22 restaurants in Hua Hin guilty of overcharging their customers

[Pundi6446]

Ching Ching !!!! oh here comes another farang, get out the farang menu 

[corb]

In NEW ORLEANS there was a very High Class Restaurant that had a Menu with no prices ,
my roommate was a waiter there and I believe it was in the St. Louis Hotel , in the French Quarter,
which is the area where Bourbon St.is located
If a customer asked for a Menu with prices , my roommate simply told the customer
" We are sorry ,but if you need to ask the Prices ,you cannot afford to eat here!"
As long as a restaurant is up front about their prices and not switching Menus ,like some other Posts suggested,
it should not be the Governments business what the restaurants want to price their Menus at !
If the Govt. wants to be involved , what they should be checking into ; is the ridiculous prices the landlords
charge for key money & rent , which Restaurant owners can either pay or find a different location.
That also has a bearing on the prices some places charge , to cover that cost , it is reflected in higher
prices on the menus.Plus how many employees are on the payroll & if there's any entertainment.
If your not forced to go into a place their prices should be their biz not the govts !

[Tchooptip]

In Samui, some restaurants will have menus in Thai on the wall and hand a menu to the suckers (i.e: foreigners) for double and triple the price... 

My UK friend, who could speak, read and write Thai, would always make a point of ordering for us from the wall. 

Perplexed the thieving, air-headed rascals...

And if one goes with his Thai wife/girl friend whats happened? 

I do live in Samui by the way never saw that?

(does not mean I don't believe you  )

[Nielsk]

Maybe I'm differnet to some, but I have never gone to a restaurant without asking for a menu card to choose from and allways just paid the shown price.

 

Tips: At cheaper restaurants in Thailand it is customary to leave your small change behind. If you are eating at a small roadside place then you should round the bill up.

In high end restaurants tips are more likely to be expected because the waiters are professionals. Here you should tip at least 10% for good service but only if there is no service charge on the bill. You should hand your tip directly to to the waiter. If you are served by multiple people give the gratuity to the most senior waiter who served you. Make sure that the other staff who served you can see this and indicate clearly to the waiter who the tip should be shared bwteeen.

Sorry but I don't see the problem in the Jomtien/Pattya distrikt.                                 Jomtien/ Pattaya distrikt

 

[glasswort]

Ripping off tourists is not restricted to Thailand. From personal experience I know that businesses, and not only restaurants, in many parts of England have different prices for locals and tourists, and tourists can be nationals or foreigners.

[DDbkh]

Its Ok for TV residents to be blasé and say 'caveat emptor' - check the prices etc. etc. but Hua Hin is a major tourist destination and Thailand as a country is trying to promote the tourist business.
Part of the myth of a paradise holiday in Thailand is that it is relatively cheap so paying London prices in a HH restaurant may well contribute to the general feeling that the country does not value its tourists or want them to return.
The millions spent on advertising and overseas junkets by the Tourism Authority are all wasted if the customer says 'sorry - it was a rip off'.
Its easy to say tourism is only 10% of the economy but it is one of the largest employers and many ancillary businesses survive on it - including these 22 restaurants.
The message is 'don't piss off the golden goose'

[topt]

 

I don't know if we can complain about the price of wine because on a recent trip to Tesco Lotus I saw that they had quite a large selection of wines including Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot for 199 bht per bottle.  I bought 5 bottles and polished off a bottle of Pinot Grigio last night.  I would not say it was the best bottle of wine I had but it was passable.

 

JAF

Who judges if something is expensive?

Can we complain about the price of wine?

 

Can you tell me where the Tesco store is.............please!

 

Tesco Lotus on Suk in Pattaya had some offers on last week and again this week - I think they are clearing out some stock. Wolf Blass Chardonnay and Shiraz 199 baht - could not see any Shiraz left the other day.

[topt]

Maybe I'm differnet to some, but I have never gone to a restaurant without asking for a menu card to choose from and allways just paid the shown price.

 

Tips: At cheaper restaurants in Thailand it is customary to leave your small change behind. If you are eating at a small roadside place then you should round the bill up.

In high end restaurants tips are more likely to be expected because the waiters are professionals. Here you should tip at least 10% for good service but only if there is no service charge on the bill. You should hand your tip directly to to the waiter. If you are served by multiple people give the gratuity to the most senior waiter who served you. Make sure that the other staff who served you can see this and indicate clearly to the waiter who the tip should be shared bwteeen.

Sorry but I don't see the problem in the Jomtien/Pattya distrikt.                                 Jomtien/ Pattaya district

 

Curious are these your words or quoted from somewhere? Especially as nothing to do with the subject at hand........

[MaxYakov]

If you know what the price is before you order it, there is no problem.

 

Agree, as long as the same price is on the bill. I rarely eat in either farang (tourist) or Thai restaurants and when I do Thai I have my GF along to negotiate. Although, one time she was charged an extra 10 baht for some takeaway simply because I was standing nearby on the street in view of the proprietors (or so we believed because she had been charged less previously for the same item when I wasn't there).

 

However, I do have (at least) one economic principle (succinctly):  High-price <> Over-charge

 

Munch on that.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Agreed with most of the above, as long as there is transparency of price for items offered.  So, if the menu says 2000 baht for Som Tom, so be it.  If we're going to kick this around, lets consider the ridiculous prices that the market seems to bare.  165 baht for a beer, 65 baht for a club soda, and on and on, of course thats the prices most of us see in bars, especially entertainment venues.  But... I object to these prices, and would rather be given the choice of cover charge and fair pricing on the beverages. Who the hell am I to complain, probably pissing in the wind.  Of course the only viable option is order one beer, pay for it, and nurse that sucker for 2 hours. 

[Nielsk]

 

Maybe I'm differnet to some, but I have never gone to a restaurant without asking for a menu card to choose from and allways just paid the shown price.

 

Tips: At cheaper restaurants in Thailand it is customary to leave your small change behind. If you are eating at a small roadside place then you should round the bill up.

In high end restaurants tips are more likely to be expected because the waiters are professionals. Here you should tip at least 10% for good service but only if there is no service charge on the bill. You should hand your tip directly to to the waiter. If you are served by multiple people give the gratuity to the most senior waiter who served you. Make sure that the other staff who served you can see this and indicate clearly to the waiter who the tip should be shared bwteeen.

Sorry but I don't see the problem in the Jomtien/Pattya distrikt.                                 Jomtien/ Pattaya district

 

Curious are these your words or quoted from somewhere? Especially as nothing to do with the subject at hand........

 

May be notof interest  for You TOPT, but maybe for some others .....

[ChrisY1]

 

Ive just realized ive been overcharged every time I go out for a beer because they are always more expensive in bars/gogo's than the 7/11.... who should I complain to ?

No One. The answer lies in the overheads. 7/11's are largely self service and with a lower cost base than a typical bar I would venture to suggest.

 

 

So there you go Spoonman..explained!

[wvavin]

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with the prices stated on the menu. Customers are at their liberty to order what they want or they are free to walk off if they feel that its very expensive or its beyond their budget. Nobody force them to order anything. These complaints definitely came from those cheapskate tourists!

[sirocco]

ukrules for:

 

in the initial message are not given the origins of the group of customers who had to pay expensive option meal.

So do not invent.

Then looking in google what it means to "colonial egg", shalt thou understand better my speech. 

[PLW]

Are these restaurants in collusion in Hua Hin? If so Big Problem!!

[timewilltell]

Maybe they will bring in laws to control the horrendous and devious overcharging by lawyers next?

[Shaunduhpostman]

The article is not clear. Do they mean that the police are going after restaurants that simply list prices that the police are deeming to be too high, which seems pretty non-sensical, or are they talking about going after restaurants that demand customers pay sudden temporary increases in the prices of listed menu items that occur between the time items are ordered and the creation of a bill, which would be what the police should do?

 

I've gotten this one a few times in the last decade: "Sorry, sir, menu not updated yet, wine is 650 baht for glass not 300. Menu don't say the price today." Another classic ast seafood restaurants is: "No, sir, menu price is for food only. There is a cooking charge also. It is on the sign in front of restaurant about charge for pay to the cook and for gas for cooking."

[ggt]

Over charging their customers...this will probably come as a shock to the restaurant owners...in a culture which has fostered a climate of cheating its customers for years...this is a refreshing change to the normal graft and corruption...kudos to the official who came up with the program of checking restaurant charges...hope it sweeps the country...and not just in restaurants... 

[Wombat6]

Ive just realized ive been overcharged every time I go out for a beer because they are always more expensive in bars/gogo's than the 7/11.... who should I complain to ?

 

Your Mother for bringing you up as an Idiot
 

[SiggiCM]

Hey I don't necessarily  agree  with higher prices but its up to the restaurant what they charge If people don't like the price then don't go there This is not a police matter

this is a straight forward matter for the people

 

If you don't go the restaurant will eventually lower prices or not stay open. This is free enterprise

 

It is not about that a restaurant set the prices but this kind of bussiness use different Menu´s

with different prices, and this restaurants are not living from regular customers only from walk in on the beach,

this is stealing and robbery !!  they should loose their license and of course they not pay any tax for their turn over, 

and the owner also not have any chance to controll his stav, all the money will go in the pocket of the staff, 

when you have different prices no controll. 

this restaurants should be closed and the owners should loose the right to work in this kind of bussiness for 10 years

[Nielsk]

 

Ive just realized ive been overcharged every time I go out for a beer because they are always more expensive in bars/gogo's than the 7/11.... who should I complain to ?

 

Your Mother for bringing you up as an Idiot
 

 

Too many on this site  for sure, are lacking humor. Pity for them.....................(Too many years away from home)

[WitawatWatawit]

 

Ive just realized ive been overcharged every time I go out for a beer because they are always more expensive in bars/gogo's than the 7/11.... who should I complain to ?

No One. The answer lies in the overheads. 7/11's are largely self service and with a lower cost base than a typical bar I would venture to suggest.
 

 
So there you go Spoonman..explained!

About bloody time you showed up. Spoonman has been sitting on the step outside his 7/11 nursing a beer for 2 hours and wondering where the heck you got to.

[borrfors]

I think it is good to check the prizes on the menue BEFORE you order. Then you always have the choice to go to another place if the prizes are crazy high. And it also will be a reminder to the restaurant owner that they can´t f...k every customer as he or she wants.

[ukrules]

Ching Ching !!!! oh here comes another farang, get out the farang menu 

 

This really is hilarious considering it was Thai's who complained about the overcharging.
 

[ukrules]

 

ukrules for:

 

in the initial message are not given the origins of the group of customers who had to pay expensive option meal.

So do not invent.

Then looking in google what it means to "colonial egg", shalt thou understand better my speech. 

 

 

This whole incident was Thai's who were complaining about the price of food, I'm not inventing it - I'm just familiar with what actually happened here as it's been widely reported in the Thai media.

 

Edit : What's a 'colonial egg' ?

[marsstar14]

The article is not clear. Do they mean that the police are going after restaurants that simply list prices that the police are deeming to be too high, which seems pretty non-sensical, or are they talking about going after restaurants that demand customers pay sudden temporary increases in the prices of listed menu items that occur between the time items are ordered and the creation of a bill, which would be what the police should do?

 

I've gotten this one a few times in the last decade: "Sorry, sir, menu not updated yet, wine is 650 baht for glass not 300. Menu don't say the price today." Another classic ast seafood restaurants is: "No, sir, menu price is for food only. There is a cooking charge also. It is on the sign in front of restaurant about charge for pay to the cook and for gas for cooking."

IMO, they're going after the restaurants that don't charge their customers according to the prices listed on their menu items, which you correctly described in your example.

 

My second guess is that there are also several restaurants in Thailand that don't list the prices of their menu items at all. In this case, it would give the chance for the restaurant to charge whatever prices they please and take advantage of the unknowing customer.

Of course, it would be wise for the customer to ask for the food prices before ordering them. However, in Thai society it's all about saving face. Asking for food prices in front of your friends would seem awkward because the Thais would think you're unwillingly to pay.

[Eli1]

I don't know if we can complain about the price of wine because on a recent trip to Tesco Lotus I saw that they had quite a large selection of wines including Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot for 199 bht per bottle.  I bought 5 bottles and polished off a bottle of Pinot Grigio last night.  I would not say it was the best bottle of wine I had but it was passable.

 

JAF

Who judges if something is expensive?

Can we complain about the price of wine?

 

Are you sure you were not drinking Vinegar at that price..$199

[Deacon Bell]

In Samui, some restaurants will have menus in Thai on the wall and hand a menu to the suckers (i.e: foreigners) for double and triple the price... 

My UK friend, who could speak, read and write Thai, would always make a point of ordering for us from the wall. 

Perplexed the thieving, air-headed rascals...

 

Wonder what was added to your smartass food.

 

 

I once had a woman go ballistic at the showers next to the beach road, I wanted to change out of my motorcycle gear in one of the shower cubicles.

 

Sign in English, Shower: 50b.

Sign in Thai, Ab Nahm: 10b.

 

Told her while pointing, Mai yak showurrr na khrap, yak ab-nam. 

 

She quickly started hitting the sign, Showurrr 50 baht! Showurr 50 baht!

 

 

Mai yak showurrr na khrap, yak ab-nahm. Ab-Nam 10 baht na khrap.

 

Fiffee Baht Fiffee baht!

 

Mai chai na khrap. Mai yak showurrr na khrap, yak ab-nahm. Ab-Nam 10 baht na khrap.

 

Then I got out because she was about to get very, very violent.

 

 

A beautiful people.

 

 

 

 

 

[Deacon Bell]

150b for khao kai jeow (plain rice and omelette) once in Ayuthaya. 

 

I just laughed. Told her no, how much is it really. 

 

She asked how much, up to me.

 

Was going to say, 1 baht, and you can keep the change out of this 2 baht coin, but value my life a bit more than that. :D

 

Think I left 30-40 baht for it.

[Pistol101]

Some friends and I ate at a restaurant on Hangdong Road in Chiang Mai recently. My friend, who has some stupid desire to be liked by everyone and be thought of as champion (which never works in his favour - or mine on this night), decided to allow the female waitress (whom was also the owner), to order for us based on her husbands favourite dishes to cook as his specialty. 

 

When the bill arrived at the end, she doubled the price of everything on the menu and proceeded to explain that it was because she doubled the serving size. 

 

I would of loathed to see the original size meals because there is no way on Gods green earth that they were any bigger than normal as they barely filled the plate.. 

 

Clearly it was utter bullshit and expected us foreigners to foot the bill.. Sure love, we will pay what you ask, to help keep your doors open, but you will never see us again.