Ombudsman to revisit airports following complaints of high food and drink prices

 

 

The Office of Ombudsman will revisit Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi international airports to follow up on the Airports of Thailand’s (AOT) response to passengers’ complaint of high food and drink prices have ground.

 

The ombudsman will be accompanying by officials from the Ministry of Commerce and the Office of the Consumers Protection.

 

Acting chief ombudsman Gen Viddhavat Rajatanun said the ombudsman had received complaints about the expensive food and drink prices at the airports since 2016 and had visited the two airports to see if the complaints had ground.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ombudsman-revisit-airports-following-complaints-high-food-drink-prices/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-01-13

Quality would be something to look at as well. Most people don't live next door to an airport so travel time to airport plus giving yourself time to check in and go through immigration could be 4 to 5 hours from your front to door departures. so sit a bit of decent food would be nice (Dreamworld I know)

It's not just the food and drink which is over-priced, the duty free, should be re-named duty added, as most items can be found cheaper outside the airport, in shops and stores in town. Seriously you have to be a bit of a mug to buy anything in this place.

Last time I ate anything there (khao pau goong / rice with shrimp) I got basically got a plate of white rice with oil and spices.  I counted three small (not jumbo) shrimps.  There were trace amounts of vegetables.   Price was 300 Baht.  It wasn't just the price but the way they're scrimping on the inputs. 

 

They need to look at the whole system though.  How much rent are these restaurants paying, and why are the rents so high there?   I suspect it's not the restaurant owners getting rich but whoever owns the concession.  

Edited January 13, 20188 yr by ChidlomDweller

Good! The Office of the Ombudsman is a truly worthy institution, whom I have personally written to twice with excellent results.

 

Go, Ombudsman! ?

14 minutes ago, marginline said:

Good! The Office of the Ombudsman is a truly worthy institution, whom I have personally written to twice with excellent results.

 

Go, Ombudsman! ?

Can you write to them about Benny's watch collection and that lovely young boy from Red Bull, who is holidaying next door to Mrs Y?

 

I also should put in about the OP. Happens in every country.

Edited January 13, 20188 yr by Chris Lawrence

5 minutes ago, Chris Lawrence said:

Can you write to them about Benny's watch collection

Ner, ner, ner, ner, ner, ner, ner, ner. Ner, ner, ner, ner, ner, 19 wasn't it at last count?

9 minutes ago, Chris Lawrence said:

and that lovely young boy from Red Bull, who is holidaying next door to Mrs Y?

Ah yes; which brings us nicely to ?? Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

 

It does indeed happen in every country, but you'll pay a lot more for it in ?? than you do here in ??

Problem: Thais need to charge foreigners as much as possible, but Thais are not happy of the cost.

 

Solution:

ส้มตำ ยี่สิบบาท

Papaya Salad 200B

5 hours ago, marginline said:

Good! The Office of the Ombudsman is a truly worthy institution, whom I have personally written to twice with excellent results.

 

Go, Ombudsman! ?

Doesn't seem to have been very successful on this particular issue though. From the article last March:

"As state ombudsman, he said he had the authority to address the problem of rising food prices at airports as it affects the well-being of the public."

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Food-prices-at-Don-Mueang-Airport-way-too-expensiv-30282659.html

Edited January 13, 20188 yr by lamyai3

Maybe the Ombudsman needs to visit at random times once a week? For how long who knows!  Take the signs by the side of the road for 10 years it tells Thais to wear a helmet, and compliance  55555

Just eat on the flaming plane ! It's free.

Seriously?This is news to them?

How long does this motherfarthering airport exist?

And NOW you find out, that things are overpriced?

Morons!

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Just eat on the flaming plane ! It's free.

Sorry dude ,,, Nothing is Free  You Pay  for everything,,,

You gotta know where to go in Savannapoom. It took me years to realize it,s existence but there is a large restaurant on the ground floor next to where the bus leaves for Pattaya, and the prices, quality, and cleanliness are better than just about anywhere else in Thailand :)

Edited January 13, 20188 yr by phantomfiddler
forgot to mention that it was the main Bkk airport

It is not only these airports that overcharge and have extremely low quality. Went on a trip yesterday to Dasada Flower Resort - Water 20 Bt 1 scoop of ice cream 75Bt. No other food of worth available in their cafes. Tables not cleared, general areas  not very clean. Rubbish in the children's area. Derelict buildings. Dirty footpaths, a sea of mud for a car park. Staff wanted to sell an extra bottle of water to legitimise entry into chrysanthemum area. Very few signs in English but most of the staff had an adequate competence.

11 hours ago, Dave67 said:

Quality would be something to look at as well. Most people don't live next door to an airport so travel time to airport plus giving yourself time to check in and go through immigration could be 4 to 5 hours from your front to door departures. so sit a bit of decent food would be nice (Dreamworld I know)

That would just mean avoiding DMK and using a lounge. You can't blame AOT for traffic. 

 

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

Sorry dude ,,, Nothing is Free  You Pay  for everything,,,

That depends on who you fly with and how unorganized you are about planning your trip.

once upon a time, there were principles of free market ... ...

17 hours ago, Dave67 said:

Quality would be something to look at as well. Most people don't live next door to an airport so travel time to airport plus giving yourself time to check in and go through immigration could be 4 to 5 hours from your front to door departures. so sit a bit of decent food would be nice (Dreamworld I know)

Edited January 13, 20188 yr by PAIBKK

I guess the simple answer is, if you don't want to pay airport prices supply your own food. On my last trip leaving the UK I took a pack of 4 pork pies (£1), didn't manage eat them all! in the airport for around 3 hours!!

A bottle of water or a cup of coffee are not going to break the bank.

I usually take a couple of cakes and bags of nuts to Swampy.

Edited January 13, 20188 yr by 473geo

9 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

You gotta know where to go in Savannapoom. It took me years to realize it,s existence but there is a large restaurant on the ground floor next to where the bus leaves for Pattaya, and the prices, quality, and cleanliness are better than just about anywhere else in Thailand :)

The problem is that before security checks, bottle of water 10 baht, after security checks 40 baht. 

Ohh, you cannot bring water though security checks. 

That's a very important mission for the Ombudsman! 

 

Meanwhile, human rights violations....... 

Check the flow at the public water fountains too, it is right next to criminal. You are practically forced to go purchase a high priced bottle of water.

Couldn’t they just have 2 tier pricing like many places, a lower price written in Thai for the locals and a higher one for the foreigners ? Locals happy with normal prices and foreigners screwed over for money. Problem solved.

EVERYTHING at airports is over prices and the Duty Free is just a joke.!!!