Help Tim Is Running Out Ive Been Scammed By Tour Op In Bangkok

[kisseskimbers]

Hi Everyone.

I am very new to this forum infact I am here today looking for any related stories and seeking advice on what has happened here in Bangkok.

I was hard sold a very expensive trip that promised the earth and delivered mud, I am so dissapointed, 2 hotels and 2 building sites later i calculated my round trip to cost 59450B and was charged 88250B for my trip, thats some Commission tip... 570GBP thats like 50'/. commission. Our transfers didnt show, we were situated in rooms directly next to building sites. I am so upset is there anything i can do to recover some of this commission?

The last leg of our trip had us return to the hotel where the tour operator was located. I said i no longer trusted the hotel and would like to cancel the two days spent there and would like the transfer money back and hotel fee. They wired 6600B to the hotel in PHI PHI to quiet me. i am not satisfied, as they have only given me back something which i am not using anyway. Not my overcharges.

There charges range from

10000B for flights which were 6000

29000 for hotel charges I find out cost 17000

just for example you see.

I also get the feeling they are in cahoots with the hotels they put me intouch with as each of the flyers they showed me for PHI PHI the banyah the PP something and anotherone All seem to be part of the same company, definatley a monopoly in PHI PHI.

Urrrrrrrrgh im so upset can anyone advise or help?

Many thanks for your time xxx

PS he managed this by booking us on a cancellation ticket for last available night train. Quick Pay and Leave a taxi is waiting to take you to station. sucker!!!

[mrtoad]

I am confused. Which Tour Op did you use?

Are they accredited? Which airlines did you use and what were the hotels?

That way, I'm sure you may get some answears from other posters.

I am going to guess that you are either new to Thailand or are on Holiday.

[kisseskimbers]

I am confused. Which Tour Op did you use?

AATOURIST SITUATED AT THE VIENGTAI HOTEL BANGKOK

Are they accredited? Which airlines did you use and what were the hotels?

I WOULD OF THOUGHT SO BEING SITUATED IN THE LOBBY AREA OF A FOUR STAR HOTEL.

THEY GOT US ON A FLIGHT FROM KRABI TO BANGKOK CHARGED US 5000 EACH FOUND TICKETS FOR 3000 ON NET AND ON THE DAY THEY HAD SEATS LEFT FOR 3195 EACH

OUR HOTELS WERE

VEINGTAI BANGKOK

RAILEY PRINCESS, RAILEY BEACH. KRABI

BANYAN VILLA IN PHI PHI

That way, I'm sure you may get some answears from other posters.

I am going to guess that you are either new to Thailand or are on Holiday.

I AM NEW BUT MY BOFRIEND ISNT, I HEARD IT WAS GOOD VALUE HOW WRONG CAN A PERSON BE???

HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF MY WORKED OUT COSTS

Taxi to Bangkok train station 250

Overnight train 695 1390

Taxi to bus station 250 250 Which we paidextra for

Bus/coach to krabi town 140 280

Taxi transfer 0000 didnt show up, our transfer took us to wron place!!!

LongBoat boat to railey 100 200

7 nights railey princess & gala dinner 27250

Told me if i could get a further discount on price.

Boat to Phi Phi 490 980

7 night stay at Ban Yan 17250

boat to krabi 400 800

taxi to airport 450 450

Flight to bangkok 3000 6000

taxi to bangkok 250

hotel Viengtai 1900 3800

taxi to airport 300 300

59450

THIS IS HIS BREAKDOWN OF COSTS

FOR THE HOTEL

-RAILAY PRINCESS ROOM 7 NIGHTS + X'MAS GALA DINNER = 30600 BAHT

-PHI PHI BAN YAN ROOM 7 NIGHTS = 26950

-VIENGTAI HOTEL = 5900

-TRANSFER FROM KRABI MAIN TOWN TO RAILAY BEACH + FROM RAILAY TO PHI PHI + FROM PHI PHI TO KRABI AIRPORT

=3000+3000=6000B

-FLIGHT TG = 5000+5000=10000

-TRAIN+BUS+BOAT=2400+2400=4800

-TRANSFER TO BKK AIRPORT=500

-TRANSFER TO RAILWAY STATION=250

I HOPE YOU ALL FIND ENOUGH INFORMATION HERE.

MANY THANKS TO ALL READERS AND POSTERS TO MY ANNOYING PROBLEM

KIM XXX

[Kerryd]

So, by my calculations of your calculations, you paid in the neighbourhood of 85,000 baht for all these hotels and flights, but estimate that it would have only cost 59,450 if you had of done it all yourself.

So the tour operator, making numerous reservations for flights, hotels, etc, for a 21+ day trip, made a profit of about 25,550 baht (506 GBP at the exchange rate a few minutes ago).

Not quite a 50% mark-up. Pretty hefty, but not as bad as some I've seen (see below).

You say this was a "hard-sell", so just on the spur of the moment, you agreed to plunk down about 1,670 GBP for this trip ? (It sounds from your first post that you pretty much paid for the package, walked out to a taxi and were on your way within minutes).

Quite frankly, I don't think you were scammed. The operator offered you a package for a price and you accepted it. Afterwards, you weren't happy with it, and found out that if you had made the arrangements yourself, you could have done it cheaper.

So you want the tour operator to what..............give up his profit and charge you what you would have paid if you had done all the arrangements ?

I used to use various online travel sights to book flights, until I realised how much of a scam many of them were. I'm pricing my next trip out right now in fact. I went to various sites, noted the schedules/prices and after checking out 5 different airlines, went to a couple of online places. I was more looking to see if there were other airlines flying that route that I may have missed.

Punched in my criteria for the trip, and almost burst out laughing. The one site was quoting me a price that was over $1,100 (US) more than the airline itself quoted me, for the exact same flight/class/time/date !

(Airline quoted $1,375, Expedia quotes $2,503, exact same flight. That's an 82% mark up over what the airline itself charges !!)

Unfortunately for you (the OP), I think you've just learned an expensive lesson.

What's that old Latin expression:

"Caveat Emptor" (Let the Buyer Beware).

It does pay to shop around.

If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Once burned, twice shy.

If you want a job done right, do it yourself.

(etc, etc)

[Briggsy]

This is not a scam. Of course the travel agent added a charge for putting together the package for you. It's a business not a charity. If you book directly with the airlines, hotels etc. of course you'll save money.

The Vieng Tai is famous for charging dumb tourists 'the full whack'. Looks like you fell for their inflated prices. More fool you. Usually they are trying to hustle the guests into booking an airport taxi through them for 800 Baht (last year's price; could be more now). If you walk outside and get one yourself from Ratchadamnoen, it's about 300 to the airport. But some people like you enjoy the convenience of having everything sorted for you by somebody else. The painful truth is you must pay for this service.

In summary, if you want to pay the cheapest price available, do all your research and then book everything yourself whilst comparing different quotes from different companies.

[mrtoad]

Have to agree with the other posters on this one.

[jimmybkk]

I agree too - they provided a service to save you the hassle of making the bookings yourselves, and charged you accordingly.

If they managed to get you a cancellation on the last train out of Bangkok (assuming that to be true), that saved you one night in a hotel and needs to be factored into your calculations.

How did you find out the "real" pricing of the various services. By calling the hotel or checking online after the event? That probably wouldn't have taken into account availability?

Not knowing Thailand you could have spent hours and hours making all of those individual bookings yourself, and no doubt would have encountered numerous headaches along the way. What is saving that time and avoiding those headaches worth to you?

Yes their service sounds expensive on the face of it, but at the end of the day if getting from A to B and arranging accomodation at cost price is important to you, then you should always do it yourself, and never, never employ the services of an agent. If having an easy and hassle free holiday counts more then use the agency, but be prepared to pay for it.

Personally I think your biggest mistake was going through the cost of everything afterwards and beating yourself up over paying a little over the top - this has probably spoiled your memories of what may have been a nice holiday.

[khundon]

Hi Everyone.

I am very new to this forum infact I am here today looking for any related stories and seeking advice on what has happened here in Bangkok.

I was hard sold a very expensive trip that promised the earth and delivered mud, I am so dissapointed, 2 hotels and 2 building sites later i calculated my round trip to cost 59450B and was charged 88250B for my trip, thats some Commission tip... 570GBP thats like 50'/. commission. Our transfers didnt show, we were situated in rooms directly next to building sites. I am so upset is there anything i can do to recover some of this commission?

The last leg of our trip had us return to the hotel where the tour operator was located. I said i no longer trusted the hotel and would like to cancel the two days spent there and would like the transfer money back and hotel fee. They wired 6600B to the hotel in PHI PHI to quiet me. i am not satisfied, as they have only given me back something which i am not using anyway. Not my overcharges.

There charges range from

10000B for flights which were 6000

29000 for hotel charges I find out cost 17000

just for example you see.

I also get the feeling they are in cahoots with the hotels they put me intouch with as each of the flyers they showed me for PHI PHI the banyah the PP something and anotherone All seem to be part of the same company, definatley a monopoly in PHI PHI.

Urrrrrrrrgh im so upset can anyone advise or help?

Many thanks for your time xxx

PS he managed this by booking us on a cancellation ticket for last available night train. Quick Pay and Leave a taxi is waiting to take you to station. sucker!!!

I am not surprised that they charged you a hefty fee, they are a business after all, albeit an expensive one.

I'm sure that next time you will do the leg work yourself, and smile when you see hw much you have saved.

Good luck

[citizen33]

In one sense people are right to say you bought a premium service at the price quoted. However, given the hourly rates for professional services in Thailand, I would say this agency took advantage of your lack of local knowledge and that this is indeed close to a rip off. There is no redress, but the person who said you need to do some research and shop around is correct. This story illustrates the fallacy of the mantra of 'you get what you pay for', repeated so often by some on here. The truth is that if you are willing to pay over the odds there are plenty of people waiting to take your money.

Edited January 4, 2009 by citizen33

[davyboy]

Hi Everyone.

I am very new to this forum infact I am here today looking for any related stories and seeking advice on what has happened here in Bangkok.

I was hard sold a very expensive trip that promised the earth and delivered mud, I am so dissapointed, 2 hotels and 2 building sites later i calculated my round trip to cost 59450B and was charged 88250B for my trip, thats some Commission tip... 570GBP thats like 50'/. commission. Our transfers didnt show, we were situated in rooms directly next to building sites. I am so upset is there anything i can do to recover some of this commission?

The last leg of our trip had us return to the hotel where the tour operator was located. I said i no longer trusted the hotel and would like to cancel the two days spent there and would like the transfer money back and hotel fee. They wired 6600B to the hotel in PHI PHI to quiet me. i am not satisfied, as they have only given me back something which i am not using anyway. Not my overcharges.

There charges range from

10000B for flights which were 6000

29000 for hotel charges I find out cost 17000

just for example you see.

I also get the feeling they are in cahoots with the hotels they put me intouch with as each of the flyers they showed me for PHI PHI the banyah the PP something and anotherone All seem to be part of the same company, definatley a monopoly in PHI PHI.

Urrrrrrrrgh im so upset can anyone advise or help?

Many thanks for your time xxx

PS he managed this by booking us on a cancellation ticket for last available night train. Quick Pay and Leave a taxi is waiting to take you to station. sucker!!!

You are not only new to this forum, you appear to be a bit green to travelling. Next time check it all out.

I don't think you have any comeback as you agreed to the bookings.

Learn from your mistakes.

[spongeman]

To be honest Ive been to Thailand ten times, including a 2 year stay there,and ive never heard of this.

Of course the agent will charge more. With more and more people using the net, they have to squeeze what they can out of what offline customers are left.

If you just accept the first price your given then you will get porked!

Even a small bit of research will tell you that Thais will quote a high price,but can be batted down. Just show them the cash!

[kisseskimbers]

Thank you all for your posts i feel a right dick now!

and not even a chunky lovely one, more like a cocktail sausage type.

I know I shouldnt have agreed to the price, and that i was green, i though it might be possible to get some of the money back as it was highly overpriced. and only took him a matter of minutes to sort out about 15 i didnt think it was worth his costs.

I wont ever do it again and will only go by my own bookings.

thank you all for your time

kim

x

[mrtoad]

Thank you all for your posts i feel a right dick now!

and not even a chunky lovely one, more like a cocktail sausage type.

I know I shouldnt have agreed to the price, and that i was green, i though it might be possible to get some of the money back as it was highly overpriced. and only took him a matter of minutes to sort out about 15 i didnt think it was worth his costs.

I wont ever do it again and will only go by my own bookings.

thank you all for your time

kim

x

Don't be put off from using agents, as some of them are very good. I use a company here in Bangkok, and they always give excellent service at highly competative costs, I'm just to lazy to do the footwork.

[Miserere]

Obviously in future don't let Tim run out.

[keestha]

Worse stuff happens, such as: tourist booking a 600 Baht transfer to Hua Hin at a Khao San Road travel agency, and then , after waiting quite a while,being brought by a minivan full up with other tourists to the busstation, and being given a ticket for the 120 Baht public bus.

[gawaterman]

Let the buyer beware.When I was stranded in Hong Kong in early December due to the airport closure I went to the desk of the hotel I was staying at and asked if there were any travel agents nearby so I could book a flight for 3 of us to Phnom Phen.They told me the Concierge could do it for me. At first he had never heard of Phnom Phen (think he thought it was in China somewhere) Then he quoted me a price of about $3300 Aud.Thought that was a bit steep, so on the advise of an American guy in the line, logged onto Travelocity and booked the fares on-line for $1300, a difference of $2000Aud. 1/2 hr later got a call from Cathay saying I was on a flight next day to U-Tapao so cancelling those PH tickets cost me $280, but better than $2000

[H2oDunc]

Am I missing something here or what ? You worked out how much it should have cost ? then paid a higher price ? Why ? If you can figure how much it should have cost why did you use an expensive tour operator ? I don't think this is a scam just a tour operator taking a tourist for a good profit as they all will. Next time I would recommend you do not take the first price you are given but get several prices and haggle down a litle more on the cheapest offer.

More of a sucker than a scam. SORRY

[ozfarang81]

Yeah, seems like you are more than capable of booking this entire trip yourself since you managed to find the prices all ok. Never booked a flight or hotel online before??

I personally find it more satisfying to book everything I want myself online and construct my own itinerary!

and i agree, no scam here

[Martian]

Obviously in future don't let Tim run out.

Lol....I was thinking the same thing.......should blame it on Tim!

Regards

[Martian]

Am I missing something here or what ? You worked out how much it should have cost ? then paid a higher price ? Why ? If you can figure how much it should have cost why did you use an expensive tour operator ? I don't think this is a scam just a tour operator taking a tourist for a good profit as they all will. Next time I would recommend you do not take the first price you are given but get several prices and haggle down a litle more on the cheapest offer.

More of a sucker than a scam. SORRY

Yes, I think you are missing something......you have it backwards. The poster booked the trip, went on the trip and then decided to add up the costs as if doing the arrangements themselves...then finding the cost differential.

Regards