Hitting a bum note

By The Nation

Published on October 22, 2009

Karaoke fans complain of extortion after being slapped with huge bills at Bangkok bar

Bangkok karaoke-bar fans who enjoy late-night crooning better make sure they go armed with at least Bt30,000. Otherwise they face extortion threats and loss of their mobile phones.

If that doesn't sound too scary, or you think that inflated bills

can always be negotiated, think again. Two customers of a karaoke pub near Phong Phet intersection in north Bangkok have filed a police complaint after they were held at the premises until they agreed to cough up at least Bt15,000 of a Bt30,000 tab.

Roughed up by staff

Atthaphan Jaithiang and girlfriend Areerwan Satham told Prachachuen police they were surrounded by five staff members and prevented from leaving even though they agreed to pay half the huge bill. Atthapan reports that staff snatched his mobile phone then his girlfriend's after they tried to contact their friends for help. They described how bar staff then threatened to frisk them for the money. When Atthaphan agreed to withdraw money from his bank account, the staff refused to let him find an ATM machine on his own, and took his card off him to withdraw the money themselves.

Atthaphan said he thought the Bt7,000 he took into bar would be more than enough to pay for a few hours of karaoke.

Police are investigating a separate complaint of overcharging by two customers of the same karaoke bar, who say they were presented with a Bt16,000 bill that included a Bt200 charge for four cold towels. They paid Bt8,000 and were forced to leave to their mobile phones as a guarantee for the remainder.

Prachachuen police say they are gathering evidence to determine whether charges of robbery, extortion and restraint of freedom could be filed against the bar's staff. They have also contacted the Office of Consumer Protection and the Commerce Ministry's Department of Internal Trade, who are looking into the matter.

How much?!

Bt2,250 for 45 bottles of mixer

Bt800 for food

Bt4,400 per hour for two hostesses

Bt2,000 per hour for unrequested hostess

Bt200 for four cold towels

Bt400 for four dishes of sweets

-- The Nation 2009/10/22

They must have been really bad singers.

And punters complain about bar fines.....

UPDATE

KARAOKE BLUE

Karaoke bar manager charged of extortion

By The Nation

Police charged on Thursday a karaoke bar manager of extortion after his customers were overcharged.

Apichet Taweelarb, 34, manager of Melody Karaoke Bar near Pongphet Intersection, was also charged of running the bar without a permit.

Atthaphan Jaithiang and girlfriend Areewan Satham filed a police complaint on Wednesday that they were overcharged of the food and services at the bar.

The bill they showed to police said that they had to pay Bt2,250 for 45 bottles of mixer, Bt4,400 per hour for two hostesses and Bt400 for four dishes of sweets.

They told police that they were surrounded by five staff of the bar and prevented from leaving even though they agreed to pay half the huge bill.

The staff allegedly snatched his mobile phone then his girlfriend's after they tried to contact their friends for help. They described how bar staff then threatened to frisk them for the money.

Police issued the charge after questioning three staffs of the karaoke bar. They admitted that they surrounded Atthaphan and Areewan but denied that they did not extort them.

-- The Nation 2009/10/22

How much?!

Bt2,250 for 45 bottles of mixer

Bt800 for food

Bt4,400 per hour for two hostesses

Bt2,000 per hour for unrequested hostess

Bt200 for four cold towels

Bt400 for four dishes of sweets

Plus 150 baht ATM fee?

45 bottles of mixers. How long were they there for?

Cheers, Rick

How much?!

Bt2,250 for 45 bottles of mixer

Bt800 for food

Bt4,400 per hour for two hostesses

Bt2,000 per hour for unrequested hostess

Bt200 for four cold towels

Bt400 for four dishes of sweets

Plus 150 baht ATM fee?

Really?

For Thai people using a Thai ATM in Thailand?

Surely not so.

Edited October 22, 200916 yr by billd766

They admitted that they surrounded Atthaphan and Areewan but denied that they did not extort them.

So they admitted it then?

Cheers, Rick

How much?!

Bt2,250 for 45 bottles of mixer

Bt800 for food

Bt4,400 per hour for two hostesses

Bt2,000 per hour for unrequested hostess

Bt200 for four cold towels

Bt400 for four dishes of sweets

Plus 150 baht ATM fee?

Really?

For Thai people using a Thai ATM in Thailand?

Surely not so.

Ah, of course, how could I forget.

They would have a Thai account, as I do, and so the charge would not apply to them.

45 bottles of mixers. How long were they there for?

Cheers, Rick

2 customers + 3 hostesses = 5; 45/5 = average 9 mixer/person. 20 minutes/mixer = 3 mixer/hr so about 3 hours I guess.

Not sure if that would tally with the hostess price /hour

45 bottles of mixers. How long were they there for?

Cheers, Rick

2 customers + 3 hostesses = 5; 45/5 = average 9 mixer/person. 20 minutes/mixer = 3 mixer/hr so about 3 hours I guess.

Not sure if that would tally with the hostess price /hour

They musy have hired the hostess with the mostess...................

have heard this type of story before,places to stay away from if you dont want to be fleeced,nice to know its not only farangs that get done over money wise,no racism in robbery.give me a bar fine anyday.

outrageous! did they get the money refunded back to them? if they wud of seen my phone they wudnt of even took it, its the size of a brick yet heavier (due to huge number of phones either stolen or lost wen drunk) decided to buy worst phone on planet earth

outrageous! did they get the money refunded back to them? if they wud of seen my phone they wudnt of even took it, its the size of a brick yet heavier (due to huge number of phones either stolen or lost wen drunk) decided to buy worst phone on planet earth

amm wit hyou but thais love expensive cell phones.I settled for a cheapie too,1000 baht,does the job!