I voted yes, buisness is buisness and allowing people to take tables for hours is not my kind of buisness model, staff to pay, utilities to pay for, rent or morgage on property etc, why do people think that cafes restaurantes etc don't allow people to eat their own food in them, but some people think they have the right to do so because they buy a drink, so someone buys a drink in a coffee shop and thinks they have the right to do as they please for as long as they like, not going to happen in my life if I had a coffee shop...

I remember a large road side eating/ drinking chain in the UK years ago that went out of buisness called the Little Chef, you could buy a coffee, get a free newspaper and have as many free refills as you liked, no wonder it went out of buisness, what an idiotic buisness concept, oh and the food wasn't up to much either...

If the place runs full then ask the "over-sitters" if they would like anything more. If not then tell them politely that you would bring them the check then as you - the operator/venue owner - would need the space for new customers.
Either the "over-sitters" understand and otherwise good riddance. If Thais would be able to talk to each other properly, directly, straight forward and with a smile then many, many problems would not occur.

Above is practiced in coffee shops all over the planet and nobody gives English classes or has six diners in all playing for hours on the smart phones - not even in Vienna

Electric seats.......Stay to long and you get shocked. They have something similar in Japan. They sell real small cups of coffee there though......

Bring a rubber mat and sit on it!

I think that the management of McDonalds on the corner of Soi 5, Sukhumvit Road should definitely charge the street prostitutes who ply their trade in this establishment. Either that, or bar-fine them like other establishments in the area!

Strictly No!

Why not just ask them to leave.

And I can't see how a coffee shop makes 1.000 Baht profit with a table in an hour.

Asking the errant customer to pay more is the same as asking them to leave ... i.e., either pay more or leave.

Perhaps the question should be: 'Should customers be allowed to comandeer two or three tables and several chairs for hours at a time, and often with one cup of coffee per attendee for the duration?'

I voted yes, buisness is buisness and allowing people to take tables for hours is not my kind of buisness model, staff to pay, utilities to pay for, rent or morgage on property etc, why do people think that cafes restaurantes etc don't allow people to eat their own food in them, but some people think they have the right to do so because they buy a drink, so someone buys a drink in a coffee shop and thinks they have the right to do as they please for as long as they like, not going to happen in my life if I had a coffee shop...

I remember a large road side eating/ drinking chain in the UK years ago that went out of buisness called the Little Chef, you could buy a coffee, get a free newspaper and have as many free refills as you liked, no wonder it went out of buisness, what an idiotic buisness concept, oh and the food wasn't up to much either...

It wasn't exactly roadside; their branches were situated, with parking, next to A roads, or in motorway stops. And they served food rather than just drinks; though I suppose there was nothing to stop someone just ordering a drink. For the price, the food wasn't that bad.

If the sign outside says Free WiFi folk will go in an use it that is why the sign is there. A better sign for me would be No WiFi but please come in and talk to each other over a drink. This is somewhere I would rather go.

Seems most times I can't get a seat in Starbucks to drink my coffee because there are so many people settled in using it as an office or a classroom. So yes, I would like to see them do something to move the 'longstayers' on a bit quicker. Maybe they should ditch the wifi. That may help.

Give 30 minutes Internet Access time on the Network against each bill. Easily managed.

This is what Starbucks now do in Hong Kong.

1. Starbucks coffee sucks.

2. Starbucks staff suck

3. Starbucks prices suck.

4. Starbucks environment sucks.

So anything that closes them down, reduces their obscene profits, or changes their franchise model, can only be a GOOD THING,

This is why such establishments have only standing tables and no chairs in the UK.

In Germany there is another reason for the standing tables. If you serve at these, only the reduced percentage of VAT applies, same as Take-Away.

I agree with this!

Yes. It's business after all. A reasonable limit is fair.