Woman shocked by 500THB pad kapow at Koh Chang resort, fearful of defamation laws

[jtrump]

I just got back from Rayong, stayed at a nice resort which was discounted.  OK place, pictures were slightly deceiving but restaurant prices were outrageous.  Cheapest Thai food was green curry at 280B.  Since we just arrived, we had the one meal there and went 5 minutes down the road and ate reasonably.  So sad, they think they are smart by raising the prices but Thais are going to eat there and neither will I again.

[2530Ubon]

2 minutes ago, jtrump said:

I just got back from Rayong, stayed at a nice resort which was discounted.  OK place, pictures were slightly deceiving but restaurant prices were outrageous.  Cheapest Thai food was green curry at 280B.  Since we just arrived, we had the one meal there and went 5 minutes down the road and ate reasonably.  So sad, they think they are smart by raising the prices but Thais are going to eat there and neither will I again.

Probably part of the whole 'let's embezzle together' program. They'll have taken 560 Baht for that green curry. 

[Burma Bill]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has some severe defamation laws, notes Thaivisa - even if you're in the right you can be in the wrong. 

 Yes I am aware of such draconian laws, but as a resident of a neighboring country can I make adverse comments (where due) or will they, with respect, be removed by a Global Moderator? Of course, I can make such comments on TripAdvisor from outside Thailand without fear of prosecution.

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

I often pay 250 Baht for "kapow moo" or similar Thai dishes in nice restaurants in BKK shopping malls and I will happily be coming back for more, because it is delicious and prepared with high quality ingredients in a nice and clean environment.  I know that I could get the same kind of food in the food plaza on a different floor for 50 Baht or less, but it would not be as tasteful, as the more expensive one. Is 250 Baht to much for a plate of "kapow moo"? I would say, that will fully depend on what it is made of and what kind of restaurant it is served in.

Since the plate is covered with film, I assume that it was ordered as roomservice. In hotels and resorts roomservice is always more expensive, than if you go to eat in the restaurant.

Yes.  But people just love something to moan about! 

[mike787]

Over or under rice, this is Thailand, you have NO rights.  Pay attention to the dam law.  Suck it up butter cups or choose another path in another place.  Welcome to LOS, this is part of the deal being here.  Many things I don't like also, but if one can afford to fly here then one can afford to stay. Not my rules, it's the law of the land.  However, do complain as much as you like if it makes you feel better, but you will be in jail.

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Hearing this explanation she said she just smiled and paid up.

Book a fancy resort get a fancy bill... 

[Matreusse]

4 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Bill is in English.

No, it is not.

[Matreusse]

2 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

Unlikely to be a high class resort - look at the picture, it was served on a plastic plate and looks like it had cling film attached to it. 250 baht is criminal (IMO) for a simple pork & basil dish that's usually 40 baht.

Which resorts providing, probably room service (cling film-wrapped), will only charge B40?

[2530Ubon]

6 minutes ago, Matreusse said:

Which resorts providing, probably room service (cling film-wrapped), will only charge B40?

I don't know. We don't even know if it was room service.

 

Stupid question, stupid answer.

[digger70]

5 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Bill is in English.

The Writing Is Thai.

[GrandPapillon]

it comes down to value and quality, if it was "great" in a nice luxury setting then 250 THB is reasonable

[shackleton]

Can't see what she is complaining about paid for the meal then 

Posts it on Face book for all to read about her not being happy 

Paying for it 

Once you post on Face book to late for regrets ????

[mstevens]

13 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Looks like it was room service too.  Is it really such a shock that swanky places charge a lot?

 

There are no indications it was a swanky place - in fact, looking at the hand-written bill, it almost certainly was not a swanky place!

[whaleboneman]

15 hours ago, ben2talk said:

Wow, we expect to pay over the odds, but this is a real kick in the nuts... maybe 100 per dish is okay for an over-priced resort.

 

I never order without prices up front - especially in holiday areas - never be scared to lose face or look cheap. It's worse if you ate the food before you saw the bill...

 

Once in the city I was served food so bad it wasn't edible, and my companion at the time (back in about 2002) said 'You can't do that, you ordered the food!' as I walked out without paying or eating.

Your companion was correct.

[Colabamumbai]

So avoid all restaurants there. Disgusting when they overcharge Thais. 

[scorecard]

18 hours ago, Always Lit said:

Expensive yes. But don't you see a menu with prices listed before ordering? (if it's a fancy resort)

And if no prices be suspicious and ask before ordering. Plenty of restaurants around. 

[Mister Fixit]

16 hours ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

“With” — two separate plates, the one comes with the other (therefore usually larger portion)

“Over” — one plate, with the one dish over the other (therefore usually smaller portion) 

 

Don’t know how to put it better in English without it sounding synonymously. 

To me, they ARE synonymous.  

 

To me, 'with' means the rice and protein are together on the plate, likely side by side.

 

And 'over' means the rice is placed on the plate first and then the protein and any sauce is placed on top of the rice.

 

As I said upthread, I think it's more likely an American term because I have never heard it said your way in the UK.

[Mister Fixit]

17 hours ago, GrandPapillon said:

250 for that Thai dish is not unusual in 5 star hotels, or crappy hotel posing as 5 star hotels ????

I think you were right in the last half of that sentence.

 

That food looked just like mediocre street corner 30 baht a pop stuff served on a plastic plate with wafer thin spoon and a fork with twisted tines.

 

[Andycoops]

I very rarely eat in hotels as I prefer to choose a eaterie of my choice depending on what I fancy.

I don't know of any hotel that has no prices listed on the menu.

[brewsterbudgen]

The woman was Thai, right?  At least there's no dual-pricing to complain about.

[Hanuman2547]

On 2/7/2021 at 7:18 PM, webfact said:

Woman shocked by 500THB pad kapow at Koh Chang resort, fearful of defamation laws

 

Picture: Daily News

 

A Facebook poster who asked if 500 baht was too expensive for two basic Thai dishes at a Koh Chang resort didn't answer the phone after journalists started calling. 

 

She was perhaps mindful after an American man who complained about having to pay corkage on the holiday island was threatened with jail until he apologized. 

 

The lady posted pictures of her breakfast and a bill - her "kapow moo" (pork with basil) and pork fried with garlic plus egg were 250 baht each.

 

She said she couldn't eat it - the price made her cry. 

 

She said she asked the server if it was a mistake - no, they said, it's the same with rice or over rice.

 

Hearing this explanation she said she just smiled and paid up.

 

Daily News reported that most people who commented said this was very expensive, others said resorts were like that and outside it'd be cheaper. Still more said that you should expect that a place like Koh Chang was expensive - after all they have to bring stuff over from the mainland. 

 

Following her post the lady said sorry, she was not answering the phone to all the media outlets who were calling. 

 

She didn't want to be defamatory....she was just saying. 

 

Last year a major international stink happened when an American man in Bangkok got into hot water after a post about his experiences in Koh Chang. 

 

He spent a few days in jail before he apologized. 

 

Thailand has some severe defamation laws, notes Thaivisa - even if you're in the right you can be in the wrong. 

 

Be warned!

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-08

 

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I just asked a Thai female to take a look at the photo of the dish, the bill, and the total price.  She came to the same conclusion as many here that the price was much to expensive.  Had it been 150 baht each for a total of 300 baht would have been plenty considering it is on an island.

[orchis]

less customers, charge more.

[Matreusse]

18 hours ago, 2530Ubon said:

18 hours ago, Matreusse said:

Which resorts providing, probably room service (cling film-wrapped), will only charge B40?

I don't know. We don't even know if it was room service.

Why else would it be delivered covered by cling film?

[mickymouse1]

I am surprised that she placed the order  without knowing the price. Usually if a venue has no prices then it is either very expensive or they will cheat you.Simply ask or move on.

[2530Ubon]

2 hours ago, Matreusse said:

Why else would it be delivered covered by cling film?

Why is the bill handwritten and the food not put on the bill for the room? We can all ask silly questions.

[BernieOnTour]

On 2/8/2021 at 4:37 AM, Bangyai said:

Looks like the  ' Row py teeo gan ' ( We travel together ) promotion  did not pass that resorts gates.

 

On 2/8/2021 at 5:00 AM, Always Lit said:

Expensive yes. But don't you see a menu with prices listed before ordering? (if it's a fancy resort)

 

Not the first time, some complaints like this showing up on social media...

 

IMHO the problem behind that is:

1) Using the „We travel together“ promotion, some Thai travel to places and stay in resorts, they could never afford before - but now: rock bottom room prices and on top of that a 50% subsidy.

2) When coming there, they apply their usual behavior.

- How often have you seen a Thai, not even taking a short glimpse at the menu, but immediately chattering -for minutes- with the waitress what they want to have in what style? ????

3) Then, when the bill comes, they suddenly have to realize that the food prizes staid the same level as before ...where well healed Thai in such a resort or restaurant would never have thought about formerly ... and are also not part of that 50% subsidy...

 

 

[moontang]

On 2/8/2021 at 3:21 PM, Xonax said:

I often pay 250 Baht for "kapow moo" or similar Thai dishes in nice restaurants in BKK shopping malls and I will happily be coming back for more, because it is delicious and prepared with high quality ingredients in a nice and clean environment.  I know that I could get the same kind of food in the food plaza on a different floor for 50 Baht or less, but it would not be as tasteful, as the more expensive one. Is 250 Baht to much for a plate of "kapow moo"? I would say, that will fully depend on what it is made of and what kind of restaurant it is served in.

Since the plate is covered with film, I assume that it was ordered as roomservice. In hotels and resorts roomservice is always more expensive, than if you go to eat in the restaurant.

I disagree.  Places that specialize in ripoffs will often have bland food to not upset the Europeans.  I no longer go to anyplace with Thai and any other countries cuisine on the menu.