1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I asked about a 2300 baht 2011 Chianti they had on the list. I was told they were out of stock. I asked about a Barbaresco, at 2,600 baht. Again, out of stock. How about this Nebbiolo? Do you have the 2010, as stated on the list? No, we only have the 2015. OK, what is that wine like? Is it drinking well now? I do not know. Is there anyone here that is familiar with this wine list? No. Sorry sir.

 

Wait a minute. You have 300 bottles on this list, ranging from 1200 baht to 15,000 baht per bottle, and NOBODY who works here knows anything about the wines?

Par for course here I'm afraid and I thought you would have known that by now!

 

And any restaurant that knows nothing about their wine would be given a wide berth by me.

 

Having said that, if it was an Italian restaurant and had Italian folk in it, then they should have known more about their wine, however if they were Thai then you know full well that a glass of Montclair that has been allowed to go off, will be okay with their palates.

 

In my experience restaurants charge at least a 100% markup, if not 200% markup on the price of their wine, however I was extremely pleased to be able to buy an organic Chianti in an Italian restaurant nearby, for the grand sum of about 900 baht, which I thought was excellent, as was the wine! So that place will get another visit shortly.

 

No you are not a wine snob, and probably like me, you enjoy a nice glass of wine with your meal, and expect someone in the restaurant to know something about it!

43 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

So, knowing that and being asked to pay dumb prices for a modest bottle of wine, one expects some knowledge and service. Just too much to ask. 

To be  fair there would be  few who have  had any experience  of the wines on a wine list due to the exorbitant cost prices even pre- retail !

On one occasion I accepted a 2500Bht bottle after the initial  taste test but  after  10 minutes  the  cork taint started to surface and on request it was  replaced without  objection. I even asked the  " Wine Waiter" if  he wanted to  know  why but he said no and that he doesn't  like or ever drink  wine.

There are times when I foolishly start to make  comparisons  with Bali where I used to have  business.

There they have a  "Training School" for prospective  employees across the "hospitality " industry. You name it, they instruct/teach/ train because it is considered an imperative for the continuance of that which  makes  Bali so important  in the Indo economy.

( I state so in the  present tense  although sadly  acknowledge  that is  also  an economy that has been  obliterated  by the pandemic ).

I am prattling on  because I believe Thailand  has an opportunity  now to adopt a similar scheme.

Bali did it over time  in recognition of the practicality in achieving  standards in catering to the expectations of Tourists and tourism.

I seriously  doubt  "mass  tourism" will resume as  before anywhere. But for those who have the  financial capacity to resume will be in a position  to be  selective and critical.

The  multiple eras  of  slap dash proliferate venues catering to the  masses are unlikely to  re-ensue ever.

If it were possible in the face of the manipulated "systems" Thailand  could potentially emulate  that which Bali  did . I once  had a conversation  with the  owner of a tourist operation on  PhiPhi who came for  first ever  visit  to Bali. She  was devastated  at the  difference  in what was offered  by comparison and was contemplating the  viability  to attempt similar back in Thailand.

Incidentally the cost of  alcohol in Bali is also extortionist beyond  wine . Real  Whisky  is  not  cheap.

But at last experience  a quality meal  prepared  by a genuine  Chef was a foregone pleasure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, xylophone said:

In my experience restaurants charge at least a 100% markup, if not 200% markup on the price of their wine

That would really depend on what wine they have. You can find some OK wholesale wine for around 600-700 baht per bottle, they usually just earn 200B if selling you that one for around 900B to take away. A bit better ones easily cost 1K baht wholesale, 5 glasses makes the cost 200B already.

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

lol - I'd love to see the state of service in the west where people are being paid less than a $1 an hour with no benefits, I'm sure you would get all the a** kissing from the wine stewards and chefs at those establishments, sometimes you just can't make this **** up, it has to come from the mouths of the best complainers on the planet, the westerners..

When you pay premium money, you expect premium service. Sort of like when I bought a new Big Bike from dealer and they only had blank stares about the break in speeds and yes they understood the words but had no idea.

Places that allow smokers on the next table

PowerBuy CM can be added too. They did not have 1 monitor with 4K for computers, but over 100 TV's on display. I figured that place only still exists because they profit of people paying big interests and monthly terms.

Told me that I could buy it and it be delivered in a week, like online, while it costs 500B more than Lazada shops and those deliver in 2 days. That same shop required me having some passport or ID card to buy a fridge a few years ago....

I am considering not to frequent a certain website that after every "upgrade" can

not get their arrow back up.

A lot of things in life are give and take,we have to take the adds and we are given great upgrades!

 

Restaurants that meticulously translated the entire menu to Mandarin, and have it displayed on a 2 x 5 meter banner, but neglected to add the prices.

I can laugh off all the stupid little things that come with living here, however  I will not put up with shop assistants who have no courtesy and come across as rude. My Thai friend who is usually with me when I venture out refers to it as having a bad mouth,  and we depart immediately. My friend has a memory like an Elephant and we never go back to any place where this has happened.

Restaurants and bars that are frequented by farangs.

Man, there have been a lot of unexpectedly weird replies to this simple & interesting question. Here are a few of mine.

I am unlikely to do business with a place that:

1) Has a rude staff.

1a) Has an obnoxious or over-aggressive staff.

2) Gives poor value for what they charge; e.g. small portions & big prices.

3) Gets my change wrong more than once.

4) Uses inferior quality products.

5) Has a lot of loudmouth customers.

6) Plays only Thai music.

7) Doesn't like farangs.

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Unlike you, I was 24 years old at that time, and by renting the 2K apartment I met lots of students who just wanted some SangSom.

I'm happy for you. The point of my thread was that many westerners feel their own country's standards should be in place to serve them better. I disagree saying that wages need to be improved for standards to increase, jus like it does in every country. The number of corrupt police in the west years ago made Thailand look like rookies in that regard, and it wasn't until wages were increased and better supervisory tactics were utilized did corruption drop off (its never been eliminated). It's the same story with every industry. Pay a decent wage (combined with efficient training) and the quality of the worker can improved immensely. There's a lot of folk who are getting rich here on the backs of many..

5 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

I'm happy for you. The point of my thread was that many westerners feel their own country's standards should be in place to serve them better. I disagree saying that wages need to be improved for standards to increase, jus like it does in every country. The number of corrupt police in the west years ago made Thailand look like rookies in that regard, and it wasn't until wages were increased and better supervisory tactics were utilized did corruption drop off (its never been eliminated). It's the same story with every industry. Pay a decent wage (combined with efficient training) and the quality of the worker can improved immensely. There's a lot of folk who are getting rich here on the backs of many..

Weird post.

Of course it could be because of my limited reading comprehension.

14 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

I recently went to a local mini mart. Bought six bottles of soda water.

I buy soda water from the same distributor that sells cases of beer and take a case of empties with me to get a new case of sodas. Pretty sure they said the arrangement was called 'one way'.....

14 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

You are totally wrong there. First of all you have to compare it to costs and secondly you can't even find people working for less than 15-20K baht a month,

 

 

I can find many working for min wage, some even less.

 

They can only dream to be earning 15k a month.

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Wait a minute. You have 300 bottles on this list, ranging from 1200 baht to 15,000 baht per bottle, and NOBODY who works here knows anything about the wines? Are you serious? We all just looked at each other, and got up and walked out. We realized the restaurant was a pretender

Haha. Welcome to Thai education.

 

At all the schools I’ve worked at, within the first week or so, I’m given the grand tour. Look at this special facility, that special room, with some special equipment. We have this special program, the students do some special projects. We have partnerships with blah blah and the students go do blah blah with them. Look at these photos on the wall, admins supposedly doing stuff with some VIPs. Blah blah blah. I used to buy into it, wow. This school’s really into some stuff.

 

Then as the months go on...nobody‘s using that room. That equipment doesn’t even work. No one’s going on any trips. Activities were scheduled but cancelled. It’s all a big show.

 

But, it got students to enroll, and parents to pony up for some extra fees. It served its purpose. So yeah, getting back to the topic. If you’re a parent looking to put your kid in a school, watch out for this kinda stuff. Take it with a grain of salt.

14 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

You simply talk rubbish, and that it is your opinion says much about you in fact. You are comparing apples with pears too.

 

You assume a lot, your basics and intel is wrong and off too. I actually lived on 15K for almost a year in my 3rd year in Thailand, between jobs and business. It was a very nice life compared to minimum wage in various European countries I lived too. Could rent an nice apartment for 2K a month, go to the movies every wednesdays, still eat out all the time and have left for some entertainment too.

 

There is few Thais i feel sorry for, in most cases they are lazy to improve their life and job situation themselves.

Totally agree with your last sentence.

 

16 hours ago, allane said:

any place that first serves a Thai customer who has jumped the queue and stepped in front of me, solely on the basis that he is Thai and I am not.  It happened to me yesterday, with a teenage kid who by definition has not lived in Thailand as long as I have. I have lived here for 25 years. 

While it's true this happens...it's not because they are Thai...it's because they are too timid to say anything to a customer as they are raised to be subservient when working. If you jumped the queue they would also serve you but the Thai moto driver behind you might pull out a machete.

Ridiculously loud music.  

 

If the staff struggle to hear my drink order, even when I am practically yelling, and I can't hear them telling me how handsome I am, I leave.  ????

Employee's kids or grandkids on the premises, let alone in the food prep area.

I am unlikely to do business with a place that would have me as a customer. 

Some baiting and bickering posts removed

I am unlikely to do business with a place that ...

 

..has pole dancers with unusually large hands and laryngeal prominence!

I'm sure they'll all be distraught to hear your one man boycott.

 

-i-am-unlikely-to-do-business-with-a-place-that.......

 

.....that locks me out of my house and wife.

A place, where people are putting ice in beer. 

Any place that scams customers by serving water while the punter is paying for alcohol. Any place that sells drinks online

A place that continually sells beers that are more than a few months old. 

On 11/25/2020 at 4:04 PM, spidermike007 said:

 

I asked about a 2300 baht 2011 Chianti they had on the list. I asked about a Barbaresco, at 2,600 baht. 

300 bottles on this list, ranging from 1200 baht to 15,000 baht per bottle.

I know some on here will knock me for this, and call me a wine snob. 

 

Hardly a wine snob, you were only asking about all their cheap stuff.

On 11/25/2020 at 3:51 AM, Kerryd said:

sells second hand alcohol

arent we all just "renting" it actually?...like some choose to do when it comes to "romance"... ????