Customers scream "Scam!" as True Fitness shut up shop

[webfact]

Customers scream "Scam!" as True Fitness shut up shop

 

Picture: Manager

 

BANGKOK: -- Thousands of expatriate and Thai fitness customers are screaming for their money back as True Fitness shut operation at two Bangkok locations.

 

A sign at reception yesterday at the company's Exchange Tower operation in Asoke said it was the last day. The firm's other center in Ngam Wong Wan at the Esplanade is also shuttered.

 

Many expats went on forums on Facebook to say they had been scammed with some furious customers having forked out yearly memberships.

 

Calls to the company were being ignored and the company were not commenting on their website.

 

The closure comes just four years after the closure of California Wow left their customers high and dry.

 

Manager quoted insiders as saying that rent and utility bills at Exchange Tower had not been paid. The news media said that receptionists told them that they had not been paid for up to four months.

 

Other staff were simpy not there.

 

Earlier this month customers were concerned when the company said that there had been a "power cut" at their Khae Rai branch and the "air conditioners were broken".

 

Customers were advised to go to Asoke but now it looks as though the comments at Khae Rai may have been a ruse to buy time.

 

True Fitness opened their flagship branch at Asoke in 2006. The facility is on several floors utilizing 50,000 square feet of space.

 

No mention is made of the closure on the company's sign up page.

 

Source: Manager

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-06-09

[bbi1]

Why are they closing it? It's a great location and always looked busy

 

Will another company take over the lease and buy the gym's equipment?

Edited June 9, 2017 by bbi1

[leeneeds]

No money in this game unless it is high end price for membership,

or you own the building,

so many have gone the same way, 

 

[bbi1]

4 minutes ago, leeneeds said:

No money in this game unless it is high end price for membership,

or you own the building,

so many have gone the same way, 

 

With how ridiculously high gym memberships are in Thailand, being even way higher than in the Western world, in a city that has a huge amount of people, wages way cheaper than the Western world, how could a gym company not be making a killing?

[shady86]

This business model doesn't work. Luring members with lifetime membership at dirt cheap price, sooner or later they will run out of money if no more new members. Have seen big fitness companies closing down in Singapore because of this.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[bbi1]

3 minutes ago, shady86 said:

This business model doesn't work. Luring members with lifetime membership at dirt cheap price, sooner or later they will run out of money if no more new members. Have seen big fitness companies closing down in Singapore because of this.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 

So how much are these True Fitness memberships?

[ezzra]

And I bet that they were still selling membership packages knowing

they're shutting shops.. only in Thailand....no one got a penny back

from the California  scam and no one will get a penny now...

[steven100]

30 minutes ago, webfact said:

rent and utility bills at Exchange Tower had not been paid.

now why does this not surprise me ........ 

[steven100]

5 minutes ago, ezzra said:

And I bet that they were still selling membership packages knowing

they're shutting shops.. only in Thailand....no one got a penny back

from the California  scam and no one will get a penny now...

imagine if you signed up last week .....     oh well,  forget and move on as you won't be getting the money back .....

 

This happens in Thailand .. this happens everywhere all over the world ...  it's just bad luck

[steven100]

16 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

With how ridiculously high gym memberships are in Thailand, being even way higher than in the Western world, in a city that has a huge amount of people, wages way cheaper than the Western world, how could a gym company not be making a killing?

because the owners spend up big on themselves and don't pay the bills  ....  !! 

[bbi1]

5 minutes ago, steven100 said:

imagine if you signed up last week .....     oh well,  forget and move on as you won't be getting the money back .....

 

This happens in Thailand .. this happens everywhere all over the world ...  it's just bad luck

You would notify your credit card company and lodge a complaint. The card company will refund you the money.

[steven100]

1 minute ago, bbi1 said:

You would notify your credit card company and lodge a complaint. The card company will refund you the money.

well i'm not so sure about that as the transaction would have already been processed ....   the bank will not refund you just because the company closed shop.

[smutcakes]

5 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

You would notify your credit card company and lodge a complaint. The card company will refund you the money.

No they would not. Its just bad luck/poor research, why the hell should the card company refund you? 

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, smutcakes said:

No they would not. Its just bad luck/poor research, why the hell should the card company refund you? 

Paying for a product/service and not receiving that product/service that you paid for.

[Orton Rd]

California Wow mark 2, anyone taking out memberships of these places  must have more money than sense

[KittenKong]

6 minutes ago, steven100 said:

well i'm not so sure about that as the transaction would have already been processed ....   the bank will not refund you just because the company closed shop.

 

Here they would do nothing but if you buy a subscription using a UK credit card then you would normally be covered by UK law against non-provision of the full subscription term. Even Visa themselves there would probably arrange a chargeback if asked, though there might be issues depending on how much time has elapsed since the original payment.

 

Consumer protection in Thailand, on the other hand, is a complete joke.

[steven100]

1 minute ago, KittenKong said:

 

Here they would do nothing but if you buy a subscription using a UK credit card then you would normally be covered by UK law against non-provision of the full subscription term. Even Visa themselves there would probably arrange a chargeback if asked, though there might be issues depending on how much time has elapsed since the original payment.

 

Consumer protection in Thailand, on the other hand, is a complete joke.

I hear ya ....   so in the UK you might have some chance of getting some funds back....

In Thailand ...  forget it.     The owners are sitting on their balcony at their mansion in Phuket sipping margaritas overlooking their yacht 

[smutcakes]

7 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Paying for a product/service and not receiving that product/service that you paid for.

I don't believe they will get their money back, and i don't believe anyone from California experienced that either. If banks were responsible for every time someone paid for a service and did not get what they paid for, they would be unable to move through complaints.

 

Millions of people everyday pay for things and don't get the goods/service they wanted or perceived they should of had, should they all call the banks?

[rkidlad]

I might open a gym, collect all the money and then just close it down. Seems like a good business model as I can't see people being held accountable. 

[bbi1]

1 minute ago, smutcakes said:

If banks were responsible for every time someone paid for a service and did not get what they paid for, they would be unable to move through complaints.

So then you would have lots of cowboys selling peeps products and services all over the world, never giving the customer any product or service, but running away with the cash while the credit card company does nothing.

 

1 minute ago, smutcakes said:

Millions of people everyday pay for things and don't get the goods/service they wanted or perceived they should of had, should they all call the banks?

 

It's not about getting what "they wanted of perceived they should of had", but what the goods/service they ACTUALLY paid for.

 

[asiaexpat]

I was notified 6 months ago that the Exchange Tower location was closing when I went to renew my membership. It was also in the english language news. Why the sudden shock.

[shady86]

Normally they have two payment options, one time payment for lifetime membership and another monthly payment.

Of course the one time payment is more attractive i you plan to use for another few years.

 

People who paid for the lifetime membership would be crying now I guess. 

 

[angsta]

Quote

No mention is made of the closure on the company's sign up page.

Very Thai. If we don't acknowledge it then it isn't happening. 

 

For a company the size of True this tells you exactly what you need to know about Thai business ethics and professionalism. 

[NCC1701A]

i was thinking about joining the True Arena gym in Hua Hin for the last six months.

 

about $850 USD a year.

 

Good thing I am a big procrastinator.

 

 

[petedk]

41 minutes ago, bbi1 said:

Paying for a product/service and not receiving that product/service that you paid for.

This is Thailand

 

Need I say more?

 

I have bought  products many times (including brand name products) that have been faulty or simply didn't work. I complained and all I got was a "Khotort Kha" .  The most precious words in the Thai language. 

 

Stayed at a four star hotel where the aircon didn't work. Had to sit and sleep in reception all night. It was the only place that had fans. No refund. No discount .

 

Anyway, I am quite surprised True Fitness had closed as I know many people who go there and there are all happy with it.

Edited June 9, 2017 by petedk

[mercman24]

any sexy bird want to come round and use my gym and pool and sauna for free.?? well not exactly free he he

[bbi1]

16 minutes ago, petedk said:

This is Thailand

 

Need I say more?

 

I have bought  products many times (including brand name products) that have been faulty or simply didn't work. I complained and all I got was a "Khotort Kha" .  The most precious words in the Thai language. 

 

Stayed at a four star hotel where the aircon didn't work. Had to sit and sleep in reception all night. It was the only place that had fans. No refund. No discount .

 

Anyway, I am quite surprised True Fitness had closed as I know many people who go there and there are all happy with it.

Did you contact your credit card company in both instances and request a refund?

 

Anyway, your examples aren't the same. Faulty product, well, it's not the stores fault. You have to contact the product manufacturer as per the manufacturer's warranty.  No aircon in the room, well, the room was fine just the aircon had a problem. It's not like you booked for one week's stay and they gave you one day only and told you to get out because someone else was going to take your room on the 2nd day. Also why didn't you ask to see the rooms before paying? Did you demand a refund for the money paid and said you will stay at another hotel?

 

1st point you raised - Not the shops issue, covered in the warranty of the product.

2nd point you raised - has nothing to do with the LENGTH of stay not being given to you (honoured in the contract).

Edited June 9, 2017 by bbi1

[khlongtoey]

47 minutes ago, steven100 said:

I hear ya ....   so in the UK you might have some chance of getting some funds back....

In Thailand ...  forget it.     The owners are sitting on their balcony at their mansion in Phuket sipping margaritas overlooking their yacht 

And if you name them, and shame them, then you'll be in court for defamation, hence, backwards justice system  exacerbates   hi-so   criminality

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, bbi1 said:

With how ridiculously high gym memberships are in Thailand, being even way higher than in the Western world, in a city that has a huge amount of people, wages way cheaper than the Western world, how could a gym company not be making a killing?

 

1. Poor management decisions / no knowledge of the basics of running a business. A bit like the great chef who produces world class dishes and believes that because he/she is a great chef success in business is automatic...  

 

2, Scam, funds deliberately siphoned off...

 

etc.

Edited June 9, 2017 by scorecard

[bkkbudddy]

Greetings,

 

The owner of True Fitness is Singaporean name Patrick Wee and he resides in Singapore!  To all the disgruntle female members please join WE Fitness Society!  And to males, join Fitness First!  Coach Mike must be laughing, laughing and laughing, me too!  I left True Fitness approximately 1.5 years ago due to broken equipments, gym was filthy, no hotwater and the gym stunk!