By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Phuket – Tourists have reportedly complained over food prices at a local famous ancient restaurant in Phuket Town, however, the owner has also responded and stated that due to rising prices of ingredients and large portions the amount is reasonable.

 

The story came to light after a Thai tourist posted in a Phuket tourism review Facebook group last week. The person stated, “No prices were on the menu. Most dishes were seafood which is normally expensive but we did not expect this expensive.”

 

The customer did not evidently ask the price in advance and just ordered.

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/08/09/tourists-complain-over-food-prices-at-local-phuket-famous-ancient-restaurant/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-08-09

 

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These news reports don't get any better. Now we have a 40 year old restaurant being called "ancient" ????

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

The customer did not evidently ask the price in advance and just ordered.

The first and biggest mistake ,no prices on the menu ........I'll take one of each ...????

regards worgeordie

The restaurant should be required by law to show all menu prices.

2 minutes ago, simon43 said:

The restaurant should be required by law to show all menu prices.

Whilst that would be good, you still can't beat sheer common sense in asking for the prices before ordering.

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

The restaurant should be required by law to show all menu prices.

Or maybe the diner display little prudence and walk if he doesn't know what he is going to be charged.

 

This seems to be happening more often across tourist areas.  It is a common scam in Istanbul, Turkey.  Just read article this am of occurrence in Athens, Greece.  And now in Phuket.

 

Tourists beware.  

Average 900B-ish a dish? 

No surprise really. I have always found Phuket to be more expensive even than Bangkok, with no real justification for it.  In my view, the island has an over blown reputation as a tourist destination, I find it  to be scam central,  with a largely unfriendly population and yes, expensive. . I have no plans to return there , ever.  

Phuket....a place a lot of tourists visit....but only once.????????

After two lean years with no business  all tourists  should be prepared to pay a little more to support small businesses

26 minutes ago, Excel said:

Whilst that would be good, you still can't beat sheer common sense in asking for the prices before ordering.

Although as the prices are not in print, scammers could still scam ("I gave the price for a 1 lb. fish, you picked out a larger fish").

 

After reading of this and similar incidents, if I am  in a restaurant and am handed a menu with no prices, I will walk.

Just now, JimmyJ said:

Although as the prices are not in print, scammers could still scam ("I gave the price for a 1 lb. fish, you picked out a larger fish").

Didn't realise you could buy  1 lb of fish in Phuket. All the years I have been here it is Kg or grms all over Thailand.  Is then selling 1 lb of fish for which 100% of customers will be assuming the price is per Kg, the scam then ?

45 minutes ago, Excel said:

These news reports don't get any better. Now we have a 40 year old restaurant being called "ancient" ????

And Thai tourists being charged "farang" prices...

38 minutes ago, simon43 said:

The restaurant should be required by law to show all menu prices.

First rule in Thailand, esp. at restaurants, don't buy anything where the price isn't clearly shown.

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

After two lean years with no business  all tourists  should be prepared to pay a little more to support small businesses

No excuse for being scammed and misled. 

2 hours ago, Excel said:

Didn't realise you could buy  1 lb of fish in Phuket. All the years I have been here it is Kg or grms all over Thailand.  Is then selling 1 lb of fish for which 100% of customers will be assuming the price is per Kg, the scam then ?

They don't understand lbs.

Just now, Doctor Tom said:

No excuse for being scammed and misled. 

I agree. It only happens to fools and losers.

4 hours ago, Excel said:

These news reports don't get any better. Now we have a 40 year old restaurant being called "ancient" ????

Maybe they were referring to the owner in the photo.

4 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

No surprise really. I have always found Phuket to be more expensive even than Bangkok, with no real justification for it.  In my view, the island has an over blown reputation as a tourist destination, I find it  to be scam central,  with a largely unfriendly population and yes, expensive. . I have no plans to return there , ever.  

Whenever any of my misguided friends say they are going to visit Thailand I always tell them to avoid Phuket. Scam Central indeed.

The owner said that he advised the group that the dishes would be expensive and that they insisted on ordering... at this point did it not occur to either party to talk numbers or at least get a rough idea of prices? Have to say... sounds very odd!

4 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

After two lean years with no business  all tourists  should be prepared to pay a little more to support small businesses

I'm guessing this is written slightly tongue-in-cheek? (Is it keyboard-in-cheek then?)
If the prices were a little bit on the high side before (yes, they were, often exorbitantly so), maybe the last two years could have brought some catharsis to the businesses in Phuket, maybe some weeding out of the less serious business operators would have occurred? And the price level should actually have been adjusted downwards to reflect the need for new and repeat customers. I know we always joke about how Thai businesses put prices up when profits go down. And it is very much not a joke in Phuket - or in other parts of Thailand. It's a reality. And I don't think it can go on. They're pricing themselves right out of existence. 

When there are no prices on the menu you just know it's going to be insane. Walk away. 

7 minutes ago, greenmonkey said:

The owner said that he advised the group that the dishes would be expensive and that they insisted on ordering... at this point did it not occur to either party to talk numbers or at least get a rough idea of prices? Have to say... sounds very odd!

"Expensive dishes" means for many Thais '100 baht'...

18 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Whenever any of my misguided friends say they are going to visit Thailand I always tell them to avoid Phuket. Scam Central indeed.

I don't tell people to avoid the place entirely. I just point out that there are other, nicer, cheaper, more welcoming places in Thailand. 

The owner was fined 1000 baht for not showing the prices:

https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/08/09/update-phuket-restaurant-owner-fined-1000-baht-for-not-clearly-showing-food-prices/

 

I find it odd when the fine is so much lower than the profit that was made. 

5 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

No surprise really. I have always found Phuket to be more expensive even than Bangkok, with no real justification for it.  In my view, the island has an over blown reputation as a tourist destination, I find it  to be scam central,  with a largely unfriendly population and yes, expensive. . I have no plans to return there , ever.  

Thing they have some god (or Buddha)  given right to charge what the like ...

Guess the work on the principle ' they won't be back' so let's max on the prices !!

31 minutes ago, androokery said:

I don't tell people to avoid the place entirely. I just point out that there are other, nicer, cheaper, more welcoming places in Thailand. 

I tell them, give Thailand a miss ... Having recently been to Turkey it was significantly more fun, with great bars and restaurants .. 

But if they are coming to the girly bars then that overrides everything !!!

5 hours ago, Excel said:

Whilst that would be good, you still can't beat sheer common sense in asking for the prices before ordering.

Well, common sense dictates that food in Thailand is not expensive...

8 hours ago, simon43 said:

The restaurant should be required by law to show all menu prices.

There is a law requiring the prices to be clearly shown.

8 hours ago, simon43 said:

The restaurant should be required by law to show all menu prices.

or people shouldnt just order. no prices no business