New Airport Internet Cafes To Charge 500 Baht/hour

[john b good]

Singapore internet free !!!

Inchon (Seoul) is also free (and very fast)

It looks like they are wanting us to pay for the construction of the new airport here.

[keithbooth]

3.00 Us for the minimum 100 baht, happy to pay it if i need internet access, and its convenient. 12.00 for a longer period 500 baht happy to pay it, if its EZ to get at

Glad they are doing it.

[PATLOM]

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

[XBGT351]

REALLY....Do we have to be online every waking moment. TURN IT OFF!!! Take a break while you get the chance......check in late if you get bored hanging around....Strike up a conversation with a real human.....!

Relax...market forces with deal with the pricing structure.

[DanBlack]

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.

Would you be so kind as to go into a little detail on how you go about getting that. Actually make it a lot of detail

Thanks

[oyanio]

KLIA too

[Hollywood]

Jesus guys! You can sit down and buy about a half an hour of time to check mail, inform loved ones you arrived saftley, check with work, reservations, tickets, newspapers,etc. etc. even if its an hour , it is just the new age we live in. But it would be expensive if your just going to "Thaivisa" and bitch.

[OOLEEBER]

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

Yeah but they rarely work and most of the monitors and keyboards simply are not there. Last week there were only two working between the check-in area and the departure lounge.

[OOLEEBER]

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.

Next time go up one level - where there used to be a 7/11, there's about 20 free terminals there. Max 15 min but there's never many people there.

[Nemo.]

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...

But you forget that all the tourists coming to the new airport will be families going to Pattaya! They wont be spending money on BG's as they dont exist anyway in Pattaya ("I see no signs of prostitution in Pattaya!") so they can afford a trifle 500 Baht an hour to check out the lovely beaches and wonderful family entertainment once again as they wait for the bus............

When they built KLIA in Malaysia at the last moment they changed from north to south KL just after government ministers and family had bought up all the dirt cheap farm land. Hey presto overnight suddenly the land was worth 20 times as much! Lucky all the poor Malay farmers had sold there "worthless" land already to ministers so they couldnt be tempted by wealth. Now anyone know who owned the land on which the new airport was built??? Couldnt be any ex PM I suppose?

[linguini]

500 Baht per hour and payback in 3 yrs. Man! where had this Thai 'service' mindset gone? with that price, i really question their payback model... actually how many percent of the ppl in the new airport do they think will be paying for it. those business travellers should have access to lounges which is free....

[paulmw]

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...

But you forget that all the tourists coming to the new airport will be families going to Pattaya! They wont be spending money on BG's as they dont exist anyway in Pattaya ("I see no signs of prostitution in Pattaya!") so they can afford a trifle 500 Baht an hour to check out the lovely beaches and wonderful family entertainment once again as they wait for the bus............

When they built KLIA in Malaysia at the last moment they changed from north to south KL just after government ministers and family had bought up all the dirt cheap farm land. Hey presto overnight suddenly the land was worth 20 times as much! Lucky all the poor Malay farmers had sold there "worthless" land already to ministers so they couldnt be tempted by wealth. Now anyone know who owned the land on which the new airport was built??? Couldnt be any ex PM I suppose?

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

Flew in there last night Transportation system good,( better than Don muang if you use BKK buses) especially the new bus terminal all well sign posted for buses.

Only problem new bus station roof full of leaks but looks good for a Thai bus station thats for sure

Paul

[vladaman]

If they would let me, I'd setup a free network on their Airport and making money on added services. I am 100% it would work. Convering this area with Wifi may costs just maybe few millions, not more. (maybe 1-2 mil baht ?)

This is just because TOT has exclusive rights and no other company can provide Internet there. Where is a competition ?

[Mason45]

Farangs in Thai forums amaze me, what about a bit of self control instead of whingeing. Ive been married to a Thai lady for 10 years and we live in our own home in Bangkok. We travel around Thailand extensively and if I feel as though Im getting ripped off at entertainment venues, transport or national parks etc I simply dont pay, I politely refuse and of course if Im asked why I dont pay, I just throw back the good old Thai one liner " UP TO ME. " Seriously if every one gave these services a miss for one week the prices would be adjusted realistically. Dont forget some one has to pay as all my Thai friends believe that the new airport will cure more things than Tiger Balm.

[navajo]

I TRULY HOPE THEY GO BROKE....MOST AIRPORTS THAT I HAVE TRAVELED TO WI-FI IS FREE.

THE THAIS STILL DON'T HAVE A CLUE. IT WILL BE A COLD DAY IN hel_l BEFORE I SHELL OUT

500 BAHT TO THE TOT/NEW AIRPORT TO USE THEIR INTERNET SERVICES..

[tartempion]

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) !

They did the same at Brussles airport some 10 years ago, you needed a 20 bf coin to get a trolley on arrival. Sure anyone landing from Bujumburi or elsewhere had a twenty francs coin in his pocket.

So close to zero passengers took a cart and most walked out carrying their luggage being truly pissed of.

Today trolleys are free, as it shuld be. We pay airport tax don't we?

[Naam]

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

what did you expect? BKK is the only airport i know which charges a departure fee.

[tartempion]

But you forget that all the tourists coming to the new airport will be families going to Pattaya! They wont be spending money on BG's as they dont exist anyway in Pattaya ("I see no signs of prostitution in Pattaya!") so they can afford a trifle 500 Baht an hour to check out the lovely beaches and wonderful family entertainment once again as they wait for the bus............

Families on arrival wil take the organised bus waiting for them. Don't see anyone on arrival looking for an internet booth, wrong business model you see there.

[kiwiTV]

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

what did you expect? BKK is the only airport i know which charges a departure fee.

You need to look at the fine print. A lot of airports charge departure tax along with the price of the ticket.

[PeaceBlondie]

When I lived in Nicaragua, 1998-1999, you could only leave the airport by paying $5 American. Like the Burmese officials at the land border, they refuse to accept their own currency. So you used the remaining cordobas in your wallet at the airport bar, paying triple the usual airport prices, because you couldn't redeem cordobas outside of Nicaragua.

Even poor little El Salvador had a reasonably priced internet shop in the airport in 1998.

Those of us who use the internet a lot, and live in Thailand, will just do our emails and checking on ThaiVisa before we leave the house. Let's see, that's an hour to get to the airport, three more hours before takeoff, the length of the flight, half an hour arriving at the new airport...many of us would have internet withdrawals while we're up in the sky.

[Guest RealEstateBroker]

EDGE from DTAC is 1 baht per 1 minute and plenty fast. Usually about 100-140 Kbps

which is actually way faster that my piece of crap TOT 256 connection in my condo the last few days. Google "edgethailand" for info on buying the PCMA card for your laptop.

Sure makes time go faster waiting for flights and EDGE now works in the Pattaya/Jomtien area as well. The slower version GPRS also works with the EDGE card about ( 25-40 Kbps) and works every place in Thailand that gets a DTAC mobile signal, which is about 99% of Thailand.

I have not been to the new airport yet and wonder if there are places to plug in laptops and charge

mobile phones ?

[chuchok]

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

what did you expect? BKK is the only airport i know which charges a departure fee.

You're joking right?

[Greer]

Regarding the TOT rip-off - it is absolutely disgusting - they are gouging tourists and business people, both Thai and farang alike (OK at least there is no discrimination ) this pricing is incredible!

Many (I will not say most, as I am not certain) airports do provide free, or at least inexpensive, Wi-Fi. Most business and first class lounges have free internet access, and many have Wi-Fi to cater to the travelling business person who must keep in contact with the office or clients. It was a pleasant surprise to find that Bahrain airport Business lounge provides free Wi-Fi, and I am sure many other leading airports in the Gulf States are the same.

The unfortunate mentality here that allows and encourages this form of greed will eventually result in lost revenue - if they want to charge, fine, go ahead, but for goodness sake be realistic! Price the services to suit the local conditions and similar services provided outside the airport, otherwise it simply makes TOT and Suvarnabhumi Airport Authorities look like crooks! (No...I am not going into that comment any further!)

As for the couple of side comments about departure fees and taxes - unfortunately many airports and countries around the world charge - Australia introduced these fees quite a long time ago, but I am not sure how they have covered them up since (if they have), but I am certain they still exist.

Regarding baggage trollies, yes I too was shocked when arriving at overseas airports to be greeted by a greedy local provider expecting me to pay for the use of baggage trolleys in local cureency when I had just got off an aircraft! Incredible - the place I am thinking of is Australia - Sydney and Brisbane do this.

I truly hope this will NOT be the case at the new airport here in Bangkok!

/edit - formatting

Edited September 27, 2006 by Greer

[Insight]

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

Yeah but they rarely work and most of the monitors and keyboards simply are not there. Last week there were only two working between the check-in area and the departure lounge.

Seriously think TOT will be any better?

Hopefully a combination of common sense and lack of customers will get the better of their pricing before long.

[leti]

don't use it and send an sms instead.

save our 500 bahts for a relaxing 1hour massage!

[VBF]

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

My thoughts exactly - what an impression they'll have!!!

I don't know because I've never used it but I think that's even more than London airports!!

Sorry - missed Lacoste's post above - now I know!!

Edited September 27, 2006 by VBF

[Kerryd]

what did you expect? BKK is the only airport i know which charges a departure fee.

You're joking right?

Some do, some don't. Sometimes it is included in the price of the ticket (as it apparently is in Toronto).

Even the "Kabul International Airport" charges a departure tax !

I'm writing this from the airport in Amsterdam. Had to sign up for the WiFi service (10 Euros for 24 hours).

I'm not going to be doing a lot of surfing as my next flight leaves in 4 hours. I wouldn't have even bothered signing up for the service except I wanted to post a couple of replies here.

And now I'm off to other things (the toothpicks that are keeping my eyelids propped open are starting to get painful) !

[Tuschno]

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...

I really doubt the travelers experience and enjoyment of Thailand will be measured upon the time spent around the airport.

[BPayette]

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.

What "Internet is free at Tokyo Narita"???? I haven't been there in 6 months, but it's always been 100 yen for 15 minutes.

[nikster]

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.... [snip\

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

Figure half of that 100 mill went for diverse friends of the company which ensured them exclusive rights for the next X years... and somebody has to pay for it!

Frankly I can't imagine anyone but business travellers paying this. Businesses will of course pay because they can just expense it.

From the point of view of TOT, this is exactly what I would do too - who cares about the few tourists with laptops who don't want to be gauged for what is essentially free for me to offer, when there's throngs of business class travellers who don't pay for it themselves and therefore don't care what it costs....

From the point of view of the airport, it's really dumb - it would go a long way to establish BKK as a serious business airport to have free internet and it would cost the Airport basically nothing to do - like, 10 DSL lines, a good WiFi network design and one guy to maintain it all would do it.

Where they wasted 100 Mill baht is completely beyond me?!?! Except well for maybe these exclusive and non-renegotiable contracts that the airport likes to give out in exchange for cold, hard cash to the right people.

... excuse my ranting. But you know I am right. One of those things where Thailand likes to hurt its own interests and it's just painful to watch.

Edited September 27, 2006 by nikster