Outrage Over Expensive Movie Tickets

[thaibeachlovers]

While we're complaining, something that really bugs me is that so many locals seem to take soooooo long to buy a ticket. Why is it that farangs can go to the window, state which movie they want to see, pick a seat in under 1 minute and be away, while some locals take 5 or more minutes.

Do they still check for cameras in Bkk?

They stopped doing that in Pattaya, but not before I used to irritate the "checkers" by asking them if they stopped everyone taking in their phones with built in cameras!

[DP25]

Am i the only one that lines my pockets with junk food before i enter the cinema. Or would that be wrong?

I've walked in to the theatre with fried chicken and beer from the supermarket before and they didn't say a word to me

[thaibeachlovers]

Am i the only one that lines my pockets with junk food before i enter the cinema. Or would that be wrong?

That would be sooo wrong! How else are they going to make a profit if no one pays extortionate prices for snacks, considering hardly anyone is paying to sit in a frigid cinema anymore? I've had an almost empty auditorium to sit in soooo many times.

However, with the demise of cheap Wednesdays, it'll be the DVD at home in future, though I might make an exception for The Hangover Pt 2.

[TheWalkingMan]

I've walked in to the theatre with fried chicken and beer from the supermarket before and they didn't say a word to me

Bad man!

[beano2274]

Doesn't bother me too much as I very rarely go to the cinema but I have one friend who is a big movie buff. He was complaining to me over dinner the other night that in his regular SFX theatre all the 3D movies are in English (240Bht) with the same movies 2D in Thai (120Bht). Therefore, he was suggesting that it was very unfair as many of the alleged 3D movies have such few 3D scenes in them that he would just prefer just to watch them in 2D but can't as they are not in English. Don't know what others' experiences are like around the country. He did mention the 'farang tax' but as mentioned it doesn't bother me too much! I would prefer to watch 2D though in English if I had the choice due to being one of those spectacled people!! Doubling up with the 3D glasses is awkward. Interested to hear if this is a nationwide business practice at your local cinema though.

Most movies are in Thai and English in 2D, I watched Pirates and it was in English.

What is Farang Tax?

Edited May 31, 2011 by beano2274

[gregb]

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

Hmmm...a Saturday afternoon matinee in the states, $5 (150 baht). A Saturday afternoon movie at Major Cineplex Rangsit, 160 baht.

I don't think I agree with your assertion that prices are much cheaper here. Even in the US the theaters understand that they need to provide budget options for people who do not wish to be gouged. Sadly, Thailand is completely oblivious to this. Even more sadly, there were only 12 people in the theater last Saturday.

Wonder why? Perhaps because the movies are egregiously overpriced?

[artofyourmind]

The pricing by large disco-like cinema chains above:

- Ads goes for 20 minutes - the cold temperature often mess up my 2 hour time limit for controlling my urination time in an extreme cold climate - try not to drink coffee before a movie! An 8pm movie actually starts like 8:30pm!

- Prices average 160 baht (not cheap for average local income earner so those thinking in Dollars, Rial, Pounds of Flesh, Pot of Gold or Predator Coins, erm.. *shrug*)

- The 80 Baht is limited to after 8 or 9 pm and usually the movie starts just 10 mins before the cut-off time for low price

- Usually packed and with the higher density of people, higher chance of "talkatives", or "disturbing behaviour". Compare below.

Best tips:

- Watch at Lido/Scala cost 100 Baht.

- This place is great the employees have been there for 10-20 years

- Much less crowded - especially weekdays, you could have the whole cinema to yourself and 5 others. Ample of legroom, and less chance of a whooping cough that might make you miss that last important dying words uttered by Kiera Knightley

- Ads run a reasonable amount of time 5 - 10 mins, and get this, movie STARTS on the dot, the ads run BEFORE the screening time.

- 10 movies get you one free movie (essentially 10% off) - there is a free loyalty card with 10 spaces for the loyalty stamp

- An article I wrote about this place last year - http://artofyourmind.com/art/thank-you-nanta-tansacha-for-siam-scala-lido/

- Buy original DVD - in most shops original titles cost from 90 Baht even Hollywood titles. Look for MangPong DVD chain stores, usually found in shopping malls

[warfie]

This is news?!?!?!

I want a Benz Kompressor, but I can't afford one, should I file a complaint?

I want a 72" plasma TV, but I can't afford one, should I file a complaint?

Cinema prices are too high...

Don't like it? Don't go... simple...

Jeez... get a life...

[emubob]

Doesn't bother me too much as I very rarely go to the cinema but I have one friend who is a big movie buff. He was complaining to me over dinner the other night that in his regular SFX theatre all the 3D movies are in English (240Bht) with the same movies 2D in Thai (120Bht). Therefore, he was suggesting that it was very unfair as many of the alleged 3D movies have such few 3D scenes in them that he would just prefer just to watch them in 2D but can't as they are not in English. Don't know what others' experiences are like around the country. He did mention the 'farang tax' but as mentioned it doesn't bother me too much! I would prefer to watch 2D though in English if I had the choice due to being one of those spectacled people!! Doubling up with the 3D glasses is awkward. Interested to hear if this is a nationwide business practice at your local cinema though.

Most movies are in Thai and English in 2D, I watched Pirates and it was in English.

What is Farang Tax?

That's great for you Beano and at least you have that option in your cinema. The SFX cinema my friend uses apparently does not hence his grievance.

'Farang Tax' is an expression some people use with regards to the double pricing practice in Thailand. As stated, I don't go to the cinema too often so it isn't so much of a concern to me. Double pricing is though and should not be allowed. Plenty of other threads about that subject though. Interested to hear if others around the country have experienced anything similar. Cheers

[SAffer]

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.

I noticed that too. But in my perspective, the cost is high when I take a girl, and she wants to buy a snack... far cheaper to just forget the movies and go for a nice dinner somewhere. So, I really think what puts me off is not the movie price as such, but the add-ons.

[Kilgore Trout]

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

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

Right, the class that frequent western movies make much, much more

[TAWP]

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.

If the experience is a big screen and friends, then a big tv and a nice sofa has that...unless you like to have strangers over that make un-welcomed noise at wrong times, talk/msg on their cell-phones, smell, block your view, need to go to toilet in the middle of a 1.5h movie (I mean, really?) etc etc...

If I ever go to cinema now then it is VIP seating, isolated pair-seating for just you and gf...

[wileycoyote]

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.

I agree & excellent movie (in spite of the critics)

[quandow]

It costs $50 US for two people to see a current flick and have two large drinks and one large popcorn in California. And that's NOT 3D, that's closer to $75!

[Thailand4life]

250 baht to see hangover 2 in cineplex paragon in the opening week. That clearly wasnt 3d.

[ginjag]

Am i the only one that lines my pockets with junk food before i enter the cinema. Or would that be wrong?

I've walked in to the theatre with fried chicken and beer from the supermarket before and they didn't say a word to me

Why didn't you buy a suckling pig-apple sauce. french fries, a mat to unroll and sit on the floor at the front and get drunk :cheesy: Did you inquire about bed and breakfast??

Edited June 5, 2011 by ginjag

[welbymd]

Its been at least a year since I've gone to a movie theater in the LOS. Can't remember, can you still get beer at the concession stand. That alone used to be a plus.

[Hawkman]

While we're complaining, something that really bugs me is that so many locals seem to take soooooo long to buy a ticket. Why is it that farangs can go to the window, state which movie they want to see, pick a seat in under 1 minute and be away, while some locals take 5 or more minutes.

Do they still check for cameras in Bkk?

They stopped doing that in Pattaya, but not before I used to irritate the "checkers" by asking them if they stopped everyone taking in their phones with built in cameras!

lol. Totally agree with the first point. I was near the front of the queue the other day in Major at Ekkamai and there were only about 8 Thais in front of me; but I ended up waiting for ages as each couple spent ages at the counter stand. And do you find that at one point, the counter clerk will walk away, speak on her walkie talkie then come back to the couple. Why and who are they phoning? It's as if there is some local secret we're missing out on.

To be honest it doesn't bug me, I'm just curious to know why 'some' locals take ages at the counter. My guess is that they don't decide what they want to see until they get there.

What does bug me though is when people talk; one guy a few seats away wouldn't shut up at all, speaking to his girl friend non-stop, me being the one not wanting to look like an angry crazy farang, did nothing, but the Thai sitting next to me finally lost patience and got up and shouted at the guy; well done ole chap, certainly shut him up. Never understand the talkers in the cinema, complete selfish toads.

Compared to UK cinemas though, give me Thailand any day; chavs and kids ruin UK cinemas big time.

[Hawkman]

Am i the only one that lines my pockets with junk food before i enter the cinema. Or would that be wrong?

I've walked in to the theatre with fried chicken and beer from the supermarket before and they didn't say a word to me

Why didn't you buy a suckling pig-apple sauce. french fries, a mat to unroll and sit on the floor at the front and get drunk :cheesy: Did you inquire about bed and breakfast??

I saw a farang drinking beer in the cinema once; was trying to be funny and shouted the odd Thai word now again at certain scenes, trying to get people to ntoice him, very embarrassing. No wonder some locals think we're just a bunch of alcoholics.

Why anyone would want or need to drink a beer in a cinema is beyond me, but each to their own; as long as you're not being annoying or leering then do as you please.

[hellodolly]

It costs $50 US for two people to see a current flick and have two large drinks and one large popcorn in California. And that's NOT 3D, that's closer to $75!

Thanks for the heads up. If I am ever in California again I wont go to a movie.