Scam

[Rooo]

Recently went to a very old & well known restaurant on the beach in Nathon. Restaurant staffed by Burmese staff, speak English quite well. Looked at menu, ordered the deep fried fish with garlic. Now this dish clearly marked @ Bht 400.00.

Bill arrives & this dish now Bht 800.00, They work their scam quite well by alternating staff at the table & when you ask for an explanation, English becomes a very hard way to communicate by them.

Not wanting to make a scene with my guest there, I paid,. Been here many a year, nice little scam, so beware if you are having a drink & a meal watching the sunset in Nathon.

[Don Mega]

You did not ask to look at the menu to confirm the price ?

[Rooo]

You did not ask to look at the menu to confirm the price ?

Yes I did, but got fed up with their fumbling & excuses. As I said I had a guest & didn't want to make a big scene about it. They will keep.

[samuijimmy]

I bet I know which restaurant this is, the owner comes across as being very pushy to the point of overdoing it...

But it's not a problem just on Samui, (actually rare here IMO) in my travels around France, that happened to me several times, order something relatively inexpensive and get a bill for the most expensive thing on the menu... of course waiter no speak English at that point.

[uthaithanirules]

A fish dish for 400 baht in the first place is a bit of a scam

If not an upmarket place, seems overpriced

[Rob13]

Shoulda made some noise.They feed on people who they think will pay without making a fuss.

[AlfGarnett]

Name and shame or at least give a clue !

[samuijimmy]

Name and shame or at least give a clue !

Not allowed guys! Rooo knows that or he would have said!

I like his new look,

[puukao]

Hint: Place sells fish, and on the menu it is 400 baht!!!!!

I also would like to see:

1. pay for glass used for water, but water free

2. pay water bill from using restroom

3. pay waiter to talk english

4. pay to not use valet

5. 15% tip so you feel at home, or 20% for family

[islandguy]

Stopped going there about 3 years ago. Wonder if they would try this if one of the diners was Thai?

[samuijimmy]

I removed one nonsense post ... if you don't know what you are talking about please don't bother posting.

[Lannig]

I bet I know which restaurant this is, the owner comes across as being very pushy to the point of overdoing it...

But it's not a problem just on Samui, (actually rare here IMO) in my travels around France, that happened to me several times, order something relatively inexpensive and get a bill for the most expensive thing on the menu... of course waiter no speak English at that point.

At the risk of drifting off-topic, may I ask where in France?

We have rather strong consumer protection regulations here, so you can really make a big fuss when this happens to you. Have you?

French people don't like being scammed and I would even claim that they don't like watching tourists being scammed either, so you'd probably be lucky trying to find someone help you with the language barrier among the customers of the restaurant.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Lannig

[samuijimmy]

I bet I know which restaurant this is, the owner comes across as being very pushy to the point of overdoing it...

But it's not a problem just on Samui, (actually rare here IMO) in my travels around France, that happened to me several times, order something relatively inexpensive and get a bill for the most expensive thing on the menu... of course waiter no speak English at that point.

At the risk of drifting off-topic, may I ask where in France?

We have rather strong consumer protection regulations here, so you can really make a big fuss when this happens to you. Have you?

French people don't like being scammed and I would even claim that they don't like watching tourists being scammed either, so you'd probably be lucky trying to find someone help you with the language barrier among the customers of the restaurant.

oh you'll get me in trouble...

It was back in 1974, doing the backpack trip around Europe .... several places in France, including Paris... and other places I don't remember... but the only country it happen, and I never went back to France.

I am sure there are still places around the world that do it... I have never found it to be common on Samui or KP or KT... or any other place I have been to in Thailand.....

Despite what some people believe most Thais are very honest. Always a bad apple somewhere!

[Lannig]

Ah... 70s... OK, well yeah things might have changed a bit here since then

Hopefully for good.

I would rather agree with you on most Thais being honest.

I've been very seldom scammed in restaurants in Thailand in almost 30 years now (not permanently).

Most of the time bills coming with a higher price than expected were real errors, easily corrected, or my misunderstanding the menu (like price displayed per weight of seafood and not total price for dish). I do speak Thai though, which makes it easier.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Lannig

[Rob13]

I don't think padding the bill is unique to Samui, probably happens anywhere there's tourists, even France,

Edited April 25, 2016 by Rob13

[Basil B]

In the UK we have Trading Standards and laws to prevent these sorts of things as do most of the other first world countries, may be if Thailand want to be a first world country it should understand what makes a first world country.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Basil B

[islandguy]

Some of the times I have become upset over being overcharged in Thailand have turned out to either be my error or simple misunderstandings. When my (Thai) wife orders, there are still honest mistakes on the part of the server sometimes. However, knowing Roo slightly and having been to this restaurant (If it is the one I think it is) over a period of years, would tend to go with Roo's account as being what actually happened.

[rdog]

Name and shame or at least give a clue !

I think the clue is in the last paragraph sunshine!

[Can samui]

Used to be a regular there on my mountain bike ride until I too got a bit of a dodgy bill and service, haven't been back since.

[PoorSucker]

Ate there 1999, first and last time, way overpriced.

[samuijimmy]

Oh the penny dropped .... when I was watching the sunset at Ban Por this evening... I know which place now!

I like Ban Por prices for Beer.... 40 - 45 baht for Singha small... 60 baht for large!

Pop 20 baht... Thai and Farang price....

great sunsets these days too...

Hint there is a Swiss restaurant next door, not bad food their either!

[mgjackson69]

A fish dish for 400 baht in the first place is a bit of a scam

If not an upmarket place, seems overpriced

"Overpriced" is not a scam...if the prices are clearly stated on the menu, and that is what you are charged.

Caveat emptor

[uksomchai]

A fish dish for 400 baht in the first place is a bit of a scam

If not an upmarket place, seems overpriced

"Overpriced" is not a scam...if the prices are clearly stated on the menu, and that is what you are charged.

Caveat emptor

Which part of 400 Baht in the menu and charged 800 Baht when the bill came are you having trouble understanding here ?

Maybe Rooo should have posted it in Latin and then you may have understood better

Edited April 25, 2016 by uksomchai

[mgjackson69]

A fish dish for 400 baht in the first place is a bit of a scam

If not an upmarket place, seems overpriced

"Overpriced" is not a scam...if the prices are clearly stated on the menu, and that is what you are charged.

Caveat emptor

Which part of 400 Baht in the menu and charged 800 Baht when the bill came are you having trouble understanding here ?

Maybe Rooo should have posted it in Latin and then you may have understood better

I was was not responding to the OP...rather to the person who said "A fish dish for 400 baht in the first place is a bit of a scam".

Overpriced, yes...but not a scam.

[samuijimmy]

Keep it civil guys,

I removed some not so nice wording wording above ....^

Actually 400 baht for some fish dishes and can even more, I've even see Thai's paying those kind of prices ... it depends on daily market price...

[evadgib]

Just a thought, but could this have been a 'Per 100g / Kilogram' issue on the menu?

(Happened to me once or twice but perhaps not there)

Edited April 25, 2016 by evadgib

[TheLobster]

Just a thought, but could this have been a 'Per 100g / Kilogram' issue on the menu?

(Happened to me once or twice but perhaps not there)

Exactly, if you order a fried fish (whole) you pay for the weight of the fish .... but ........... that must have been one hell of a big fish given it was 800THB in Nathon?

[Rooo]

Just a thought, but could this have been a 'Per 100g / Kilogram' issue on the menu?

(Happened to me once or twice but perhaps not there)

Exactly, if you order a fried fish (whole) you pay for the weight of the fish .... but ........... that must have been one hell of a big fish given it was 800THB in Nathon?

The menu was marked Bht 400 per whole fish ,. It's a farmed fish & they are usually very much the same weight. As I said , didn't want to make a scene with my friend there.

The scam is how the staff worked it, the look & the smile the woman had on her face, makes me so mad, but I will get even, I have met the owner on social occasions several times in the past & I will fill him in on their little scam.

Edited April 25, 2016 by Rooo

[samuijimmy]

Just a thought, but could this have been a 'Per 100g / Kilogram' issue on the menu?

(Happened to me once or twice but perhaps not there)

Exactly, if you order a fried fish (whole) you pay for the weight of the fish .... but ........... that must have been one hell of a big fish given it was 800THB in Nathon?

The menu was marked Bht 400 per whole fish ,. It's a farmed fish & they are usually very much the same weight. As I said , didn't want to make a scene with my friend there.

The scam is how the staff worked it, the look & the smile the woman had on her face, makes me so mad, but I will get even, I have met the owner on social occasions several times in the past & I will fill him in on their little scam.

Farmed fish? Not seen any fish farms around Samui ...except Catfish, how have I missed that?

[Rooo]

Farmed fish? Not seen any fish farms around Samui ...except Catfish, how have I missed that?

Most Sea Bass ( Barramundi ) to us Aussies is farmed here in Thailand, thus the uniform size & weight.Up to a Kilo Baht 160.00 a kilo ,1.5 Kg 180 to 200 Bht a kilo.

A lot of them farmed in Songkhla lake , some are sea farmed & the muddy tasting ones are farmed in Prawn ponds.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Rooo