Thailand reopening: Deceitful hotels tricking tourists are "letting the country down and damaging its image"

[ericthai]

6 hours ago, Dont confuse me said:

Not just Thailand but most of SE Asia look upon the West as fair game.

And until governments start to take responsibility and care for their citizens nothing will change!

From top to bottom it's corrupt, I consider myself well travelled but Thailand is the only country where police/customs/immigration officials have openly asked for 'tea money' so a few hotels jumping on the band wagon isn't surprising. 

I find Cambodia on par with Thailand for corruption. 

[Neeranam]

14 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

Really  are you sure??? That's strange because Im there 3 times a week and it's a set price , prices are on the board. Usually between 20 to 40 baht. Motorcycle rent start 150.baht for the day, so saying they are charging 600 just for a 5 minutes motorbike taxi is very hard to belive.

Some people have "MUG" written on their foreheads. 

[cncltd1973]

a few hotels? that's hardly worth a headline and a press conference. what's the real number of hotels scamming the tourists, please? and while you are explaining the situation, what will be done to compensate the victims and punish the offenders that are damaging Thailand's reputation? without this information, westerners will assume the answer is nothing and nothing

[Citzofwrld2]

I was talking to a couple last night in the Balkans about their two week stay in Thailand four years ago. Nothing good to say about taxi's, rude, high price, took them to wrong place, then took their baggage out of trunk and threw it on ground. I said, had similar experience  with them and baht buses overcharging. I also brought up how rude small shop owners are if you touch merchandise and don't buy, or ask for a certain color and they wave you off, meaning, I'm to busy playing this computer game to look for you. After almost five years of living in Thailand I was so glad I didn't buy property there. Had a really bad gut feeling about the place.

[Trip Hop]

52 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

TAT say Hotel has to be SHA++ now

 

"A confirmed payment for a 1-night stay at a SHA Extra Plus (SHA++)*  accommodation, and 1 RT-PCR test."

 

https://www.tatnews.org/2021/10/thailand-reopening-exemption-from-quarantine-test-go/

Logo on the one that I'm looking at is actually SHA Plus+, so not sure if this translates to the SHA++ you state?  Just checked the list referred to in that link you supplied and it's on there, so no problem.  It's just rather disturbing that instead of checking out how good the hotel reviews are, I'm spending more time checking out escape routes in case they try to scam me? ???? 

[kiwikeith]

18 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

 

I went to Koh Larn a few weeks ago. The blue pickup truck wanted 600 baht to take two people to the next beach. 

Motorcycle taxi was asking the same amount. 
 

They have learned nothing from the pandemic. And those who were ripping people off before, will do the same again.  

It’s actually easier for them now 

[kiwikeith]

1 hour ago, Citzofwrld2 said:

I was talking to a couple last night in the Balkans about their two week stay in Thailand four years ago. Nothing good to say about taxi's, rude, high price, took them to wrong place, then took their baggage out of trunk and threw it on ground. I said, had similar experience  with them and baht buses overcharging. I also brought up how rude small shop owners are if you touch merchandise and don't buy, or ask for a certain color and they wave you off, meaning, I'm to busy playing this computer game to look for you. After almost five years of living in Thailand I was so glad I didn't buy property there. Had a really bad gut feeling about the place.

If you have been around a few years you get to know the ropes but under these new pandemic rules

the thieves will be having a field day 

[spidermike007]

14 hours ago, internationalism said:

out of 35 AQ hotels, only one send me their full policies and they were the best in comparison to all the other hotels.

Around half hotels did not reply to my enquiries.

 

There are multiple issues facing a tourist, which hotels might take advantage and deceive potential guests.

I was deceived by villa khaosan.

 

One is waiting time at the airport for transport to hotel or to hospital fos testing. Most claim, that their drivers are at standby at the airport. That is not true. Drivers might be anywhere in town and you need some 45 minutes waiting in a crowded arrival hall for them to arrive. Most of those drivers don't speak english, so that is another problem with finding them.

As same reported, hotels would rather send a minibus to pick up many guests, instead of individually picking them in sedan cars, for their own safety. Private transport is offered at cost. Some mentioned 1500b additional charge.

 

The second is waiting time for test. Some claim very short time 6-8h or even 4-6h, but in practise it's 18h, in some cases 28h (richard barrow experienced it himself). Even after the test is ready, hotel reception doesn't always inform about results. They try to keep their guests locked in and ordering overpriced food from their restaurants.

 

My breakfast was served at 10:30 am, but supposed to be served at 7am and was cooked earlier on or even the previous day and kept in the fridge. Such food is barely eatable. So only around time of check out they bring you food, after some 10-20h of fasting. They know very well, that guests are forced to buy their food.

 

Another are very harsh amend and cancellation policies. Some hotels need an amend minimum a week in advance and charge 1000b for each one.

Some need many weeks for cancellation. Most don't give refunds on cancellation, even if price included pcr test (2400b) and transport from the airport. Some only 50%. Some charge 3-10% operational fees.

That is becoming their clear additional profit.

 

That's probably only a tip of an iceberg what is happening with this project. 

Bet, that corruption money is involved, same as with ASQ and ALQ projects earlier on.

 

Thailand, hub of AQ scammers

And the word spreads like wildfire on the internet. Fortunately, we are not subject to the same restrictions as many Thais or Chinese, with regard to criticism. Hence, only 1,000 arrivals a day, until the goons muster up some courage and start acting like reasonable adults. 

[spidermike007]

12 hours ago, koratkarlos said:

This may be in the end the biggest issue of all.  I have seen the SHA+ manicured, sterlized, overpriced and boring advertising pleading to the wealthy tourists.  Not for me.  I miss the spontaneous, fun, unpredictable, real, affordable Thai experience which is being buried by over regulation, false claims and sanitized empty promises.  Once the word gets back to Farangland I am not so sure any tourists will come.

Fake puritan, pure as winter snow, overly sanitized nonsense. A total loss of the plot by men so ignorant and out of touch, it defies the imagination. 

[spidermike007]

12 hours ago, kuzmabruk said:

Most expats in Thailand who are not employed, came here for warmth and a little pussy along with affordable rent and food.   I don’t understand why, in this forum, people complain so much.   I have 24 years in country and nothing has changed.   Prices have gone up and the girls are fatter but the Thai people remain the same - predominantly uneducated farmer types with zero knowledge of the outside world and zero business sense.  But the immigration department and transportation systems have both improved dramatically.   Love the ignorance and the weather and food that comes it.   Happy as hell where I am and why aren’t you?   Maybe because you have spent your life whining like a little bi+ch.  

Very weak. Very lame. Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall within Thailand, some fairly simple minded guy, who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any focus or effort to a reasonable reply, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or maybe you should leave, or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". Hard to even respond to such inane statements. Why? Because I have some issues with the place?

 

Sorry to inform you, but the nature of a discerning mind, is to have issues. Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful state of mind, it is not something most of us are blessed with, in case you have not noticed. The fact that I complain, does not mean I do not love Thailand, nor most of it's people. I do. 

 

I love many aspects of my life here. I have a very good life here. But, I do have some complaints, and there are some things I would love to see improved. I should leave because of that? Please. Next time you make a post, try to devote at least two moments of thought to it.
 

[TechnikaIII]

Well, what else should one expect?

It is completely inline with and emboldened by:

Deceitful government screwing tourists is "letting the country down and damaging its image"

[starky]

"Just can't help myself. Bad habits. I'm running wild lost control." ????????????????????

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Daithi85 said:

I agree with you 100 percent, but what the other guy says is 100 untrue. 

They try it on... hoping you are a new tourist unaware of regular prices..... like the 'how much you pay' line one is often given. For those who have been here a while, haggling price is second nature.

[zzaa09]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Fake puritan, pure as winter snow, overly sanitized nonsense. A total loss of the plot by men so ignorant and out of touch, it defies the imagination. 

As it's been mentioned more than a few times, it might be worth repeating - all these continued shenanigans are surely gonna come back to bite them on the backside......very quick and very soon. 

[scorecard]

15 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

They have earned nothing during the pandemic. You have learned nothing

However it's true that anybody who moves to another country learns 'the tricks' and gets on with a happy life. After all, there's no such think as utopia.

[herfiehandbag]

22 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Darling, you're part of the government. Pass the law that stops these practices and heavily penalises them to the point it's no longer feasible for anyone to do it.

 

Stop whining and do something about it.

She is part of a government which was put, and is maintained, in place by amongst others the people responsible for such practices.

 

All she can do is whine ( and not too loudly!)

[HaoleBoy]

Thai people not wearing masks (and foreigners) in some type of disco in Phuket.

Video posted on IG from a Thai girl 3 days ago ...

 

[aussiexpat]

11 minutes ago, HaoleBoy said:

Thai people not wearing masks (and foreigners) in some type of disco in Phuket.

Video posted on IG from a Thai girl 3 days ago ...

 

I love it, but worried them putting this online will prove to the powers to be that they are right to keep bars closed ????

 

Why is Phuket like this while Pattaya is all masked up with full bar lockdowns? Maybe if they opened Pattaya there'd more baht flowing and therefor less need for the deceitful hotel tactics 

Edited November 24, 2021 by aussiexpat

[Henryford]

LoS - Land of Scams, what else would you expect.

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, Citzofwrld2 said:

I was talking to a couple last night in the Balkans about their two week stay in Thailand four years ago. Nothing good to say about taxi's, rude, high price, took them to wrong place, then took their baggage out of trunk and threw it on ground. I said, had similar experience  with them and baht buses overcharging. I also brought up how rude small shop owners are if you touch merchandise and don't buy, or ask for a certain color and they wave you off, meaning, I'm to busy playing this computer game to look for you. After almost five years of living in Thailand I was so glad I didn't buy property there. Had a really bad gut feeling about the place.

How much did the BAHT bus charge you?

[Neeranam]

31 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

I love it, but worried them putting this online will prove to the powers to be that they are right to keep bars closed ????

 

Why is Phuket like this while Pattaya is all masked up with full bar lockdowns? Maybe if they opened Pattaya there'd more baht flowing and therefor less need for the deceitful hotel tactics 

Pattaya is for one thing, sex. That is why they don't open the bars, they are bascally brothels.just think you the prostitutes would spread disease.

[internationalism]

14 hours ago, portlandtree said:

Lol would never let that happen to me I’ll raise hell short of pounding their heads into the cement, if we let it go which is exactly what they think is going to happen then year your the sucker learn to fight back

they will just call cops with the slightest conflict. 

Those AQ hotels are run by the royalist establishment, well positioned within feudal structure. They even dress in yellow shirts. They know, they can deceive, trick and cheat and law and police will be on their side. They are untouchable. 

Some of those hotels might even belong to some police or army bosses, as so many tourist oriented enterprises - including ferry companies, road transport.

When I have arrived to villa khaosan they did omit to mention, that they are next to the police station and they will call cop, at slightest 

Edited November 24, 2021 by internationalism

[internationalism]

9 hours ago, cncltd1973 said:

a few hotels? that's hardly worth a headline and a press conference. what's the real number of hotels scamming the tourists, please? and while you are explaining the situation, what will be done to compensate the victims and punish the offenders that are damaging Thailand's reputation? without this information, westerners will assume the answer is nothing and nothing

if it made to press conference by the CCSA spokesman means, that the problem with hotels is ripe. 

As I mentioned earlier, just a tip of an iceberg.

Selling AQ packages without pcr and transport, just to sell meaningless, worthless offers is so obviously wrong, criminal.

 

First of all application for Thailand Pass might be rejected for only that reason.

But there is no way of knowing why application was rejected and which mistake to correct.

 

Even if one receives QR code with TP, there is a certain, they won't be allowed to check in at the airport.

They have to have prepayed pcr document. If hotel booking letter doesn't mention it, you will be bumped from your flight.

I have seen several passengers on front of me refused check in, but I don't know the reason.

 

That one has serious financial risk. Re-booking flight for the next day. Going back home or paying for hotel.

And still this cheap AQ booking might be wasted, because not amended or cancelled on time, usually required many days in advance, not just 20h.  

 

 

[Road Warrior]

i am surprised ,indeed   ??? !!!!!!     ????

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, outsider said:

 

Only done by a few hotels??? Even your politicians are in it, not just the hotels! The scamming and unfavourably targeting tourists and foreigners, that is.

 

As for 'many foreigners', how many is many? Also, when your politicians say Thailand is 'open', did they understand what 'open' means?

 

Politicians?? These goons are not politicians, apart from the odd exception they are soldiers who should be sticking to their barracks and parade grounds, and leaving actual politicians to run the country.

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, ChrisKC said:

The situation prevailing right now is that certain hotels have been allocated the business of Quarantining and generally managing tourists during this covid time and it seems to me they are simply taking advantage; well, alright, ripping people off, who are effectively being held to ransom due to their already-burdened guests, being stressed out and therefore more vulnerable.

Exactly. The hotels and Agoda, just like the quarantine providers in the UK, did not get involved in the the government quarantine accommodation arrangements out of any moral responsibility.

They just saw an opportunity to cash in on a captive market. There is nothing wrong in trying to grasp any business opportunity but ethics cannot be thrown to the wind which happened both here and in the UK, the 2 countries I have experience of but may well be others.

[NoshowJones]

20 hours ago, daveAustin said:

As much affection as I have for the place; regarding image, I’m afraid that horse bolted long ago. They’ve had a looong time to clean up their act and now is the time when Thailand NEEDS people. Tourism will never fully recover even if everything were completely open and there were no scams. 

The soldiers in charge don't need to bother about tourists and peoples unemployment, their salaries are not affected, they are more likely have increased through all their scams.

[superal]

20 hours ago, sandyf said:

Agoda is an American owned company and for a long time have handled a significant portion of the quarantine premises.

If the Thai government raised the quarantine from 7 days to 15 days do you believe that Agoda would only charge another 4 days rather than the additional 8 days?

That is what they did to me in reverse, I had to initiate a chargeback for the difference.

I digress slightly , I was in Bangkok 2 days ago , Agoda showed my selected hotel to have a restaurant , breakfast and bar .  After settling in my room I went down for some food and a beer . " Sorry sir " when I asked where is the restaurant and bar " no have " . Agoda advertises theses hotels with their facilities that they no longer provide and that really pxxxxd me off at 8 00 pm . I was told to take a 10 minute walk  to a 7--11 and made do with a burger and 2 cans of beer . 

So it really pays to call the hotel to check on their latest status , I was caught once and will not happen again . Emailed Agoda but same as previous emails , no reply . Also their hotel listed prices are never the same on the totalled final bill , always higher . 

[bougnat]

Il y a 19 heures, Sandyf a dit :

 

Lorsque j'ai demandé le COE, j'ai dû réserver pour réserver et payer une quarantaine de 15 jours conformément aux réglementations gouvernementales, ce que j'ai fait via Agoda.

Au moment où je suis arrivé en Thaïlande, la réglementation avait changé et je n'étais tenu de faire que 7 jours de quarantaine, mais Agoda n'était prêt à rembourser que 4 des 8 jours de différence.

Si la quarantaine avait augmenté plutôt que diminué, y aurait-il eu un supplément de 4 ou 8 jours ?

J'ai été victime d'une arnaque par une entreprise américaine, donc je serais certainement d'accord pour dire que l'arnaque n'est pas un trait thaïlandais.

How many countries have legalized the scam by the solemn declaration of a constitutional court with the sole and only argument that it benefits the country? ONLY ONE <Thailand.

[jdlhalliday]

What will happen to these deceitful scamming hotels ?  Will they be prosecuted and fined ? Will they lose their license ?   Of course not !!  Thais are allowed to rip off foreigners, the same as the Thai government with their airport taxes and dual pricing in national parks. I have lived in a small village for 5 years now ( and 10 years in other areas )  But I am still referred to as " The Farang "  never by my name.  ( What does the Farang eat ? Never a polite enquiry like Does your husband like Thai food? )