EDITORIAL
Overpricing shames Thailand again
The Nation

Recent cases of tourists being exploited are damaging more than just the country's reputation

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's reputation among foreign visitors has taken another dive following complaints of overpricing. A group of eight Malaysians visited a karaoke bar in Chiang Mai on Friday night and were together charged Bt114,080 for a few hours' stay.

At about the same time a Japanese tourist was sharing news of his encounter with an unscrupulous taxi driver at Suvarnabhumi Airport. The cabby refused to use the meter and instead demanded Bt700 for a trip to Saphan Kwai that should have cost about Bt300. The two incidents are merely the tip of the iceberg.

Authorities were quick to take action, shutting the karaoke bar and vowing (again) to keep the taxi system at the airport under close watch.

While they should be commended for a swift response, such exploitation could have been avoided altogether had the authorities ensured the law was being properly and continuously enforced in the first place. We have witnessed "war" declared time and again on some aspect of wrongdoing, only to watch the campaign fizzle out soon after.

The karaoke trap in Chiang Mai and the predatory airport taxi driver won't be the last we hear about this deep-rooted problem.

When the victims are foreigners, the stories of exploitation often make the headlines and go viral on social media, and they taint Thailand's lucrative tourism industry.

Of course, not even residents are immune to the rip-offs. A few years ago a karaoke bar in Samut Prakan gained notoriety after a customer complained about being massively overcharged. His testimony was almost identical to that given by the Malaysian tourists in Chiang Mai, but that time the victim was Thai. Meanwhile being ripped off at beachside restaurants is a common topic of discussion among Thais online.

Indeed, the social media are a valuable means of exposing such exploitation and warning others. More-developed nations tend to suffer less from such problems because their rules and regulations are more strictly enforced, while the social networks can be extensive and powerful enough to act as watchdogs and drive unethical operators out of business.

The contrast in Thailand is stark. Here, barely a week goes by without fresh news of scams being operated by bars, cabbies and others. Last week a Dutchman was beaten up in Chiang Mai for refusing to pay an obscenely high bar bill. By failing to respond with long-term measures, we only encourage more exploitation. It occurs now despite the fact that we have a law against overcharging, the penalties for which are seven years in jail

and a Bt200,000 fine.

Like many other deep-rooted problems in Thailand, overcharging stems from weak law enforcement and a reluctance to act unless the problem is in the public spotlight. As soon as the problem fades from general view, measures against it slacken.

The authorities need to flex their muscles and crack down on tourist rip-offs, especially at the airport, which is the Kingdom's "front door" for visitors. They need to maintain the pressure to eradicate this problem and make sure it doesn't return.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Overpricing-shames-Thailand-again-30252335.html


-- The Nation 2015-01-21

This doesn't "taint" Thailand's reputation - it's just a fair reflection of what goes on here.

Shames Thailand, really ?

Does anyone think those involved in scams and ripoffs worry what others think as long as they are making money ?

Is it a scam though? So Somchai has a business that caters to foreigners...he sees all official tourist attractions charging 300% ++ for foreigners so assumes it is legal to do so.

The "authorities" are very often part of the problem and are proactive in supporting all these kind of scams and many more like the jet skis etc because they get a cut from the extortion money.

This is called "chinese style" to not show the price. Happens all over Thailand. Don't show the price so you can ask what you like depending on the customers color of skin. They also do it to Thai customers.

If this won't stop soon then it will become like Europe where only big shops will survive and all those small shops will be gone.....to be honest i can't wait for that. Shopping should be fun and customers have the right to see the price, just like in restaurants.

It will NEVER stop. Ever! I am not Thai bashing here, but being underhand to achieve another price is absolutely inherent in Thai society. Even the banks will give the land office a lower sale figure on a house in order to pay less tax. People just have to be aware that they WILL be subject to being taken for a ride at every turn. There are obvious positives, but being ripped is an obligatory negative.

Don't have much to do with them, and you bank balance will stay remarkably intact.

The "authorities" are very often part of the problem and are proactive in supporting all these kind of scams and many more like the jet skis etc because they get a cut from the extortion money.

Only a few months ago didn't the Bkk Governor step into a dispute over the fees for hiring a boat to tour the floating markets by saying Bt 800 for Thais and Bt 2,000 for foreigners ?

This is supposed to make tourists feel welcome ?

Shames Thailand, really ?

Does anyone think those involved in scams and ripoffs worry what others think as long as they are making money ?

I once overheard a tourist ask a bargirl if she was scared of catching HIV working in a bar, she said no, I'm scared of not having something to eat tomorrow, and this pretty well sums it up.

If it really shamed them, they would have stopped it a decade ago. They love ripping money out of foreigners and rolling laughing on the floor at just how easy pickings they are. Anyway glad to see the operation and clamp down on these bars in Chiangmai worked.

Does anyone really believe that Thailand feels SHAME about the practice of overcharging? Seriously! Sure they feel shame about being caught and having it brought to the light of international scrutiny but who can believe that there is a sense of shame here in Thailand for overcharging others, be they foreigners or their own countrymen. When the Thai finally (if ever) develop a sense of what is wrong with overcharging, there may be some honest remorse and shame but until then, their feeling of shame is only a synonym for regret over losing potential revenue.

This is not "overpricing". Simply presenting a bill for over $3000 and then using the very real threat of violence to get the money is robbery. The fact that the police are collaborators in the venture makes it state-sponsored robbery. This is not "overpricing".

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Shames Thailand, really ?

Does anyone think those involved in scams and ripoffs worry what others think as long as they are making money ?

Isn't that called thainess? Mai pan rai

The threat to the Thai Tourist industry is social media , these topics are now being highlighted virtually as it happens, before all you heard about Thailand was at the departure lounge or your seat partner on the plane moaning of the pitfalls of coming to Thailand and the never again chiming in , the problem lies in the frequency of these complaints , unless Thailand gets up to speed it will be come another dinosaur , a no go tourist destination , the balls in your court Thailand.

I recently told a friend of mine that I did not agree with her light fingers when it came to things from her work and wish she would stop with
that sort of behavior. I said it is wrong that she does that, her reply, no one sees me do it or knows I have taken anything, why should she

stop.

Because it is just wrong, this she could not comprehend, but she said it would be wrong if she was to be caught.

Basically in her view and apparently of most people is its not a problem if no one knows or it is a case of us vs them. No concept

of you just shouldn't., except when it came to not littering in the grounds of a Wat, while it being fair game once outside.

i'm baffled

So they closed the bar, great, now will they be fined the 200,000 Bt and go too gaol? NO'P, will they re-open the bar again under a new name YES!

Do many BIB and their family and friends own these bars YES!

Are the BIB in on the gig before YES, are the BIB in on the new bar gig YES, so what will change? NOTHING!!!!!!!

State sponsored theft: Thai price/falang price, Museums, National parks, ancient temples, Zoo, etc, The fact is this is very condoned by the government as they actively practice it, regardless of the now thrown out 2007 constitution outlawing it.

Can you imagine a person in OZ being charged 2/3/4 times the local price simply because they are a foreigner/tourist, I can see the news headlines now "RACIST" "poor Thai family now sues AUST government for millions $$$ for his very hurt feelings pain and suffering.

Price is presumably (and theoretically) a reflection of costs, overheads and profit margins. It is not just tourists who are 'shaken down'. Local T Shirt shop unwittingly purchased from a big Pratunam wholesale store some T shirts which were 'it was alleged' copies of a Japanese brand. Local boys in brown arrived and demanded B200,000 for selling' counterfeit' goods. No charge paper, no warrant, threats of jail if not paid. Owner eventually settles for 50,000K. What about Pratunam store? Too big to touch. Receipt? Not likely. Money clearly trousered by BIB. Had he done anything to cause this? Not as far as he knew.

We have witnessed "war" declared time and again on some aspect of wrongdoing, only to watch the campaign fizzle out soon after

Grim reality of Thainess at its best

a tuttuk driver in chiangmai once told me that all the karaoke bars that use the cover charge trick to extort large amount of cash out of unsuspected customers are run by the same jao-por (godfather).

if he knows how come the police doesn't ... or do they?

In a "nut shell"

"Like many other deep-rooted problems in Thailand, overcharging [etc.] stems from weak [or no] law enforcement and a reluctance to act,,,"

WELCOME to Land of Scams.

This is called "chinese style" to not show the price. Happens all over Thailand. Don't show the price so you can ask what you like depending on the customers color of skin. They also do it to Thai customers.

If this won't stop soon then it will become like Europe where only big shops will survive and all those small shops will be gone.....to be honest i can't wait for that. Shopping should be fun and customers have the right to see the price, just like in restaurants.

Indeed. And I REFUSE to buy from places that do not list prices. I would not purchase a "good/used" pick up from a "tent", because of this either. I'd prefer going to www.thaicar.com

Does anyone know which karaoke place, I have not seen an address or a photo, the same for the taxi driver, a picture of him his car etc, how would a new visitor know this may be a problem? Should we not all be more proactive like the Japanese man in swampy?

On a similar scanario, I asked a friend in the UK how many days holiday he had, the answer was 25 plus 10 days sick leave. He works for the civil service and explained how every year the department manager takes his full holiday allowance and uses up all his sick days so all the staff do the same. Its not just Thais who can't always see something is plainly wrong

I recently told a friend of mine that I did not agree with her light fingers when it came to things from her work and wish she would stop with
that sort of behavior. I said it is wrong that she does that, her reply, no one sees me do it or knows I have taken anything, why should she

stop.

Because it is just wrong, this she could not comprehend, but she said it would be wrong if she was to be caught.

Basically in her view and apparently of most people is its not a problem if no one knows or it is a case of us vs them. No concept

of you just shouldn't., except when it came to not littering in the grounds of a Wat, while it being fair game once outside.

i'm baffled

If you have to ask the price, that means you can't afford it, 555.

As Einstein noted, everything is relative.

Ever price apartments in Luanda, Angola or buy a cup of coffee in Hong Kong?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2014/07/10/the-most-expensive-cities-in-the-world/

Enacting or trying to enforce laws on overpricing is simply not likely to work...it starts at home, school, temple, community and neighborhoods...everyone has to be of a like mind to make something like this work...and people should be quick to cry foul when they discover corruption...ain't gonna happen...

so next time in any attracking

where they put in thai numerals : free for thais and 500 baht for farang, you can call the good general to come & close it down ?

One big problem is they think all Farangs are RICH !!!!!! Just ask your Thai women . I asked my girl friend and this is what they think. We can afford to pay it. One problem is they see the big ass house some Farang builds for his Thai wife another for her family and they all want it. Look at your girls Face Book account. They love to show off what they have and were they have gone. We really have no one to blame but ourselves.

Not really sure why you call it double pricing ? it is tourist pricing, just like going in to a place to eat and paying 70 baht for papaya salad. WHAT !!! I am not paying that, time to leave and go somewhere else. Unfortunately we are all just visitors here in the land of frowns and we can leave at any time. No one yes no one has to stay.

If you come to Chiang Mai please stay out of the Karoke Bars they are known ripe off places.