New Airport Internet Cafes To Charge 500 Baht/hour

[george]

TOT banks on Suvarnabhumi connectivity

BANGKOK: -- TOT Plc. expects a solid financial windfall from its telephone and internet services at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

“TOT has invested 100 million baht in setting up a communications system at the new airport and we are confident that we will see a full return on investment within three years,” said Somphon Chanprasert, TOT senior executive vice president.

He added that the state enterprise’s internet and international calling services will be ready for Suvarnabhumi Airport’s opening on Thursday, September 28.

“In case of an emergency, we have an uninterruptible power supply and two fiber optic networks as back up,” said Somphon.

Customers will be charged 500 baht an hour for internet access, with a minimum charge of 100 baht. International calling charges will follow normal TOT rates.

--TNA 2006-09-26

[rickvan]

Singapore internet free !!!

[jdinasia]

tourists coming INTO Thailand might pay it ... but leaving they sure will be pissed that they did!

[Losangels]

First class new airport, third class TOT mentality

[tartempion]

Still hope with FF card internet will be free in business/1st class lounges...

I sincerely hope they will get zero customers....

[ovenman]

This is just absurd. So many airports now offer free Wi-Fi zones.

[Soju]

Still hope with FF card internet will be free in business/1st class lounges...

I sincerely hope they will get zero customers....

I'd certainly expect them to still have free internet access, but better first check what FF card you have. Based on reports, the Thai Airways lounges seem ready to go, but many other airline lounges are not. Thai Airways has invited certain other airlines to use their lounges, but there's been no details yet on which airlines or what restrictions. It might be only business/first class passengers of other airlines. If you have a Star Alliance Gold card or are flying TG First or Business class, then you should be okay. If not, check with your airline first. Thankfully I always fly TG and should be enjoying free internet access next week. I too would never pay such a ridiculous price and expect they'll have to lower the price or else deal with almost no customers.

[Rinrada]

This is just absurd. So many airports now offer free Wi-Fi zones.

Should be reported to the Anti- Corruption lads in Room 21...they WILL/should take care of "em.... ...to the holday camp with ......

[Lacoste]

Heathrow Airport. 5min 1GBP

Works out at about 840THB per hour.

Hat Yai airport is free internet.

Edited September 26, 2006 by Lacoste

[billd766]

I use a program called Mail Express Pro which turns my laptop into its own server.

All I do then is use my AIS post paid account and I get 120 hours for 350 baht. That means I could get 170 hours on my pc for 5oo baht.

[retiree]

Customers will be charged 500 baht an hour for internet access, with a minimum charge of 100 baht.

Doesn't this break the regulation (reported in local newspapers) that non-duty-free items cannot cost more than 125% of the price for local services?

[chocolatecheese]

[steffi]

My wife use to work in the airport and what's interesting is that equal number of staff from the airlines made use of the internet booths there. So you can bet their staff either pay less or at those prices will not be using it at all. My wife made something like 500 thb a day so there's no way an airport worker can afford those prices.

Also remember at Don Muang there were two internet areas. I think the other one was something like 75thb per 15 minutes or something with a 15 or 20 minute minimum. But the ToT terminals near the CAT center were always cheaper. It seems to me that the Thais will increase the prices of everything in the new airport. recognising the tourists have very few options. I would like to see them offer WIFI for a flat rate. That would be used by a lot of people. I don't want to have to be a member with Thai or whatever to use it. Just give me card and I'll use it.

[stao]

Way To Go,

Keep in mind... When the traveling farange come to the new airport and...

It does not meet their expectations and...

Transportation to and from the airport is not what it was at Don Muang and...

They get "gouged" on everything from a candy bar to the internet...

Don't hold your breath for the return trip...

[Foggy Bottom]

15B / hour at Internet cafes in Chiangmai City - don't know about the airport though.

It's about time Thai Railways began introducing WiFi zones as well

Gaz

[drbones666]

Singapore internet free !!!

Hey, coups aren't free. Someone has to foot the bill.

[PeaceBlondie]

I've used the internet at maybe 12 foreign airports. I paid everywhere except....San Fransico? Mexico City had no internet in 1998. London Heathrow - don't even try; just fill out a complaint. Don Muang has been great - a 100 baht electronic card lasts about two hours. Chiang Mai does have a ripoff internet in the departure area, maybe 250 baht/hour.

Most air travellers are on guard against airport ripoffs. US$3 for twenty cents worth of popcorn; $3 for a ten ounce soda. If it's more than 150 baht/hour for internet, they'll keep walking.

Still, there might be enough stupid travellers for an internet shop to break even or make a profit at 800 baht per hour.

[danone]

cool - and in singapore's changi airport, in macau and elsewhere you get free internet

[Crushdepth]

Apalling and stupid. They could make more money by charging a lower rate, and without pissing people off.

I had hoped that the authorities would take advantage of the new airport to clean up some of the pathetic shaft-the-tourist pranks that go on (limosine taxi, sirrrrr?) and petty corruption but I guess that was too optimistic.

[nullx8]

Customers will be charged 500 baht an hour for internet access, with a minimum charge of 100 baht. International calling charges will follow normal TOT rates.

--TNA 2006-09-26

oh YEAH ... the poooooooor airline companys and the much more pooor AOT .. canot stand .. so the RICH tourists and travelers must hold the project before its crashes down and CAT cut the internet because of not able to pay .. LOL

so ... be on the mission ... move to the airport and use the internet there ;-)

or just use your mobile with EDGE ;-) its working fine at the airport and arround.

[Cpt_M0ney_Sh0t]

Ok, now granted I don't have the full stats on how they have set up their internet service. IE will it be desktops that you log on too, will it be WiFi and you buy a access card or what. But, assuming it's a combination, say WiFi and Internet cafe's and assuming it dose the same amount of traffic as the old air port roughly 25 million passengers a year, they are beyond ripping off the passengers.

Quote from http://www.boi.go.th/english/how/airports.asp

"Bangkok International Airport (BIA) serves the most air traffic in Thailand with more than 80 airlines providing service and over 25,000,000 passengers, 160,000 flights and 700,000 tons of cargo handled"

Keep in mind the majority of that 100million baht comms system is a requirement of a airport of that size. I would doubt more than 30million of that is for commercial use. Ok so lets see, lets say only 1% of all passengers used the net for a hour, that’s 250,000 people a year, times that by 500 baht, 125million baht right there! <deleted>?!?

And this airport is built to accommodate 100million passengers a year! and that’s only on the assumption of 1%!

This is classic "Screw you Farang I will rob you by taking advantage of your ignorance, welcome to Thailand" mentality at it's finest, I swear just like the junk merchant stalls around Nana, selling stuff to dumb tourists for 10x times what it's worth, only this is on a larger scale.

WOW, I thought we (the US) was bad for ganking people, but at least we try to cover it up with plausible deniability, these cats are just cold blooded robbing people

[Arkady]

I use a program called Mail Express Pro which turns my laptop into its own server.

All I do then is use my AIS post paid account and I get 120 hours for 350 baht. That means I could get 170 hours on my pc for 5oo baht.

Very useful info for those wanting to use Internet on laptops at airport or elsewhere. Can you give us more info about on how to get up and running with this program?

Re rule limiting mark ups at airport to more than 125% of price outside for non-duty free goods. Don Muang has allowed price gauging on duty free goods for years. Price of wine is a lot more than buying it with 400%+ duty paid at Villa and various other outlets in the city. They rely on people not knowing the correct price of wine due to the many different labels and vintages to overcharge, while charging competitive prices on spirits to lull the wary into believing everything is at a good price. This is like bait and switch on cameras and sucks in an international airport - the final sting for departing tourists to find their "duty free" wine is a lot cheaper in their local supermarket.

[Kerryd]

My first shock upon arriving in Toronto, Canada (from Thailand), after being overseas for 3 years, was the luggage carts in the arrivals area.

$2.00 for a cart (66 baht) !

Meanwhile, when you go to the airport, the luggage carts in the departure are available for 25 cents (about 8 baht).

Nothing like sticking it to people just arriving.

My second shock was when I moved to the departure lounge for my next flight, and decided to buy a ham & cheese sandwich. $9.50 (325 baht !).

When my flight was delayed, I tried to make a call from a pay phone to let the company office know what was happening.

$3.90 cents (128 baht) for the FIRST MINUTE !!!

Little wonder I wanted to turn around and fly back to Thailand !

I'm just about to leave for the airport on my way out of the country (but not back to Thailand )

I'll check out the internet availability and prices when I get there. I expect it will be over-priced as well.

[merlin1]

This nickel and diming is part of the financial package to pay for the shiny new terminal. Yeah, the new terminal in Toronto charges you for every <deleted> thing. Ridiculous. Almost separated my shoulder carrying all my bags through because I refused to pay for something that should be free.

Internet is free at Tokyo Narita. This is just another reminder that Bangkok isn't Tokyo.

Edited September 26, 2006 by merlin1

[mrbojangles]

Well i for one won't be using it.

When i'm departing from LOS, i'm too miserable to bother with the internet and just head for the bar.

When i'm entering LOS, i'm too excited to waste time in an internet cafe

[foreversteven]

Bangkok Airways i remember internet free , lounge VIP !!!

500 bath for 1 hour !!!!! ???? no for kiniao !!!!

foreversteven

[marquess]

cool - and in singapore's changi airport, in macau and elsewhere you get free internet

It is also free in Sydney, it looks like S airport will be a real rip off!

[ianpants69]

Who cares?

A hundred baht to fire off a few quick emails, big deal!

I live here and complained when my lunch went up 5 baht to a massive 35 baht, but I don't expect anything to be cheap at any airport anywhere. Last time I went to Singapore and used the famous 'free' internet I had to pay for it and it was expensive as well.

Edited September 26, 2006 by ianpants69

[astral]

I hope the airlines will still have the free service in their lounges!!

[MatPayne]

TOT banks on Suvarnabhumi connectivity

BANGKOK: -- TOT Plc. expects a solid financial windfall from its telephone and internet services at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

“TOT has invested 100 million baht in setting up a communications system at the new airport and we are confident that we will see a full return on investment within three years,” said Somphon Chanprasert, TOT senior executive vice president.

He added that the state enterprise’s internet and international calling services will be ready for Suvarnabhumi Airport’s opening on Thursday, September 28.

“In case of an emergency, we have an uninterruptible power supply and two fiber optic networks as back up,” said Somphon.

Customers will be charged 500 baht an hour for internet access, with a minimum charge of 100 baht. International calling charges will follow normal TOT rates.

--TNA 2006-09-26

Lovely - Would not expect any less.