Drama! Couple of Thai dishes for 500 baht - tourism leader defends hotel

 

Picture: 77kaoded

 

The online post of a woman who was charged 500 baht for two basic Thai dishes caused a bit of a "drama" (as it is called in the Thai language these days).

 

She had paid 250 baht each for kapow moo (pork with basil) and 250 baht for moo thort grathiam (pork fried with garlic) with an egg on the side.

 

It was at a fancy hotel on the holiday island of Koh Chang in the east of Thailand.

 

Much comment followed especially as the dishes are considered "everyday" fare usually available on the street for about 50 baht or less.

 

77kaoded asked the Trat tourist Business Association secretary what he thought.

 

Saksit (no surname given) said it was a five star hotel and clearly marked on the menu so customers would know. 

 

People were entitled to voice their opinion but he stated that of course food has different prices in different locations and so long as customers knew what they had to pay then there was no problem.

 

He said he wanted potential tourists to understand that Koh Chang was a tourist area and would be more expensive but not all places on the island would have food as expensive as this. 

 

People had to expect a difference between 5 and 6 star hotels and cheaper establishments, he noted.

 

Source: 77kaoded

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-02-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

 

Embarassment and wais all around as the waiter realised he gave the farang menu ????

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

People had to expect a difference between 5 and 6 star hotels and cheaper establishments, he noted.

Maybe he could explain where all the 6 star hotels are.    

 So ole Saksit is trying to defend people being ripped off, pathetic really.

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Saksit (no surname given) said it was a five star hotel and clearly marked on the menu so customers would know. 

Unless i am mistaken i am pretty sure the woman never named the hotel (from fear of being sued ) so how would he know it was a 5 Star . 

If you want to pay normal price, don't eat at 5 star hotel. I think this is common sense.

 

They need to pay high salaries for the staff at 5 star hotel.

Spent a week on Koh Chang just the once and that was enough for us; everywhere filthier than the rest of the country (and that's saying something).   Transport higher priced than just about anywhere else in the country and we found most eating establishments were charging more than on other Islands, actually price gouging in some places.   Needles to say they cooked their own Goose and we won't be going back !

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Much comment followed especially as the dishes are considered "everyday" fare usually available on the street for about 50 baht or less.

For 50 baht or less, you will get the typical rice with a spoonful of topping...not the full plate of krapow.  That will run 120-150 in common Thai restaurants.

 

She had the opportunity to leave if she felt that the prices were exorbitant after looking at the menu but instead followed through with her order so she could subsequently be a Facebook “drama queen” (as it is called in the English language)

32 minutes ago, webfact said:

It was at a fancy hotel on the holiday island of Koh Chang in the east of Thailand.

 maybe the same place that last year sued a foreigner for a bad review , but the Thai lady will not get any warnings

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-01/american-arrested-in-thailand-over-bad-review-of-hotel/12716776

An American wrote a bad review about a Thailand hotel. Months later he was arrested and is being sued for defamation

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54473407

US man avoids jail in Thailand over bad resort review

I am surprised tha a 5 star hotel are giving out hand written receipts 

5 star hotel issuing hand written receipt? First time see this anywhere in the world.

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

People had to expect a difference between 5 and 6 star hotels and cheaper establishments, he noted.

I hope they remember this statement when they no longer rely on Farang tourists and are charging Thai's these prices ......................LOL

10 minutes ago, offset said:

I am surprised tha a 5 star hotel are giving out hand written receipts 

A classy place for sure ????????????????looks like one of the worse gra Pow I have seen too.

as the wife was once told on hua hin beach by a deckchair vendor "if you don't like it go eat Hilton"

 

so we did..

 

and it was cheaper!!!!

 

 

i'm with the hotel on this one. price clearly marked. upscale(debatable) resort. customer cries after receiving a bill for something they clearly knew the price of. 

 

p**s off.

The dishes do not look "5 star"...

42 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Unless i am mistaken i am pretty sure the woman never named the hotel (from fear of being sued ) so how would he know it was a 5 Star . 

A 5-star hotel writing their bills by hand, in Thai, on a the standard bill pads? Not highly likely!

I will be hanging out in the Hilton hotel later today, sipping diet Coke for 12 baht a can as that is the price at the 7-11. If they add some ice cubes and a slice of lemon they can charge 13 baht; i know what lemons cost at the market and ice is just frozen water of 8 baht per 1.5 liters.

30 minutes ago, offset said:

I am surprised tha a 5 star hotel are giving out hand written receipts 

Furthermore, it's badly written by scribbling.

Hand written receipt and the dishes look like street food to me

26 minutes ago, mr mr said:

i'm with the hotel on this one. price clearly marked. upscale(debatable) resort. customer cries after receiving a bill for something they clearly knew the price of. 

 

p**s off.

I doubt they looked at the menu. These are the kind of common simple dishes Thais eat daily and they don't need nor usually bother with a menu when they order.

52 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Unless i am mistaken i am pretty sure the woman never named the hotel (from fear of being sued ) so how would he know it was a 5 Star . 

I  wouldn't be happy with a 5* hotel that delivered food to me on plastic plates wrapped in cling film.

No such rating as 6 stars for hotels, 6 starts and many more only exist in the sky...

6 minutes ago, KeeTua said:

I doubt they looked at the menu. These are the kind of common simple dishes Thais eat daily and they don't need nor usually bother with a menu when they order.

 

a fool and his money......

That dish is half covered with plastic foil. 5* resorts are really going down this days. 

won't she go to jail for writing this?

35 minutes ago, peterdarby said:

A 5-star hotel writing their bills by hand, in Thai, on a the standard bill pads? Not highly likely!

Has anyone noticed that the dishes are  both wrapped in saran wrap??(clearer picture on twitter) Precooked and reheated dishes at a 5* hotel. Nice.

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Maybe he could explain where all the 6 star hotels are.    

 So ole Saksit is trying to defend people being ripped off, pathetic really.

The price was clearly marked on the menu. It is ugly then when people complain. 
 

And quite cheap really compared to my local down here in Natai Beach. 
420 baht for fried rice, noodle soups etc. 

plus 10% service charge of course and 7% Vat. And I always leave a tipfor the waitresses as the service charge gets divided up between all the workers, gardeners, cleaners etc. 
 

The higher prices are intended to keep the riff raff and cheap Charlie’s out. It is very effective.

 

https://www.bababeachclub.com/Baba-Dinning-Menu/Natai/Baba-Beach-Club-Natai-Food-Menu.pdf

1 hour ago, trainman34014 said:

Spent a week on Koh Chang just the once and that was enough for us; everywhere filthier than the rest of the country (and that's saying something).   Transport higher priced than just about anywhere else in the country and we found most eating establishments were charging more than on other Islands, actually price gouging in some places.   Needles to say they cooked their own Goose and we won't be going back !

By transport if you mean taxis they are way cheaper than many places such as Phuket. Just 50 to 100 baht for many trips. If you stay on the north side where hotels are few then you have to pay more but that seems fair. 

Not sure in what way you mean filthy. Most of the island is national park. Some beaches get some rubbish from time to time same pretty much every beach now in South East Asia.

If you mean restaurants are filthy I saw no sign of that but each to their own.

 

9 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

riff raff

you know what a soc is....white trash with mustangs and madras. 

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

They need to pay high salaries for the staff at 5 star hotel.

Great sarcasm!!!!