Trouble With Thai Hotel

[peteinCM]

I spent over four months in LOS this past summer. For three months, I stayed at a smaller guesthouse run by a gay European couple. I had a nice stay. One of the few disconcerting things about my stay was that the hotel insisted that I pay them in cash even though they took credit cards and tacked on a 3% processing fee. They kept saying my monthly rate was a cash rate, even though they never said anything about this when I made the reservation (just that 3% would be added on for credit card payments). I was also never once offered a receipt for all the cash payments I made.

The last day of my stay, I paid part of my final bill in cash and part by credit card. I paid the credit card part first, and told the owner if he wanted the rest in cash that I would have to return. Later that day, I did return along with a Thai friend, and paid the young Thai man working the front desk (he was actually standing outside the entrance). I asked him to tell the owner I made the remainder of the payment. They were only the three of us present. As usual, I was never offered a receipt for my payment, but as I had made so many cash payments without a receipt, I did not think anything of it.

Now, I am back in the US, and I have received emails from the owners saying they never got the cash payment, and asking that I pay them around $500 USD. They have also said thier attorney has started a case file, and they will deliver it to Thai immigration asking that I be blacklisted if they don't receive payment. They have also said they will send a copy of my passport and information to the US Embassy in BKK.

I have contacted the US Embassy and a Thai legal firm. It seems to me that either the Thai man pocketed the money or the European owners are trying to rip me off (the former owner of the business is suing them because he claims they stopped paying him once they took occupancy of the business and the lease was transferred to their name). I have learned to always insist on a receipt even from very friendly small businesses when I make a cash payment. The money is not a large amount to me; however, I have no desire to be ripped off, but I also travel to LOS frequently and do not want to be backlisted.

Any thoughts from anyone here? Will immigration really blacklist someone based only on second hand information from a farang owned business without any input or legal procedures for the tourist? TIT after all, so nothing suprises me, I guess.

Thanks,

Pete

[Casanundra]

They cannot blacklist you with immigration on such an innane manner and so are talking out of their hat.

If I was you, I would just call their bluff and save yourself the hassle and just book elsewhere in the future.

They are Europeans, what rights and sway do you think they have in Thailand?

I wouldn't sweat on it if it was me and just put it down to experience.

[taxexile]

tell them you will inform the revenue department via your thai lawyer about their habit of taking cash payments without issuing receipts and their non payment of taxes .