Local Thai Logic

[moose7117]

It all started with myself and the wife going out for a quick drink at a local waterfront establishment.

I examined the menu and decided on a drink for myself, beer for the wife and a pizza to share.

 

all progresses swimmingly.

drinks cold, pizza was excellent.

 

Then the bill arives.

 

menu says 150 baht per drink.

 

Bin sats 200 baht per drink.

 

A discussion was undertaken and the usual "Falang Lie" excuse was given

 

I was slightly incensed by the attitude so i posted it to the establishments facebook page as a warning to other patrons.

 

Then the fun started.

 

My wife is being pressured into forcing me to remove the post, the reason its that i am lying about it.

 

would you guys look at photos and tell me if i am wrong.

[pineapple01]

Consider You Wife First. Not your Ego over a pittance.

[colinneil]

Hells teeth Moose, if your wife is being pressured to remove the post, things could get serious.

You are risking your wifes safety over a few hundred baht, words fail me.

Remember where you are, overcharging you yes, but get over it, there are folk here who will make serious problems for you and your wife.

[robblok]

If you have those pictures how can you lie ?

 

Did you post these pictures ? Then how is it that you even paid ? I mean it seems clear to me they are wrong. 

 

Did you not ask them to point out on the menu the price or did you find out afterwards ?

[WhatsNext]

Don't bow for criminals, we need a website hosted outside of Thailand to warn other people of places like this, with names locations and pictures. If no one visits those ripoff places anymore they will learn.

 

 

[johng]

Even if the claim is true they can sue for defamation and win !!! T.I.T

The only (safe-ish )way is to go straight to the consumer complaints ombudsman..never post on social media

 

[ThailandRyan]

18 minutes ago, robblok said:

If you have those pictures how can you lie ?

 

Did you post these pictures ? Then how is it that you even paid ? I mean it seems clear to me they are wrong. 

 

Did you not ask them to point out on the menu the price or did you find out afterwards ?

Maybe you had an old menu and not the new price list...

[Dmaxdan]

Remember that Thais are, for the most part incapable of taking criticism of any sort. And they will fight tooth and nail to prove they are right....even if they know they are wrong. Loss of face and clear thinking do not go hand in hand here. 

[Grumpy one]

Its a couple of hundred baht, not your life savings

Write the overcharge off as a tip, then go out and get a life.

 

[Antonymous]

Have your wife delete the post pronto.

 

They were wrong. Just let it pass and don't eat or drink there again.

[robblok]

Do explain a bit more was this the actual menu of that day. If so why did you even agree to pay ? could have called a cop or whatever. I mean it is perfectly clear in the menu so what is there to discuss. 

 

Its hard to believe story as is. But if you accepted it at that point why complain afterwards. 

[kekalot]

you obviously ordered the wrong thing

you ordered "jake + coke" and it is 200 baht but "jack deniel's cola" was 150

 

farang lie!

 

/sarcasm

[ChakaKhan]

Jake Deniels and coke cost more......As does extra scheese on piiiii-zaaaahh.. ????

 

Ahhh my old friend on the bottom, sangsom, always there for me in the LOS...

 

Id be peeved too, but I have learned to pick my battles wisely there.....

 

I write a review on google maps when this happens and never return again.....catch me if you can!

 

*Thai police are on the lookout for a small monkey like fellow that goes by the name Chakakhan!**

[FritsSikkink]

Did you get a bottle or a jack and coke in a glass?

[Orton Rd]

You should have paid what it said on the menu and walked out

[theoldgit]

Post in breach of Forum Rules removed, following a report.

 

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[ezzra]

A poor mexican peasant traveled to another village to find a wife, upon finding a suitable woman married her and time to go back to his own village, on the way they're both riding a donkey on long, arduous winding path where the donkey lost his footing whereby the peasant has warned the donkey "donkey, this is your first warning" not long after the donkey fumbles again where a second warning was issued, "donkey, this is your second and last warning".... sure enough not long after the donkey stumbelled again where the peasant promptly draw his pistol and shoot the donkey dead... the wife seeing that start wailing to the husband, "where have you done now, how are we going to get back home now?

the peasant look at his wife and say Wife, first warning...

[petedk]

It's interesting to see the comments here, that go something like this:

 

it's only a few hundred baht - get over it

think of your wife's safety

If you post on social media you risk a defamation case.

 

I agree with ALL the statements but, with cases like this happening daily Thailand could soon become a lawless state.

 

Imagine going to restaurant for a nice expensive meal and expecting to pay, say 3000 Baht, but when the bill comes it is 4,00 baht. Hey get over it, it's only a few baht. 

Do that every time and the "few baht" becomes "quite a few  baht".

 

Yes, it happens to us all. Only last week was I quoted 30 baht for a motorcylce ride. When I arrived at the destination he asked for 50 Baht. I complained and he started to raise his voice saying that "farang lie" and people were getting interested. Ok I paid and walked away.

 

It shouldn't be like this. 

 

[Pilotman]

56 minutes ago, WhatsNext said:

Don't bow for criminals, we need a website hosted outside of Thailand to warn other people of places like this, with names locations and pictures. If no one visits those ripoff places anymore they will learn.

 

 

it's called Trip Advisor 

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, petedk said:

It's interesting to see the comments here, that go something like this:

 

it's only a few hundred baht - get over it

think of your wife's safety

If you post on social media you risk a defamation case.

 

I agree with ALL the statements but, with cases like this happening daily Thailand could soon become a lawless state.

 

Imagine going to restaurant for a nice expensive meal and expecting to pay, say 3000 Baht, but when the bill comes it is 4,00 baht. Hey get over it, it's only a few baht. 

Do that every time and the "few baht" becomes "quite a few  baht".

 

Yes, it happens to us all. Only last week was I quoted 30 baht for a motorcylce ride. When I arrived at the destination he asked for 50 Baht. I complained and he started to raise his voice saying that "farang lie" and people were getting interested. Ok I paid and walked away.

 

It shouldn't be like this. 

 

I feel your pain mate, but you have made your point,  and they know you have,  so now is the time to back off.  Just don't go back  there again. 

[Berkshire]

I'm at a loss to understand why the OP didn't just rectify it then and there.  I've been through many, many situations where the restaurant or bar or whoever had made a mistake on the bill.  When alerted, they ALWAYS corrected the bill and charged us the appropriate amount.  If you paid the bill, then you agreed to what was charged.  It's the rules of commerce. 

[petedk]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I feel your pain mate, but you have made your point,  and they know you have,  so now is the time to back off.  Just don't go back  there again. 

If you are referring to the 3000 baht in the restaurant , I said "imagine if..".  

 

Yes, I have been overcharged. A British pub on Thong Lor (closed down now so I guess I can mention it) had a blackboard outside stating something like " Happy Hours 1 Pint 100 baht". I had 3 pints, when the bill came they charged 130 per pint. I took them outside and showed them the sign. They replied that someone had forgotten to change the price.

Yeah and they never remembered either. 3 or 4 weeks later the same sign was there.

 

Needless to say I didn't go in.

[rkidlad]

I remember a few years ago being in a bar in Pattong with the missus. Some guy was given his bill and he very calmly questioned it. He seemed completely rational, polite and civilised. When the waiter was explaining the bill, the missus and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. I was surprised the guy didn't put up a single argument at all and just apologised for 'his' error. He left some money on the bill and said he'd go to the ATM to get some more cash. Everyone was happy. They didn't feel the need to escort him to ATM....................He didn't come back.

 

I remember thinking, "Well played, sir. Well played". Unfortunately in these circumstances you just have to take it on the chin. Or, if you can think on your feet quickly enough, BS the BS*****r.  

 

 

[cyril sneer]

disgusting greedy behaviour, especially with no tourists around

 

if they had any logic they would charge what's on the menu with hope you would return and waste more money what was probably not even Jack Daniels, especially if the food is delicious as you say

[petedk]

2 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

I'm at a loss to understand why the OP didn't just rectify it then and there.  I've been through many, many situations where the restaurant or bar or whoever had made a mistake on the bill.  When alerted, they ALWAYS corrected the bill and charged us the appropriate amount.  If you paid the bill, then you agreed to what was charged.  It's the rules of commerce. 

He did say that he contacted the staff and had a discussion with them. It could be the manner in which he talked to the staff

 

Yes, mistakes often happen and when pointed out, I find that if you speak nicely and show them the mistake, the Thai staff are very polite and friendly and correct the bills without any problems.

 

Sometimes, however they are not "mistakes", but definite attempts at cheating and there isn't much we can do.

[Pilotman]

4 minutes ago, petedk said:

If you are referring to the 3000 baht in the restaurant , I said "imagine if..".  

 

Yes, I have been overcharged. A British pub on Thong Lor (closed down now so I guess I can mention it) had a blackboard outside stating something like " Happy Hours 1 Pint 100 baht". I had 3 pints, when the bill came they charged 130 per pint. I took them outside and showed them the sign. They replied that someone had forgotten to change the price.

Yeah and they never remembered either. 3 or 4 weeks later the same sign was there.

 

Needless to say I didn't go in.

That is just the way it works here,, False pricing is endemic in Big C and Tesco, where the price on the shelf's often bear no resemblance to the price on the bar code. I don't even check anymore, its pointless. It's not unusual, so it's Caveat Emptor,  buyer beware' !

[BangkokReady]

25 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

I feel your pain mate, but you have made your point,  and they know you have,  so now is the time to back off.  Just don't go back  there again. 

I think the problem is it's a bit of an ego thing.  To not want someone to rip you off and they do it in such a subtle and careful way that it makes you feel like you should or could be fighting back. 

 

It's not like they have a gun to your head down a dark alley!  It's just this small Thai person demanding money from you.  So why not stand your ground and don't let them get away with it?

 

Here's the problem.  They do have a systemic gun to your head.  They are physically robbing you.  And there's little you can do about it.  Because it's not really just this petite Thai person (maybe a woman) against you, it's most of Thailand against you.

 

You know that there's no way you can win.  The bystanders will be against you, the police and the courts will be against you, so it's really no different to the gun down an alley.  So stay safe and walk away.  You can tell them you know what they are doing and you will not come back, but anything more than that just isn't worth the hassle.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 minutes ago, petedk said:

If you are referring to the 3000 baht in the restaurant , I said "imagine if..".  

 

Yes, I have been overcharged. A British pub on Thong Lor (closed down now so I guess I can mention it) had a blackboard outside stating something like " Happy Hours 1 Pint 100 baht". I had 3 pints, when the bill came they charged 130 per pint. I took them outside and showed them the sign. They replied that someone had forgotten to change the price.

Yeah and they never remembered either. 3 or 4 weeks later the same sign was there.

 

Needless to say I didn't go in.

Had you known rule #1 you'd have asked for chek bin for each drink. That way you'd have known after the first drink they were ripping you off. If they don't like it, tough.

I can't even count the number of times I was scammed, ripped off, extorted in LOS, but all pale into insignificance compared to being ripped off by my darling western beloved when we split up.

Life is <deleted> and then we die. For a quiet life pay up, move on and never go back.

 

Was the OP's wife with him? If so why was he paying? It's normal practice for the wife to pay ( even if with hubby's money ). That way the scams get stopped before they start. If the wife won't sort the scams what use is she?

[Pilotman]

6 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

I think the problem is it's a bit of an ego thing.  To not want someone to rip you off and they do it in such a subtle and careful way that it makes you feel like you should or could be fighting back. 

 

It's not like they have a gun to your head down a dark alley!  It's just this small Thai person demanding money from you.  So why not stand your ground and don't let them get away with it?

 

Here's the problem.  They do have a systematic gun to your head.  They are physically robbing you.  And there's little you can do about it.  Because it's not really just this petite Thai person (maybe a woman) against you, it's most of Thailand against you.

 

You know that there's no way you can win.  The bystanders will be against you, the police and the courts will be against you, so it's really no different to the gun down an alley.  So stay safe and walk away.

Yes, that's the truth of it.  I know it's hard to walk away, but it's a must.  Consumer protection is virtually an unknown concept in Thailand, in fact in all of Asia, bar the larger retailers, and bar perhaps Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.  Some of the laws are in existence, but as in many things here, they are not enforced.  

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, moose7117 said:

I examined the menu and decided on a drink for myself, beer for the wife and a pizza to share.

 

all progresses swimmingly.

drinks cold, pizza was excellent.

 

Then the bill arives.

 

menu says 150 baht per drink.

 

Bin sats 200 baht per drink.

According to the bill you had 5 drinks, not one. I'd never have more than one drink in a restaurant and drink more somewhere cheaper after. They do supply water, sometimes for free ( depending on restaurant ). That way, if they ripped me off on the bill I just wouldn't give a tip, so evens.

 

BTW I hope you didn't drive after 5 bottles of alcoholic beverage and there must be a load of sugar that you swallowed.