Easy Rider

[raro]

The Easy Rider opposite Tiffany's used to be one of my favourite hang-outs and was also run for a while by a fellow board member.

Went there again tonight with a friend of mine (and our wifes) to get some good life music and jamming with Puky's band.

We had a small bottle ("ben") of Saeng Som and since we had an overpriced one (250 Baht) in the restaurant where we had dinner before we asked for the price. 120 Baht that lady said. Good tariff we thought, ordered one and mixers. When presented the bill, the price increased to 420 Baht. Nope, no misunderstanding as we reconfirmed the price upon ordering two or three times.

We want to talk to the lady who took the order. She was busy playing pool and we had to wait for her pool game to finish. When she finallly comes she introduces herself as the owner (which she is rather not as I know the owner) an says at the same time that she just started working there she doesn't know the prices. Moreover, since the Saeng Som is not mentioned in the menu we have to pay whatever the bill says.

We ended up paying nothing as she slammed the money we offered back on the table and booted us out.

Sorry for Puky and his guys, but I won't be back there until that lady is gone somewhere else!

[basjke]

The Easy Rider opposite Tiffany's used to be one of my favourite hang-outs and was also run for a while by a fellow board member.

Went there again tonight with a friend of mine (and our wifes) to get some good life music and jamming with Puky's band.

We had a small bottle ("ben") of Saeng Som and since we had an overpriced one (250 Baht) in the restaurant where we had dinner before we asked for the price. 120 Baht that lady said. Good tariff we thought, ordered one and mixers. When presented the bill, the price increased to 420 Baht. Nope, no misunderstanding as we reconfirmed the price upon ordering two or three times.

We want to talk to the lady who took the order. She was busy playing pool and we had to wait for her pool game to finish. When she finallly comes she introduces herself as the owner (which she is rather not as I know the owner) an says at the same time that she just started working there she doesn't know the prices. Moreover, since the Saeng Som is not mentioned in the menu we have to pay whatever the bill says.

We ended up paying nothing as she slammed the money we offered back on the table and booted us out.

Sorry for Puky and his guys, but I won't be back there until that lady is gone somewhere else!

420 baht would be way overhead but 120 baht including mixer would be really cheap i.mo. as I think it sells around that price in Big C for a small bottle.Anyway I agree with your point to vote with your feet.

[tattoodrob]

sounds like another desperate bar trying a scam during this low season.

how many mixers did u have and how much did she say the bottle was if it wasnt 120 bt?

[pattayamike]

sounds like another desperate bar trying a scam during this low season.

how many mixers did u have and how much did she say the bottle was if it wasnt 120 bt?

How can a bar selling half bottle of booze, 14 measures approx, for Pds7 with a live band thrown in be a scam?

As a cost breakdown figure 120 baht for the Sang Som plus 30 baht for mixers and ice, leaves 270 baht gross to cover overhead etc..hardly a scam!

Edited October 6, 2008 by pattayamike

[raro]

The mixers were 30 Baht a bottle and not included in the Whiskey.

I agree that 120 Baht would be on the cheap side, that's why I asked twice to ensure that I did not misunderstand the price.

/edit: the staff (or Owner?) actually asked at the bar first before telling us the price.

Edited October 7, 2008 by raro

[JimmyTheMook]

We want to talk to the lady who took the order. She was busy playing pool and we had to wait for her pool game to finish. When she finallly comes she introduces herself as the owner (which she is rather not as I know the owner) an says at the same time that she just started working there she doesn't know the prices. Moreover, since the Saeng Som is not mentioned in the menu we have to pay whatever the bill says.

Isaan Trash

[Mobi]

420 Baht for the half bottle, plus 30 Baht per bottle for mixers is a bit pricey for that place - especially when she had previously told you the whisky would cost 120 Baht.

I suspect that this kind of thing will happen more frequently throughout Pattaya as the "Tourist recession" tightens it's icy and impecunious grip.

Desperate businesses will grasp at straws and try to stay alive by increasing prices and scamming farangs.

[pattayamike]

420 Baht for the half bottle, plus 30 Baht per bottle for mixers is a bit pricey for that place - especially when she had previously told you the whisky would cost 120 Baht.

I suspect that this kind of thing will happen more frequently throughout Pattaya as the "Tourist recession" tightens it's icy and impecunious grip.

Desperate businesses will grasp at straws and try to stay alive by increasing prices and scamming farangs.

If you read the OP it was 420 Baht for the rum, mixers and ice, that equates to 30 Baht per drink, not bad for a bar with a band!

[aussiechick]

It could have been the owners wife - she has been there for a while. The prices for the bottles were on the menu when I was there.

Another bar I frequent has a strange policy - order a vodka or saeng som with diet coke and you get charged extra - not given the can just added to the drink. Its Baht 95 for vodka and coke but Baht 120 with diet coke, saeng som is Baht 55 but Baht 70 with diet coke - go figure that one I can talk about these 2 drinks only but I am pretty sure it happens with them all.

[Mobi]

420 Baht for the half bottle, plus 30 Baht per bottle for mixers is a bit pricey for that place - especially when she had previously told you the whisky would cost 120 Baht.

I suspect that this kind of thing will happen more frequently throughout Pattaya as the "Tourist recession" tightens it's icy and impecunious grip.

Desperate businesses will grasp at straws and try to stay alive by increasing prices and scamming farangs.

If you read the OP it was 420 Baht for the rum, mixers and ice, that equates to 30 Baht per drink, not bad for a bar with a band!

Please show me where the OP says that?

He states:

"We had a small bottle ("ben") of Saeng Som and since we had an overpriced one (250 Baht) in the restaurant where we had dinner before we asked for the price. 120 Baht that lady said. Good tariff we thought, ordered one and mixers. When presented the bill, the price increased to 420 Baht. Nope, no misunderstanding as we reconfirmed the price upon ordering two or three times."

And further states:

"The mixers were 30 Baht a bottle and not included in the Whiskey."

Maybe Raro could clarify one more time?

[Mobi]

It could have been the owners wife - she has been there for a while. The prices for the bottles were on the menu when I was there.

Another bar I frequent has a strange policy - order a vodka or saeng som with diet coke and you get charged extra - not given the can just added to the drink. Its Baht 95 for vodka and coke but Baht 120 with diet coke, saeng som is Baht 55 but Baht 70 with diet coke - go figure that one I can talk about these 2 drinks only but I am pretty sure it happens with them all.

I suspect it is because they will top up your Sangsom Coke with a small amount of coke from one of those large, plastic "cola" bottles, which are probably not even real "Coca Cola". But if you want diet coke they have to provide you with a whole can, which is clearly more expensive.

I'm not trying to justify - just explain the thinking.

[aussiechick]

Mobi

You are not given the can of diet coke with your drink - the bar staff just fill your glass - and I can't understand why it is 25 baht extra with vodka and 15 baht extra with saeng som - same size glass.

[pluto_manibo]

The owners' wife is farang and she is a barrel of laughs. The owner is also a really mellow dude, friendly and courteous. I have been getting a lot of weird vibes from other places as well whilst hitting the nightime entertainment venues. I suppose everyone is getting antsy for "high" season.....which is unlikely to be a hit especially after what happened in Bangkok today, the devaluation of the Euro and the worldwide economic <deleted> up.

[Mobi]

Mobi

You are not given the can of diet coke with your drink - the bar staff just fill your glass - and I can't understand why it is 25 baht extra with vodka and 15 baht extra with saeng som - same size glass.

Sorry, my stupid mistake.

In that case there is no logical explanation other than TIT

[BSJ]

Sounds like Easy Goes at Easy Rider when it comes to working out the tab!

And they use no brand cola.....YUK! Even post mix in Mac Donalds tastes vaguely like real Coke.

[tattoodrob]

420 Baht for the half bottle, plus 30 Baht per bottle for mixers is a bit pricey for that place - especially when she had previously told you the whisky would cost 120 Baht.

I suspect that this kind of thing will happen more frequently throughout Pattaya as the "Tourist recession" tightens it's icy and impecunious grip.

Desperate businesses will grasp at straws and try to stay alive by increasing prices and scamming farangs.

If you read the OP it was 420 Baht for the rum, mixers and ice, that equates to 30 Baht per drink, not bad for a bar with a band!

if YOU read the op then she said 120 bt for the bottle and obviously charged a lot more .........thats the scam you dummy.

and if ice and 2/3 mixers were 300 bt on top of whiskey price then thats a scam,mixers cost them 10bt and ice is <deleted> all.

TO CLARIFY FURTHER FOR THOSE HARD OF UNDERSTANDING;

saengsom,2 mixers,ice in 7/11 = aprox 120 bt..........price in bar 420bt , mark up 350 percent = rip off(and scam when they lie about prices before you buy and thats the whole point of op thread)

[Gary A]

Wow, a live band and it ended up costing 105 baht per person. Hardly a rip off!

[Crow Boy]

I think some of you may be missing raro's point in his OP. The way I read it the issue is not the price of the sangsom but rather that he was told by a staff member it was 120baht but the bill showed 420baht. This leads to a feeling of being ripped off that far outweighs the actual cost.

CB

[Mobi]

Wow, a live band and it ended up costing 105 baht per person. Hardly a rip off!

Seems like it's not only the Belgium media who use dodgy calculators.

let's see now:

One bottle of rum: 420 Baht.

Unknown number of mixers - lets' say 3 for arguments sake 3 x 30 = 90 Baht.

Total bill in the region of 510 Baht.

Raro says he went there with a friend, so I think it is reasonable to assume there were two people.

510 divided by 2 comes to.. er... 255 Baht per head.

Anyway, I agree with Crowboy. It's not the amount, it's fact that he was lied to by the owner /owner's wife.

[plasticpig]

He was lied to.

Vote with your feet.

[Mossfinn]

It doesn't matter how much the price of a drink is, as long as you are told the price.

If you agree to, what some might think is an extortionate price, if you know it beforehand and agree to it, it is not a rip off.

As Mobi and CB have pointed out, it is the incorrect score being levied that is the problem. If Raro had agreed to the 420b beforehand, it would not have been a rip off, the problem was, he had agreed a wholly different pricen't, that is what he is aggrieved with and rightly so.

Moss

[pattayamike]

I'LL TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU IN PLAIN ENGLISH ADDED WITH A BIT OF COMMON SENSE. RARO'S ORIGINAL POST INTIMATED THEY WERE A PARTY OF FOUR (4) THEY HAD ALREADY OBJECTED TO PAYING 250BAHT FOR HALF BOTTLE OF SANSON IN A RESTAURANT! THEY GO TO A BAR, NOW IN THE WESTERN WOR5LD PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES, IN THAILAND EVEN RESIDAENTS LIKE RARO DON'T ALLOW FOR THAT BECAUSE EVEN THE MOST STUPID FARANG KNOWS THAT HALF BOTTLE OF SANG SOM RETAILS, RETAILS, RETAILS AT 120BAHT! BUT THAI STAFF ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES! BOTTOM LINE RARO AND THREE OTHERS GO TO A BAR WITH A VERY GOOD BAND AND OBJECT TO PAYING FIFTY UK PENCE A DRINK FOR THE PRIVELIGE BECAUSE THEY WERE LIED TO! NOT GIVEN MISTAKEN IMFORMATION BUT LIED TO! ANY FURTHER COMMENT WOULD BE SUPERFLUOUS! (Sic)

[Mossfinn]

In age old tradition, when someone doesn't understand (allegedly) step a little closer and say it LOUDER, it works every time.

Now, if she had made a mistake and had 'fessed up, I would hazard a guess that Raro, may well have potted the difference, but what I can remember and I am not going to go back and reread it, she slammed the money on the table, not the best customer service at best, at worst a poor business transaction, because the bar got nothing.

Good Luck

Moss

[aussiechick]

The owners' wife is farang and she is a barrel of laughs. The owner is also a really mellow dude, friendly and courteous. I have been getting a lot of weird vibes from other places as well whilst hitting the nightime entertainment venues. I suppose everyone is getting antsy for "high" season.....which is unlikely to be a hit especially after what happened in Bangkok today, the devaluation of the Euro and the worldwide economic <deleted> up.

If the owners wife is a farang better not tell his Thai wife

[raro]

What a slag fest I created

ok...back to the facts:

We were charged 250 Baht (without mixers) in a restaurant for a small bottle of Saeng Som and deemed it a bit high, maybe also in light that the restaurant (Green Tree) was not really good value for money - but that's another story.

Arriving at the Easy Rider we asked the staff how much the Saeng Som is. She says 120 Baht. I asked (in Thai) if this is correct, she goes to the bar, and comes back, confirming 120 Baht. All this conversation was in Thai.

When presented with the bill, the price rose to 420 Baht. Plus mixers and ice it was a total of 700 Baht.

The bill was presented by a different staff than the one that quoted the 120 Baht and we ask to clarify this. We have to wait until she (the staff who quoted the 120 Baht) finishes her pool game. The waiter who brings the bill says that she (the lady who quoted the 120 Baht and was playing pool now) is the owner.

When she comes to our table she says that she just started working there and does not know the prices. And if it's 420 on the bill we have to pay. We ask for the menu, the Saeng Som is not in. It actually looks like the menu has been remade after the Farang lady left a couple of months ago. We offered to pay 400 Baht and put the money in this checkbill thing. She takes it out, slams it on the table and said something like she doesn't want our money and we should never go there again etc..

Further facts: I was there with my wife, another farang friend and his girlfirend. My wife asked for the price in the first place and did the negotiations when the bill came. There was nothing lost in translation.

Further further facts: My farang friend and me are very good friends with the band, especially Puky, with whom we are jamming for many years. Also on that night we did some jamming and it was apparent that we did this not for the first time.

in conclusion and to say it again: It is not about the price, I am happy to pay 420 Baht for the bottle if they would have quoted that in the first place or just opted for a different beverage that I would have deemed better value for money. It is the price increase, followed by not taking the responsibilty for a mistake and finally an overreaction from that lady leaving two regulars less for a not-so well running establishment.

[raro]

I'LL TRY TO EXPLAIN THIS TO YOU IN PLAIN ENGLISH ADDED WITH A BIT OF COMMON SENSE. RARO'S ORIGINAL POST INTIMATED THEY WERE A PARTY OF FOUR (4)

that is correct

THEY HAD ALREADY OBJECTED TO PAYING 250BAHT FOR HALF BOTTLE OF SANSON IN A RESTAURANT!

that is not correct

THEY GO TO A BAR, NOW IN THE WESTERN WOR5LD PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES, IN THAILAND EVEN RESIDAENTS LIKE RARO DON'T ALLOW FOR THAT BECAUSE EVEN THE MOST STUPID FARANG KNOWS THAT HALF BOTTLE OF SANG SOM RETAILS, RETAILS, RETAILS AT 120BAHT!

I am missing the link between intelligence and an in-deep knowledge of liquor retail prices

BUT THAI STAFF ARE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE MISTAKES!

They are but in this case the mistake has been made by about three staff together (as she reconfirmed the price with the staff behind the bar) and our offered solution to pay what was quoted was rejected.

BOTTOM LINE RARO AND THREE OTHERS GO TO A BAR WITH A VERY GOOD BAND AND OBJECT TO PAYING FIFTY UK PENCE A DRINK FOR THE PRIVELIGE BECAUSE THEY WERE LIED TO! NOT GIVEN MISTAKEN IMFORMATION BUT LIED TO! ANY FURTHER COMMENT WOULD BE SUPERFLUOUS! (Sic)

We objected paying 300 Baht more than quoted.

[MrPlumbs]

Anyone know of a 'life' band venue where you don't get overcharged, lied to? was thinking of going for a wee Ben of Sang som

[raro]

Anyone know of a 'life' band venue where you don't get overcharged, lied to? was thinking of going for a wee Ben of Sang som

there are places in Soi 2 with live bands - namely Yuth Bar - that charge 70 Baht for a beer. No overcharging as far as I can see. Never had any problems with the Easy Rider and I go there for about 5 years, basically since they opened.

For the records on Saeng Som prices in town:

Just learned from Bert at Tropical Bert's that they charge 400 baht for the big bottle of Saeng Som including two mixers. They do not have to feed a live band, but the profit must cover the very efficient aircondition, an overpaid Farang Manager and the posh villa of the owner family....

[Thaifan2]

I like Easy rider bar .Great live music and reasonable prices for beer .Don't know how they survive though as the last few times that i have been there ,there was only a handful of customers .

[eefoo]

in conclusion and to say it again: It is not about the price, I am happy to pay 420 Baht for the bottle if they would have quoted that in the first place or just opted for a different beverage that I would have deemed better value for money. It is the price increase, followed by not taking the responsibilty for a mistake and finally an overreaction from that lady leaving two regulars less for a not-so well running establishment.

I wish I had ten Baht for every time that has happened to me there!