Why Don'T Thai Hotels Offer Free Wi Fi?

[David48]

As an aside, I always carry a dongle ...

chrisinth

I'm not being smart ... but how does your dongle work?

I always try and go to hotels with free internet.

I just need connectivity ... not downloads, but this means many hours of connection.

I did 'Google' dongle and there wasn't much in the way of an answer there.

Costs etc?

It's a little device which slips into one of the USB slots - it's basically a 3G connection. You can buy them from the various telco / internet companies like DTAC or AIS, and there is a monthly fee which gives a range of different data allowances, usually from 500MB up to unlimited, depending upon the monthly fee.

By the way, are you using the same Google as me. There's a mass of information about dongles in Thailand there . . .

Thanks bendix, maybe I didn't add Thailand to the Google search and most of the responses came relating to my own country based, I assume, on my i.p. address.

Edited March 30, 2012 by David48

[chrisinth]

As an aside, I always carry a dongle ...

chrisinth

I'm not being smart ... but how does your dongle work?

I always try and go to hotels with free internet.

I just need connectivity ... not downloads, but this means many hours of connection.

I did 'Google' dongle and there wasn't much in the way of an answer there.

Costs etc?

It's a little device which slips into one of the USB slots - it's basically a 3G connection. You can buy them from the various telco / internet companies like DTAC or AIS, and there is a monthly fee which gives a range of different data allowances, usually from 500MB up to unlimited, depending upon the monthly fee.

By the way, are you using the same Google as me. There's a mass of information about dongles in Thailand there . . .

Cheers bendix.

The dongle contains an internet sim card, which allows you to connect to the mobile networks. I think I paid something like 3,000 Baht for the actual dongle (including the internet sim), and as bendix said there are several packages that you can either subscribe to or pay credit to.

Handy little devices.

Edited March 30, 2012 by chrisinth

[inthepink]

Are you going to blame Thai logic for the fact that Western-owned hotel chains charge for WiFi in Bangkok then?

These chain hotel are actually owned by Thais, they pay a franchise for using the Western names.

But mostly, the GM is a Western guy, he should know...

I believe that the Four Seasons (which is the hotel chain i mentioned in my first post) operates as a management company as well as owing some of the hotels that bear its name. As far as I am aware, this means that owners of a hotel pay The Four Seasons to run it for them, they do not buy a franchise. Therefore, your argument does not hold water in this particular case.

EDIT: Re. franchises - Running a Hilton franchise (to take an example) involves far more than simply paying to use the name. The hotel operator/owner must comply with various standards and policies and I would assume that similar restrictions apply to other major franchise operations, which would mean that policies such as whether to charge for Internet access are probably not decided by local Thai owners in these cases either.

Edited March 30, 2012 by inthepink

[Soboringtochooseaname]

So only Simon is smart here ? I wish you success Simon !

You are perfectly right, WIFI is like toilet paper, and I do not want to pay for toilet paper even if I do nnot use it, but I want it free ANYWAY in the room in case I need it !

Really, I wish that all customers stop going to hotels where Wifi is not free, and then these idiot business owners will understand who was right...

[taninthai]

Wow I guess the type of tourist coming to Thailand is really changing I thought they come for the food,weather,people,islands,temples and scenery

Now it seems wifi is a big decision maker for some how sad.........

[IanForbes]

I'm not complaining because I only spend a couple nights a year in Bangkok. I do not need the internet that badly that I can't wait a couple of days. And, most often there is an internet cafe somewhere nearby if I really want to contact someone. But, my main concern was for their own business practise in a very competitive market. Hotels in Bangkok and other big Thai cities are very seldom full (except during international conventions etc) and I would think that if they offered more then they might steal some of the market. The usual business practise in the western world is to offer a few things that other hotels DON'T have, so they can get a competitive edge. Once you lose a customer it's hard to get him or her back. When I find a reasonable place to stay that has a few "extras" like wi fi or a nice pool gym then I'm likely to mention it to everyone. I would even post on thaivisa any place I thought was reasonable. We certainly do that for nice places to eat.

It somewhat reminds me of the typical Thai practise of RAISING prices when the market is slow... instead of the western world policy where you LOWER prices during the off season in hopes of attracting customers away from other businesses.

[taninthai]

I'm not complaining because I only spend a couple nights a year in Bangkok. I do not need the internet that badly that I can't wait a couple of days. And, most often there is an internet cafe somewhere nearby if I really want to contact someone. But, my main concern was for their own business practise in a very competitive market. Hotels in Bangkok and other big Thai cities are very seldom full (except during international conventions etc) and I would think that if they offered more then they might steal some of the market. The usual business practise in the western world is to offer a few things that other hotels DON'T have, so they can get a competitive edge. Once you lose a customer it's hard to get him or her back. When I find a reasonable place to stay that has a few "extras" like wi fi or a nice pool gym then I'm likely to mention it to everyone. I would even post on thaivisa any place I thought was reasonable. We certainly do that for nice places to eat.

It somewhat reminds me of the typical Thai practise of RAISING prices when the market is slow... instead of the western world policy where you LOWER prices during the off season in hopes of attracting customers away from other businesses.

Sorry going of toic but your last paragraph comparing to the west again (keep forgetting the west is so great) but the misses actually raised her prices this year and she had fewer customers this year but made quite a bit more profit than last year not huge increases room prices the same just 10 bht on beers 20 bht on food dishes.

The lowering of prices as they do in the almighty west doesn't always work in quiet timed she will drop room prices from 800 to 450-500 she never gets any extra bookings doing this we think people then think it must be a dump as it's so cheap so they dont book you actually get more bookings at the 800-1000 bht bracket .

So judging from my experience the thai way of raising prices in quiet times is not such a bad idea probably the people that slag them of for it have never run abussiness in Thailand and seen the system work..,,

[geriatrickid]

Who doesn't have a phone that they can use to connect their iPad/Laptop to the internet? Talk about being behind the times... Not to mention 3G is typically faster than the wifi anyway!

I don't.

[IanForbes]

I'm not complaining because I only spend a couple nights a year in Bangkok. I do not need the internet that badly that I can't wait a couple of days. And, most often there is an internet cafe somewhere nearby if I really want to contact someone. But, my main concern was for their own business practise in a very competitive market. Hotels in Bangkok and other big Thai cities are very seldom full (except during international conventions etc) and I would think that if they offered more then they might steal some of the market. The usual business practise in the western world is to offer a few things that other hotels DON'T have, so they can get a competitive edge. Once you lose a customer it's hard to get him or her back. When I find a reasonable place to stay that has a few "extras" like wi fi or a nice pool gym then I'm likely to mention it to everyone. I would even post on thaivisa any place I thought was reasonable. We certainly do that for nice places to eat.

It somewhat reminds me of the typical Thai practise of RAISING prices when the market is slow... instead of the western world policy where you LOWER prices during the off season in hopes of attracting customers away from other businesses.

Sorry going of toic but your last paragraph comparing to the west again (keep forgetting the west is so great) but the misses actually raised her prices this year and she had fewer customers this year but made quite a bit more profit than last year not huge increases room prices the same just 10 bht on beers 20 bht on food dishes.

The lowering of prices as they do in the almighty west doesn't always work in quiet timed she will drop room prices from 800 to 450-500 she never gets any extra bookings doing this we think people then think it must be a dump as it's so cheap so they dont book you actually get more bookings at the 800-1000 bht bracket .

So judging from my experience the thai way of raising prices in quiet times is not such a bad idea probably the people that slag them of for it have never run abussiness in Thailand and seen the system work..,,

Good post and It's not really off topic. You are probably correct inyour case, but there is a HUGE difference between offering competitive prices and under charging or over charging. I wouldn't expect to find a hotel in Bangkok for the same price as a similar one in Chiang Mai. The same is true when comparing Pattaya to Phuket. You can find FAR better deals in Pattaya for just about everything and both the food and the night life is far better.

[prefabs]

I was getting free wifi at the MJ Hotel in Sakhon Nahon 3 or 4 years ago. Why so different in cities?

[oldsailor35]

I always use AGODA to find my hotel. On their website you will see all the services offered, so i never have any problem finding a hotel with wi fi.

[oldsailor35]

Who doesn't have a phone that they can use to connect their iPad/Laptop to the internet? Talk about being behind the times... Not to mention 3G is typically faster than the wifi anyway!

I don't.

Me neither, then its probably because of my age, i did'nt grow up in an age of so much new technology, i find it all too hard, cannot even download pics, but who cares, i manage son!

[meand]

I agree with the op, and my answer is that thai businesses don't like to pay the costs of doing business, no matter how ridiculous.

[dominique355]

I own a few, small hotels. All offer free wi-fi. I cannot imagine anyone actually willing to pay for wi-fi use at a hotel! The wi-fi router cost me 1,000 baht to buy/install and then 750 baht per month. That small cost cannot compare against the loss in room booking revenues if I didn't offer free wi-fi - not to mention the high likelyhood of some customers moaning at me for being such a tight a*se as to charge for wi-fi.

Hotel guests expect to have free wi-fi, just as they expect to have free toilet paper in their rooms.

Show me a hotel which is getting rich on charging out their wi-fi use.

Simon

Simon, do yoou charge for drinks (soft drinks) from the minibar?

I just recently stayed in a great hotel in Puket (Patong) and all drinks from the Minibar were free. The GM (a nice Thai guy) told me that the hassle with guests checking out and the cashier having to check if he had a Coke last night, delaying the payment, making everybody uneasy if not upset, wasn't worth the value of a can of Coke. So in his hotel, in all rooms, Minibar was free. I think it's a great idea. Not only because I save 30 Baht, but also I don't have to buy these soft drinks in the next 7/11 to avoid overcharge and indeed, no hassle at check-out time.

Yes, business people always give things away for free, in the same way you go to work every day for free also.

Has it not occurred to you - somewhere deep inside the dim recesses of your reasoning - that they might adjust the price of the room to take these free things into account?

Not just once, perhaps?

Oh a wise guy!

Well thank you for your profound reasoning. Actually it occured to me that there is no such thing as a free lunch and of course in one way or another we pay for it. But that's not the point. The point is that as a hotel guest, you dont need to go through all this hassle of asking for an Internet connection and a Log-in name and password or wait for ages at checking-out until the maid has checked the minibar, when these things are "free" or more correctly included in the room charge. Simple as that. Got that?

[bendix]

I own a few, small hotels. All offer free wi-fi. I cannot imagine anyone actually willing to pay for wi-fi use at a hotel! The wi-fi router cost me 1,000 baht to buy/install and then 750 baht per month. That small cost cannot compare against the loss in room booking revenues if I didn't offer free wi-fi - not to mention the high likelyhood of some customers moaning at me for being such a tight a*se as to charge for wi-fi.

Hotel guests expect to have free wi-fi, just as they expect to have free toilet paper in their rooms.

Show me a hotel which is getting rich on charging out their wi-fi use.

Simon

Simon, do yoou charge for drinks (soft drinks) from the minibar?

I just recently stayed in a great hotel in Puket (Patong) and all drinks from the Minibar were free. The GM (a nice Thai guy) told me that the hassle with guests checking out and the cashier having to check if he had a Coke last night, delaying the payment, making everybody uneasy if not upset, wasn't worth the value of a can of Coke. So in his hotel, in all rooms, Minibar was free. I think it's a great idea. Not only because I save 30 Baht, but also I don't have to buy these soft drinks in the next 7/11 to avoid overcharge and indeed, no hassle at check-out time.

Yes, business people always give things away for free, in the same way you go to work every day for free also.

Has it not occurred to you - somewhere deep inside the dim recesses of your reasoning - that they might adjust the price of the room to take these free things into account?

Not just once, perhaps?

Oh a wise guy!

Well thank you for your profound reasoning. Actually it occured to me that there is no such thing as a free lunch and of course in one way or another we pay for it. But that's not the point. The point is that as a hotel guest, you dont need to go through all this hassle of asking for an Internet connection and a Log-in name and password or wait for ages at checking-out until the maid has checked the minibar, when these things are "free" or more correctly included in the room charge. Simple as that. Got that?

I suggest you take up your issues with the Thai Hotel Association. There's a good man.

[simon43]

Now it seems wifi is a big decision maker for some how sad.........

Maybe sad but very, very true. Hotel guests want to connect to Facebook, upload holiday photos, email their mum, connect via VOIP to their office

Happy hotel guests matter to me - why should they have to mess about with wifi payments, passwords, no wifi, slow wifi ???

Really - it's a no-brainer

[tfc]

I always use AGODA to find my hotel. On their website you will see all the services offered, so i never have any problem finding a hotel with wi fi.

I do the same. Generally I spend anywhere from 7-14 days in a hotel and internet is the first thing on my list of priorities when looking for a hotel. If a hotel doesn't have wireless included I don't stay there. What I find a bit curious is that a lot of cheaper hostel accommodation has wireless included where as some of the more expensive hotels don't even have it included as an extra payment option.

[IanForbes]

I have to say that Dominique's replies have been well thought out and correct. A case could be made for much of what is on the internet is mostly just useless "fluff" and we don't really need it. These topics on the general forum are a good example... and so is much of what goes on in Facebook, Twitter and the like. But, the ability to converse with widely separated friends and family is very important to some people. Businesses can operate across continents with freedom. Many people in Thailand earn their entire income over the internet. It's a necessity to them... even when they travel. Dominique's case about hotel telephones was a good one. With the cel phone coverage today it almost eliminates hotel room phones use... except for morning wake up calls, or someone waiting in the lobby for you. The same goes for the over pricing of stock in hotel refrigerators. There is a 7-11 store on just about every street corner and you can buy the stuff much cheaper there. The hotel's stock is only handy if you are lazy and don't mind paying 30% more for the same item. If I'm staying in a hotel for a week, and one that stocks the fridge with their over priced items, then I take it all out and place it on the counter, or ask the staff to take it away.

But, the original topic was about the addition of "extras" that make a hotel more attractive. They are basically "loss leaders" to attract new customers and keep old ones. Why put in a swimming pool or elevators? They are just added costs when building a hotel. I have stayed in 5 star hotels and many that wouldn't rate a half star, and if you examine the room and bed they really aren't much different than a one star hotel in what they offer. Why pay 5000 to 10,000 baht for a room when you can get an adequate room for under 1000 baht? As Dominique pointed out, you can get a perfectly adequate meal in the city for a quarter the price of the same meal in the hotel. I eat pretty much the same thing every day... Kow Padt Thai Gai. I eat at one particular Thai cafe because what they produce is a larger portion and better than anywhere else in Chiang Mai. There is more of everything and I get refills or the consommé soup and water if I want. And, it only costs me 40 baht including my 5 baht tip. The big smorgasbords offered in the 3 and 4 star hotels charge about 300 + baht for that service. I just can't eat enough to make it worthwhile.

Frankly, I'm not out to impress anyone, so I don't need the pomp and splendour of a 4 or 5 star hotel. I think it's a waste... and I hate waste more than anything.

[inthepink]

That's a strange comment at the end there. I've never stayed in a 5-star hotel to impress anybody. They usually have nicer rooms, better beds, huge bathrooms with great showers and full-size baths and a breakfast buffet worthy of the name. That's why I like them. Plus, of course, the service is usually very good.

[2unique]

When staying on my own on a business trip I tend to go cheap and cheerful and expect some form of wifi to come home to so that I conduct business.

When on a family trip I spend more as wife and kid are with me so a pool, bigger room etc are more important. Wifi/3g in this scenario just means we spend breakfast facedown in our smartphones!!

When you check out of The Oriental, they don't check or send someone to check the minibar, it's a classy touch which sends me off in very good spirits. Internet access is a business addition which I shouldn't be penalised for in hidden charges when I'm spending time with family and doing the minimum on phone/tablet thru 3g - however I do expect a secure login and password if I'm to connect to my work account or server. The Oriental (apologies for sounding like a rep) provides a proper office desk, office chair, lan cable and office paraphernalia - should that be free or subsidised by ma/pa family vacation?

I agree that a 500 baht True one wifi connection being used by proprietor and/or guests shouldn't be charged for but don't believe all scenarios should be judged by whether they are free or not... just my two cents

If a hotel has a pool you can be dam_n sure you're paying for it (usually higher for proximity) whether you use it or not

[BigJohnnyBKK]

The hospitality industry divides its customers into "leisure" - holidayers and "business". Until recently only the latter cared much about comms facilities, and they're on expense account anyway, so little incentive. As with the minibar and phone calls, such businesses are used to trying to milk every bit of extra profit they can out of their customer. Enlightened management - like free soft drinks from your minibar - is rare in most places on Earth, and IMO especially so in Asia.

I'm sure in years to come, if advertising free WiFi gives hotels a competitive advantage they will do so in increasing numbers. For those who feel strongly about this issue, simply make sure to express your preferences frequently, ideally directly to high-level management, at every opportunity.

[simon43]

Simon, do yoou charge for drinks (soft drinks) from the minibar?

minibar??

[madmitch]

Simon's logic is the same as mine. We have been offering free wifi for four years and have much higher occupancy rates than our neighbours. We also have free internet for those without a wifi device (an increasingly rare type of traveller!).

For a small establishment that needs an internet connection anyway, the additional cost is negligible. We don't charge extra for this facility on our room rate. We have one bridged router as well to help the signal reach all the rooms and that cost about 1500 baht, an amount worth spending for the increase in bookings.

Larger hotels need a much more complicated system and for that reason I can understand the need for a charge but a few baht on the room rate would be much better than charging by the day or hour, except that as someone rightly said, they are mostly more interested in making a few extra baht than offering an improved service.

I also look for free wifi when I travel and more and more people do the same.

[oldsailor35]

I always use AGODA to find my hotel. On their website you will see all the services offered, so i never have any problem finding a hotel with wi fi.

I do the same. Generally I spend anywhere from 7-14 days in a hotel and internet is the first thing on my list of priorities when looking for a hotel. If a hotel doesn't have wireless included I don't stay there. What I find a bit curious is that a lot of cheaper hostel accommodation has wireless included where as some of the more expensive hotels don't even have it included as an extra payment option.

Yes, Wi Fi and breakfast !

[swisstouristpattaya]

u can crack wep under linux with vmware,very easy if u smart ...

[IanForbes]

u can crack wep under linux with vmware,very easy if u smart ...

Your last 3 words explains it all to us old farts.