bar ripped me off, sick of walking away

[novo58]

On 12/10/2017 at 1:24 PM, Gregster said:

 

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.

 

Perhaps " tabs" exist for known/regular customers ...and /or the ability to charge to you room account if you are a guest ...BUT I sincerley doubt that the run of the mill bar in the street operates a tab for a walk in unknown customer......but then I dont spend ALL my time in bars when I travel  so fell free to prove me wrong .

[idman]

He who fights and runs away, lives to fight anotherday.  Here in Thailand you had better be damn sure the fight you pick is winnable and more important worth the risk/cost.

[Nemises]

Perhaps " tabs" exist for known/regular customers ...and /or the ability to charge to you room account if you are a guest ...BUT I sincerley doubt that the run of the mill bar in the street operates a tab for a walk in unknown customer......but then I dont spend ALL my time in bars when I travel  so fell free to prove me wrong .

You don’t mention what countries that you have “sincere doubts” about.

Others have already posted their Bar tab experiences in Sth America, Canada etc etc but for some reason you’ve ignored those and quoted and doubted only mine.

In any event I’m more than happy to prove you wrong by starting with the UK.

Example 1....I was in Manchester, UK just last year. I chose a large reputable, modern Bar & restaurant located near to my hotel and situated immediately opposite Manchester’s largest shopping mall, to meet up with some UK friends. There was no room number involved and I had never been to that bar before. Upon arrival I asked the bar attendant if I could run a tab to which he instantly and happily obliged without question. I was not asked to produce any ID nor credit card upfront.

Still have “sincere doubts”?

Want more proof? (such as name of Bar for you to contact.... providing TVF rules allow me to post it)

[novo58]

Thanks for that example ..Gregster....ONE bar out of how many million in the world. I have never stated that it doesnt happen somewhere in the world ...just that it is NOT standard common practice in most countries except SE Asia. In my 60 years I have travelled a bit and in MY EXPERIENCE it most certainly is NOT THE NORM but if you are happy to " run a tab" so be it ......just dont complain when it has been

" padded".

[Nemises]

Thanks for that example ..Gregster....ONE bar out of how many million in the world. I have never stated that it doesnt happen somewhere in the world ...just that it is NOT standard common practice in most countries except SE Asia. In my 60 years I have travelled a bit and in MY EXPERIENCE it most certainly is NOT THE NORM but if you are happy to " run a tab" so be it ......just dont complain when it has been
" padded".

Glad to have helped educate someone who has “traveled a bit in their 60 years” about running a bar tab in ENGLAND.

Posts #22 & 23 above will help educate you about running tabs in STH AMERICA.

Post # 56 will help educate you about GERMANY

Post #62 ...CANADA

I’m sure your capable of researching the MANY OTHER COUNTRIES outside of SE Asia who do the same.

I trust your “sincere concerns” have now been allayed??????

PS ...

1/ I’ve never stated or “complained” that I’ve been padded.

2/ I’ve never stated that I am “happy” to run a tab (read post #19 again where I infer drinkers should NOT let their tabs build up)

[Argus Tuft]

Oh for goodness sake, stop bickering you two.

 

You're like a couple of old moles, handbags at thirty paces.

[Lammbock]

I never get ripped off in Thailand! I swear

[atyclb]

8 hours ago, idman said:

He who fights and runs away, lives to fight anotherday.  Here in Thailand you had better be damn sure the fight you pick is winnable and more important worth the risk/cost.

  classis quote from robert nestor

[dbrenn]

Most bars are whore houses run by mafia types and staffed with desperate people who will do anything at all to get money.  Don't expect them to be honest.

[steven100]

On 10/11/2017 at 6:02 PM, tomwct said:

Call the Tourist Police!

I don't think that's the answer ...  otherwise you'd be calling them in every bar you went to ....

Just pay for the drink as you go ....  don't have a bin ...  simple 

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎10‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 3:30 PM, atyclb said:

 

rarely been ripped off. last time happened was for drinks had ordered during happy hour but didnt check bill when they arrived, waited since i trusted the place as a 5 year customer. the waitress took my side agreed they were ordered during happy hour but the cashier and manager did not care. manager just sat all night consuming oxygen likely was a useless relative of someone important.  i am ex customer now

 

what also irks me is when a server at a disco appears at light speed trying to make you buy another drink for a gal you may be talking with . server looks at you and her trying to make you feel guilty if you dont rapidly say yes. even if you say no thanks they can continue trying to convince you. this  is encountered in some tourist places but not in better quality all thai clubs. never been hassled at route 66 .

Every time I got hassled to buy drinks in a gogo I just paid up and left without leaving a tip. Made it apparent as why I was leaving. It's not like there aren't other gogos to move to.

Never had a problem with the hassling in a bar beer.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Most bars are whore houses run by mafia types and staffed with desperate people who will do anything at all to get money.  Don't expect them to be honest.

Another poster that has no idea of the reality. Bad places are the minority in farang areas. Only really bad places I heard about were some upstairs gogos on Patpong.

I never had anything happen that was exceptionally bad in a gogo, other than making bad choices, sometimes, and that was on me.

[dbrenn]

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Another poster that has no idea of the reality. Bad places are the minority in farang areas. Only really bad places I heard about were some upstairs gogos on Patpong.

I never had anything happen that was exceptionally bad in a gogo, other than making bad choices, sometimes, and that was on me.

Some people get so drunk that they don't notice that their bill has been padded, or sometimes deadbeats make false accusations to get out of paying.

 

Overcharging has happened to me in a variety of places - not just in the seediest places that you seem so familiar with.

 

When this happens, I've questioned the bill and usually got the extra drinks taken off. The trick is to be polite but firm.

Edited October 14, 2017 by dbrenn

[ballpoint]

16 hours ago, atyclb said:

  classis quote from robert nestor

Heathen.  It's Nesta.

[atyclb]

14 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Most bars are whore houses run by mafia types and staffed with desperate people who will do anything at all to get money.  Don't expect them to be honest.

 

seems to be an honest summation. typically the bar girls can leave for a price and then they get money for services rendered. often the mamasan is a "beyond shelf life" bar girl and the authorities are typically paid to allow the business to keep operating. employees are not oxford phd's but in need of money gals that may have some degree of desperation.

 

[atyclb]

24 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Every time I got hassled to buy drinks in a gogo I just paid up and left without leaving a tip. Made it apparent as why I was leaving. It's not like there aren't other gogos to move to.

Never had a problem with the hassling in a bar beer.

 

in your mind it was quite apparent why you left no tip and left but dont expect them to connect the dots.

[Mitkof Island]

Really easy solution stay out of the bars nothing good will ever come from it. Also many guest houses/hotels that deal with foreigners will often add items to the bills. I know of a few that have done it for years and yet the foreigners continue to stay there. Not very bright in my opinion.

[grollies]

41 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

Really easy solution stay out of the bars nothing good will ever come from it. Also many guest houses/hotels that deal with foreigners will often add items to the bills. I know of a few that have done it for years and yet the foreigners continue to stay there. Not very bright in my opinion.

Not a very helpful suggestion if, say, you're on holiday. Don't stay in guest houses, hotels and keep out of bars?

[HerbalEd]

On 10/12/2017 at 8:01 AM, cooked said:

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

How do you determine what's regular and what's not? Do we deserve to get ripped off -- according to you -- if we visit bars  irregularly? 

[cooked]

1 hour ago, HerbalEd said:

How do you determine what's regular and what's not? Do we deserve to get ripped off -- according to you -- if we visit bars  irregularly? 

Yes

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 9:45 AM, 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.

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.

Rubbish....many pubs/bars will run a tab against a credit card.

 

Sorry george

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 9:49 AM, ColeBOzbourne said:

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.

Concur...very, very expensive and not shy to pull the guns out!

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 10:02 AM, Alphy said:

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.

You had to come to Thailand to learn that

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 10:45 AM, jgarbo said:

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".  

I went to a bar/pub on the left hand side of walking street( from beach road) where they take a photo of your 1000 bht and give you a laminated ticket saying 1000 baht...no arguments...all above board... maybe they got sick of , ahem, saying I gave you 1000 baht when only 500 was proffered?

Edited October 14, 2017 by tryasimight

[Bangkokazy]

What's cheap, is expensive for you. It`s Thailand today

There is a reason you must leave Thailand.

Edited October 14, 2017 by Bangkokazy

[tryasimight]

Just now, Bangkokazy said:

There is a reason you must leave Thailand.

Probably....just cannot think of it yet.

[retsdon]

Just now, tryasimight said:

You had to come to Thailand to learn that

Well, there are some cultures that don't do money well. But you're right. He could have learned the lesson in Aberdeenshire....

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 2:47 PM, thaibeachlovers said:

LOL. I find it hard to find a bar that plays music that I like. Any bar that plays the noise they like I pass by, which means most nights I don't spend any money on drinks.

The idea that they should try and attract customers by providing an environment they enjoy seems to be foreign to most Thai barbeers. Someday, they may realise that comfortable seating, pleasant tunes and girls more interested in the customers than their machines would bring in more customers than the paltry few they get nowadays.

So where do you go pray tell?

Could be a boost for your favourite bar and make it more attractive for all of us...win win situation.

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 3:30 PM, atyclb said:

 

rarely been ripped off. last time happened was for drinks had ordered during happy hour but didnt check bill when they arrived, waited since i trusted the place as a 5 year customer. the waitress took my side agreed they were ordered during happy hour but the cashier and manager did not care. manager just sat all night consuming oxygen likely was a useless relative of someone important.  i am ex customer now

 

what also irks me is when a server at a disco appears at light speed trying to make you buy another drink for a gal you may be talking with . server looks at you and her trying to make you feel guilty if you dont rapidly say yes. even if you say no thanks they can continue trying to convince you. this  is encountered in some tourist places but not in better quality all thai clubs. never been hassled at route 66 .

By the time I get to root 69 the financials have well and truly been finalised.

[tryasimight]

On 10/12/2017 at 3:43 PM, atyclb said:

what i notice in many better quality clubs is you pay each time upon receiving your drinks. this is a better system. perhaps the club does not want patrons to skip out without paying but this also protects customers.

Better quality clubs...hahah ,they are just ensuring the  drinks are paid for so the ' better quality' don't do a runner without paying. As they are wont to do being Hiso and all that.