Thai Railway Ripoff - Butterworth To Had Yai

[ib9]

Hi,

Going from Had Yai to Butterworth cost me about 220 baht on the 2pm train, about 2 weeks ago.

Took the train from Butterworth to Had Yai 2 days ago. The ticket office at the Malaysia side said they could only sell me a ticket to Pedang Basar (the border stop) and I would have to buy my ticket to Had Yai once I'd gone through immigration. The ticket to Pedang Basar cost 11.5 ringit (115 baht).

At the border I went to buy my ticket for the rest of the journey. I was quoted 272 baht. Total ripoff. I told them I had no money and needed to go to an ATM to get it and they decided I could just get on the train for the last 30 mins anyway. Bought a ticket to Chumphon today for 292. It's 8 hours.

Just thought I'd post this incase anyone else assumes that the cost there will be similar to the way back. It's not, and it's (another) farang ripoff. After shelling out for the long visa due to the new 14 day thing, and the loveliness I encoutered in Malaysia vs the attitude I've got on this visit to Thailand, I'm not entirely sure why I bothered coming back in! What is going on? It used to be the best and easiest place in the world to visit.

Btw, I'm aware there are different trains/seats/classes etc. This made no difference to the price, as it's been printed out and stuck on the wall behind the ticket desk.

ib

[Nignoy]

Hi,

Going from Had Yai to Butterworth cost me about 220 baht on the 2pm train, about 2 weeks ago.

Took the train from Butterworth to Had Yai 2 days ago. The ticket office at the Malaysia side said they could only sell me a ticket to Pedang Basar (the border stop) and I would have to buy my ticket to Had Yai once I'd gone through immigration. The ticket to Pedang Basar cost 11.5 ringit (115 baht).

At the border I went to buy my ticket for the rest of the journey. I was quoted 272 baht. Total ripoff. I told them I had no money and needed to go to an ATM to get it and they decided I could just get on the train for the last 30 mins anyway. Bought a ticket to Chumphon today for 292. It's 8 hours.

Just thought I'd post this incase anyone else assumes that the cost there will be similar to the way back. It's not, and it's (another) farang ripoff. After shelling out for the long visa due to the new 14 day thing, and the loveliness I encoutered in Malaysia vs the attitude I've got on this visit to Thailand, I'm not entirely sure why I bothered coming back in! What is going on? It used to be the best and easiest place in the world to visit.

Btw, I'm aware there are different trains/seats/classes etc. This made no difference to the price, as it's been printed out and stuck on the wall behind the ticket desk.

ib

Why mess about with the train then!! a taxi from butterworth to hatyai is cheaper than the first class got a taxi rail ticket, our train was cancelled we got a taxi , nice run and enough left over for a feed of kentucky duck in Hat yai, mrs nignoy and I both disabled pensioners!conveniently not speaking malay or thai , till we arrived in Hatyai and the look onthe taxi drivers face when my wife thanked him for his good driving and the nice way he treated us in malay and the nice tip she gave him, it is not always lets rip off a farang day

[H2oDunc]

GEEZ the theiving swines Hey thanks for the heads up on that one Man a whole 272 baht. How did you manage to control yourself. Did you have to phone mummy back home and get her to wire some money to you. Not a rip per sa just a penny pinching farang on an over tight budget. Just my opinion though you understand I have always found the railways to be excellent value for money.

[londonthai]

it wasn't a private taxi, but a regularly sheduled mini bus - even if you were the only passengers you pay the same fare as if the bus was full. Often on it's way the driver picks up some other passengers and the way back from hat yai he got's more people.

drivers would as well do some small scale smugling to complement their income, it might be just shopping (food, oil)

[misterman21]

Hi,

Going from Had Yai to Butterworth cost me about 220 baht on the 2pm train, about 2 weeks ago.

Took the train from Butterworth to Had Yai 2 days ago. The ticket office at the Malaysia side said they could only sell me a ticket to Pedang Basar (the border stop) and I would have to buy my ticket to Had Yai once I'd gone through immigration. The ticket to Pedang Basar cost 11.5 ringit (115 baht).

At the border I went to buy my ticket for the rest of the journey. I was quoted 272 baht. Total ripoff. I told them I had no money and needed to go to an ATM to get it and they decided I could just get on the train for the last 30 mins anyway. Bought a ticket to Chumphon today for 292. It's 8 hours.

Just thought I'd post this incase anyone else assumes that the cost there will be similar to the way back. It's not, and it's (another) farang ripoff. After shelling out for the long visa due to the new 14 day thing, and the loveliness I encoutered in Malaysia vs the attitude I've got on this visit to Thailand, I'm not entirely sure why I bothered coming back in! What is going on? It used to be the best and easiest place in the world to visit.

Btw, I'm aware there are different trains/seats/classes etc. This made no difference to the price, as it's been printed out and stuck on the wall behind the ticket desk.

ib

Sound like a bit of a cheap skate. Try taking the train from Manchester to London could be 100 pounds for the guy in front of you in the que and 140 pounds for you. If your so concerned about a few measly baht best stay at home.

[geriatrickid]

What can one say...................

[PeaceBlondie]

I rode the train from Hua Hin to Butterworth and returned, in 2005. My only problems were that I thought checked baggage was for on the train, there were Thai katoeys at the Soho pub in Penang, and the Thai food (cashew, mushroom, chicken) was very spicy. Oh, and an overly loud, ignorant American on the train. No ripoffs.

Great country, if you like very spicy food. Railway service is better than Greyhound or Amtrak.

[ib9]

GEEZ the theiving swines Hey thanks for the heads up on that one Man a whole 272 baht. How did you manage to control yourself. Did you have to phone mummy back home and get her to wire some money to you. Not a rip per sa just a penny pinching farang on an over tight budget. Just my opinion though you understand I have always found the railways to be excellent value for money.

Sound like a bit of a cheap skate. Try taking the train from Manchester to London could be 100 pounds for the guy in front of you in the que and 140 pounds for you. If your so concerned about a few measly baht best stay at home.

And I suppose you both pay UK prices for everything in Thailand? Or UK prices when in the States, or Oz...? Nah, didn't think so. The fact is it's a ripoff because

a: it's not _fair_

b: it's a lot more than it _should_ be

They can charge what they like, but that doesn't stop it being a ripoff any more than anything in the UK would be a ripoff if it also had these attributes. The logic is independent of the price of the object in question, but relies on the price of the object _relative_ to that of similar services _in the area_. Therefore, comparing it to the UK is, um, well... plain stupid. (Especially a hypothetical journey from London to Manchester that you can do for a lot less than 100 quid and has fixed-price blocks of tickets)

If you can't differentiate your lack of competence in logic and the ability to voice a hypocritical opinion with a strong salting of strawman then I would suggest you keep it to yourself. Or tell it to _your_ mum, she obviously is the one at fault for raising you to be an idiot.

Thanks.

[ThaiEye]

Oh, what a scam! Should report this matter to the Tourist Police immediately.

Cheating you out of all that money - terrible.

In the meantime to go back to Farangland and see the prices there, seems you havent been there for a few decades.

[misterman21]

GEEZ the theiving swines Hey thanks for the heads up on that one Man a whole 272 baht. How did you manage to control yourself. Did you have to phone mummy back home and get her to wire some money to you. Not a rip per sa just a penny pinching farang on an over tight budget. Just my opinion though you understand I have always found the railways to be excellent value for money.

Sound like a bit of a cheap skate. Try taking the train from Manchester to London could be 100 pounds for the guy in front of you in the que and 140 pounds for you. If your so concerned about a few measly baht best stay at home.

And I suppose you both pay UK prices for everything in Thailand? Or UK prices when in the States, or Oz...? Nah, didn't think so. The fact is it's a ripoff because

a: it's not _fair_

b: it's a lot more than it _should_ be

They can charge what they like, but that doesn't stop it being a ripoff any more than anything in the UK would be a ripoff if it also had these attributes. The logic is independent of the price of the object in question, but relies on the price of the object _relative_ to that of similar services _in the area_. Therefore, comparing it to the UK is, um, well... plain stupid. (Especially a hypothetical journey from London to Manchester that you can do for a lot less than 100 quid and has fixed-price blocks of tickets)

If you can't differentiate your lack of competence in logic and the ability to voice a hypocritical opinion with a strong salting of strawman then I would suggest you keep it to yourself. Or tell it to _your_ mum, she obviously is the one at fault for raising you to be an idiot.

Thanks.

Boo hoo - its not fair I may be an idiot in your estimation, but your certainly the cheapest of charlies.

Many people tip more for breakfast