I used to be a regular at my friends bar and would bring my own tea to drink. I was happy to pay 30 baht whenever i wanted hot water, I would have 2 or 3 refills. Anyone who has owned a business understands a need for a fair profit to stay keep the doors open. I do not think 50 baht for a drink in a bar is over the top. I get charged 90 baht and up for a coke in a gogo on WS.

it's just like supermarkets have a special offer to tempt you in and then you buy other things too, that's where they make the money.

a typical pattaya gogo will have a special price for (usually) draught beer say 60 bht and ANYTHING else will cost more, and that's where they make money

Most soda drinkers are 1-2 sodas then out the door. Us drunks hang around a bit longer usually and spend like sailors.

Yes, they charge you about a 10-20 Baht premium per soda.

Like it was posted before, there is ~10-50 Baht markup on all bottled beverages in beer bars and a bit higher in most GoGos - don't sweat the percentages.

Before I came here I worked in London (OK a few moons ag now) - in the City you got tung for any drink compared to outside (as expoected) - but everywhere in the UK you get charged for a splash in your drink. For a whisy and coke, the coke came in at 50p a splash regardless whether this was a glass full or a dribble ("give me a Scotch and dirty it with Yank style") - often this came through a bar squiretr (mixed on the fly from syrup and soda water - like a SodaStream - remembeer them????) or a 3ltr bottle of coke from Tescos.

Here I begrudgingly pay 100B (or more) for a bottle of beer in some bars when I know other will charge 60B - and I can get a bottle from pretties at BigC foodhall in their skimpy advertisment dresses for 50B (poured). When I drink fizz (when I'm driving for example) - its usually 20-30B. Though I tend to go to places I know - and ones not full up of BG's or vertical bars - but I don't begrudge those to whom its their thing.

I don't live in Patters, I live in CM, so I would expect it to be more expensive because of the larger tourist pool and wealthier Thais in the general population - although one would think the sheer number of bars would cause competition on price as well as other "attractions"

I dont expect to pay 10 baht and am aware a business must make a profit...considering that 99% of customers drink beer or spirits there really is no need to charge so much...as stated 30 baht is OK, and thats a 400% or more mark up.........whatabout a sang som and soda..70 baht....so why charge so much just for soda..it really equates to greed, nothing more and nothing less......rmichaeld.....where are the cheap places for those that wish entertainment without drinking booze

I understand your point. Try to understand the bars point: A customer

who consumes alcohol, typically will spend more than one who drinks

soda.

Here is a suggestion for you:

Order a draft beer (typically very cheap), b ut do not drink it. Just let it

sit there.

Cheers,

rudi

I'm a water drinker myself and I know of some discussions on several forums about this.

Bar owners were involved in the discussions and in general the reason for this is:

water is in the "soft drink" category and cost as much as a Sprite, a Coke or any soft-drink.

Some bars do have lower prices for "just" water and a lot of people just took a bottle of water in order to save on drinking-expenses.

That the price of a bottle of water is doing 600-700% of the original price is a pitty, but customer's behavior in the past urged to this unpleasant measure.

By the way, you can ask the same question for a cup of coffee or tea...........cost price is in general around THB 10 incl. creamer and sugar.

Most soda drinkers are 1-2 sodas then out the door. Us drunks hang around a bit longer usually and spend like sailors.

Yes, they charge you about a 10-20 Baht premium per soda.

Like it was posted before, there is ~10-50 Baht markup on all bottled beverages in beer bars and a bit higher in most GoGos - don't sweat the percentages.

Depends on the quality of the entertainment on offer.

I used to be a regular at my friends bar and would bring my own tea to drink.

he must have been rubbing his hands every-time he saw you coming down the road ....

Once when I asked for some M-150 one of the waiters ran to 7-11 to buy me some, because it was cheaper than buying it at the place apparently. Nice gesture if you ask me, though I always spend and tip enough at that place..

Edited July 16, 201114 yr by remiss

A customer goes in a bar, sits on a stool and orders a beer. The bar makes maybe 70 baht. Another customer goes in a bar and complains about paying 75 baht for an 8 baht soda. The soda customer takes as much attention and space in the bar as the beer drinker. Why would the soda be cheaper for the same profit?

Bar sell beer and girl

You not want, they not want you in bar.

Just buy beer, sit with beer all evening, everyone happy.

I think the OP believes that charges should be based on percentage mark up rather than a actual percentage of overall costs that include all the overheads.

I too often drink only soft drinks or fruit juice and often find the price vary from under 30B to well over 100B, just depends where you drink.

Why dose the OP choose to drink at a bar that charges 70B for a soft drink? he could sit in his room and watch TV with a 7B bottle of soda water, or even better sit on the promenade and watch life going past with his 7B soda water, he will find that he will always have people willing to converse and with a bit of luck may catch a free live show preformed by a Russian couple or two on the beach.

I think the topic should be moved to a dedicated Cheep Charlie & Balloon Chases section.