Why So Many Time,In Thailand Happen,That A Booked Travel Or Boat Ticket Is Not Valid?

[Sandman77]

Hello!

now,within 2 year 2 time happen,that i got to a travel agency,book a boat or a travel ticket,roundtrip etc,then during travel a got a lot of problems!

2 year ago,i go by bus,from surathani to krabi,payed everything in advanced,then during the travel,was a bus change nesarsary,and another driver is waiting,he says,give me your ticket i need it for my boss,and the other driver also wants the ticket,and says if you not have you have to pay again,after talking nearly half our,with a very angry hysteric other "boss",and give them the phone number of the ticket where i have booked,the let me go withouth paying more!

this year happen,i booked in nathon peer oposite the bus station,in the agency dragon travel,a boat ticket to phangan,after entering the boat the stuff coming,and take my out of the boat your ticket not valid,lompraya call the office,and says,when the not give back,money,the will call the police,afet waiting around one week i got my money back,so now the question,why this always happen again,maybe the reason,that every one can open maybe fake travel agencys,with out the controll from any goverment?

[ukrules]

It's simple, they are robbing you.

[CharlieH]

Simple, NEVER pre-pay anything ! they already had the money and spent it, why should they provide a service after.

If you cant see it, touch it and use it, DONT ever pay for it .

[hedonist44]

Simple, NEVER pre-pay anything ! they already had the money and spent it, why should they provide a service after.

If you cant see it, touch it and use it, DONT ever pay for it .

So, your saying never pay for a boat ticket or whatever your using for travel, until you've reached the destination? Please forgive my ignorance, but can you do that? I think I'll not be the only one who will want to know how this can be done. Thanks in advance for your clear explanation.

Edited September 30, 2011 by hedonist44

[tolsti]

Stop being so cheap and going for the ''bargains''..... They don't exist! get a Thai person to book/go with you and you will get the right price.... and if you get the Dusit Thani at a cheap price then let me know

[roamer]

good,idea,my coleauge that married thai woman in nabour village,do the same,when he want clothes,or something,everything cheaper!

i dont know ,why this only in thailand happen,that foreigners have another price then the locals,when some other natationality visit my country everyone pay the same price,no mater,where the come from!

the most cheaters i found on anusarn market,in chiang may,my sister want to buy 2 kg mangos,and the woman wants 480 bath:)

and for the handbags nearly 3 time higher price !

espasaly for people,that live in thailand,this is very bad,when this always happeN::!

okay,i send you mail when i want go dusithani,how much aprox the diffrent,when thai people book,around the have price?

"i dont know ,why this only in thailand happen,that foreigners have another price then the locals,when some other natationality visit my country everyone pay the same price,no mater,where the come from!"

Where do you come from ? Must be a marvellous country.

I'm always amazed that frequent visitors to LOS never bother to learn even the most basic Thai.

Do that and you don't have to take a local with you to go shopping. No need to trot out rubbish statements like "I can't pronounce the tones". Your not expected to pass as a Thai, the simple fact is that the moment you can reply to a Thai stall holder in the market and name a lower price in Thai the price will tumble.

How long would it take to learn that much Thai ?

Around 2-3 hours. Quicker if your a fast learner. If your not prepared to invest that amount of time then stay home or stop complaining.

[CharlieH]

Simple, NEVER pre-pay anything ! they already had the money and spent it, why should they provide a service after.

If you cant see it, touch it and use it, DONT ever pay for it .

So, your saying never pay for a boat ticket or whatever your using for travel, until you've reached the destination? Please forgive my ignorance, but can you do that? I think I'll not be the only one who will want to know how this can be done. Thanks in advance for your clear explanation.

PAY when you are going to use it, DONT book it and pay for it in advance. days or weeks before you get there is what I was saying.

[smokie36]

Simple, NEVER pre-pay anything ! they already had the money and spent it, why should they provide a service after.

If you cant see it, touch it and use it, DONT ever pay for it .

So, your saying never pay for a boat ticket or whatever your using for travel, until you've reached the destination? Please forgive my ignorance, but can you do that? I think I'll not be the only one who will want to know how this can be done. Thanks in advance for your clear explanation.

PAY when you are going to use it, DONT book it and pay for it in advance. days or weeks before you get there is what I was saying.

A couple of years ago myself and another member here booked a 6am flight from Samui to Bangkok. In order to facilitate getting to the airport we booked a taxi for 4.45am with a local travel agent. We paid 400 Baht for this service.

Needless to say the taxi never showed up and we had to go to the main road and flag one down who naturally again took the sucker fare of 500 Baht.

Now when we returned to Samui the following week this travel agent swore the taxi had showed up and it was only through persistence that the 400 Baht was repaid.

That said I've booked countless boat trips and buses etc and never had a similar problem. Not with that guy though.....

[Metapod]

If they think they can get away with it, they will try it on.

You are not doing yourself any favors though.

Best to never buy from agents or offices. Always buy your shit direct from the source.

If I want a bus ticket I will get it from the bus station, not some dodgy travel agent in Nakhorn Nowhere.

Want a boat ticket to Samui from Surat? Buy it direct at the pier. (The combo tickets at the bus station are also very trust worthy).

Steer clear of stuff like Khao San run bus/trips or other agents.

The smarter you are the harder it is to be scammed. You will also notice they are a lot less likely to bother you with that shit.

[roamer]

If they think they can get away with it, they will try it on.

You are not doing yourself any favors though.

Best to never buy from agents or offices. Always buy your shit direct from the source.

If I want a bus ticket I will get it from the bus station, not some dodgy travel agent in Nakhorn Nowhere.

Want a boat ticket to Samui from Surat? Buy it direct at the pier. (The combo tickets at the bus station are also very trust worthy).

Steer clear of stuff like Khao San run bus/trips or other agents.

The smarter you are the harder it is to be scammed. You will also notice they are a lot less likely to bother you with that shit.

100% true but some people never learn and my guess is that the OP will be regaling us with similar tales in the years ahead.

[stoneyboy]

Honestly in this day and age and with sometimes informative forums such as this and the internet why do people continue to get fleeced and bemoan about it,its all written in balck and white if you look hard enough,the last time i got fleeced in Thailand was when i brought some spuds from the old girl in the local market,she gave me a mark up of about 20 baht more,i would have felt bad to knock her down bless her.

[smokie36]

If they think they can get away with it, they will try it on.

You are not doing yourself any favors though.

Best to never buy from agents or offices. Always buy your shit direct from the source.

If I want a bus ticket I will get it from the bus station, not some dodgy travel agent in Nakhorn Nowhere.

Want a boat ticket to Samui from Surat? Buy it direct at the pier. (The combo tickets at the bus station are also very trust worthy).

Steer clear of stuff like Khao San run bus/trips or other agents.

The smarter you are the harder it is to be scammed. You will also notice they are a lot less likely to bother you with that shit.

You must live in a bubble mate....yes never book anything or trust anyone....read my post again and you'll understand that this has happened to me once. Yes that is right just the once in all my time in Thailand.

Mostly the travel agencies are sound....one or two rogues that's all.

[impulse]

Every place I've traveled in Asia, they have a dual price system.

One is for people who negotiate and the other is for people who take the first price thrown out.

In fairness, Thailand is the first place I have found with official and legal price differentiation between foreigner and local pricing, but I have no problem with that. It costs more to market to and offer services to foreigners than it does to market to locals who wander by every day. It also costs more to offer products and services to one-time customers than it costs to offer the same to repeat customers. Higher costs justify higher prices.

You and I always have the option to accept or decline the price- with our wallets and with our feet. Pay, negotiate a better price, or walk away. It's that simple.

[uffit]

Hi Sandman !

Had the same problem with the bus in Surat Thani.

Found out later that some travel agencies sell the busticket far more expencive than the actual buscompany.

Some agencies sell tickets and then take you to the public busses.