Ombudsman finds overpriced food and drinks at Suvarnabhumi Airport

[rooster59]

Ombudsman finds overpriced food and drinks at Suvarnabhumi Airport

Benjamin Rujopakarn

 

 

BANGKOK, 20th July 2018 (NNT) - The Office of the Ombudsman has conducted an inspection of the food and drink prices at Suvarnabhumi Airport and has found certain vendors to be overcharging. A warning was issued to the airport to crack down on overpriced food and drinks and blacklist violators. 

 

Gen Witthawat Rachatanan represented the Office of the Ombudsman in following up with the agency’s suggestions to resolve the issue of overpriced food and drinks at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The meeting was attended by the Airport General Manager, Sirote Duangratana and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Internal Trade Chatchai Saksilapachai. 

 

The Ombudsman's representative then led officials in surveying the price of goods and beverages at the airport, where vendors are allowed to mark-up their products by no more than 25% over department store prices, and provide bottled water options at 10 baht per bottle. Previous inspections were conducted in May last year, and January this year. 

 

The survey revealed that many vendors continue to overcharge for food. Some egregious examples include 214 baht for a small plate of mango and sticky rice, 150 baht for shrimp Pad Thai, and 40 baht for bottled water. 

 

The Ombudsman issued a warning to the airport to strictly regulate the price of food and drinks and to blacklist vendors that fail to comply.

 

 

-- nnt 2018-07-21

[thequietman]

It's all lies I tell you, lies .................

 

Why won't you believe me ????

[Lungstib]

Hundreds of thousands of people have discovered this problem but an ombudsman is needed to make it official. Look closely at the AOT profits and then at what rents they charge. Maybe there is a connection? After a stay in Thailand and departing for home its that last chance to gouge just a little more out of them. A shame on them.

[poohy]

At an Airport ...i am astounded

 

In More  breaking news the sun will set later today! 

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

The Ombudsman issued a warning to the airport to strictly regulate the price of food and drinks and to blacklist vendors that fail to comply. 

Surely a couple of months ago there wasn't there some official or other saying it was all above board?

Or was that someone from AOT themselves?

 

[DicksonPhisthur]

Oh say it isn't so!!

Why not just let the market decide what is or is not overpriced. They should be free to charge whatever people are willing to pay. It's just that if the price for something is too high, then nobody will buy it. Economics doesn't get any simpler than this.

[Bob12345]

2 hours ago, DicksonPhisthur said:

Oh say it isn't so!!

Why not just let the market decide what is or is not overpriced. They should be free to charge whatever people are willing to pay. It's just that if the price for something is too high, then nobody will buy it. Economics doesn't get any simpler than this.

Sure that works, as long as there are no or small barriers to entry. If prices are too high competitors will open shop and price the current ones out of the market.

 

Unfortunately AOT has a monopoly there, which makes fair competition impossible.

[Chassa]

3 hours ago, Lungstib said:

Hundreds of thousands of people have discovered this problem but an ombudsman is needed to make it official. Look closely at the AOT profits and then at what rents they charge. Maybe there is a connection? After a stay in Thailand and departing for home its that last chance to gouge just a little more out of them. A shame on them.

Even the banks do it (overcharge). Never exchange currency at Swampy!

[SheungWan]

How can one regulate prices of food and drinks without regulating the rents?

[brucegoniners]

Lol. Did they just figure this out? It’s been going on since day one.

[BoganInParasite]

And the contribution of rent to these prices is....

[Whitson]

In and out of Swampy in the last two weeks. The prices on the third floor eateries are eye watering.

BUT, there is a Thai food court at gate 8 on the ground (first floor).

Uses coupons and prices are near normal. Beer Chang in a can 45B, Massuman around 60B (180B on level 3).

Now you know!

[yellowboat]

36 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

How can one regulate prices of food and drinks without regulating the rents?

True, I use to get a whopper every time I left Bangkok, but the prices seemed a bit silly compared to other countries; Malaysia, Hong Kong, China.  Perhaps their rents are too high.  Was meeting customers at the airport.  They drove me to where employees eat.  Those prices are more in line with food courts in other parts of Thailand. 

[yellowboat]

36 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

How can one regulate prices of food and drinks without regulating the rents?

True, I use to get a whopper every time I left Bangkok, but the prices seemed a bit silly compared to other countries; Malaysia, Hong Kong, China.  Perhaps their rents are too high.  Was meeting customers at the airport.  They drove me to where employees eat.  Those prices are more in line with food courts in other parts of Thailand. 

[bdenner]

Why should BKK be any different? There is not an airport vendor in the world that doesn't inflate prices above street average.

 

Their rents are the first defense!

[Tom1959]

On 20.7.2018 at 10:13, Classic Ray said:

Laut Wikipedia beträgt das Mindestalter für das Motorradfahren 15. Keine Helme.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driving_licence_in_Thailand

If you are thirst

 

[africasiaeuro]

Not bad considering the time it took for someone to raise the topic.

 

How long is Suvarnabhum operating now ? Thirteen years precisely.

 

First impression one gets at Cobra swamp: Sinful expensive outlets of Restaurants on 2nd Floor. They compete each other with price hiking techniques. Kuaiteow moo 180 Baht on a good day.

 

<deleted> one must ask why.

And yet, Tourists are being relieved of their last Baht.

A thousand here Baht, a thousand there, someone making big bucks on the back of the Tourist suqers.

Good we can enter the Lounge.

 

The Obudsman has now been involved. Do you really want to know my opinion about the outcome ? Better not... cause it ain't go s..t to the price hiking efforts of the Airport Elite...

 

Make that buck elsewhere as easy.

 

 

 

[yardrunner]

5 hours ago, DicksonPhisthur said:

Oh say it isn't so!!

Why not just let the market decide what is or is not overpriced. They should be free to charge whatever people are willing to pay. It's just that if the price for something is too high, then nobody will buy it. Economics doesn't get any simpler than this.

sounds like a good argument until you realize that it is a captive audience that you are dealing with and if you are very thirsty their is no alternative but to pay

[chezy86]

Water at no more than 10 Baht a bottle haha once past security it’s 50 Baht a bottle 

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, Lungstib said:

Look closely at the AOT profits and then at what rents they charge.

 

And those profits will pay for the massive expansion of the airport, which includes a new terminal. Do you think this comes free? It's the way all major airports operate.

[worgeordie]

" Previous inspections were conducted in May last year, and January this year. "

and nothing will change this time to,warnings do nothing,actions might.....for a little while.

regards worgeordie

[White Christmas13]

2 hours ago, Whitson said:

In and out of Swampy in the last two weeks. The prices on the third floor eateries are eye watering.

BUT, there is a Thai food court at gate 8 on the ground (first floor).

Uses coupons and prices are near normal. Beer Chang in a can 45B, Massuman around 60B (180B on level 3).

Now you know!

I paid 195 baht for a can of beer at level 3 but I had no time to race down to level one

 

[White Christmas13]

2 hours ago, bdenner said:

Why should BKK be any different? There is not an airport vendor in the world that doesn't inflate prices above street average.

 

Their rents are the first defense!

Yep 12 aud for a middy of beer at Perth airport

[White Christmas13]

I thought this is a English speaking forum only

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, DicksonPhisthur said:

Oh say it isn't so!!

Why not just let the market decide what is or is not overpriced. They should be free to charge whatever people are willing to pay. It's just that if the price for something is too high, then nobody will buy it. Economics doesn't get any simpler than this.

That is a right capitalist attitude is it not? There are certain things people have to buy and capitalists know this and act accordingly? How do you think there are so many millionaires?

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Tom1959 said:

If you are thirst

 

Laut Wikipedia beträgt das Mindestalter für das Motorradfahren 15. Keine. I I thought this was an English speaking forum apart from the language forum.

[Foexie]

Why i see so much nagging again about the AOT????

 

It's in almost every airport all around the world the same. Ones you get inside the airport you already pay 10-20% more. Ones you pass the security it goes up up to 50%.

Same with the tax free shops. Only thing i ever buy there are some brands of alcohol ( and i really mean some brands). Most stuff i ever compaired i can buy cheaper here in a regular store.

[Maradona 10]

I thought folk just accepted prices at airports are high the world over? It is what it is any it will never be any different. I paid about 15 quid for a big mac meal at Dubai a few years back, free ketchup though.

[ThaiFelix]

Didnt we just do this a couple of months ago??

 

[Samuel Smith]

31 minutes ago, White Christmas13 said:

I paid 195 baht for a can of beer at level 3 but I had no time to race down to level one

 

Yep, I paid 195 baht close to the departure gate.  Luckily, it was a 1 litre can of Kaiserdom.  Had to provide my own plastic glass, borrowed from the flight down from Chiang Mai ?