Am I Getting Ripped Off?

[joeyswags]

Hey all,

I want to know the current/standard price for translating documents from thai to english in bangkok. My wife has this person she loves to go to, who she affectionately calls 'lady ticket'. She handles all airfare bookings, translations, hotels..just about anything that her family needs done.

We are paying 500 baht per document (she threw in one for free so 2000 for 5docs). I know she is just outsourcing this to a translator...am i getting ripped off? I have to admit it is a nice service though..she has a messenger come and drop off the docs when complete.

The reason I ask is because i have found cheaper airfares through airasia on flights she has booked her family on.

Thanks

[petecooper]

There is a concept known as "pay for service". You can probably book cheaper airfares yourself and do the running around but being able to go to single, reliable person to have this done saves you time, effort and stress; that might be what you're paying for.

The point isn't "are you being ripped off" but "are you getting value for your money". If she does an excellent job at translating documents at 500B a piece, would you rather pay 300B but not get so good a result? How important are these things anyway?

Value, like beauty I suppose, is in the eye of the beholder.

[joeyswags]

Good point...i can always count on TV to put things in perspective for me

For some reason 500 baht per page seemed little bit high..but your right...these are important documents and this is one of thailands industries with an inelastic demand. A good place to go into business...

Thanks

[t.s]

Good point...i can always count on TV to put things in perspective for me

For some reason 500 baht per page seemed little bit high..but your right...these are important documents and this is one of thailands industries with an inelastic demand. A good place to go into business...

Thanks

seems pretty standard, but it depends on the quality you recieve. legal docs can be very pricey

[kurgen]

Send them to me, I charge 2 bottles of Tiger per page.

Any more than 8 pages and sometimes I get my wucking mords fuddled

[Nawtilus]

200 to 500 is the norm, I used to have a lady do it for 150b per page, but she let me down big time once so never use her again. But she did a very good job when she did do it.

A recent 500 per page translation was absolutley pathetic, worst I have ever encountered.

So more is not always better of course.

[GracelessFawn]

Send them to me, I charge 2 bottles of Tiger per page.

Any more than 8 pages and sometimes I get my wucking mords fuddled

I only charge 1 bottle of Tiger / page so you better send emmmmmm to me!

(Sorry Kurgen this is simply a business matter, nothing personal!)

Edited September 5, 2006 by GracelessFawn

[mrkhawkes]

500 baht is nothing, it cost me 1700 baht for the British Embassy to translate a driving licence into Thai.

thats being ripped off.

[barryofthailand]

I live in Pattaya, and I pay 300 baht per page normally. The last time I had to have a double sided document translated and was charged 350 baht. The difference is the office I take them too does it themselves rather than outsourcing.

Barry

[popshirt]

I am on business in US but just today I needed to have a power of attorney translated from Thai into English before submitting to Thai Consulate as local notaries here would not notarize it for me because they didn't read Thai.

Sooooooo I went to my favourite Thai restaurant and, sure enough, my favourite waiter was there, it was not a busy time, he sat down and translated it for me and I was even given a nice glass of iced tea whilst waiting!

Then--and this is the good part--I was referred to a notary who doesn't speak or read much English, but she is fluent in Tagalog and notarized it in a few seconds! My Thai restaurant translation didn't mean a thing to her.

Don't we live in a wonderful world? No TIT here, this was in California! Neither the iced tea nor the translation cost me anything. I gave the notary US $20.

Edited September 6, 2006 by popshirt

[Neeranam]

500 baht is nothing, it cost me 1700 baht for the British Embassy to translate a driving licence into Thai.

thats being ripped off.

Why did you need your driving license translated?

[Scott]

500 Baht, door to door service and on time sounds like a reasonable price for me. My time costs a lot more than that.

[basjke]

Then--and this is the good part--I was referred to a notary who doesn't speak or read much English, but she is fluent in Tagalog and notarized it in a few seconds! My Thai restaurant translation didn't mean a thing to her.

Don't we live in a wonderful world? No TIT here, this was in California! Neither the iced tea nor the translation cost me anything. I gave the notary US $20.

This indeed must be the good part,A notary in california who doesn't speak english.

[popshirt]

LOL. She spoke English sort of OK but wasn't up to speed on the reading part, just glanced at it, said what is it? I said Power of Attorney and she said OK!

[terry57]

ok fella,

dont worry about a bleeding thing as my top self will translate those very important article's for the very cheap price of :

a dogs eye,

a round of vegemite sandwich's

and a dozen fosters at the nearest rubbity dub dub.

cheers friend