Abuse Of Phuket Tourists: 'Bar Mafia’ Crackdown Looms

[wump]

Went to Roxy A-GoGo the other day and expected to pay 130 baht for a beer same as last year. But I requested the drinks menu nevertheless. 500 for a beer and 800 for an OJ? I laughed and asked for the real menu. She wouldn't bring it. So we just left, luckily we didn't get hassled no more.

A couple of days later, one of the promoter guys on the street comes and stops me "come A-gogo A-gogo". I asked "which one?". He said "Roxy's". So I said no, I don't wanna pay 500 for a beer. He said "okok 400". I said no. He goes on "ok 300". What kind of business is this?

Also, while the nice and honest gogo bars (Rock-Hard A-Gogo, Suzie Wong's 3 A-Gogos in Soi SeaDragon) had next to no customers, Roxy's was absolutely packed and it was hard to get a seat (mind u it's a rather huge A-Gogo). I just don't understand people?

You were almost certainly followed into Roxy by a tout. The tout demands a commission from the bar which you pay for, hence the 500 baht beers.

It's a well known scam in Patong.

I didn't know Roxy were using the touts. Suzy Wong group a-gogos don't allow them, so you're safe from inflated menus in those establishments.

Most tourists don't know this of course but the golden rule in Pating is not to go anywhere with a tout and look behind you when you go into any bars of this type. And finally, as has been said before on this thread, if you don't like the menu prices just leave.

Did not. Went in by ourselves and got shown what seemed a real menu. Correct me if you're sure that they still got another or the old menu.

[wump]

I can't edit my last post. I read though the tout thread on 'the other forum' and it seems rather common. I guess one of the guys at the door was sneaking up behind me. Also, what I hear is that the touts are now 'offically licensed' and A-gogo owners will get threatened if they don't play the game, i.e. accept giving the touts a huge commission when they bring in customers. They are not necessarily employed by the A-gogos themselves.

[snamos]

You know what really irks me about these forums is when we start getting the 'I've been living in thailand for (x) years' comments. Its boring. I'd like to know after how long can I get my 'thailand expert' badge. it reeks insecurity. I hear it all the time and I couldn't give a shit if people have been in thailand 1 day or 100 years. I hear it at work in the offshore... 'I've been going to sea 20 years blah blah' the same guy is too scared or stingy to go up the road in a foreign port.

My point is... One person could have been in thailand for 10 years but sits in the same bar in kata that he did when he/she first arrived gasbagging about the same crap. Or u could have the 5 year time share tout. Or the young female schoolteacher that just arrived in bkk. Let's not forget the astute 60 year old pattaya bar owner. The guy who stuffed up and got 10 years in a thai jail....or the guy who just sits at home on thaivisa all day beating his chest about his time in thailand.

GET IT THROUGH YOUR INSECURE HEADS. NO ONE CARES HOW LONG U BEEN HERE! Everyone has a right to an opinion and most of them have some substance whether your an expat,tourist or someone in between

[BangTaoBoy]

That's very true to a point. Unnecessarily mentioning how long you've been here, can be a sign of someone trying to give their arguement more strength than it would otherwise have. On the other hand though. Internet forums are the favourite playground of the worlds insecure, inadequate, bitter, unhappy people. As a result you will often have people who know nothing about something or somewhere, speaking as if they know it intimately. I would say they are far more annoying. Sometimes people are just simply saying how long they've been here to highlight the fact they are not bull shitters, and their opinion is based on real life experience, which most of the time will be much more valid than someone who's been here for a two week holiday, but implys he's been here much longer.

[thaiwanderer]

Tourists abused? If they are white, who cares - being perhaps the most incorrigible race i have ever encountered makes this and similar stories here so believable :jap:

[Scabo]

Very well said both Snamos/Bangtaoboy.

It really bores the hell out of me also the "Ive been here "X" yrs comment.

I switch off once I hear this.

Reguardless of how long you've been here, how

well you speak Thai or how big your house is.

We will always be reguarded as a farang to the Thai on the street.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Scabo

[xxhazxx]

Do what I do; don't go to Phuket.

CERTAINLY NOT RESTRICTED TO PHUKET. Some do even better: never come to Thailand . Did you ever think of this one ?

whats your problems?? you on thai visa telling people not to come to thailand. you all need to get a grip and a life. if you dont like thailand then do 1, y do you have to go on to a thai forum and tell everyone? GET A LIFE