Cineplex

[twix38]

Visiting the Major Cineplex at the Avenue to see Race to Witch Mountain the price was 120 Baht per ticket.

Next day we went back to see Milk. Ticket price was 130 Baht each

Today (2 days later) went to see X-men and price was 140 Baht each

Apart from overdosing at the Cinema recently, I am slightly amazed at the reasons given for the price increase.

Milk was an extra 10 Baht per ticket because the film won an Oscar!

The X-men because it is an expensive high cost of production film!! I was referred to a sign next to the cashier.

This is only a policy at Cineplex. Costs of these films at Big C and Central does not increase for any reason they can come up with as an excuse to hike the price.

There's no mention at Cineplex of an opportunist chargeing structure as the price board states 120 Baht every day.

It completely fails to mention that if they can come up with a reason they will increase the price, though it certainly has no impact on their costs whatsoever and none of the other cinemas are doing it or should do.

I wonder what the next opportunist price increase will be for? Perhaps film has top Hollywood actor or award winning musical score!!!!

I think customers should boycott and/or complain and ask why they are doing it if no other cinema is and mention that it's rather distastefull!

Edited April 29, 2009 by twix38

[JohnC]

Just been tonight and also got caught with new car parking charges! even with stamped ticket it was 40 baht instead of the usual 20 baht, new rules said the girl. hmm given the pricing structure for the movies looks like the new central mall might have a new customer

[longball53098]

I think this is a signal that the Avenue is struggling to stay afloat and is looking to increase revenue in sorted ways. Business is slow as we all know

[Mobi]

Just following the usual Thai business practice of increasing prices when business is bad.

In another country the answer might be to erect a huge banner in front of the Avenue announcing free parking and special offer for half price cinema tickets. But it just doesn't seem to occur to most of them them.

My wife had a small hair dressing business in a row of arcade shops where they were all bleeding to death due to fall in tourist numbers. She put up a banner announcing special promotion prices, and the shop was flooded with customers from dawn till dusk. None of the other shops had the good sense to do something similar, so they continued to lose money, didn't pay their rent or utility bills and the owner of the whole row of shops shut them all down, including my wife's shop, by shutting off the electricity and water.

Then you get many outlying beer bars charging 150 Baht for a lady's drink and even as much as 230 Baht for a fake Tequila to unsuspecting punters. Of course very few customers are biting - and then only once.

Some of the smart ones will survive, the rest will go to the wall, including, I suspect , The Avenue.

Edited April 30, 2009 by Mobi

[PattayaParent]

Just been tonight and also got caught with new car parking charges! even with stamped ticket it was 40 baht instead of the usual 20 baht, new rules said the girl. hmm given the pricing structure for the movies looks like the new central mall might have a new customer

Parking used to be free with a stamp on the ticket!

[Pattaya Diver]

Twix -- Did you sit in the same section? Front is 120, back is 140. (Sofas 500 for 2).

You're incorrect about Big C, etc. Special promotional runs, such as Oscar campaigns or "previews" such as the movie showing once or twice a day before general release, have always cost more at all area cinemas.

Big C and Central also charge different rates based the day of the week.

Funny complaining about 10 baht here and there tho...

[Lost in LOS]

Twix -- Did you sit in the same section? Front is 120, back is 140. (Sofas 500 for 2).

You're incorrect about Big C, etc. Special promotional runs, such as Oscar campaigns or "previews" such as the movie showing once or twice a day before general release, have always cost more at all area cinemas.

Big C and Central also charge different rates based the day of the week.

Funny complaining about 10 baht here and there tho...

they have been doing this for over a month now. and yes, add 10 baht or 20 baht is outrageous. not the money but the reason, all the movies cost them the same price and they are trying to stick it to the people. big c does not do this for a regular showing, good way to get rid of the few people, including me, that still go there

[Woofer]

At big C movies they charge 120 baht, but from Monday to Wednesday it is 100 except public holidays.

[twix38]

Pattaya Diver

We booked exactly the same 120 Baht seats every time in the same area. Absolutely!

Actually for X-men we had had enough of any old reason to up the price and I asked for a refund. We then went to Big C, where the price was the normal 120 Baht and not 140 Baht per ticket for the exact same film.

It's the opportunist reason behind the increases that I dislike intensely, rather than the actual amount and clearly the reason they gave was bogus, as Big C was the normal 120 Baht.

Previews can cost more and are usually pre-advertised and as a special showing is acceptable.

At Cineplex it is clearly any excuse to lift the price that other Cinemas do not operate and it should not be done imho.

It's also self defeating. If just a few customers get fed up of the repeated attitude to screw more when there are several Cinemas operating in Pattaya that do not, customers will avoid the Cineplex. They will need to cover the whole price of each lost customer by their opportunist increases.

I find it objectionable when it's proven not to occur for the same movies or for the same reasons elsewhere.

btw, exactly right Lost in LOS. When people consistently try to take the piss, it's time to at least stop paying them to do it!

Twix -- Did you sit in the same section? Front is 120, back is 140. (Sofas 500 for 2).

You're incorrect about Big C, etc. Special promotional runs, such as Oscar campaigns or "previews" such as the movie showing once or twice a day before general release, have always cost more at all area cinemas.

Big C and Central also charge different rates based the day of the week.

Funny complaining about 10 baht here and there tho...

Edited April 30, 2009 by twix38

[Lost in LOS]

my girlfriend wanted to see the xman movie at major [the avenue]. 140 baht each but......................... i gave my id to show i was over 60 [unfortunately, it finally pays off ] and she showed her college id and tickets were 80 baht each for us.

dont know how long this will last but they finally did something good for us

[twix38]

That's good.

I just need to wait until I'm of retirement age.

Meantime i'll pay the excess prices or more likely avoid being ripped off for spurious reasons not applicable at other Cinemas.

Good for you though.

[tropo]

That's good.

I just need to wait until I'm of retirement age.

Meantime i'll pay the excess prices or more likely avoid being ripped off for spurious reasons not applicable at other Cinemas.

Good for you though.

You're wasting your time trying to take a moral stand by boycotting Cineplex. Nobody will hear you and no one will notice your absence.

It's kind of embarrassing that Farang will complain so much about 10 baht here and 20 baht there when the Thai customers won't.

I'll go to the most convenient cinema irrespective of an additional 20 baht, and for me the best and most convenient is Major Cineplex. I don't like crowds when I'm watching movies anyway.

Enjoy your boycott.

[twix38]

Actually, I paid and bought the tickets for X-men which were 20 Baht a ticket more expensive.

It was my Thai wife who said why extra and then okay, we go to Big C instead. So I got a refund.

I wasn't originally that bothered, even though it was the second unnecessary price rise in as many days, as explained.

My Thia wife thought it completely opportunistic and when Big C etc are not doing it, I can't help but agree.

I'll still go to Cineplex if it's the best choice/most convenient, but at the same time i'd like to advise people that if a few of us asked why they are doing it and other Cinemas are not and if on principle others told them that it was a poor practice, then perhaps they would stop.

On principle then I have to admit, it's a clear rip off and I also dislike it when one operator chooses a deliberate policy to increase fees at any opportunity - clearly when they are the only outlet doing it for these reasons!

It may even be a small part of the reason that it is quieter at Cineplex, as others are beginning to notice this is not the exception, but a management policy. A family of 4 going to see X-men could have taken a retired elder relative for free with the amount of the excess being charged.

That's good.

I just need to wait until I'm of retirement age.

Meantime i'll pay the excess prices or more likely avoid being ripped off for spurious reasons not applicable at other Cinemas.

Good for you though.

You're wasting your time trying to take a moral stand by boycotting Cineplex. Nobody will hear you and no one will notice your absence.

It's kind of embarrassing that Farang will complain so much about 10 baht here and 20 baht there when the Thai customers won't.

I'll go to the most convenient cinema irrespective of an additional 20 baht, and for me the best and most convenient is Major Cineplex. I don't like crowds when I'm watching movies anyway.

Enjoy your boycott.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for the report of this. It occurs to me that a surcharge for Milk is probably farang price inspired. It is quality film with no action figures or ghosts, meaning it has little interest for most Thai moviegoers, thus special price for farangs. Milk was only playing there, so no choice. I told some friends in the US about this policy and they had a good laugh. What new excuse will they come up with next?

Edited May 3, 2009 by Jingthing