This afternoon i was out with a friend and on the way home he popped into Villa Market at the Avenue, where he shops on pretty much a weekly basis, and has done since they opened. After getting his car parking ticket stamped he went back to his car, piled the bags of shopping on the back seat and drove to the exit. This is when the fun started. Between the checkout and his car he lost, probably dropped, his parking ticket. He explained this to the attendant in the booth, who then demanded 240 baht. My mate pointed out the several bags of shopping on the back seat, he also pointed out that the ticket machine computer would have his arrival time and number plate. But no, 240 baht for losing ticket! He dug his heels in, said he was not paying it, told the attendant to call the police and have him arrested. Of course by this time the exit was blocked and people were stuck behind him. Someone from the office arrived, the situation was explained to him, it was also pointed out that my mate must have spent hundreds of thousands of baht there over the years, he buys wine etc. The bill today was over 3,000 baht. But they wouldn't budge. In the end he told them he would never come back there, they had lost a regular high spending customer, and paid the 240 baht. But what an incredibly short sighted attitude. Do these companies want customers? No wonder the Avenue is going to the dogs. Has anybody else experienced this kind of thing there?

It is frustrating no doubt, BUT do you really think a cashier or guard cares if you come back or not? If you do not come back it is even better for them, less work.

They have this rule and perhaps they need to hand in the tickets, to avoid the hassle of having to explain why 1 ticket is missing, it is only natural to demand the payment for it.

I will say though, 240 baht being such a small amount, that i would not even bother start a debate and more over ask to call the police, because 240 could have easily turned into 24000 .

Also i do not think the loss of 1 customer would make that much different to a supermarket like Villa, especially when they think you just a tourist and your explanations go into one ear and out the other.

Not really bizzare at all. He lost his ticket. Like any carpark if you loose your ticket you pay full price. Simple.

Do you think this sort of thing only happens in Thailand?

An experience you had at Villa Market ... sure

Bizarre ... hardly ...

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It's definitely quite short-sighted attitude on the part of the management. I wouldn't blame the guard - he's just a mere robot, a tool, doing what he was ordered to do. But that special @someone from the office" didn't assess the situation correctly... Another bullet into Pattaya's already tarnished image, mesays.

Usually tough to get a guard to do his job, but in this case, he was all over it.

I'm sure he'll end up shopping there again, but he will make sure he takes better care of his parking ticket! You lose you pay, it the same everywhere...

it is stupid, however, the terms and conditions are something he accepted when he took the ticket from the machine.

Wouldn't put it past the farang grifters living in Pattaya to pass around bags of used groceries to get around paying The Avenue's parking fee...I mean, they do it with the B 800k retirement visa requirement don't they? I guess the guards are on to this ruse...just like the immigration folks.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by OMGImInPattaya

The Avenue hosts dozens of diverse businesses. This is nothing to do with Villa

Yeah - wonder how many times a day that guard hears the same story. I'm sure he probably wants to explain to his boss why he let so many people out without paying just because they said they lost their tickets too.

And for someone who has spent "hundreds of thousands of baht" there over the years to quibble over 240 baht ? Someone who SHOULD KNOW that that is probably almost the guards wages for the day (having been around for "years").

Somehow I think that place won't even notice one less customer, and will probably be happier for it.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by Kerryd

I dont see the problem ,it states that if you lose your ticket a fine of 240 b is charged ,he lost his ticket ,pay up or find your ticket ,its not rocket science.

Whats bizzare is that your friend looses his temper over thb 240.-

You loose your ticket you pay the prise.

Rules are rules, and your friend should know better.

Nothing to do with Villa Mart, which is overprized anyway, foodland is much better.

Sorry OP (Princess) - harden up a little.

If you lost your ticket on the BTS/MRT would you make it the Station-attendants problem you lost your ticket or accept the fact that you lost your ticket and deal with it.

I think I should write how one visa run company lost me as a customer...

Last month I was at the airport at 5 am, I don't know what happened but I never got a parking ticket, when I left there at 7 am, I explained the lady that I didn't got a ticket when I came in, she called a guard, who had some tickets and all I had to pay was 50 bht. The sign on the board told: no ticket-300 bht, I was very lucky with such a generous lady.

"what an incredibly short sighted attitude."

Indeed. Put it on the list.

Trying to reason with a security guard is bizarre.

Trying to reason with a security guard is bizarre.

could have slipped him 100

if i were your friend i'd forward the whole story to the villa market manager then let them to complain to the "avenue" management: that place is in disgrace since the opening, the only working business is the villa, so they can act tough...

If he would have let you through, for free, how many farangs would be there the next week, pulling off the same stunt? I dont even use that store, but if I found a free inside parking area, I would always use it, even to go lay on the beach!

The silly thing is the fact that these businesses give out a ticket at all.

You drive into Big C or Lotus Tesco Superstore, a guy in a uniform hands you a ticket. When you leave you hand the same ticket to another guy in a uniform. It's nice to be employing two more people, but the purpose of the ticket round-robin escapes me to this day.

Perhaps the entire purpose of the procedure is to occasionally collect the 240 baht fine?

Shoulda taken the baht bus ...

I doubt you saw anyone who was in a position to wave the rules for you (not that they had any reason to do so). If they let you go without paying, the amount would have been taken from their salaries.

The silly thing is the fact that these businesses give out a ticket at all.

You drive into Big C or Lotus Tesco Superstore, a guy in a uniform hands you a ticket. When you leave you hand the same ticket to another guy in a uniform. It's nice to be employing two more people, but the purpose of the ticket round-robin escapes me to this day.

Perhaps the entire purpose of the procedure is to occasionally collect the 240 baht fine?

Could it be a security thing for the driver?

On entry you get the ticket and take it with you.

On leaving you hand in the ticket, no ticket, can't leave and if you are stealing the vehicle you are caught?

Not that much security but some?

Over the years I've lost cards in several car parks, including Don Muang airport.

Had to pay at least several hundred baht in all locations. There is usually a notice to that effect printed on the parking receipts and posted near the booth (though often only in Thai).

I believe the purpose is to encourage people not to lose them, and to avoid people trying to dodge high fees after prolonged parking by saying they lost it.

Makes perfect sense to me.....

The silly thing is the fact that these businesses give out a ticket at all.

You drive into Big C or Lotus Tesco Superstore, a guy in a uniform hands you a ticket. When you leave you hand the same ticket to another guy in a uniform. It's nice to be employing two more people, but the purpose of the ticket round-robin escapes me to this day.

Perhaps the entire purpose of the procedure is to occasionally collect the 240 baht fine?

The ticket is to stop every man and his dog parking in what is a very small parking area.

The silly thing is the fact that these businesses give out a ticket at all.

You drive into Big C or Lotus Tesco Superstore, a guy in a uniform hands you a ticket. When you leave you hand the same ticket to another guy in a uniform. It's nice to be employing two more people, but the purpose of the ticket round-robin escapes me to this day.

Perhaps the entire purpose of the procedure is to occasionally collect the 240 baht fine?

Could it be a security thing for the driver?

On entry you get the ticket and take it with you.

On leaving you hand in the ticket, no ticket, can't leave and if you are stealing the vehicle you are caught?

Not that much security but some?

That is the purpose of them in some car parks. If you don't have a ticket, you have to prove you are the car owner. But if it's a simple fine, then you could just steal a car and happily pay the 240 baht.

The silly thing is the fact that these businesses give out a ticket at all.

You drive into Big C or Lotus Tesco Superstore, a guy in a uniform hands you a ticket. When you leave you hand the same ticket to another guy in a uniform. It's nice to be employing two more people, but the purpose of the ticket round-robin escapes me to this day.

Perhaps the entire purpose of the procedure is to occasionally collect the 240 baht fine?

The ticket is to stop every man and his dog parking in what is a very small parking area.

dogs drive?

The only think that's bizarre is that your friend felt the need to inconvenience lots of other people, even though it was his fault that he lost the ticket, and not theirs. He needs to learn to be a bit more considerate in his behavior. He's lucky no-one got out of their cars to sort him out. Bound to happen one day if he's prone to this sort of behavior.