Over-priced food on Pattaya Beach, investigated by Army & local Officials



PATTAYA: -- Following complaints on Social Media channels regarding the over-priced food being offered by vendors on Pattaya Beach, a team of local government officers and army personnel, conducted a spot-check on Monday to see if the claims were true.

The team conducted the check on Pattaya Beach, in front of Pattaya Police Station after pictures of over-priced food were posted on Facebook. Although no criminal offences were being committed, the Deputy Mayor of Pattaya, Khun Ronagit, has vowed to use all the powers available to him to control the food prices.

Vendors were approached and menus were checked and some items appeared over-priced, compared to restaurants located only meters away. The Deputy Mayor spotted Fried Pork was priced at 200 Baht and a simple portion of sticky rice which is available in most Thai restaurants for 10 Baht would cost beachgoers 20 Baht.

Full story: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/171721/over-priced-food-on-pattaya-beach-investigated-by-army-local-officials/


-- Pattaya One 2015-02-18

Simple answer is don't use beach vendors, buy elsewhere. As long as it is not now illegal to buy food and take to the beach, I cannot keep up with all these beach law changes!

What about over-priced jet-ski repairs ?

Did the mayor pop-along to that location to check on prices too ? I think not.

"some items appeared over-priced, compared to restaurants located only meters away." well, duh.... Is it thought the vendors do this to make merit? They are trying to make a somewhat honest living for those who do not care to get out of their chairs. Don't like the prices, then spend your money elsewhere.

Do cops realize how absurd this seems, considering the jet ski scams that are notorious and do damage Thailand's image? Oh but then again, cops often are owners of those jet ski frauds.

It does seem odd that anyone would waste time investigating the overpricing of sticky rice by 10B when some of the world's biggest tourist scams (jet-ski damage scams) take place daily on the same beach, to the value of 10s if not 100s of thousands of Baht per day.

At least the sticky rice vendors tell you your rice is going to cost you 20B before you order it, and they don't suddenly surprise you with a 1000B bill for imaginary damage to the plate afterwards.

Maybe they can look into food prices on Samui while they are at it. Prices on Samui have doubled in the past year or two, at a lot of restaurants. Sabaenglae just raised their prices another 35%! Many are following this heinous trend of sucking every last baht out of the tourists. The locals are finding fewer and fewer places to eat. Thankfully there are still some mom and pop joints that are fairly priced. But, the trend continues of trying to turn the place into a five star island, with two star infrastructure, service, sanitary conditions, and little to no public transportation. Most of the places that are engaging in price gouging are not improving their restaurants at all. Just higher prices. Samui may be Bali in five years.

The gouging by the vendors is non stop. Eventually this has to impact on the tourist numbers.

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They should also investigate at Food Mart Jomtien.

Aside from the obvious, one of the things that made Pattaya an attractive holiday venue in the earlier days was the control (and agreement) of prices.

Of course, it was rumoured in those days to be controlled by the Chonburi crews.............

We have a shift in dynamics going on these days, heading towards 'island' mentality........................

I haven't been to Pattaya for years but when I did go I alwaya tried to eat in the places where the Thais ate. I'm sure no self respecting Thai would dream of paying double for sticky rice. You tended to get bigger portions in Thai eateries too.

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Surely a vendor can charge what he/she likes, as long as it's advertised before the purchase. It's then up to the consumer whether or not he/she buys it. No good getting in a tizz on Facebook etc after the event.

I'm no 'free market' nut but I do get concerned when officials try to regulate some things but not others.

I think a vendor should be able to charge whatever he/she wants

If people are willing to pay the asking price, then good for the vendor

We should blame the social media. 20 years ago smoke-signals were used and no possibility to transmit pics.

Can they go and check Bang Saen while they are at it?

Top Marks to the Military and all involved in looking after the interests of Tourists.

This would never have happened under the Crooks who were in power previously. At last, the image of Thailand is starting to improve, thanks to an HONEST P.M.

The PM may be honest, but he is also a populist.

Mostly busy with the symptoms rather than curing the real issues.