaliWow and have a new gym the past 5 weeks because I refuse to pay them double what the same place would be in Seattle for a months workout.

And sometimes I enjoy walking/running to eat my favorite soup in the evening and run/walk around the moat rather than take my motorbike and I have really enjoyed doing this 3-4 times a week but the one thing I wasn't prepared for was the random bug finding my mouth once or twice a week. The last bugger had nice size wings so I was able to not swallow him/her but this has been one of the bad side effects to my change of exercise.

they still take crisp $10 bills (US) as of 2 weeks ago if you rather not pay 500 baht...just saying

I joined Fitness Thailand for Sept to try and its an option you can try and they will even give you a 3 day pass before you join....FT seems to be what you and your partner may be looking for and they have classes too....7th and 8th FL of Icon building....

Where in a graded list of American Universities does Washington feature, if at all?

MOTE = moat .. OP states he is an alum of U of Wash. Would guess that the answer to your above ? is This Uni must not rank very high on the chart

:D

But it is a topic about running.....and you know what those college athletes are like.

The topic was making a stand against price goudging at Cali Wow

I am proud I graduated from a top 15 University in USA with a 3.5 in Business after I returned from the 1st Gulf War because I had to study hard and support my wife and young daughter....my spelling is nearly as bad as my typing but thankfully for me spelling isn't a sign for intell

I was making a stand vs Cali Wow on principle and hoping some of the folks after me would benefit....and I have enjoyed the run/walk of 2k before and after my pm lol not am soup

To quote John Wayne, "Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid."

2 x 3 month memberships = 11k Baht

PM soup around CM and the Mote

So what is PM soup and the Mote?

Iain

I think the mote is the moat around the old city. The soup i have no idea.

Sorry to the spell check police and PM is the time I eat in the evening around the Chiang Mai Gate area...I run/walk for the exercise after my meal a few times a week and try and dodge rain drops

So what the fuc* happenend to the U Dub football program? I had season tickets for more than thirty years and rented them out for the last 10. I've moved up from the 10 yard line to the 19 yard line in that time.

It was bad my friend and it started with the University not standing by Coach Don James and the President of the University being jealous fool...add some bad AD moves starting with Barbara Hedges from $C.

Replacing a great coach isn't easy and we had nearly 30 str8 winning seasons and then we hired an AD from Vandy that hired maybe the worst D1 coach/fraud in America in Ty Lossingsham....Sark seems like the guy and the AD has managed to get a New Stadium in the works which will return UW to the top IMO

Go DaWgs!

I admit I miss Cali Wow as my new club isn't as nice but I have to admit enjoying my walk/running to and from PM soup around CM and the Mote a few times a week.

I am a die hard University of Washington Alum so I always sport my purple shorts so if you see me "honk" because Cali Wow and their price goudging isn't cool and I for 1 had to make a stand based on priniple alone. I miss many people I see and said hello to a WOW but not the membership used car sales people they employ.

Hope to return after my 1 month away but they are crazy if they think I am paying 3200 each month after I dropped 11K Baht for 6 months...I mean, Cali wow is asking about $110 US dollars for a month????wisky tango foxtrot, I don't mind paying more but don't act like I am a fool and try to steal from me when I have payed more for 6 months than many paid for lifetime memberships. Their business model is going to fail hard and at least they could do is fix 20% stuff that doesn't work...and why on earth do they need 50 plus employees working at once?

I have done 3 VIP Green buses this year, the last being Sunday and I was rather scared about the driver killing us all on the ride back. Of course, it was raining and this guy was passing where not allowed and I made a point to buckel up. Take the car, faster and much safer IMO and you likeky aren't on speed like a few of these bus driver's seem to be. Very dicey ride on the 430pm Green Bus from the border this past Sunday had me thinking the earlier buses must be safer due to light and rain conditions alone.

Probably your local Tesco / Big C will have more than enough choice of basic phones.

Everyone has their preference for brands i.e. Nokia, Samsung etc. so that's up to you, they will all be inferior to your iPhone anyway.

Yes, but the relief from not having to look at it 24/7 is enormous.

yes good one...

Thanks everyone, kop koon krup

So my great iphone died at the waterfall when it was underwater for too long. I had my iphone for 3 years and it was GREAT but I wanted to get a cheap possibly new phone just for calls and maybe a text her and there.I may return to the US in the next month or 2 and was wondering where any you fine folks think I could buy a new cheap (good value) phone for the basic?I am sold on the Iphone and ipod's in general as they make great products (but their computers are way over priced IMHO)I will probably get a new iphone when I go to Seattle but my 1-2 call is still active and I need a phone for a month or 2? Any suggestions? nokia...Tesco, Big C or somewhere in Kad Saew Kaew (spelling) Kop koon krup

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

Wasn't me, when I heard 3200 for August I just walked out...I have 3 days on my membership left and then I will be more than happy to take my business elsewhere

I admit Cali Wow is the nicest fitness club in Chiang Mai and for this reason I don't mind, or in the past, didn't mind paying more.

However, everyone has their tipping point and I won't be "tooting Cali Wow's" horn anymore when people ask about the best fitness club in CM on ThaVisanbecause they are starting to act like sharks with their fee's and so called "specials".

I joined Cali Wow last year in BKK for 2 month and 1 month here in CM on my first trip to Thailand. I paid about 5 K baht for 3 months or about 1,800 a month which is expensive for Thailand or similiar to back home in Seattle for a nice all-around fitness gym.

Here is my vent after today:

Aug 1, I will be starting my 7th month in CM and I paid about 10.500 baht for 2 3 month memberships which works out to be about 1700-1800/a month. I think its a fair price because I like the gym but I am getting tired of them hiring so called new trainers and they walk around the club befriending you just to sell you supplements or whatever. Cali wow is becoming shaddy and it is getting old when I pay what I call a "fair pricce" when I know many Thai and falong pay much less than me.

So today, I explained to this Thai membership guy...and when I say Thai membership guy I think his last job was Dukin Donuts. Of course, he said...today's special...yadda yadda yadda...I heard that song and dance in America a million times...this clown had the nerve to tell me 3,200 baht for August...wisky tango foxtroot, what is this guy smoking?

I like the dam_n gym but I hate when I feel someone is trying to rip me off. So I am ready to find a new gym orl run around the mote...as I live off Huey Kaew Road and there I belive is many options...but 3,200 for 1 month 7 when I already paid 10,500 for 2 ,3 months memberships? thatt works out to be nearly 14,000 k for 7 months of a gym? Yes its nice but price is included when you talk about how a place is.

Anyway, I want to complain to Cali Wow but at least I will give them some bad pr because I have told many folks on here how nice it is...but dam_n, it's not like I get a free massage after I workout.

I don't do long-term contracts because I am only 45 and every 90 days I have to do a visa run....anyway, sorry about the vent but beware of Cali Wow and their prices...I was floored today when that numb nut quoted me 3200 for August....Wow is right

Any suggestions? I like to do weights some but my focus is cardio...any decent places near kad Seaun kaew? Thanks all

Hi everyone, I was looking for the thread on the set-up of USA Sony TV (flatscreen) here in Thailand.

I have seen it before but I seem not able to find? You know the Pal system vs the one we use in America.

I sold my Sony Bravia and wanted to get the person that bought as much info as possible, I explained it but i wanted something she could read or I can copy thread....so if person setting up for here with her DVD can ask her any questions.

Ok all, thanks for your time and have a nice weekend.

PS. I bought a 800 baht helmet after getting pulled over in February when I arrived and that crappy helmet saved my bacon (compared to what is legal to wear in USA) saved my life). 2nd trip to Thailand...11 month and finally it happened I had a motorbike accident on the NE corner of the Mote and hit the tree...opposite NW opposite the bowling alley. I was in ICU, split helmet, stiches in head and leg and first broken bone in 3 spot on my colar bone...oh that one is going to cause pain for the next 20 years....and road rash...I look like I was sent home from Tour De France...

But I am very lucky to be alive...its just a matter of time on the roads here...you can do everything right and it just takes one nut job for you to eat pavement...with hitting my head I don't remember much but my Thai friend and I took flowers where I hit tree near the Buddha for good karma (NE Corner of Mote....)

So be careful people, I could have easily been sent home in a bodybag in June...and special Thanks to my best Thai freind HoneyBee that visit me everyday in ICU and the RAM...very lucky to be alive with a bum shoulder and some small road rash

California Wow at Airport plaza has 2-3 machines for leg press or another one with free weights that you add weight to....also they have a smith machine which could be used so 4 at least...nicest gym in CM for sure

I pay about 1800 baht a month to work out there...nicest and best in CM for sure as I looked at them all as well as hotel gyms...cali wow is the closest to an American full service club

not related to CM, moving to the banking forum where you may get some topical advice

No advice needed, I just hate Chase.com....sorry for post go ahead and just delete if you like

I bank with Chase and being outside USA,here in Thailand, the past few months has been an absolute nightmare getting money (wire) to my Bank of Bangkok account or logging on to chase.com

Of course, I can use my Chase atm and pay a fee here and from ChaseSatan.com plus a bad exchange rate with no issues.

F Chase.com

A hard toothbrush is not good for your gums and over time will do more damage than help...I would suggest anyone reading this only use soft toothbrush