After 9Pm Drink Surcharge In Hua Hin?

[outofoz]

GF and I took a 4 days holiday in Hua Hin a few weeks back. had a great time, nice and relaxing, enjoyed the place.

Went out for some drinks and to listen to some music at one of the Irish themed pubs down in the area where all the bars are.

I noticed on both nights that i was quoted a price for a drink, then when the bill came (a nice little computer register print out) there was a 7% VAT on top of it.

I also questioned the different prices charged for the same drink on the same bill. I was told that there is 'an after 9pm price for drinks'

Admittedly I don't drink out at bars very much... but i thought the price on the drink menu usually included VAT and i dont remember an after 9pm charge??

I figured it was just another unannounced special Thai tax for the farang...but then i thought, maybe I have just been oblivious to it on previous outings??

[darrendsd]

Was the band playing at the time you got charged the 20 baht extra? The bar you are referring to charge for the pleasure of listening to the Band, it is stated on the menu so I believe.

As for the VAT, yes the same bar charge this all day and night for food and drink.

[outofoz]

Was the band playing at the time you got charged the 20 baht extra? The bar you are referring to charge for the pleasure of listening to the Band, it is stated on the menu so I believe.

As for the VAT, yes the same bar charge this all day and night for food and drink.

I think the band was playing for the second lot of drinks when i got charged extra (i think it was 30 baht extra)...maybe the band started at 8pm. They were a great cover band, playing the style of rock they do . I did ask for a drinks menu but they said they didn't have one.

[thaicbr]

what bar???

[bankroll]

El Murphy's I guess

[SamSipEt]

Had the same experience earlier in the year when I was in El Murphy's. No menu offered, no mention of the prices being ++ and no mention of the price going up when the band was playing.

Didn't and wont go back. There are plenty more bars around who don't do this.

[outofoz]

what bar???

El Murphy's I guess

Had the same experience earlier in the year when I was in El Murphy's. No menu offered, no mention of the prices being ++ and no mention of the price going up when the band was playing.

Didn't and wont go back. There are plenty more bars around who don't do this.

yes, el murphy's, that was the pub.

[thaicbr]

oh ok.. is this new then. as i was there last year and they didnt do that...I think.

[darrendsd]

Long thread about the tax charge on another HH forum whose name i'm not allowed to mention due to TV rules but "Before Light" is a clue, basically the owner stating why the tax charge has been implemented at the Bar.

[BazilFox]

Yes they have been doing this for sometime, thats why its empty. You only find out when you get the bill and can be bothered to read it.

Even if you are outside smoking watching the sport, not interested in the music, your beer suddenly is charged at the premium rate, 30% more.

117 baht for a small beer.

This bar is for people who are on Holiday and dont realise they can get the same service at half the price at bars up the road.

BLOODY RIP OFF.

[darrendsd]

There is a resturant opposite the Police station that charges 10% Service charge + 7% Tax, went once and got stung, suffice to say I haven't returned.

[Satcommlee]

It could also be called "END OF HAPPY HOUR"

[thaicbr]

It could also be called "END OF HAPPY HOUR"

there is no surcharge. it is simply the end of happy hour (7am-7pm) the tax charged on the bill is because they are a full company in Thailand (not sole traders) . many pubs in bkk are doing the same.

and I was informed by Eddie that the new drinks menu is coming soon (but drinks have been the same price for a few years)

just to clarify. happy hour means some drinks are cheaper than at other times. 555

Edited October 5, 2011 by thaicbr

[SamSipEt]

It could also be called "END OF HAPPY HOUR"

there is no surcharge. it is simply the end of happy hour (7am-7pm) the tax charged on the bill is because they are a full company in Thailand (not sole traders) . many pubs in bkk are doing the same.

and I was informed by Eddie that the new drinks menu is coming soon (but drinks have been the same price for a few years)

just to clarify. happy hour means some drinks are cheaper than at other times. 555

Well someone should tell the staff because when I questioned the bill earlier in the year I was told the beer was more expensive because there was a band playing and the air-con was turned on. I was sitting outside watching the rugby on the TV at the time so I was somewhat unimpresssed by this.

Being a full company is a very thin excuse - what about all of the "full companies" up and down the country that have the tax and VAT included in the prices?

Many pubs in bkk are doing the same - so what you are in Hua Hin !

Murphy's is the first bar (outside of hotel bars) that I have been in that has adopted this practice.

Enough already and judging by some of the other posts I am not alone in disliking this nor am I the only the one to vote with my feet and take my money elsewhere.

[freddythefrog]

Amazing Hua Hin,this topic ran for 3 years on another local forum until it was lock down a month ago,now these people use here to contuine it.

the topic was fed by one or two proven liers,who wanted to promote there mates business,which has long since gone out of business.Any times the owners tried to answer these lies they were accused of self promoting,even though this topic started after this bar stopped advertising on that failing forum.

At present we are in el murphys eating which we do about 4 times aweek.I've known the owners for about 5 years and they go out of there way for anyone.

They also provide Hua Hin with a family friendly pub with no bar girls which my wife & kids enjoy.

What is it with some people,everyweek i go to the supermarket here in huahin and it is just getting dearer and dearer.

Back to the topic,i know the owners from being a customer and i cannot fault much about here,i have known of no increases in those years.this 20 bath thing is lost in translation with the staff or something,the bar does a draft beer happy hour 7am7pm and another promotsion on bottled beers until 9pm.

I've just enjoyed a shepards pie(130b) and a pint of kilkenny(150b)my friends just had a fry up brekkie and a pint of leo for 190b.sorry don't forget the vat,,where else in thailand can we get this value,i love to know.There is signs for promotsions on the walls everywhere,the menus are old,which tell me prices havn't been changed in a long time.

What do you want,everything free or should we start a protest against tipping bar staff.

In my 5 years in thailand I have found two types of bars 1.girly bars with filty toilets everything and drunken owners who cannot manage even there own brotels and 2.themed westren style bars with smart staff,clean toilets and owners who really work hard to provide us a service,some of these bars are really expensive and charge service also,the prices here are low,tvs everywhere,westren kitchen,live music etc.

i'd recommend it,there is always someone here to chat to,but alas beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[BazilFox]

Amazing Hua Hin,this topic ran for 3 years on another local forum until it was lock down a month ago,now these people use here to contuine it.

the topic was fed by one or two proven liers,who wanted to promote there mates business,which has long since gone out of business.Any times the owners tried to answer these lies they were accused of self promoting,even though this topic started after this bar stopped advertising on that failing forum.

At present we are in el murphys eating which we do about 4 times aweek.I've known the owners for about 5 years and they go out of there way for anyone.

They also provide Hua Hin with a family friendly pub with no bar girls which my wife & kids enjoy.

What is it with some people,everyweek i go to the supermarket here in huahin and it is just getting dearer and dearer.

Back to the topic,i know the owners from being a customer and i cannot fault much about here,i have known of no increases in those years.this 20 bath thing is lost in translation with the staff or something,the bar does a draft beer happy hour 7am7pm and another promotsion on bottled beers until 9pm.

I've just enjoyed a shepards pie(130b) and a pint of kilkenny(150b)my friends just had a fry up brekkie and a pint of leo for 190b.sorry don't forget the vat,,where else in thailand can we get this value,i love to know.There is signs for promotsions on the walls everywhere,the menus are old,which tell me prices havn't been changed in a long time.

What do you want,everything free or should we start a protest against tipping bar staff.

In my 5 years in thailand I have found two types of bars 1.girly bars with filty toilets everything and drunken owners who cannot manage even there own brotels and 2.themed westren style bars with smart staff,clean toilets and owners who really work hard to provide us a service,some of these bars are really expensive and charge service also,the prices here are low,tvs everywhere,westren kitchen,live music etc.

i'd recommend it,there is always someone here to chat to,but alas beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

You are friends with the 2 guys that run the place or you are one of them trying to defend? No bar Girls, where do you think they get the staff?

You have missed the point entirely, the OP was talking about the evening session with the band playing as have most replie's. Why should I have a smoke outside watching the Rugby and paying 120 baht for a small beer because the bloody band are playing, it should be reduced as I cannot hear the bloody commentary. Does not matter now though as I can watch in many places for half the price.

You are talking about their "Happy Hour" sessions with promotional food, if you want to do that then the majority of bars are selling Chang etc for 40 baht or buy 2 and get one free. Soi 80 you can get Fish and Chips and a beer for less than 150 baht.

Edited October 6, 2011 by BazilFox

[freddythefrog]

iknow the owners from going to the bar.Do you really think that all thai ladies are bar girls.The food i ordered came off the menu,it was not a drink/food combo,i know the place on soi 80,the boss/cook seems to scratch his balls a lot.What beer were you drinking,last night i was paying 185 plus 17% in the hilton,but i didn't let it ruin my night.

[outofoz]

iknow the owners from going to the bar.Do you really think that all thai ladies are bar girls.The food i ordered came off the menu,it was not a drink/food combo,i know the place on soi 80,the boss/cook seems to scratch his balls a lot.What beer were you drinking,last night i was paying 185 plus 17% in the hilton,but i didn't let it ruin my night.

As BrazilFox mentioned i was referring to the night time. I didn't say the mystery charges ruined my evening either. I enjoyed the band and the company i was with. However, I did wonder about the pricing/vat/lack of drink menu. As has been clarified by other posters, it seems more unique to this bar than other bars. I drink Cider, which is always more expensive than beer to start with.

They seem to have a very up to date computer system in the bar, so I am sure they could print out an up to date drinks menu in a matter of hours. How they price is up to them, but I always like to know in advance. The owner seemed a personable and friendly fellow. Perhaps as a friend of his you could make that suggestion?

Did i like the bar? Yes i liked the bar

Would I return to that bar on my next Hua Hin visit? Probably not.

[ableguy]

Had the same experience earlier in the year when I was in El Murphy's. No menu offered, no mention of the prices being ++ and no mention of the price going up when the band was playing.

Didn't and wont go back. There are plenty more bars around who don't do this.

I second that believe owned by an Enclish guy who may have been here too long and has picked up on all the scams

[thaicbr]

Had the same experience earlier in the year when I was in El Murphy's. No menu offered, no mention of the prices being ++ and no mention of the price going up when the band was playing.

Didn't and wont go back. There are plenty more bars around who don't do this.

I second that believe owned by an Enclish guy who may have been here too long and has picked up on all the scams

What SCAMS are they then?

[SamSipEt]

Had the same experience earlier in the year when I was in El Murphy's. No menu offered, no mention of the prices being ++ and no mention of the price going up when the band was playing.

Didn't and wont go back. There are plenty more bars around who don't do this.

I second that believe owned by an Enclish guy who may have been here too long and has picked up on all the scams

What SCAMS are they then?

I haven't mentioned any scams. So don't include me in your reply

[thaicbr]

Had the same experience earlier in the year when I was in El Murphy's. No menu offered, no mention of the prices being ++ and no mention of the price going up when the band was playing.

Didn't and wont go back. There are plenty more bars around who don't do this.

I second that believe owned by an Enclish guy who may have been here too long and has picked up on all the scams

What SCAMS are they then?

I haven't mentioned any scams. So don't include me in your reply

Blimey your touchy aren't you.

I would have thought ANYBODY with a brain cell would know who it was directed at... It was aimed at ableguy who mentioned SCAMS!

... Ahhh maybe you don't have working brain cells?

Because the prices DO NOT go up when the band is playing the prices go up after the HAPPY HOUR times. I would have thought that it is easy enough to ask 'how much is xxxxx' and happy hour IS signed behind the bar.

incidentally how many pubs and bars in Hua hin actually have drinks price lists... i would guess not many.

SHOULD El murphys have a drinks price list..yes probably.

[SamSipEt]

Because the prices DO NOT go up when the band is playing the prices go up after the HAPPY HOUR times. I would have thought that it is easy enough to ask 'how much is xxxxx' and happy hour IS signed behind the bar.

incidentally how many pubs and bars in Hua hin actually have drinks price lists... i would guess not many.

SHOULD El murphys have a drinks price list..yes probably.

Read what I posted before - I was told the beer was more expensive because there was a band playing and the air-con was turned on - this was from a member of staff.

Anyway with prices as high as they are there is no way it can be called Happy Hour.

Seems like you are trying to defend the indefensible.

[garydubbs]

i arrived in hua hin about 3 weeks ago and had a beer in el murphys on my first night. i got the 7% added tax as well

haven't been back.

Edited October 10, 2011 by garydubbs

[thaicbr]

Because the prices DO NOT go up when the band is playing the prices go up after the HAPPY HOUR times. I would have thought that it is easy enough to ask 'how much is xxxxx' and happy hour IS signed behind the bar.

incidentally how many pubs and bars in Hua hin actually have drinks price lists... i would guess not many.

SHOULD El murphys have a drinks price list..yes probably.

Read what I posted before - I was told the beer was more expensive because there was a band playing and the air-con was turned on - this was from a member of staff.

Anyway with prices as high as they are there is no way it can be called Happy Hour.

Seems like you are trying to defend the indefensible.

Mate just because your cheap doesn't mean it's indefensible. Are there cheaper happy hours sure there are. Are there places that have aircon, decent food and a good live band. Dunno but i'm sure you know, so let us know.

A happy hour is when the drinks are cheaper than usual.. i believe that's the case here as well.

If you don't like the place ok. That's fine.

Unfortunately what you got told was wrong. Maybe the waiter just said the 1st thing that came into his head..It's Thailand after all.

It's by no means my favourite place in Hua hin but when i go down i usually spend a night in there listening to the band.

any how the readers of this thread can go and check the place out for themselves if they want or don't want

And hopefully they can soon print drinks menu's that state the 7% Thai V.A.T is added to the bill. Then every one will be happy..........................................................................unless your cheap of course

[janverbeem]

Why they just can't publish their prices VAT included?

[SamSipEt]

It's by no means my favourite place in Hua hin

Awesome we can agree on something at last

Why they just can't publish their prices VAT included?

Exactly and this thread would never have existed :jap:

It is up to the owner to run his business as he sees fit but most people would take heed of customer comments because his ++ policy has and will continue to lose him customers.

[thaicbr]

Why they just can't publish their prices VAT included?

I cannot say for sure but the impression i got was that because El Murphy's is a proper trading company not a sole trader this is what they have been advised by the powers that be. other pub companies have also started doing this in bkk over the last year or so.

I agree it would be easier if it was included and if people actually asked the question of the management who are present most nights maybe there would be an answer.

[BazilFox]

As pointed out the bar has an upto date till system so a Drinks Menu would be a walk in the park.

They post the sport TV times daily on a Chalk Board the main entrance almost daily outside and on the internal Notice Boards, so why no upto date Drinks Menu ??????????????

Lets have the price with VAT(7%) and the extra for when the band is playing, why the secret?

What is the extra when the band is playing, anyone know?

[thaicbr]

As pointed out the bar has an upto date till system so a Drinks Menu would be a walk in the park.

They post the sport TV times daily on a Chalk Board the main entrance almost daily outside and on the internal Notice Boards, so why no upto date Drinks Menu ??????????????

Lets have the price with VAT(7%) and the extra for when the band is playing, why the secret?

What is the extra when the band is playing, anyone know?

Jesus... is there something in the water in Hua hin that is inhibiting your ability to read and keep the information inside your brain?

THERE IS NO... I REPEAT NO EXTRA FOR WHEN THE BAND IS PLAYING.

The happy hour is from 7am to 7pm. Then the drinks go up to normal non-happy hour prices... and yes there should be a drinks menu mainly due to your inability to actually ask ' how much' like you would in the majority of pubs/bars in HH who also DO NOT have a drinks menu's.

Maybe in the future if you actually state to the owners that they should try and include the 7% V.A.T in the prices they MAYBE can adjust the system to do that. I do not know as i'm not an accountant.

Rather than bitch on here why not talk to the owners who i have found to be ok guys (busy but ok)

Have fun and next time i'm down in HH i will certainly go and have a few drinks and listen to the band play ( I think they are a great rock band, much better than the Philipino crap in Pattaya)

Also as i asked before can ANYONE tell me of another venue in HH that has a good band, decent food and aircon....... well?