Outrage Over Expensive Movie Tickets

[webfact]

Outcry over Expensive Movie Tickets

A large number of complaints have been made through the Internal Trade Department hotline against two of Thailand's largest movie cineplex operators.

Major Cineplex and SF Cinema have been criticized for expensive movie tickets and confectionery.

The Commerce Ministry said an increasing number of consumers have filed complaints via the Internal Trade Department's hotline against Major Cineplex and SF Cinema.

Moviegoers have complained that exorbitant prices are being charged for new movies showing for less than a week.

With a seat costing more than 240 baht, customers complained that they were not notified of the price before they bought tickets.

Customers have also filed complaints against the outrageous price tags for confectionery and food items sold at movie theaters.

Most of the items that are widely available at any supermarket can cost twice as much at the cinemas.

Consumers are also not happy about the length of advertisements shown before the movie.

These advertisements and movie trailers are reportedly over 30 minutes long.

In response, the Internal Trade Department will advise both Major Cineplex and SF Cinema to make sure prices for all items are clearly visible.

The department may soon meet with cinema operators to discuss the appropriate prices for snacks and other foods sold in cinemas.

By law, the duration of advertisements is capped at 10 minutes and a maximum of six movie trailers are allowed before the movie starts.

In response to the complaints, Major Cineplex explained that the prices charged for different seats and movies are clearly displayed at ticket counters.

It said not all seats are expensive, adding only seats for 3D movies cost 240 baht each.

At the same time, marketing director of SF Cinema, Supat Ngamwongpaiboon, added that SF Cinema has limited the duration of advertisements shown before a movie at 5 minutes, excluding movie trailers.

He added that SF Cinema has kept ticket prices unchanged for the past two years.

Ticket prices at SF cinemas start at 80 baht and increase incrementally for different types of seats.

A digital movie seat at SF cinemas costs 100 more than a standard seat.

-- Tan Network 2011-05-30

[TheWalkingMan]

The combination of previews and commercials before the movie starts is too long. Additionally, the commercials seem to change just a couple of times a year. I hate that Dtac commercial with that guy smiling on the bus. When I purchase a ticket, I ask the clerk for the time the movie starts and walk in just before it starts.

Funny how movie pricing and the price of snacks pops up after there was a thread about the cinema price increase at the Avenue Mall in Pattaya. In some respects, it looks like the non-locals complaining about the prices are more in line with the views of the locals. Always interesting reading on this forum.

TheWalkingMan

[slapout]

Air conditioned theaters use to be a fairly reasonable place to go to relax/chill out, during the heat of the summer days. Special seats, price based on movie age, high priced snacks, the commercial thinking is going down the tubes. Wonder if they still have cheap tickets for early afternoon showings?

[kamluan]

payed 120 bath for jack sparrow....last week.

I saw 3d.....and 240bath...so i choosed the normal 120 cheap version...

But it whas a good movie and good to see.

120 bath is nothing compared to europian countries.

[koknia]

I waited through 40 minutes of previews this week to see a flick. Won't be going back there.

[arkom]

In my opinion the tickets prices are pretty reasonable, considering a ticket in the US costs twice as much.

I do agree that ads before the movies are way too long. Saw Hangover 2 and I think the ads ran for what seemed good 20 mins not including movie trailers, by the time the movie started it was about 40 mins past the post showtime!

[OZEMADE]

$12 IN AUSTRALIA IS MINIMUM, ABOUT BAHT 360 STILL CHEAP.

[Spoonman]

payed 120 bath for jack sparrow....last week.

I saw 3d.....and 240bath...so i choosed the normal 120 cheap version...

But it whas a good movie and good to see.

120 bath is nothing compared to europian countries.

You paid with baths, did you include the plug and tap ware as well ?

[samurai]

Customers have also filed complaints against the outrageous price tags for confectionery and food items sold at movie theaters.

Most of the items that are widely available at any supermarket can cost twice as much at the cinemas.

But they don't show movies in the supermarket.

[geriatrickid]

Cinemas make the profit on the sale of the junk food. The cost of the tickt is intended to cover the rights to show the artists' creations.

Pirates of the Carribean isn't Pirates of the Carribean featuring Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. That's why he was paid a reported $75million for the role. The production costs have to be covered.

Maybe that's why Thailand is such a hub of cheap pornography. The low wages and production costs make the "artists" creations more affordable to the masses.

[Mrjlh]

50B for a small pack of M&M's is ridiculous. And Popcorn...well that's another story! I hate it went they won't turn off that silly spot light when showing the trailers. And more has got to be done about the cell phone idiots! Turn them off and quit texting during the movie!! I yelled at one guy last week and got applause for it!

[DP25]

Hahaha they would have a heart attack if they saw ticket prices and the extortionist candy, food, and drink prices at movie theatres in the US.

[happysanook]

i used to like to go to airport cinemas in CM on discount day. used to be that any movie was 60 baht. it's 80 baht now and only applies to older movies. newer release is now standard pricing.

Hahaha they would have a heart attack if they saw ticket prices and the extortionist candy, food, and drink prices at movie theatres in the US.

i could go to a movie in Vegas for the same price as airport cinemas. albeit, a matinee.

Edited May 30, 2011 by happysanook

[infernalman7]

I paid 180 baht for a Honeymoon seat for Hangover Part II. Still considered the Thai price to be much cheaper from anywhere else outside of Southeast Asia. The quality is pretty good as well. I think a lot of people should see how theatres in some smaller cities in the United States are like. They will appreciate the Thai cinema so much more.

The problem that most locals have seem to be hike in price without telling in advance. Most people just noticed how expensive tickets are at the box office. There's no way to know how much the price is.. and another annoying thing is that they seem to have different pricing for different films and technology they use to screen the film as well.

I don't really have a problem with pricing. Just don't like the increased amount of advertisement before the movie. I truly believe that trailers should be kept.

[TAWP]

If you think it is too expensive, don't go.

If you think the ads run to long time, complain and don't go until they shorten it.

Why does the government need to get involved?

[dumpling]

payed 120 bath for jack sparrow....last week.

I saw 3d.....and 240bath...so i choosed the normal 120 cheap version...

But it whas a good movie and good to see.

120 bath is nothing compared to europian countries.

You paid with baths, did you include the plug and tap ware as well ?

of course he didn't .........it was in a cinema so they must have been sponge baths

[maewrocks]

Was at a movie with my daughter at Avenue & we were the only ones there. Many other times there have only been a handful of people there. Maybe they need to look at the price elasticity of demand.

[Macmundi]

$12 IN AUSTRALIA IS MINIMUM, ABOUT BAHT 360 STILL CHEAP.

Well, the thais here aren't making an aussie salary.

[Spoonman]

payed 120 bath for jack sparrow....last week.

I saw 3d.....and 240bath...so i choosed the normal 120 cheap version...

But it whas a good movie and good to see.

120 bath is nothing compared to europian countries.

You paid with baths, did you include the plug and tap ware as well ?

of course he didn't .........it was in a cinema so they must have been sponge baths

If it was Pattaya they woulda used oil !!!

[rkidlad]

If you don't like the prices, don't go!

Put up or pack up. Never complain.

[REM]

If you think it is too expensive, don't go.

If you think the ads run to long time, complain and don't go until they shorten it.

Why does the government need to get involved?

I think it's because no one here can think on their own. They always have to run and tell someone something.

[ginjag]

payed 120 bath for jack sparrow....last week.

I saw 3d.....and 240bath...so i choosed the normal 120 cheap version...

But it whas a good movie and good to see.

120 bath is nothing compared to europian countries.

Maybe he meant he paid 120 bht to bathe with J.Sparrow. sorry about that, but it's good to joke about a slip up with a couple of letters, better than many posters telling others how stupid !! Prices mentioned England London Leicester Square Odeon 1500 bht, in USA-and Australia your lucky. years ago here I remember 60 bht, went on to 100 now 150 and 250, as for not going because of food prices-and adds--55555555 Ha Ha.. easy dont buy the food. and go in when the movie starts. I would be a fool to go out to see a movie, to say NO the snacks are too expensive 5555555555 Ha the best laugh today

[thrilled]

your tight with ur money.If it bothers ya to pay the 240 baht don't go.Maybe you need to go back to your old country and pay nearly twice that amount.If ya don't have the money stay home.

[Radicalguy]

I just got to the movie 30 minutes late to miss all the commercials. Usually go midweek in the daytime, when very few people are at the movies. Right after lunch, so no popcorn is necessary.

[dale8]

Hello, a crackdown is certainly in order at the cinema so more government people can get paid to do nothing other than say they will look into it. I am more concerned with the cold conditions inside because the advertising adds to the freeze time people must endure to finish the movie, and I like to bring a light jacket because it gets way too cold after one hour. People should know the ticket prices will cost more than a cheap street food meal. Cheers

[aussiebebe]

I guess if you could factor in 'per captia' income then Thai cinemas are expensive for Thai nationals compared with other countries, however there is one chain in Thailand which sells 80b seats on a Wednesday and cinema's globally form their business models around profits on food and drink; popcorn is the most profitable for sure with a 2-3000% mark up over the price of the kernels themselves.

I recently fell into an argument with a Thai neighbor after he criticized my decision to spend 50k on a Samsung 3D TV as an 'obscene' amount to spend on a TV. I rightly pointed out that it's like a couple seeing only 100 movies at a cinema whereas the TV will last a decade and I can download movies for free. Of course I, being the foreigner, 'didn't understand', so that was the end of it.

[PaulHamon]

if only... "By law, the duration of advertisements is capped at 10 minutes and a maximum of six movie trailers are allowed before the movie starts."

[samurai]

I recently fell into an argument with a Thai neighbor after he criticized my decision to spend 50k on a Samsung 3D TV as an 'obscene' amount to spend on a TV. I rightly pointed out that it's like a couple seeing only 100 movies at a cinema whereas the TV will last a decade and I can download movies for free. Of course I, being the foreigner, 'didn't understand', so that was the end of it.

TV isn't cinema. size matters. Furthermore it is also a social experience. Something you cannot download for free.

[EODghost]

If you don't like the prices, don't go!

Put up or pack up. Never complain.

Yeah, never complain, That always solves all problems.

I went to Major Cineplex and they were charging extra for big box office movies. I not only complained, but I also never went back. That was a year ago.

I send them another email now, complaining again, reminding them of my exodus and that I also told all my friends to stay away too.

Som Nam Na, I guess

[timekeeper]

I recently fell into an argument with a Thai neighbor after he criticized my decision to spend 50k on a Samsung 3D TV as an 'obscene' amount to spend on a TV. I rightly pointed out that it's like a couple seeing only 100 movies at a cinema whereas the TV will last a decade and I can download movies for free. Of course I, being the foreigner, 'didn't understand', so that was the end of it.

TV isn't cinema. size matters. Furthermore it is also a social experience. Something you cannot download for free.

its a social experience i would rather avoid

smelly, sweaty patrons, noisy eaters and drinkers, armrest wrestlers, mobile phones, seat kickers, loud talkers, late arrivers, bum numbing seats, poor service and stale food

no, thankyou

if i have to go to the cinema maybe to see a major film like a Avatar in 3D, i buy four tickets so neither the wife or i have to sit next to anyone............

the only cinemas worth bothering with in my view are the Imax cinemas

Edited May 31, 2011 by timekeeper