Timeshare Seminar, What If I Refuse To Attend?

[banker]

Hi

I bought a free one week stay certificate at Pattaya resort from the largest auction site. The seller have 100% feedbacks when I purchased 2 weeks ago and on his description it stated that this certificate is not subject to any seminar/meeting like other sellers did, so I bidded on it and won. I have heard a lot of story about the timeshare sales scam and I didn't want to listen to the whole presentation crap or attend any meeting. No way I would pay for the crap and we have no plan to go to Thailand often.

At first I thought I am safe from the presentation scam and so lucky to win this certificate. But yesterday one of his buyer wrote a comment on feedback forum that she had to go through the private meeting for 2 hours which is different from what is his listing said. I already booked the room for my trip and will go there in a few months.

I have some questions to ask you guys here:

-Can I refuse to attend private meeting/seminar when I arrive at the resort? Will they still allow me to stay at their resort if I don't attend seminar/meeting?

-What is the best way to handle this problem? I cannot cancel my trip and the resort itself look so appealing. I still want to stay there, but just donno how to avoid the private meeting crap. This is our first trip to Pattaya.

Any suggestion?

[banker]

The resort in question is View Talay Holiday Resort at Jomtien Beach. Is it a good place to stay? Please share your experience.

And how about Alangkarn: The extravaganza show, is it a good show? My husband won't watch ladyboy show like Tiffany. I hope Alangkarn is a lady boy show.

Edited May 28, 2007 by banker

[Basil B]

The resort in question is View Talay Holiday Resort at Jomtien Beach. Is it a good place to stay? Please share your experience.

And how about Alangkarn: The extravaganza show, is it a good show? My husband won't watch ladyboy show like Tiffany. I hope Alangkarn is a lady boy show.

View Tally Holiday Resort is realy nice, if you are in a villa you will have your own private pool.

I do not think you will get out of "presentation" if you refuse they may well bill you for your weeks stay at a much exagerated rate...

If you do attend the "presentation" be warey of what is actualy said and and not what is implied, i douht that you will get much in writing, bewary of you must sign today thing, if you are intrested why not buy second hand at lease you will buy at a price you can resell for.

Just for the record last year I asked about selling my 2 red weeks in a single villa, and got, qoute "you will be a fool to sell your two weeks as they are worth $20K USD each and next year they will be worth $25K", great if I could actualy sell... any one want to buy my 2 weeks???

The problem with Time Share is the poeple who sell it...

BB

[banker]

I wrote to the seller and asked him about this issue. This is his response:

You do not need to attend any seminar or meeting to stay in View Talay. If someone asks you to attend, please say no as this is not part of our deal with the resort.

I just hope I don't have to attend seminar/meeting. I got 1 bedroom apartment, not a villa.

Any idea about Alangkarn show? Is it a good show? Hope it is not a lady boy show.

[Binkie]

I wrote to the seller and asked him about this issue. This is his response:

You do not need to attend any seminar or meeting to stay in View Talay. If someone asks you to attend, please say no as this is not part of our deal with the resort.

I just hope I don't have to attend seminar/meeting. I got 1 bedroom apartment, not a villa.

Any idea about Alangkarn show? Is it a good show? Hope it is not a lady boy show.

Alangkarn is not a ladyboy show. The word Alangkarn is Thai for Extravaganza and is an historical presentation. VT is very nice never stayed there however I have heard it is very nice.

[jdinasia]

Bring an ipod

[Boater]

I wrote to the seller and asked him about this issue. This is his response:

You do not need to attend any seminar or meeting to stay in View Talay. If someone asks you to attend, please say no as this is not part of our deal with the resort.

I just hope I don't have to attend seminar/meeting. I got 1 bedroom apartment, not a villa.

Any idea about Alangkarn show? Is it a good show? Hope it is not a lady boy show.

Hi, unfortunalty this is a well documented timeshare scam, it is known as a 'Fly-by'. You get the accomodation 'FREE' but this guy has just sold it to you.

You must attend the presentation, or you will be in for a nasty surprise if you dont, as the hotel will charge normal rack rates onto your credit card you use as a depoist in the hotel before checking in. Also please view the small print about MUST eat in the restaurent ECT ECT.

The reason behind this is when you are in the Hotel staying there your guard is let down, it is a beautiful resort, which you would only dream of staying in every year, then boom, a sales man gets you! and believe me they are good at there jobs, 1 in 4 people who stay on these 'Fly-bys' actually end up purchasing a timeshare!

Have you got a copy of this certificate? and what company issued it?

Maybe the best bet is to either find new accomodation if you do not want to be hounded and ask for a refund. Or just sit back and look into space for the 2 hour presentation, once they see you are on to them and are not interested in buying, they will back off/

[Rimmer]

I've lived in VT Villas for seven years and never been to a seminar!

The place is really nice. Wanna buy my villa? I just built another one and gonna move soon.

[bangkapiboy]

Hi

I bought a free one week stay certificate at Pattaya resort from the largest auction site. The seller have 100% feedbacks when I purchased 2 weeks ago and on his description it stated that this certificate is not subject to any seminar/meeting like other sellers did, so I bidded on it and won. I have heard a lot of story about the timeshare sales scam and I didn't want to listen to the whole presentation crap or attend any meeting. No way I would pay for the crap and we have no plan to go to Thailand often.

At first I thought I am safe from the presentation scam and so lucky to win this certificate. But yesterday one of his buyer wrote a comment on feedback forum that she had to go through the private meeting for 2 hours which is different from what is his listing said. I already booked the room for my trip and will go there in a few months.

I have some questions to ask you guys here:

-Can I refuse to attend private meeting/seminar when I arrive at the resort? Will they still allow me to stay at their resort if I don't attend seminar/meeting?

-What is the best way to handle this problem? I cannot cancel my trip and the resort itself look so appealing. I still want to stay there, but just donno how to avoid the private meeting crap. This is our first trip to Pattaya.

Any suggestion?

I think you will definitely have to sit in on a presentation. They don't just give out a week's stay without trying to sell you something. Practice already how to say "NO" very clearly at the presentation, so nobody's time is wasted more than is needed.

[awayfoe]

I've lived in VT Villas for seven years and never been to a seminar!

The place is really nice. Wanna buy my villa? I just built another one and gonna move soon.

Hi Rimmer

you live in vieuw tallay Villa yes

but the subjet is the time share section ........ first soi on your left hand when you enter and the office is ground floor the low rise

building on your left hand with entry on the back swimming pool and restaurant building 1 vieuw talay residence .......

rgds

[genobkk]

they are very very bad....if it is the one on Jomtiene near where the old KFC use to be....they have hard sale tatcts and I had the guy so mad that he was yelling at me becuase I refused to buy....he said a few 4 letters words to me, and I never even got rude to him...stay away from this place.......

[pepsi666]

I have a timeshare, but not with view Talay,

I did a swap,

I stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment, it wasnt very good, the view we had was of a building site and the place smelt musty and wasnt the cleanest of places

I still had to attend a 'seminar' I just listened and said, I'm not interested in any further purchases, they keep on in the hope they will wear you down, they will come up with various plans and 'tasters'

I had enough after 2 hours and said to the sales man, enough is enough, I dont want to purchase, and I dont want to seem rude, but I am now leaving' and on that note we left

I refused to leave a credit card, I said I never had one and ONLY used cash, and I was prepared tto leave 500 TBt as a deposit againt phone calls, but that was all

I met te manager at the end of my stay, I have never met a more fat, obnoxious, rude and impolite person in Thailand than the bloke who runs this place (there is no point in complaining either, never got a reply)

I know you bought it from a seller on ebay, but unfortunately the seller isnt going to be there (YOU are) and as in all auctions, BUYER BEWARE (try contacting a previous buyer through the feedback system, see what they had to say)

Dunno why you wouldnt go to Tiffany or Alkazar, they are pretty good shows, there is no sex or nudity on stage, its just a mime show with blokes in frocks, lots of families take the kids and theyseem to enjoy it

I have to be honest about the Alangkarn show, I know Thai dancing and the whole culteral thing is very nice, but I cant get into Thai music, those discordant sounds (to my ears) just grated on my nerves and I'm not really into watching Elephants do tricks (MY opinion), but the Alangkarn show bored the hel_l out of me , BUT I'm not saying you shouldnt go, as you say 'you wont be going to Thailand often' so this is your chance to immerse yourself in everything

Try everything, if you dont like it, leave, you wont lose much (alkazar is under a tenner, pretty much the same as Tiffany), but if you have a sensative nature, you wont like Walking Street either

Lets know how you get on with your timeshare expeirience though

[banker]

Try everything, if you dont like it, leave, you wont lose much (alkazar is under a tenner, pretty much the same as Tiffany), but if you have a sensative nature, you wont like Walking Street either

Lets know how you get on with your timeshare expeirience though

Ok, I will post here again when I get back from View Talay in October. About Alkazar/Tiffany show, my husband need to have more open attitude toward ladyboy. He is homophobia lolol

I am newbie here and glad to meet you guys here. I also have a plan to visit Nongnuch Park, Elephant Village...I hope they are good. I read the tourist guide book, but I need your guidance about which place is a "must see" in Pattaya? Do you guys know any good dental clinic in Jomtien Beach? My husband like to ride a bike, is it safe to ride a bike along the beach in Pattaya/Jomtien? I have heard that Thai people don't abide the traffic law much, I fear that he will got hit by a car or motorcycle there.

Edited May 31, 2007 by banker

[Phil Conners]

I don't get why anyone get sucked into these scams. Renting a holiday place for a week or a month is so dirt cheap here that there really should be no market for scams like this. I guess there are too many suckers around!

PS.

1) If your husband is homophobic don't go to Thailand. The attitude to homosexuality is VERY relaxed and open here.

2) Most of the "tourist attactions" here are not worth your time if you compare to attactions in US/Europe. As someone said before, bring an Ipod.

3) "Must see" includes walking street.

4) Pattaya has advantages for expats and single male sex tourists but as a family/couple I think the best you could do is find a place in one of the nearby islands to stay. We are used to see the matron walking along past the gogo and beer bars, head-held-high while the husband trailing behind with his head and eyes low, trying to not react to all the "hello handsome man" catcalls, thinking "danm, next time I'm going to return without my wife".

5) If you're not familiar with the unique driving style of Thailand I would strongly suggest you don't try riding a bike here.

This tread and OP seems a typical first time newbie to Thailand/Pattaya. Spend the next couple of months reading this forum to at least get a little bit of an idea how things work here. It is VERY different from the west.

Edited May 31, 2007 by Phil Conners

[mikethevigoman]

I wrote to the seller and asked him about this issue. This is his response:

You do not need to attend any seminar or meeting to stay in View Talay. If someone asks you to attend, please say no as this is not part of our deal with the resort.

I just hope I don't have to attend seminar/meeting. I got 1 bedroom apartment, not a villa.

Any idea about Alangkarn show? Is it a good show? Hope it is not a lady boy show.

Print it off and take it with you and if asked to go say no thanks we have alreday asked and we are exempt,

[colino]

just tell the sales man you dont own any property and have no savings and that your are in a low paying job,

that way you will not get any finance to inable you to buy time share , so they will leave you alone ,,

this works (spain 4 years )

[pepsi666]

Try everything, if you dont like it, leave, you wont lose much (alkazar is under a tenner, pretty much the same as Tiffany), but if you have a sensative nature, you wont like Walking Street either

Lets know how you get on with your timeshare expeirience though

Ok, I will post here again when I get back from View Talay in October. About Alkazar/Tiffany show, my husband need to have more open attitude toward ladyboy. He is homophobia lolol

I am newbie here and glad to meet you guys here. I also have a plan to visit Nongnuch Park, Elephant Village...I hope they are good. I read the tourist guide book, but I need your guidance about which place is a "must see" in Pattaya? Do you guys know any good dental clinic in Jomtien Beach? My husband like to ride a bike, is it safe to ride a bike along the beach in Pattaya/Jomtien? I have heard that Thai people don't abide the traffic law much, I fear that he will got hit by a car or motorcycle there.

NongNook is worth a visit (try and have a full day, rather than the half tour),

The Elephant park I wasnt comfey with, seeing working elephants is great, but not imitating human activity, didnt see the point of that

If your husband is a definte homophobic, he is coming to the wrong place, you'd be better off in Hua Hin, Chang Mai, Pattaya has (I think) a few more 'gays' than your average welsh village,

There are a lot better accomadations than View Talay and they wont break the bank, just depends on what your expectations are really, but if your accomadation is as free as you assume, you may as well use it, but it may not come up to your expectations (you should have browsed in here before you booked your accomadation, you would have known what you were letting you and your husband in for)

You have to have a pretty open mind when you come to Pattaya to fully appreciate it, I think its a fantastic place and have been there quite a few times (but there are some in these forums that really flame the place)

If you are in the UK, PM me with your address, I'll send you DVD of Alkazar, so you can see what the show is like, my G/daughter loved it, but then again she's 5, she thought the ladies had really nice dresses (and why disillusion her)

[Beardog]

I wrote to the seller and asked him about this issue. This is his response:

You do not need to attend any seminar or meeting to stay in View Talay. If someone asks you to attend, please say no as this is not part of our deal with the resort.

I just hope I don't have to attend seminar/meeting. I got 1 bedroom apartment, not a villa.

Any idea about Alangkarn show? Is it a good show? Hope it is not a lady boy show.

Hi, unfortunalty this is a well documented timeshare scam, it is known as a 'Fly-by'. You get the accomodation 'FREE' but this guy has just sold it to you.

You must attend the presentation, or you will be in for a nasty surprise if you dont, as the hotel will charge normal rack rates onto your credit card you use as a depoist in the hotel before checking in. Also please view the small print about MUST eat in the restaurent ECT ECT.

The reason behind this is when you are in the Hotel staying there your guard is let down, it is a beautiful resort, which you would only dream of staying in every year, then boom, a sales man gets you! and believe me they are good at there jobs, 1 in 4 people who stay on these 'Fly-bys' actually end up purchasing a timeshare!

Have you got a copy of this certificate? and what company issued it?

Maybe the best bet is to either find new accomodation if you do not want to be hounded and ask for a refund. Or just sit back and look into space for the 2 hour presentation, once they see you are on to them and are not interested in buying, they will back off/

I used to work for a very short time in timesharing in Maui Hi( Just long enough to set up a killer auto

repair shop as I instantly had 42 clients) Boater is right 100% charge back non negotiable.

Either cancel your appt. or do not use the freebie. Some companies have been known to charge back full bore without even using the service,as this is winnable in court in the U.S. I wonder how successful you

would be in removing the chargeback in Thailand! Cancel your appt. No free rides in life & you will be sure to have sad stories to tell!

good luck! Sounds like they might have sold you an expensive stay if you have not gone.

after your there, just say the place sucks. The place is cheesy & you wouldn't waste your time on it. They will spin you out riew riew----very quickly They get paid per trick & if you dont give them a lead in to buy your down the road motors.

Expect to get your own transpo back as they usually stick you in the hottest oven so you can swelter for their sins. I Got Nailed in Lake Tahoe in 1980 . The Limo back was a 1970 dead horse van with no air & they drove horribly slow. The people who bought got the Lincoln Limo air top shelf booze .You get the picture Go & bring your Ipod, just say no & Go!!!! If you buckle & leave him any chance they can bury you , they send in the heavy, this will cost you a lot of time. They are Experts & I do mean Experts at getting you over objections. I had to spend 7 days closing school before I hit the floor.

I Didn't do to good cause I am a nice guy & the top dogs are the coldest hearted prcks you have ever seen!

However you may be able to get out of it if you cancel in advance & rebook other arrangements. the presentation isn't really that bad ,Just say nfw when they are done . They will gift you & turn & burn on you done deal.

Edited June 15, 2007 by Beardog

[eljeque]

A couple of years ago, my friend bought through this same group and now stays one week per year in View Talay Villas.

He paid... about 500,000 baht or $13,000 upfront, PLUS 10,000 or 12,000 / year maintenance / maid service.

If he were to instead rent the unit for the one week each years, he would pay about 12,000 baht

In essence, he threw away 500,000 to start.

You did not get into enough detail on your initial post, but this is what I think migh be beneficial for you based on the information that you provided.

If the company has already billed your credit card, as you have not used the services yet, contact your credit card company and cancel the bill. It is YOU -- wih a long credit history with your credit card company, versus this company based in Thailand. Your credit card company will take your side. If not, then walk away from the deposit. if you are worrid that they will increase the bill to your credit card if you do not attend the seminar, then simply notify your credit card company not to accept any more bills from this company.

You are better off avoiding the snakes.

[Beardog]

A couple of years ago, my friend bought through this same group and now stays one week per year in View Talay Villas.

He paid... about 500,000 baht or $13,000 upfront, PLUS 10,000 or 12,000 / year maintenance / maid service.

If he were to instead rent the unit for the one week each years, he would pay about 12,000 baht

In essence, he threw away 500,000 to start.

You did not get into enough detail on your initial post, but this is what I think migh be beneficial for you based on the information that you provided.

If the company has already billed your credit card, as you have not used the services yet, contact your credit card company and cancel the bill. It is YOU -- with a long credit history with your credit card company, versus this company based in Thailand. Your credit card company will take your side. If not, then walk away from the deposit. If you are worried that they will increase the bill to your credit card if you do not attend the seminar, then simply notify your credit card company not to accept any more bills from this company.

You are better off avoiding the snakes.

Not necessarily true . When I worked Crimesharing they make you file a Legal binding agreement Filed most likely in the United States. Even if you refute the charges The credit card company will put the charges back on upon receiving the fax of your signed agreement. I have never seen a completely free if you don't attend that seminar. That is the carrot. Read your contract you signed . it will be in the bottom most likely in the smallest print they could find. I worked for some a-holes that wrote these contracts. they take home 100's of thousands of dollars a year to lay away unsuspecting people like you & me. They would sell their grandmothers teeth to make a buck.

That is why I quit . People with a conscience do very poor. But it is real I was subpoenaed twice in Maui

by people who tried to sue Consolidated corp. & they both lost & had to pay exorbitant lawyer fees

on top of theirs.

I get nothing out of this but trying to help you from making a bad decision . I almost got roped on a free deal in Bali Indonesia on a completely free deal. hidden in the clause towards the last paragraph it stated if I failed to go to the seminar for 90 minutes I forfeit my deposit. Besides Qualifying you that credit card is their guarantee.

[expatgaz]

Had a quite funny experiance abt 15 years ago in Spain with Timeshare.I lookeed round one and got all the freebies and such like.During the 2 hour seminar / hardsell I stated that I was unemployed on 37 pounds a week income support and could barely afford to feed and clothe.I told them I won 500 pounds which enabled me to take my first holiday,ever.The guy trying to sell took out his calculator and still tried to convince me I could sign up and be able to meet the payment terms.Obviously I was lying to him but he countered everything I put up.End of the day I didn't sign and never would but for a weaker willed person it can get difficult to refuse.

P.S for the record I also used to "own" in VT Villa and liked it,I wouldn't mind moving back there but believe it's way over priced now.I lived there in 1999 at the start of it.How much you selling for Rimmer ?

EPG

[bangkapiboy]

For people who cannot say no to someone: don't ever attend a time share presentation.

[farangfool]

Is that the same BS company that operates on beach road etc.? They change their name every year or so. i went twice to be nice to that good looking student gal with the 'questionaire.' I gave a fake hotel name, fake room number, fake name, etc. and my cc was not on me (= in the safe box). They showed me a wall with exhibits, among them a kind of medal that a London public notary has certified them. I can get my butt certified if I pay for the stamp on the paper. In their folders their had some xeroxes, one had a little left over from the original. The company was registered in India....

They showed me the facilities (5 Star plus). It had aluminum door handles (like at the sawasdee hotel for 350 baht per nite); a swimming pool like a bath tub, furniture from the street sales (plastic, fake leather) etc. Anyone who had been to a 4 or 5 star place would laugh his/her head off. The concrete had cracks already and the whole place was narrowly walled in. A kind of tourist detention camp, 3 star minus at best and will a lot of good will.

The boss was a Dutch <deleted>. His long sleeves could not hide his tattoos and his accent outed him as a pimp from Amsterdam. The guy who tried to talk me soft for 3 hrs (I got some cold fried chicken out of this ordeal) became at once my very "best friend." I listened, did not talk much. Always nodding and the gang was happy. When they had laid out all on a piece of plain paper, I asked for a copy of the contract. They refused. They would "read" it to me and they would have a (=their) lawyer to answer my questions. I insisted on a copy for my review at my leisure and that was it.

Clearly, the guys were playing dirty.

So ask for a contract and 24 hrs to study it. They will back off. If they ask why, tell them that you brother etc. is a lawyer at a large firm in NYC or London. he would read the contract and get some info on the company.

Since then I fill out regularly these questionnaires, always false data and i truly hope that the girls are paid by the number of form they hand in. This way I can do some damage. Anyone wants to join in?

[midas]

they are very very bad....if it is the one on Jomtiene near where the old KFC use to be....they have hard sale tatcts and I had the guy so mad that he was yelling at me becuase I refused to buy....he said a few 4 letters words to me, and I never even got rude to him...stay away from this place.......

That is what they do - deliberately try to embarass you - I think the guy at Jomtien was named Martin ?

Bunch of crooks !

[genobkk]

yes this is the same place I went ot once....in the tall Condo just behind what used to be KFC....I talked to one guy who was very nice, then the boss got mad, told me to get the F**CK out when I said no, never got my free gift.....this place is very very bad.......they pay Thais to work beach road and bring tourit in....they pay the girls and boys about 1,200 THB....I suggest if you can say no just to go to hlep the girls and boys out doing the selling, but be rpepared for some rude and hard taticts........... I seen many time shares but never was I treated so rudely, told the guy I was NOT interssted that I thought time shares where a waste of my money, he brought his manger, kept lowering the price, I kept saying no, then out of the blue he says get the F**ck out.........well waist thier time piss them off......truthfully I did not even try to make them mad I did ask a lot of questions, but I just was curious as I had never even thought thier was any tiem shares in Thailand.....I heard all new people are working at this place now.........

[farangfool]

Always good to have your cell with you and call some friends during the talk, asking some questions about the area and so on. It really cooled them down. The tour of the premises (5Star plus ) ) was really funny. So if your bored and know your game, waste their time.

Again, this whole operation makes you wonder about the extent of organized crime in Pattaya. It goes on for years and while some faces change (I had once a Dutch and once a Scottish boss, both low lives with heavy tattoos) and the company name changes all the time it is the same people doing that scam. How much do they pay to local authorities to be allowed to harrass tourists with their behaviour on beach road? The streetwalkers compare positively with them.

Ah, when I got my gift certificate (5 days in a 5 star hotel) I was supposed to mail it in with US 50 $ processing fee attached. At least I got a free ride back to Pattaya Tai.

Later I heard that they hired some certified drunks, local Brits, to work for them. Alledgedly the talkers get 50000baht plus commission. Not bad for bullshitting all day (as they do that anyhow in their favorite bar).

The best response for now is to fill out plenty of forms with 100% false data.

[midas]

The best response for now is to fill out plenty of forms with 100% false data.