California Wow Esplanade Closed

[peaketrain101]

California Wow in Esplanade has big signs on its door today saying its now closed. I work nearby so went in on Monday and asked how long they are open for as heard about others closing, they told me they will not close for a long time. I paid for a 3 month membership for just under 5,000 baht.. today I find them closed. Not happy as you can imagine and only got to the gym once since Monday so for 5,000 baht thats the most expensive gym session ever!!!!!

Anyone know if there is some way I can get my money back? I tried ringing the numbers on the sign and on their website but nothing. In Australia we have the department of fair trade and other organisations where you can file a complaint and get your money back. I have not heard of anything like this in Thailand and doubt it exists but please advise if there is a way.

Thanks for your help.

[ShopBoy]

as you known they are already in trouble why still pay them in the first place

[Ticketmaster]

Consider it good luck; now you can relax (in good conscience) instead of exercising.

[bkkbudddy]

Peaketrain101,

Call it a blessing, you only lost 5,000, other members lost lot more than you!

Good luck

[TonyPaul]

Yep, last one standing now closed. I went there yesterday and the roller door is down. They were open with only half the internal lights for the last month, so the writing was on the wall. At least this time the notice on the wall says words to the effect of, " We are closed and hope you have enjoyed your time with us etc" In previous closures they always bullshitted on about how it was temporary and they would reopen.

I have heard that the new gym that has opened in Silom at the old Cawow centre is run by Eric Levine the Cawow owner. So a case of the ongoing ripoff strategy it seems. Can any other members add light to this rumor?

[bkkbudddy]

TonyPaul,

Yes, you're correct! Eric Levine, (aka-a**ho**) opened a new gym called Crush Fitness at the same CAL WOW Silom location.

Only fools and morons would join the fitness center after all those negative publicities.

[jbrain]

Peaketrain101,

Call it a blessing, you only lost 5,000, other members lost lot more than you!

Good luck

I think 5000 in a single day is hard to beat.

[TonyPaul]

Just re read your post Peaktrain. Thats a real bummer about the 5,000 Bht. If its any consolation, Cawow were signing up memberships for 16,000 up to 40,000, whatever the salespeople could get only days before they shut down the Ekkamai branch in July last year. This was only a week after I paid 16,000 for a double membership.

There was talk of a class action last year. Best stand in the queue behind the banks an other creditors. No such thing as a "Fair trading tribunal" here in Thailand.

Thanks Bkkbudddy for confirming re the Silom branch reopening as "Crush Fitness" by Eric Levine.

I would not be surprised to see him reopen Ekkamai or Esplanade also under different names. After all, great locations and come ready made and fully laid out with gym equipment already installed. Banks and landlords need to recoup some money. So just make an offer an re badge them under a different name and hidden director same as the Silom branch and voila!

[Gaccha]

TonyPaul,

Yes, you're correct! Eric Levine, (aka-a**ho**) opened a new gym called Crush Fitness at the same CAL WOW Silom location.

Only fools and morons would join the fitness center after all those negative publicities.

"Dr" Eric Levine, if you please..... hahahahahaha...

His is the fakest doctoral degree in Thailand.... and that really is an achievement.

[ShopBoy]

Eric house in Phuket 65,000 square foot

Your 5000 are towards part of up keeping of this home

[hhgz]

With the broken exercise machines, filthy showers and floors, and general dilapidated condition, it's difficult to believe that anyone would think that it was going to stay open for an extended period of time. In 2004, I signed a 9-year contract and, amortizing it over the period that it was open, I paid about 500THB/mo. Fitness First Platinum, built in the CA WOW space in Siam Paragon, wants about 2500 THB/mo.

[bkkbudddy]

hhgz,

At True Fitness, I'm paying 920 bhat a month for 39 months!

[bkkbudddy]

ShopBoy,

You forgot to include Eric Levine's several thousand dollar Toupee and facial plastic surgery!

[Searat7]

Crush Fitness in Silom recently reduced price to 999 a month from 1700 and many more members have joined. It's only on second and third floors and they blocked off the Steam and Sauna after first promising it would be opened in January. I go there often...not a bad gym and they give you towels...much cleaner showers than before.

[tw25rw]

The staff member had probably been promised that his job was in no danger as well.

But really, if a company is going under, you don't give them money unless you are willing to lose it.

[ricklev]

Crush fitness denies any links to cal wow on their Facebook page.

Eric Levine was a minor shareholder in cal wow at the end. . Not to say he is without blame.

[guru]

L

[USNret]

"heard about others closing, they told me they will not close for a long time. I paid for a 3 month membership for just under 5,000 baht"

I'm sorry, that's just the height of foolishness. How to you shovel your hard-earned money into a collapsing organization? Furthermore, what did you expect the staff to say when you asked if they are closing? For one thing, the probably didn't know they were about to lose their jobs, and even if they knew they had no motivation to share this with you as they are on their last gasp to collect commission from the last remaining suckers to walk in the door.

[bkkbudddy]

Ha, only fools and cheapos join Crush Fitness! Come on be sensible, join either True Fitness or Fitness First, stop giving money to Eric or Simon!

[zachary]

There goes my lifetime membership

pics

http://gotbangkok.com/2013/05/05/california-wow-at-esplanade-ratchada-now-closed/

I'm so pissed

[robblok]

There could be an good explanation for money movements. As long as we don't know why or how it could be normal. It might be licensing fees or equipment rent or management fees. The question is where they legit or not. If they have some real base then its not illegal to take money from one country to an other. Big companies do such things all the time.

[Tywais]

Post quoting and linking to the Bangkok Post removed.

31) Bangkok Post do not allow quotes from their news articles or other material to appear on Thaivisa.com. Neither do they allow links to their publications. Posts from members containing quotes from or links to Bangkok Post publications will be deleted from the forum. Please note that this is a decision by the Bangkok Post, not by Thaivisa.com and any complaints or other issues concerning this rule should be directed to them. Quotes from and links to Phuketwan are also not allowed and will also be removed. In special cases forum Administrators or the news team may use these sources.

[Cleveland]

Out of interest, why not? Personally I loathe that site, I think the editor is a total retard.

Quotes from and links to Phuketwan are also not allowed and will also be removed.

[Cleveland]

Out of interest, why not? Personally I loathe that site, I think the editor is a total retard.

Quotes from and links to Phuketwan are also not allowed and will also be removed.

Would anyone care to explain this?

I can't believe no one here knows why.

[trajan]

WE FITNESS is taking over 4 old CALIFORNIA FITNESS locations this year:

Major Ratchayothin

Major Ekkamai

Major Pinklao

Esplanade Ratchada