KevinHunt

Do you notice when Kevin starts a thread it gets about 10 times the interest of any other, lets hope it wasn't one of the mods who didn't get the discount.

I noticed that the 'Free WiFi' post is on over 20,000 views, which is a bit strange, and the '10% discount' post is over 5,000. I reckon I should be on commission.

If I was, I could have retired from the 'Free Water' post (over 200,000, I think).

It looks like the consensus for discounts is more against the idea than for it, or is that just me seeing what I want to see?

I was there last week, terrible traffic hold ups.

The cause of the problem is all those young girl University students riding their motorbikes, wearing thick make up, thin low cut blouses, ultra short navy blue skirts and some even showing their undies

Disgusting I say and for those who are easily offended, I would suggest that you avoid the area.

      It shouldn't be allowed. Scandalous!!

Do you notice when Kevin starts a thread it gets about 10 times the interest of any other, lets hope it wasn't one of the mods who didn't get the discount.

Personally it doesn't really matter to me, though it is does sort of make you feel special, I've just dug out a whole wad of various discount cards - I've got a Just Khao Soy residents discount card for 50% off for the bearer and one guest, that's a pretty good deal though I'd feel a fraud if I used it as I haven't set foot in the place for about 4 years. Good Khao Soy by the way

Do web forums give discounts? If so, can I get a discount on mentions of 'Red Lion'

Can the forum software replace every tenth mention of 'Red Lion' with, say, 'overt self-promotion'?

Excuse the lengthy post that follows, but Kevin (proprietor of the 'Red Lion') might appreciate this.

Mrs T and I worked long hours and ate most of our meals out in HK. One restaurant we frequented recognized us a regulars and one day the captain whom I often had short exchanges with about the weather, the stock market, racing tips and whatnot, asked if we'd fill in a form for a discount card they were offering to regulars. Never missing a chance to look a gift horse in the mouth, I asked why they'd want to do that since 'regulars' were, well, regular clients anyway?

He said they'd tried this at another branch and found that regulars came more often and more often brought friends along as well. Staff reported that tips also improved.

Since the restaurant already had a 10% service charge, a 10% discount would have seemed stingy, so they were offering 15%. Did we consequently go more often? I have no idea because I didn't keep tabs, but I did notice Mrs. T being less stingy with her tips.

--

Chinese restaurants often have a 'tea charge' levied on a per head basis. Many restaurants exempt this charge for regular customers (the captain usually decides this). It's never publicized though. The waiter or captain merely announces the exemption in passing when he brings the bill. A gesture of generosity often has the effect of making the other party feel generous as well, so tips, I'm told, improve.

Will giving a modest discount to regulars improve business overall for the 'Red Lion'? It would be an interesting experiment. Perhaps like a pizza joint, the Red Lion could sell a one year discount card called the Red Lion card. It could be Red with the picture of a Lion. Or white with the picture of a Red Lion.

A coffee stand at Carfour food court has a novel approach, like a lottery. Recently I bought a coffee there and was asked to pick a stapled chit from among others in a mug. I unstapled the chit to find that my next coffee, if I present the chit, will cost 6 baht less. Glory, glory. I don't know how the Red Lion could implement this but I though I'd throw it in anyway.

Twenty years ago, at a crowded strip club in Honolulu, where clients paid upfront every time they ordered a drink, the ka-chinking at the till would occasionally slow (I happened to be sitting at the bar, next to the till). Sometimes when that happened, the manager would announce over the PA system: "any drinks ordered in the next five minutes gets two for one" and the tills would resume their ka-chinking.

Is any of this relevant to the 'Red Lion'? I don't know, I'm just shooting the breeze here with a glass of Red (not Lion) and nothing much to do, but I hope as a regular utterer of 'Red Lion', I get a discount from the Forum proprietors.

Or visitors could discount this entire post.

In closing, I'd just like to say: 'Red Lion'

A quick count has you mentioning Red Lion nine times(?) - well done. Time was when placing those two words together would have resulted in a ban!! It may qualify you for a discount card irrespective of the outcome of this discussion.

A very good post with some good points. Thanks for taking the time.

I used to drink i n a small bar in Portugal run by a Dutch guy. He used to do a 'shots' round for regulars, by ringing a special bell and then lining up about 8 shots on the bar. I was included in the group after I'd been going for a bit, and the funny thing was that most of the group used to buy rounds of shots back for the group, so that over the course of a month, the bar probably made money on it (though he never used to charge much for a shot round).

It kept me drinking there, because it was acknowledgement that you were local/regular and was worth much more than the cost of the drinks (evidenced by the fact that we used to spend more buying drinks back!)

PS. I'm now sueing for liver damage!

Is he still alive, I wonder. 

A thought just occurred to me - some expats are more price conscious than the rest of us, and quite a few of them are getting by on pensions that aren't worth as much now because of exchange rate variations. Maybe a 'pensioners' discount is what we need.  No need for me to make out discount cards - just show your Pension Book or Bus Pass to qualify.

will there be a freshly caught fish in the video?

Is that what turns you on? It takes all sorts, I suppose.

Personally, I'd rather see his cute girlfriends.

What is the use of raising your prices so that you might offer a discount? You reward half and screw the other half. Is that proactive customer service?

Sorry but what you are talking about is scamming people.The point of a discount card is giving loyal customers a discount not getting extra money from occasional customers.What kind of business you are in again.

Getgoin didn't say that he does that and neither did I. It was merely an observation of what some places may do.

I didn't even insinuate that you were doing this KevinHunt but Getgoin in my view let clearly shine out that it is common practice that if you want to give a discount to certain customers you will have to overcharge the others.

That's not how I read it. I thought he was against the idea. I re-read it and I still think that.

What is the use of raising your prices so that you might offer a discount? You reward half and screw the other half. Is that proactive customer service?

Sorry but what you are talking about is scamming people.The point of a discount card is giving loyal customers a discount not getting extra money from occasional customers.What kind of business you are in again.

Getgoin didn't say that he does that and neither did I. It was merely an observation of what some places may do.

Somewhere on a Thai language forum, a double pricing thread begins.......

And why should that be?It doesn't say anywhere that the discount is given based on race as the Thai version of discount is the case in most places.

Interestingly, for Thai restaurants, regulars may get 10% and VIP's (who can well afford it) expect to get 20%, because they think they should be treated extra special.

Somewhere on a Thai language forum, a double pricing thread begins.......

I often thought of it as that!!! I don't think those receiving it think that way though.

It could certainly be used as a justification for increasing the prices - tourists won't notice and locals get a discount so won't complain.

I wouldn't do that, of course - I am from Liverpool, after all.

It depends on the amount of discount. I have an Amari card, and that entitles me to a 50% discount when dining with one other person, so yeah, I like to use it to get good value. However, me and the misses hit Pasta Cafe quite often, and they give us a discount, even though we typically tip more than the amount of the discount, its still nice to look down at the bill and see the red DISCOUNT stamp, but it does not influence if we frequent the place. Even if they stopped giving us the discount, we would continue to go there.

I heard an interesting story the other day about a customer that used to be a regular at my old restaurant (Haus Munchen) who came to The Red Lion only once because he didn't get a 10% discount there, whereas he got it at Haus Munchen. I was quite surprised because he was a guy for whom the 10% didn't make a difference.  In fact he told me that. He didn't go back because of 'the principle' it seems.

Personally, I wouldn't care one way or another if I got 10% discount in a pub or restaurant, but it does appear that for some people it does make a difference, even if it is only because it makes them feel special. There were a few reasons why we didn't give a discount at The Red Lion, and I never really gave it a great deal of thought since then. So what do you think? Would it sway you, one way or another to go somewhere (not just my place) if you got 10% off?

Here`s a suggestion:

How about changing a couple of ThaiVisa rules?

Sponsors can continue to promote themselves on these forums for free, but on condition that they give 20% Discount vouchers to all ThaiVisa members that read their threads and posts.

I mean, they are getting free advertising, so why don't all the Thaivisa staff and members receive the benefit.

As Kevin quotes: nothing In This World Is Free, Lad

Funnily enough........................ I've been toying with the idea of 10% discount cards for locals. I think I'll start a new post to get peoples views about it. Will it stay on topic is the big question - let's see...

Just a quick reminder to those that forgot or joined this post later on - I've got AIS 3G wifi in the pub.

I've got an idea. We put the webcam and mic in the Lion. Then we wander down to the Beaver and sign in. Then we send Wolfie in there for a BLT while his best mate is working behind the counter......

It could be like "I'm a celebrity, get me a BLT"

A couple of problems with that plan. The signal is limited to 50 metres, the sign-in is password protected, and more importantly, there is a No Riff Raff sign to get past.

Otherwise - great plan.

PS: 22,000 views?

Dunno, I went through the entire other thread(s) and there wasn't a decent review in sight. <blah> is good/bad was as detailed as it got. Piggys is supposed to be the place to go, so I will definitely check that next time. Do they have Heinz?

Beanz Meanz Heinz.

por kev, trying to boost his customer base by a bit of free advertising and he gets twatted just like his football team lol.

It did indeed, by MY TEAM .......sorry Kev, but I did defend you on the new Fish and Chip thread

I find the rest of this thread rarther..well boring after your first post......still as you know "all publicity bla blah"

We was robbed.(not really, but I can't think of any other defense of yet another poor performace).

As regards to the post - it was a simple notifier of a new service , so I didn't expect it to be entertainment, but this is TV and as such the most inane posts can become controversial or take strange twists and turns.

Just a quick reminder to those that forgot or joined this post later on  - I've got AIS 3G wifi in the pub.  

A couple of cocks crowing. How inconvenient.. Get over it - and then consider what your kind/civilisation is doing {and continues so} to the earth.

What are you on about? Did you read the lady's original post? The poor lady is losing customers because of the noise from her neighbours' cockerels and she should 'get over it'?  She is in danger of losing her business but she should be more concerned about what 'her kind' is doing to the earth? What exactly is 'her kind'?

You seem to have plenty of concern about planet earth , but not an ounce of sympathy or understanding for people. Weird.

Just out of curiosity .... what 'kind' are you?

Sorry to say,you will not get any help or compromise whatsoever.Maybe he wants to buy your land and is trying to force you out.Maybe you are lucky that he hasnt copied you and built a guest house as thais are good for that

Generaly thais are very very unreasonable,as my neighbour says her 6 dogs only shit small,when they poo all by my house and gate,just in the perfect place to tread on.

I have told her on more than 1 occasion what a nasty bitch she is and she just smiles and threatens me with voodoo,

It seems that you don't like Thais, and they don't like you!! Are you planning to stay?

Thais are GENERALY unreasonable

1 thai woman with farang husband with dogs.

helloooo mike hunt go away little vermin,and stop flaming,if you want to say anything i can give you my number with pleasure my mike

Your lack of command of the English language is the problem (nothing wrong with that, since it does appear to be a second language for you). If you say that 'Thais are generally unreasonable' then that means more than 1 woman and her dog. To use the word 'generally' implies that Thais are normally, or commonly unreasonable. Maybe you should choose your words more carefully, it could lead to misunderstanding. 

Your other comments are otherwise amusing. The 'Mike Hunt' joke I haven't heard since yesterday, but it still gave me  a good belly laugh nonetheless. Well done. 

Thanks for the offer of meeting your friends. Very sociable of you. I'll PM you when I'm free.

Sorry to say,you will not get any help or compromise whatsoever.Maybe he wants to buy your land and is trying to force you out.Maybe you are lucky that he hasnt copied you and built a guest house as thais are good for that

Generaly thais are very very unreasonable,as my neighbour says her 6 dogs only shit small,when they poo all by my house and gate,just in the perfect place to tread on.

I have told her on more than 1 occasion what a nasty bitch she is and she just smiles and threatens me with voodoo,

Noise is a part of daily life in Thailand and that won't change soon. unfortunately, it is unrealistic of you to expect the neighbour not to keep chickens. The only solution I see, which may not be practical is .... Ear plugs?

Thats a river that comes from the NW of the city, into the mountain. You can follow these for quite a few miles up the hill. Maybe there's no water on the mountain. Its been getting dryer and dryer. If the Mountain is more brown, then this is probably what's happening.

Not quite. This stream (Mae Khaa canal) has been a stinking black cesspool forever - all year long. It isn't brown it is black, and it stinks. I've never seen it flow beyond a trickle. I'm not sure where it originates, but it comes from the North of Lanna hospital.

The address says Moo 1 Padad. That area (Padad) is near the police hq on the bridge over Ping River on Mahidol rd. I seem to recall seeing it on the road that runs along the river towards Hang Dong.

If you go all the way along Chang klan Rd until it reaches the Mahidol Rd there is an underpass just before that intersection that goes under the Mahidol Rd alongside the river. When you come up from that underpass the Canon centre is just there.

If you were on the Mahidol Rd driving towards the airport from Nong Hoy it would be first left after you cross the Ping river.

The canon map is not very clear, as you said.

I noticed the other day that the work on the canal near Duang Tawan hotel has come to a halt and the water is black as can be and extremely smelly. I notice that the banner asking for donations is still there but presumably they aren't getting the funds required. What I don't understand is how this problem has never been resolved - it really does stink to high heaven and is very close to the Night Bazaar - many tourists cross the bridge to get to the Night Bazaar, and of course quite a few houses back onto it. Does anyone have any inside info as to why it is in such a bad state. I heard years ago that they were going to pump water into it, but that never happened. They did line it with cement and create a nice walkway with decorative street lights about 6-7 years ago but never finished the job.

On a similar vein, why are some drains more smelly than others? The one along Loi Kroh never gives out a particularly bad odour, and yet the one along Ratawitti Rd has always been smelly, as far as I can remember. A question of volume maybe (Night Bazaar hotels possibly disperse lots more water into the Loi Kroh/ Night Bazar drains?).

Thanks for the update Mike Hunt.

He loves that. Next he'll be telling you it's the first time he's heard it since he was 12, or the last time he watched Porky's.

All the breast 

It was the first time I'd heard it since I was 12, but since joining TV I've heard it quite a lot, for some reason. Any theories as to why that might be? Has no-one heard of my distant cousin Isaac - that's another classic.

Well, the area south-east of the city is prone to flooding, but if a meter of water in your living is no problem o.k

There is a map that shows the areas with risk of flooding, will try to include it.

Joop

I live in zone 4 on the map, in the soi directly opposite the entrance to The Gymkhana. In almost twenty years I've never had water in the house, but during the last big flood I had about 2 inches in  the garden. The river over-flows first, right near the intersection of Chm-Lamphun and Ratuitit , pours down the Ratutit Rd and into The Gymkhana. I've seen the Gymkhana knee deep whilst 2 metres up Soi 2 is bone dry. There are some empty plots around soi 1, 2, 3 but I believe it is about 20,000 B/ Sq. Wah, or more.