Wifi in Starbucks

[MZurf]

I went to Starbucks (Central, ground floor, beach side) today and had a coffee (surprise!). I asked for the wifi password and was told it now costs 150 Baht for five hours. I have no idea how long this policy has been in place since I rarely go there but it looks like the cheap charlies have finally killed the free wifi.

Congratulations. Scrooge season is coming up so you guys must be in top form!

OK, rant over. Merry Christmas to most of you!

PS. Mods; how about adding a Santa smiley?

[petercool]

"PS. Mods; how about adding a Santa smiley?"

After moderating the forums for hours each day we seldom feel like smiling but I can ask for you .....

Have a great Christmas yourself ...

[ThePlant]

Maybe they're finally going to get a tax bill in the UK so need every bit they can drag in.....

[ATF]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

[toenail]

Three years ago on Thai Visa-Pattaya I made the same complaint about Starbucks at Central. Many people made suggestions such as Coffee World and even the Ma &Pa coffee shops having free Wi-Fi. I even sent an email to the main office in Seattle. WA and I received this canned answer saying they would transfer my letter to the regional office in SE Asia. Charging for Wi-Fi is totally an outdated practice.

[4evermaat]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

[ATF]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

I'm not sure of the exact facts because I don't drink coffee but there is a charge for wifi now to stop undesirables mobbing the place.

[topt]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

I'm not sure of the exact facts because I don't drink coffee but there is a charge for wifi now to stop undesirables mobbing the place.

6 years ago when I had some issues over condo connectivity I went to the Starbucks near Bali Hai (not even sure if it is still there) and they were charging then so unless they changed I think they have always charged here.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

107 baht for month for unlimited TRUE WiFi....plus the cost of a SIM card. So you can still camp out in the Starbucks if TRUE HotSpots have a signal there.

http://truemoveh.truecorp.co.th/topping/wifi_unlimited_en.html

[kiniyow]

150 THB is about the right Price for a starbucks coffee so it is a Good deal overall

[bino]

Anyone who pays their crazy prices for a cup of coffee will find the internet to be a bargain.

[ThaiBob]

The logic of the local Starbucks is contrary to corporate practice. The concept is to sit down enjoy your coffee and use the Internet (which is fast in America) for hours. In America there are young people hanging out with friends and using their mobile devices. Starbucks knows people just don't have one cup of coffee and being with friends induces a feeding frenzy like a pack mentality, more coffee, donuts and snacks. Starbucks Thai management is way behind the times and quite frankly stupid.

[lemel]

Its the same at the service station on the motorway to Bangkok and in a lot of other Starbucks around, you pay, end of. I agree with Toenail they just say they will pass it on, if you go to the facebook page they don't reply, but maybe if everybody went on the site and complained about the charge they may react https://www.facebook.com/StarbucksThailand?fref=ts but then again TIT

[rickirs]

more at Sherv net

[DaffyDuck]

Hey, if it reduces the undesirable elements, it's worth it.

[scubascuba3]

150 THB is about the right Price for a starbucks coffee so it is a Good deal overall

It's 150 baht on top of what food and drinks you've purchased.

It's to stop people like the op buying one drink and sitting there all day.

[MZurf]

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It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

It's for the wifi only.

Anyone who pays their crazy prices for a cup of coffee will find the internet to be a bargain.

There just had to be a stingy one posting exactly that. If you had a coffee shop in Central please enlighten us as to what price you would charge for a medium latte (105 Baht in Starbucks)?

[ThaiBob]

Hey, if it reduces the undesirable elements, it's worth it.

Not sure what undesirable element that might be. Never thought that people with laptops, tablets and smartphones would be classified as undesirable, they are highly desired in most Starbucks throughout the world (excluding Thailand of course).

[DaffyDuck]

Been described on page 1 of the topic.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Been described on page 1 of the topic.

As aforementioned, you can get unlimited TRUE WiFi for 107 baht for a month. Why would an 'undesirable' pay 105 baht for a coffee?

I would certainly object if I had to buy a five hour chunk of Internet. Perhaps they should start to charge for seating next?

That will stop the undesirables from sitting down.

[sfokevin]

Hey, if it reduces the undesirable elements, it's worth it.

Not sure what undesirable element that might be. Never thought that people with laptops, tablets and smartphones would be classified as undesirable, they are highly desired in most Starbucks throughout the world (excluding Thailand of course).

The common term used these days is "Digital Nomad"...

[Robroona]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

Starbucks in the new mall in Roi Et asked me for 300 baht. Said it was good for a month, but I was on a day trip so passed on their offer

[whitemouse]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

150 is steep, 300 for 30 days very reasonable.

Agreeing with ATF, free would be nice, but there would be 100 people logged in for hours, the speed would drop to so slow, it becomes useless.

[whitemouse]

Anyone who pays their crazy prices for a cup of coffee will find the internet to be a bargain.

You pay to sit in a nice place, on a comfortable sofa, you pay for escaping Pattaya for an hour or so, coffee is just a bonus!

[ToddinChonburi]

Can you really blame them when the Russian take over all the tables not purchase anything and then complain when 4 of them buy one coffee.

[DaffyDuck]

That's Indian traders... not Russians.

[bino]

Anyone who pays their crazy prices for a cup of coffee will find the internet to be a bargain.

There just had to be a stingy one posting exactly that. If you had a coffee shop in Central please enlighten us as to what price you would charge for a medium latte (105 Baht in Starbucks)?

You should try Cafe Amazon. The same fresh ground beans, steam pressed cup is 50 baht for their Latte Amazon house blend. 60 baht if you splurge on the premium blend.

Everything on their menu boards is 50% cheaper than Starbucks. It just shows you how bad you are being zoomed by the big brand name.

[EyesWideOpen]

Yes it is insane for Starbucks to be charging for wifi. Even McDonalds has free wifi.

And if " digital nomads" sit there all day using the wifi, give them the boot. Pretty easy.

That is what McDonalds does here in Thailand as well...

[Jiu-Jitsu]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

150 is steep, 300 for 30 days very reasonable.

Agreeing with ATF, free would be nice, but there would be 100 people logged in for hours, the speed would drop to so slow, it becomes useless.

Not if you are just there for the day. Why not just charge 10 baht in that case?

[whitemouse]

It's to prevent the Digicoys from camping out in there.

150 baht is kind of steep. Is that a separate charge only for wifi? or is it the minimum food purchase?

150 is steep, 300 for 30 days very reasonable.

Agreeing with ATF, free would be nice, but there would be 100 people logged in for hours, the speed would drop to so slow, it becomes useless.

Not if you are just there for the day. Why not just charge 10 baht in that case?

Of course 150 thb for 1 day is unreasoanable, but at 10b for a day would fill the place with 100 people sitting there for hours, it becomes a camp for internet users, cos 10b is pretty much free. The point of Starbucks is that its a nice place, with seating always availabe, I go to Central every day, and corner of soi 13/1 as well.

There is a thread here not long ago, if it is possible to make friends in Pattaya. Starbucks at corner of soi 13/1 and Beach Rd would be good place to start, very often people start conversation.. Sometimes you like them, sometimes maybe not so much.. So you filter who you continue meeting there, I've met many nice people there, sadly many are tourists, so no long term friendship wouldhappen.

I fail to see why Starbucks wifi is needed at all, for people who live here, or stay for several month. True Move 4G is cheap, and download speed never lower than 40 Mbps. And all True packages include free True wifi access, Im pretty sure signal in Central is strong.

So even bother with Starbucks wifi?