bar ripped me off, sick of walking away

[pumpjack]

just been scorched in a bar for 400 - 500 baht extra on top of my bin,    tried arguing my point but cashier and her friends and thai men started getting upset, i was fuming mad but in end i had to walk away.   last time i read about elderly farang guy getting attacked with a bottle for complaining about his bill.

 

seems the farang will lose out every time.   i see thsi page today on facebook so i will name & shame the bar in question  

 

(Potentially libellous link removed)

[observer90210]

The golden rule in Thai Bars....never let the bill add up...always pay each time you order.

 

In fact in restaurants however, I also always openly write down the amounts of the dishes or drinks ordered on my phone or on a paper and make sure the employees see what I am doing...it avoids the temptation to overcharge on the final bill...

 

The farang will never be in his right and is just a walking ATM for many such venues....

 

Keep that in mind, be safe with common sense and enjoy the chicks and the booze...

[tomwct]

Call the Tourist Police!

[Crossy]

People, I have removed the link to the FaceBook group as it goes to a page that could be considered defamatory/libellous under Thai law. This would contravene Thaivisa's no name-and-shame policy.

 

Sorry.

 

 

[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

Nothing to stop us asking the OP for the link, or is there?

 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, observer90210 said:

Keep that in mind, be safe with common sense and enjoy the chicks and the booze...

 

Well, which is it?

 

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed. 

 

[Thongkorn]

7 hours ago, tomwct said:

Call the Tourist Police!

why will they pay my Bar bill.

[Berkshire]

The thread title seems to imply that the OP gets ripped off at bars with regularity.  Perhaps the OP should take up a new hobby. 

[jacko45k]

Where are we talking about here? IE Which city?

Local forums may tolerate you naming the bar. I think it is a good idea as it may prevent other people getting ripped off.

 

BUT.... Be clear on the circumstances, sometimes the customer is wrong.

[Crossy]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Local forums may tolerate you naming the bar.

Name-and-shame is not permitted anywhere on Thaivisa.

[cooked]

Some of us think that people that go to bars regularly deserve to be ripped off. 

[Crossy]

A post discussing moderation has been removed.

[soistalker]

Observer is correct.

Are you guys ashamed to pay each time you get a drInk? Are you worried about what the staff will think about you? Maybe you think, after having a few beers, that as you leave, all the girls are thinking, "Well, there goes a really nice guy."

You know Soistalker's rule: Not one satang extra.

[RBOP]

be grateful you didn't charged 20 - 30 thousand on top of bin like has happened in some bars. 

[catman20]

2 or 3 beers pay bin and start again avoids these problems. you done the right thing to walk away, it would of only ended up one way ...........not yours

[jeab1980]

I don't drink but when we go to bars I pay for all drinks as the slip is put in the bin. saves any hassle later.

Restaurants its pretty easy to know what you have ordered so if the bin is over charged its a very simple procedure invite the waiter/waitress to recalculate the bill whilst she is at the table.

seen so many get ripped off all good when the first few bottles are drunk they check the bin. Then as more beer flows they don't bother checking that's when more beer and packets of cigarettes get added. Did once try to warn a guy who was in the process of being ripped off, but as usual all you get is verbal's from them so I don't bother now just sit and smile. No fool like a drunk fool. Plus the amusement factor is great when they finally check bin, then get all wound up.

[Nemises]

Who cares about the name of the bar. This practice is not restricted to just this one Bar nor to Thailand. It occurs in many SE Asian countries.
It won’t occur if YOU don’t let your bin build up.

[robblok]

Yes most smart people pay per round or per few rounds its just easier. Also memories become faded after alcohol is consumed so it might be that the OP forgot a few drinks. 

 

There is always a chance it was a scam of course as it does happen but I bet that its more often a drunk guy not recalling what he has drunk or given away. 

[novo58]

Just wondering in how many NON_ ASIAN countries do people run a "bin" or similar tab system---i m sure the answer would be NOT MANY.

I manager pubs/bars/clubs in Australia.....and it is ALWAYS a pay as you drink basis ......why should thailand be different.

 

if you are really feeling generous - you can always leave all that loose coin as a tip.

[ColeBOzbourne]

One time the lady manager of a sleazy little bar in Brazil waved at me from across the room, smiled, and said something. I couldn't hear anything over the loud music so I just smiled and waved back. After one beer she gave me the bill for eight expensive drinks. She said when she waved she had asked me to buy drinks for all the employees. When I waved back that was my indication that I agreed. They would not take no for an answer. Pay up and learn from your mistakes.

[ColeBOzbourne]

5 minutes ago, novo58 said:

Just wondering in how many NON_ ASIAN countries do people run a "bin" or similar tab system---i m sure the answer would be NOT MANY.

In some S. American countries they leave the empty bottles under your table to be tallied up later. You have to be sure there are no bottles already there when you sit down, and they don't slip any extras under when cleaning up nearby tables. They can be sneaky!

[Alphy]

PAYG (pay as you go) was someone's advice! My partner who is 100% Thai has always informed me "DO NOT TRUST ANYONE" so I have lived by that Mantra as sound advice. All part of the learning curve sadly.

[Nemises]

Just wondering in how many NON_ ASIAN countries do people run a "bin" or similar tab system---i m sure the answer would be NOT MANY.

Bar tabs (in my travels) were/still are used across Europe, UK, Nth Sth & Central America. I’m yet to travel to Africa and I never saw any bars in the Middle East. Therefore, apart from Australia & NZ, the VAST MAJORITY of bars world-wide would have a tab system.

[DGS1244]

2 hours ago, cooked said:

Some of us think that people that go to bars regularly deserve to be ripped off. 

Why? Obviously a non bar visitor.

Easy way is to sign the check each time you order and make sure the staff know you are doing that, then only pay for those that you sign, saves any arguments or nasty situations.

[Maybole]

In UK, Netherlands and Norway I have always been charged as each round was served, except in central London where a bar waiter wanted me to pay in advance.

In Germany the common method is to put a beer mat down and mark it acording to your order using different symbols for different drinks.

However it is considered prudent to turn the mat over first and check that it has not already been marked on the underside.

[elnet1]

I wonder if they scam knowing that most are just here on vacation and won't say anything. And they don't give a flip as they assume you won't be back. At least, if I don't pay in advance, I will ask what the price is, this goes for drinks as well as food vendors on the beach or whatever. What is 90 baht now, an hour later will be 180 if you don't ask and assume the price is the same.

[jgarbo]

19 hours ago, observer90210 said:

The golden rule in Thai Bars....never let the bill add up...always pay each time you order.

 

In fact in restaurants however, I also always openly write down the amounts of the dishes or drinks ordered on my phone or on a paper and make sure the employees see what I am doing...it avoids the temptation to overcharge on the final bill...

 

The farang will never be in his right and is just a walking ATM for many such venues....

 

Keep that in mind, be safe with common sense and enjoy the chicks and the booze...

It's common to slip in an extra tab after you've had enough not to notice. They won't do it until then. Pay each drink as it comes (though that's not fool proof).

And don't pay with, say, a 1000 note when the bill's below 500. You might get change of 500 (and a nice tip of 500 for the smart bar maid). Forget arguing. They got you "fair & square".  

[MickGC]

52 minutes ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

In some S. American countries they leave the empty bottles under your table to be tallied up later. You have to be sure there are no bottles already there when you sit down, and they don't slip any extras under when cleaning up nearby tables. They can be sneaky!

That is common in Thailand as well once you get away from the tourist hot spots. 

[topt]

26 minutes ago, Gregster said:

Bar tabs (in my travels) were/still are used across Europe, UK,

Depends on your definition of a "bar"? If you take most pubs in the UK then unless they take a credit card to keep behind the bar you pay as you go. The same would be true for most "bars" and clubs apart from possibly in hotels.