ultras67 Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 I am currently in the icafe 7th floor MBK and a well dressed middle aged woman ( maybe eastern european judging by the accent ) has just tried to negotiate the minimum charge here. She was on about 10min and the min charge here is 15baht/30 min. she tried to only pay 10!!!! Now I know all the jokes about english teachers / backpackers not having any money but this surely is ridiculous!! This is a cheap place considering its location, there are loads of places that charge 1B, 2B per min and higher minimums, the worst I have seen is beside Sala Daeng BTS which is 5B per minute so she is lucky she came here. I was seriously cringing! :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 i do not understand why you blame her as nearly everything is negotiable in LOS. i recall to have seen internet shops offering 20 baht per hour. i do not use them as i have my own pc and pay considerably less than 10 baht per hour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soongmak Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 I have the same problem as you, somehow I find bargaining a bit, I don't know....cheap maybe? I really don't like to do it, but for others it is a sport. I have a friend who seriously sold his chair for the price of 2 beers on a terrace to people who couldn't find a seat!!!! Some people know no shame Cheers, Soongmak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultras67 Posted January 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 "nearly" is the operative word my local icafe is 20/hr for games and 25 for internet but I find its packed with too many screaming kids with just reminded me of another point about thailand that buggers me.... off to post that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jingjoh Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 Well she was out of line, the cost was clearly displayed right? 15 baht for 30 minutes and a minimum charge? Even without minimum charge, you have to be a real anus to quibble over that sort of thing. As for bargaining, well sure there is a time and place, many people think department stores are nono places for bargaining, but it doesnt hurt to ask whether they have specials or some sort of discount system etc, many times I have gotten 5-10% off something for asking. Markets are open slather, food markets well if you dont know the prices you usually get overcharged, if you speak Thai well enough to buy your food you will usually pay what everyone else around you is paying. Example, I walk into helmet house in Ratchadapisek, and regularly take friends there to buy helmets etc. Every time I have bought something I have gotten a minimum of 500 baht off it if its worth 5K or so. Boots I bought were 10K, she started by discounting to 9K, a friend was buying the same ones so I offered her 8K per pair, she wouldnt go below 8500 so he bought them and pissed off. I knew I could have gotten them for 8k, so I found a tiny flaw in the size I was looking at, knowing she wouldnt have given it to me without the flaw as to do so after selling to my friend for 8500 would have been a loss of face. Yes I got them for 8K :: Its all about identifying the shop you are in, the feel of the place and whether you think you can negotiate with the staff or not. I wouldnt negotiate the bill in a restaurant for instance! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ultras67 Posted January 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 yes its clearly posted on the window outside and inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Straycat Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 The day I raise a stink about 5 baht, I'll kill myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 Says Straycat: The day I raise a stink about 5 baht, I'll kill myself. and i will make a 20 baht tambun at your ngan sop! :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harlequinbkk Posted January 20, 2003 Report Share Posted January 20, 2003 [color:"red"]This is a cheap place considering its location, there are loads of places that charge 1B, 2B per min and higher minimums, the worst I have seen is beside Sala Daeng BTS which is 5B per minute so she is lucky she came here. [/color] In my opinion, the places that charge 1 to 2 Baht per min are gouging customers, but this is not surprising as they are mostly in tourist areas. I would consider the Internet cafes at MBK to be charging a fair rate; actually a bit more expensive than some places in Thailand (as indicated by other posters in this thread), but reasonable considering the location. I do think that if a minimum charge is clearly posted, the lady is obliged to pay it. Harlequin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2003 Report Share Posted January 21, 2003 Says harlequinbkk: In my opinion, the places that charge 1 to 2 Baht per min are gouging customers, but this is not surprising as they are mostly in tourist areas. I would consider the Internet cafes at MBK to be charging a fair rate; actually a bit more expensive than some places in Thailand (as indicated by other posters in this thread), but reasonable considering the location. I do think that if a minimum charge is clearly posted, the lady is obliged to pay it. Harlequin Maybe so, but there is a free market in these things, so if its too much, vote with your feet, everyone is an entrepenuer in this digital age, or so it seems. Having said all that and getting back to the sentiments of the OP and others......why bother what this woman was trying to do? With all the marking up and ripping off of farangs in LOS, I say good on her. The day when I get worried about someone trying to get a discount, especially off of Thai business people, let alone post about it on a forum, is the day I will kill myself! Cheers Jaga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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