Nasty Scooter Hire Shop

[cobbana]

My wife and I live in Perth Western Australia, and we stayed down the south end of Chaweng Beach at the Chaweng Resort for 6 nights late last month, March 2006.

After breakfast March 30th, we decided to hire a scooter for 24 hours.

We walked about 50 yards south from our hotel and hires a scooter from N.C.K Travel & Tours.

The guy in the shop charged 200Bt for the hire and 200Bt to fill the tank. Took off for the south-east tip for lunch at the Simple Life villas (a nice spot). Got on bike to head for Nathon and it died on me outside the Snake Museum about half a km up the road.

Had every man and his dog look at it, but no-one could work out what was wrong, especially with almost a full tank of petrol left.

Called N.C.K Travel and the guy was very abrupt and almost abusive, saying that 'you must

bring bike back and pay for transport', Cost me 800Bt for a local to throw it on the back of his ute and get us back to Chaweng.

Parked the scooter outside the shop and went in to see what the story was.

The office lady laughed in my wife's face when my wife said that an apology for the inconvenience would be appreciated.

Went back to the shop about an hour later to see the manager, and he basically ignored us

when we said that at least we should get our 200Bt hire payment back, having only been on

the road for 3 hours out of 24, plus having to pay 800Bt to bring his dud scooter back.

After quiet pressure from my wife, he threw a 100Bt note at her and marched her out of the

shop (I was outside because I was ropable).

Just as my wife reached the shop door she repeated her request for the full 200Bt as a

refund, and the nasty little man tried to snatch the 100Bt out of her hand.

If hiring a bike in Chaweng, do me a favour and DO NOT HIRE from NCK Travel, and don't use

them for travel arrangements or use their PC's for netting.

It would be nice if this warning was broadcast as much as possible in Koh Samui.

Thanks

Anthony

P.S. I attach a photo of the shop and the very rude manager inside.

[BattyBatty]

A fair warning cobana, and sounds justified, IMO.

My take;

200B for the juice is too much. Should have been 90-120. 200B the guys is obviously taking you for a ride, so to speak.

As a short term toursit with a daily rental, and given your remote location, they should have come out to you. Living here long term and renting is different - its all down to you. But for a daily rent, they should have helped.

You should maybe have stood firm with the guy. Begining with "im sorry, i cant bring the bike back as it does not work" when he insisted, i would have said "No. come and get it. The bike does not work, im leaving it here. If you are not here in 40 minutes, im gone.... and i leave the keys in it." If he had your passport, a threat of the toursit polce would encourage him to give it back to you.

[poorfarang]

200 baht for a tank of gas. haha what a joke. Should have laughed at him right there.

[LaoPo]

Nasty lesson learned. My advise would be:

1. always ask the manager/staff of your hotel/resort/bungalow what/where they advise to go to. They have/know the local network, can give a businesscard or make a phonecall.

2. ask (if you're new somewhere) what the gasprices are...(every boy/girl from the staff will know)

3. if the scooter/motobike breaks down; make a phonecall where it is and they can pick it up...it's not your responsibility or fault. In that case they should give you another bike/scooter.

If they make a problem ask your manager/staff to arrange and settle the dispute. It will be solved in a matter of no-time.

A friend of mine had a flat tire (back!) in the middle of nowhere in the south of Samui... I drove away and found a repair-shop. Took the guy on the back and he took my friends' bike and let his wife ( ) repair the tire. Cost Bht 200. Finished in 15 minutes.

We didn't get a refund but we had a lot of fun and.................a travel-experience to share

LaoPo

[Misplaced]

Thanks for the advice. I will be there sometime within the next week or two and I 'll be sure NOT to use them.

Any more nasty shops and not to use places? please post them

[poorfarang]

I agree that you shouldnt have brought the bike back to him. Its rediculous that you had to pay 800 baht to bring his faulty bike back to him.

[game4shame]

My advice would be:

1. always ask the manager/staff of your hotel/resort/bungalow what/where they advise to go to. They have/know the local network, can give a businesscard or make a phonecall.

I'd go along with that.

If you don't know the area that well or any of the locals ask the hotel/resort staff. They'd want to make a good impression so usually a safe bet.

[limbos]

Not to forget that may get a kickback and are more than willing to help in case of a problem to secure their kickback.

[drummer]

I have repeatedly had great service from the shop between Coco Blues and Times Square - they've come out and swithed bikes for free, even siphoned the gas out of the tank into the new bike!

[Samuian]

"they've come out and swithed bikes for free, even siphoned the gas out of the tank into the new bike!"

That's the way!

Other than just asking Hotel Staff - listen around ...

Edited April 28, 2006 by Samuian

[mark lamai]

is anyone running a "real" Samui Visitors Guide?

have been here for 3 months now looking around and making a bar.

After spending a lot of time in Bangkok over years,

now i find that the big mango is sweet and simple compared to the rapacious uncontrolled greed that suffuses this island.

the thai people here need a reality check which might come with a world recession or a real estate bust.

when dealing with a thai supplier keep in mind that the real wage for a construction labourer in bangkok is 185 baht a day, the kids in the 7-11 take home 4000 baht a month.

so 800 baht for 10 minutes truck hire is simply immoral, except they have no morals or ethics when its about farangs and money.

money is too easy to find here and we farangs are partly responsible because we pay it.

haircut - bangkok 50 baht samui 120 baht why?

tooth filling bangkok 500 baht samui 800 baht ++

taxi bangkok meters samui 400 baht chaweng-lamai would be maybe 150 on a meter.

doctor - bangkok 120 baht a visit at major hospital, 50 baht at local clinic, samui 300 baht at local clinic!!!

traffic police bribe - bangkok 100 baht, samui i don't know yet.

and it goes on and on even simple things you buy if you are farang you pay about double.

why ?

thai people explain it away by saying 'its small money for you'

i was doing a lease contract which fell apart when i tried to renegotiate the numbers,

ok fine, but i have never ever anywhere in the world seen a human being act as disgustingly as this rich thai female landlord. with few words spoken she stood up and shouted abuse at my thai lawyer and then shouted at me to 'get out' today (was there on a 1 month payment).

it was appalling.

she and her family are now rich people, why? because of farang money.

any gratitude? no.

any politeness? no

just more and more greed.

its a shame these people are not Buddhists with morals.

that said , there a few reasonable locals but they are vastly outnumbered by the evil ones.

think about it,

a place where every local with a truck knows they can extort 800 baht (more than 4 days wages) for a truck ride which in my country a helpful person would do for free and most likely refuse any payment offered.

many times i have been in a tricky situation in thailand and hardly ever will a thai person offer to help, like carrying a bag, or getting some gas for your bike etc.

simple things you and i would do to help people.

Thailand - Land of Give Me Money.

[poorfarang]

Business is Business. As much as I hate the greed that is here on Samui and other tourist areas I certainly cannot blame them for getting their slice of the pie while its still fresh...

[SamuiJens]

That the NEW Samui 4 U, Itseems to get worse every year, He doulbed everthing on U. But in a way youdid agree to a price that you payed as well as gas, but like they say here on this site, GREED is really getting out of hand, always know the aprox. price before you buy/rent anything...there will allways be something else down the road if you ask around. I personally never pay over 80Baht per day/for weeks. and more. Samui isn't like it used to be, best to go other places where the tourists arn't so prevalant. You learn by your mistakes, but thats no reason for the Sumuians to rip people off.

[TonyMontana]

My wife and I live in Perth Western Australia, and we stayed down the south end of Chaweng Beach at the Chaweng Resort for 6 nights late last month, March 2006.

After breakfast March 30th, we decided to hire a scooter for 24 hours.

We walked about 50 yards south from our hotel and hires a scooter from N.C.K Travel & Tours.

The guy in the shop charged 200Bt for the hire and 200Bt to fill the tank. Took off for the south-east tip for lunch at the Simple Life villas (a nice spot). Got on bike to head for Nathon and it died on me outside the Snake Museum about half a km up the road.

Had every man and his dog look at it, but no-one could work out what was wrong, especially with almost a full tank of petrol left.

Called N.C.K Travel and the guy was very abrupt and almost abusive, saying that 'you must

bring bike back and pay for transport', Cost me 800Bt for a local to throw it on the back of his ute and get us back to Chaweng.

Parked the scooter outside the shop and went in to see what the story was.

The office lady laughed in my wife's face when my wife said that an apology for the inconvenience would be appreciated.

Went back to the shop about an hour later to see the manager, and he basically ignored us

when we said that at least we should get our 200Bt hire payment back, having only been on

the road for 3 hours out of 24, plus having to pay 800Bt to bring his dud scooter back.

After quiet pressure from my wife, he threw a 100Bt note at her and marched her out of the

shop (I was outside because I was ropable).

Just as my wife reached the shop door she repeated her request for the full 200Bt as a

refund, and the nasty little man tried to snatch the 100Bt out of her hand.

If hiring a bike in Chaweng, do me a favour and DO NOT HIRE from NCK Travel, and don't use

them for travel arrangements or use their PC's for netting.

It would be nice if this warning was broadcast as much as possible in Koh Samui.

Thanks

Anthony

P.S. I attach a photo of the shop and the very rude manager inside.

mark lamai and SamuiJens,

Yes, I agree with you 100%.

It makes me really sad to see Samui going down the drain, but the things that both of you say are sadly enough true.

People here are taking the money for granted and I just wish that I am still here when the money stops coming in - which I think will happen soon, very soon.

In the old days, all you had to do was to look a local in their eyes - and you would get a BIG smile in return.

Loook someone into their eyes today and you will get a look back that basically tells "What the <deleted> are you looking at".

Sad but true.

Anyway, I am very happy that people like Anthony tell his story about the rip off he experienced and I will gladly pass it on to everyone I know - so they will lose maximum amount of money.

Tony

www.booze.com

[Mr_Dave]

now i find that the big mango is sweet and simple compared to the rapacious uncontrolled greed that suffuses this island. the thai people here need a reality check which might come with a world recession or a real estate bust.

Excellent observations about the big picture on Samui.

Thank you, mark lamai, for taking the time to write and post as you did.

.

[sbk]

That the NEW Samui 4 U, Itseems to get worse every year, He doulbed everthing on U. But in a way youdid agree to a price that you payed as well as gas, but like they say here on this site, GREED is really getting out of hand, always know the aprox. price before you buy/rent anything...there will allways be something else down the road if you ask around. I personally never pay over 80Baht per day/for weeks. and more. Samui isn't like it used to be, best to go other places where the tourists arn't so prevalant. You learn by your mistakes, but thats no reason for the Sumuians to rip people off.

The irony of this advice, of course, is that by moving somewhere else where tourists aren't so prevalent you will be bringing these problems along with you. Despoil one place, now it isn't so great, lets move on somewhere else and despoil that one too.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

For a decent local car rental service, you can use White Wave Travel. Call them on 077 413 469. They will deliver and collect the vehicle at no extra charge.

You'll get a reasonable price by bypassing the travel agents.

Be aware that there is an insurance excess, so check the vehicle carefully before signing.

Country Bike is the motorcycle rental company recommended earlier in this thread. Haven't got a number for them, but worth a try as they can probably fix bikes too.

[SamuiJens]

That the NEW Samui 4 U, Itseems to get worse every year, He doulbed everthing on U. But in a way youdid agree to a price that you payed as well as gas, but like they say here on this site, GREED is really getting out of hand, always know the aprox. price before you buy/rent anything...there will allways be something else down the road if you ask around. I personally never pay over 80Baht per day/for weeks. and more. Samui isn't like it used to be, best to go other places where the tourists arn't so prevalant. You learn by your mistakes, but thats no reason for the Sumuians to rip people off.

The irony of this advice, of course, is that by moving somewhere else where tourists aren't so prevalent you will be bringing these problems along with you. Despoil one place, now it isn't so great, lets move on somewhere else and despoil that one too.

Can't agree 100% on that, since it's who and what you are and looking for. I'm not out to ruin a place, rather help it, with a communal agreement to that effect (buy talking to the locals and not misusing them or their land). Islands have people fixated on the get-away-from-it-all facter, making them more attracted to the traveler who is on a 2-3 week vacation, not giving a danm if they litter or look down on the people that live there, as it case with Samui.

[limbos]

Hold it Samuijens, are you trying to say that the 2-3 week tourist is littering the island without respect to the people that live here???

Ever driven behind a car or a motorbike driven by locals.

[sbk]

Well, the problem on Samui is if you are talking about a real local (native) or just some Thai people who have moved there to take advantage of the tourist boom. I am not talking about locals.

I am talking about the "move on to the next non-touristy destination" attitude, which, of course, becomes touristy, attracts non-local people (Thai and farang) who are just out to make a quick buck and suck the place dry, then move on, following you to your next non-touristy destination.

[pyros]

You are right . Samui has a lot of Thais who do not belong there and are very disrespectfull . However , many , many Thais and local Samui Thais are friendly and cooperative and not greedy if you speak to them the Thai way . I mean , treath them with respect and you will get help for free . If they see that you are not just aholidaymaker without any respect for local values you will get ripped off . Live is more expensive in Samui then in BKK , but that is for everybody the case . Also for Thai people living there . Sure there are rip offs , but in BKK there are also . Taxis are by far the worsed , but for Thais also .

[toptuan]

Business is Business....i certainly cannot blame them for getting their slice of the pie while its still fresh...

Your post is ridiculous. Get some ethical backbone!

Yes, most of the rest of us DO blame them for grabbing a piece of pie which was not theirs to have in the first place. They are grabbing baht that should have never left this OP's pocket.

They deserve to have their business shut down by the tourist police and run out of town. No less. Your tacit approval is unconscionable.

[limbos]

Toptuan,

Don't think that poorfarang adressed his comment particulary to this Thai business person, if you read the thread thoroughly, he even condams the action.

From a general point of view I'm 100% with poorfarang here, but you will always have greedy people that go way OTT like in this case.

[toptuan]

Toptuan,

Don't think that poorfarang adressed his comment particulary to this Thai business person, if you read the thread thoroughly, he even condams the action.

From a general point of view I'm 100% with poorfarang here, but you will always have greedy people that go way OTT like in this case.

The poster seems confused. He condemns it, and then whitewashes it. And yes, he DID comment about this Thai business person by including them in the wider group of mafia-types who are out to get their "piece of pie" by hook or by crook.

Yes, you'll always have greedy people, but don't leave them blameless (Poster..."I don't blame them..."). Be definitive about their reprehensible actions. The brazen cycle-shop owner and the type of people in the larger group he/she represents are the scum of business.

Not to condemn them is to approve them. Limbos, don't leave it in limbo, OK?

Edited July 24, 2006 by toptuan

[limbos]

Already stated that this person was way over the top (OTT).

Interprete that as you like.

[toptuan]

...and at the same time you agree 100% with PoorFarang? ("I don't blame them....")

Still in limbo....

[Donnyboy]

Business is Business. As much as I hate the greed that is here on Samui and other tourist areas I certainly cannot blame them for getting their slice of the pie while its still fresh...

but on the other side, you never bite the hand that feeds,

one day Samui will be known as a rip off place due to these greedy rogues and the tourists will simply go elsewhere.

[JimsKnight]

haircut - bangkok 50 baht samui 120 baht why?

tooth filling bangkok 500 baht samui 800 baht ++

taxi bangkok meters samui 400 baht chaweng-lamai would be maybe 150 on a meter.

doctor - bangkok 120 baht a visit at major hospital, 50 baht at local clinic, samui 300 baht at local clinic!!!

traffic police bribe - bangkok 100 baht, samui i don't know yet.

and it goes on and on even simple things you buy if you are farang you pay about double.

why ?

thai people explain it away by saying 'its small money for you'

i was doing a lease contract which fell apart when i tried to renegotiate the numbers,

ok fine, but i have never ever anywhere in the world seen a human being act as disgustingly as this rich thai female landlord. with few words spoken she stood up and shouted abuse at my thai lawyer and then shouted at me to 'get out' today (was there on a 1 month payment).

it was appalling.

she and her family are now rich people, why? because of farang money.

any gratitude? no.

any politeness? no

just more and more greed.

its a shame these people are not Buddhists with morals.

that said , there a few reasonable locals but they are vastly outnumbered by the evil ones.

think about it,

a place where every local with a truck knows they can extort 800 baht (more than 4 days wages) for a truck ride which in my country a helpful person would do for free and most likely refuse any payment offered.

many times i have been in a tricky situation in thailand and hardly ever will a thai person offer to help, like carrying a bag, or getting some gas for your bike etc.

simple things you and i would do to help people.

Thailand - Land of Give Me Money.

Its been a long held fact that Samui has long since fallen from grace and is now just one big rip-off island. Koh Tao is heading the same way but it will take a few years. This girl was once on at me to come down and stay with here on Samui, I told her straight ' You can come and see me on the mainland, but forget any Samui meeting' Was on Samui for less than 24 hours and it cost me over 2000 Baht once!

Steer clear of the place theres no decent diving (they all go to sail rock nr KPY) and the locals need a slap in the face.

[kasi]

Much better deals are available in Phuket:

scooter rental; 125 baht a day.

Beaches are much nicer.

Accommodations more reasonable.

Restaurant staff aren't usually stoned out of their minds like some places in Samui!

Samui you feel really trapped.

Phuket offers a myriad of very good options.

You'd have to pay me to live in Samui.

[Rooo]

Much better deals are available in Phuket:

scooter rental; 125 baht a day.

Beaches are much nicer.

Accommodations more reasonable.

Restaurant staff aren't usually stoned out of their minds like some places in Samui!

Samui you feel really trapped.

Phuket offers a myriad of very good options.

You'd have to pay me to live in Samui.

10 years ago Phuket wasn't much better.Again it depends what you are looking for.