New Airport Internet Cafes To Charge 500 Baht/hour

[freoballdogs]

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.

Still to much i use my mobil phone with GPRS and my AIS pre paid phone card i get 10hr for Bt50.00 or 25hr of Bt100.00 but you have to use in one month. Easy call AIS 1175 and ask to connect to GPRS if your phone has it use cable to connect phone to Lap top can get internet any where phone works and good connection speed.

[jellykookabanj]

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.

Do you sleep when you travel.......Most airports charge a departure tax.....Just that BKK requires you to pay it directly in currency. Most other airport charges are included in the air ticket you purchase so you may be lulled into thinking there is no charge.

Also with regard to internet charges in LHR, well. before I retired i was earning approx 100 GBP per day......so 1GBP for 12 mins is relatuvely small amount in proportion, but as avarage wage here is approx 200-250 baht per day, then 500 baht is exessive for internet use. Still, I believe that market forces will definitely bring the price down rapidly when the provider realises that NIL return on investment is a poor way of doing business.

[IMA_FARANG]

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

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

Well that makes two things I won't be using.

1. Internet access at new airport.

2. Duty Free shops at new airport.

Hope they don't count on spending my money very soon.

[Suzy]

Heathrow Airport. 5min 1GBP

Works out at about 840THB per hour.

Hat Yai airport is free internet.

Internet used in airline's private lounges are FREE! I use them every time I'm in London = twice a year.

[backflip]

What object or service is only 125% more expensive at the airport? Let’s see, a toy elephant that costs 150THB at the Suan Lum market will set you back 600THB at the airport. A 100THB burger meal at the Emporium costs 200THB at the airport. Machine-vended beverages cost 3-5 times what the nearby 7-11 charges. With a single exception, everything costs more at the airport – a lot more than the 125% threshold. Why are you complaining about internet access?

One poster did a financial analysis of the payback period, and claimed that the airport will handle 100 million passengers. With an absurd premise, why bother with his math? Internet access is a privilege, not a right. If it’s too expensive, buy a book or a magazine…or go without. This is not an egalitarian society, girls. Buckle up, the ride is going to get rough.

There is only one thing that costs a maximum of 125% more, and that’s free advice.

[z9999]

If you want or need to use the internet on arrival, just wait until you leave the airport and go to an internet cafe. I don't do much shopping at airports as their pricing is always unreal. But then for those who have money to throw away, it's there if you want to use it.

[Erwin1011]

I always chuckle when i read comments like " only busness class flyers will pay that, because companies can deduct anyway".

Get back to real life. Nowadays companies monitor very close were employee spending goes and excessive "communication costs" are quickly detected and indicated to the claimant.

The company I work for simply send a letter to the hotel we normally stay at and told them the internet connection cost was considered too high and the company was looking for alternatives. The reaction was very quick... free internet access for all company memebers.

[jltheart]

Soon people get so tired of getting screwed here they will stop coming. 500 baht and hour hahaha. They will for sure take about 10 years to recoupe their money . People aren't that stupid.

[Plus]

Internet access is a privilege, not a right.

That was ten years ago. Internet access is absolutely vital today. No Internet, no custom.

[frankafey]

People will pay and if they are smart they are using a VOIP to make all their phone calls and in the end save money. This service is not set for locals so cost should not be an issue for the tourist coming in or leaving.

Will I use it, no, I have better things to do with my money. After a 12 hour flight a nice massage to work out the kinks of sitting would be nice and massage before leaving would be nice too. Hmmm, will any business be offering this type of service? Please someone take this idea and run with it.

[Plus]

Overcharging for Internet access is NOT a smart thing to do. Even those who can afford it will take notice. Maybe airlines will find ways to provide free Internet to their customers, but it will reflect badly on airport's reputation.

Free hot-spots are a norm these days. They offer free Wi-Fi at Fashion Island, for example. The whole department store, on the outskirts, not even downtown.

[bieles]

...plus 700B departure tax (200B more)...

[Rhys]

Just in 1000 baht to drop a load at the john.. happy landings.

[dai ru55]

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

I flew in there tuesday night.... NO DUTY FREE...as nothing is finished. And a total nightmare to get home took 3 hours to get back and 500 baht in taxi fares and express way tolls.

From Don Muang used to take 10 minutes and 50 baht

[pattyboy]

Let's see -- there's about 720 hours in a month. I pay 1000 baht per month at home for my 1024/512 TOT line which is (theoretically) available 24/7, so that works out to 1.38 baht an hour. Paying the airport rates at home would cost me 360,000 baht a month. Do these numbers seem as screwy to other people as they do to me? I love Thai logic -- it's so amusing.

[Soju]

If it's any consolation to everyone, I saw a report that said the internet terminals at the airport are not ready yet, so you don't have to worry for now about getting ripped off. Certain airline lounges also not ready and no temporary lounges as of yet, so some business travellers may have no way of getting connected at the airport.

[astral]

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.

I don't see this thread being about Farangs whinging.

It is about the lack of buisness acumen on the part of the Thais.

If you want to be the "Travel Hub of Asia" you attract customers by going that extra step with the service.

So far we have a shortage of toilets.

Overpriced internet

What other blunders are yet to be uncovered???

[Plus]

500 baht is for using the terminal or for wi-fi? If for terminals, like some upscale Internet cafe, then it's not as bad. How much do they charge at Siam Paragon, for example?

[Jarrod]

The management at the new BKK airport must have been to my country and taken lessons in how to rip-off everybody. We have a communications system here (NZ) where our internet connections were not only the slowest but also the most expensive in OED. Charges in Thailand were petty cash by comparison. It took our government to regulate the internet bundling before telecom stopped stealing. Maybe the new Thai government will be careful not to gank tourists because we are not quite as stupid and we appear. Rule of thumb, if charges are unreasonable .... don't use the service then watch it crumble and smirk to yourself.

[mitrapaap]

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

Since amazing Thailand a few years ago, Thai Authorities seem to see foreigners as milk-cows, with the only excecption that they pull for money not for milk.

- National parks that were free to visit before cost 200 Baht since (10 times more than for Thais, as if all Thais were poor, or if as I got anything more to see than they do - and I read they will raise the prices even more!)

- A Taxi from Don Muang to Lamlukka Klong 6 is charged 300 Baht since they have arranged a little counter and got it all too well organized. Taking the taxi on the departure level and using the meter, the trip cost only 160 Baht!!! They double charge you. I don't imagine what it must be now at the new airport.

- TOT internet at 500 Baht - first of all they will have to improve their service and reliability. I'm using TOT at home, desperately waiting for true to get into this area. Not 10 days in a row without a problem.

- Let me guess.... car park at Don Muang was quite expensive. Parking at the new airport is free of charge

[Flow]

...plus 700B departure tax (200B more)...

I asked today, at the new airport, and the answer was, it's still 500 Baht

[nullx8]

Cool na .. ;-) everything DUCKie news ;-) !

see picture

Bigger ...

0.5 * 60 = 30 THB ;-)

(took just before 1 hour from a Internet Terminal from TOT in the depature-hall Section

[Soju]

They're only charging 100 Baht per 20 minutes = 300 Baht / hour, not 500. And they were open, but only 1 customer and 13 empty terminals early this morning. But they had 3 staff members there to man the hoards of customers they were expecting.

[troy04]

...as usual a 'give me all your money honey' attitude and a Thailand way behind in technology!

Here in Switzerland they started to provide WI-Fi covering the full area of cities, towns and suburbs, for the first year for free!

At home a 3000kbit/s internet line cost 1350 Baht flatrate monthly via TV Cable connector (not user dependent speed as ADSL)! (4000Kbit/s 1800B / 6000Kbit/s 2850B) How much is a 256kb ADSL in TH a month.....?

Soon back in BKK I'll need one at my condo, any hints?

The latest technology here: HSDPA works with 1,8 MBit/s from Notebook wireless! 4,5 times as with UMTS or same as WLAN-Hotspots for 300 Baht an hour! They plan to increase the speed by 4 times by next year, maximum speed possible: 14,4 MBit/s

http://www.20min.ch/tools/suchen/story/23022166

http://www.20min.ch/tools/suchen/story/13311538

http://www.swisshotspots.ch/

http://www.wireless-forum.ch/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17724

Links german language only sorry!

[trajan]

500 baht is for using the terminal or for wi-fi? If for terminals, like some upscale Internet cafe, then it's not as bad. How much do they charge at Siam Paragon, for example?

Baht 60 per hour in the True Internet zone in the food level....I think about the same price in the cool posh True Cafe on Level 3?

[trajan]

I didnt bring my laptop, but I think there is free wifi access in the Thai Silk lounge (and also Thai's first class lounge)...also they had free internet terminals....

[danone]

look, in singapore all will be free:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=113513