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[dogleg]

I dont go to the beach much - 3 reasons why from different Jomtien Deck-Chair concessions

1. The already mentioned Farang menu scheme, I didnt look at the menu but asked TGF to order for me which she did from her thai menu. When the bill comes prices are not as remembered and they bring the Farang menu to prove their case, then deny having any other menus!

2. I joined some friends who just finished a meal and ordered some more drinks. The operator comes along and kicks one of the chairs and says, you check bin now, and, in Thai, you're not spending enough! The Thais among us pursuaded us to comply but continue occupying the paid for chairs until dark while resupplying from Family Mart. LOL!

3. I saw from my car an attendant pocket a wallet that she had seen a drunk farang had just dropped. I got it back for him but she had already palmed the cash.

Pikeys!

[Datsun240Z]

Yeah ; Black Canyon Coffee, somewhere up in Central World. Ordered some cappucino, so much staff was shaking when drinking my coffee !



- LAST TIME THERE -

Edited by Datsun240Z, 2009-07-05 06:50:05.

[RobotTeacher]

Pattaya is not a foodie capital of the world. Like anywhere else, if you wait too late to order your dinner, you go hungry or get kwuap quality dinner. I get irked when bad coconuts are served anywhere as I like to drink them fresh. When I'm alone and wanting to eat late such as on one the islands where BBQ and pizza stop at 9PM, I'll order take away like at 8, get it, and make sure it's sealed in a bag to keep the ants out. And have it to eat after I'm done drinking or when I'm hungry. Like most places, there is no food for the late night party people when they need it most. 10PM to 4am. It's like that in most parts of the world and this is where McDonald's can fill in, but they're only located in the largest cities and Pattaya has one like 3 roads out from the beach.

I hate it when I visit a place where the staff put on this feeling that you're a burden or they can't serve up a real coffee in the morning and use fresh ingredients.  You would get this treatment more often alone than with your partner or in a group.  I had problems in Chiang Mai tourist restaurants and bars trying to over charge me while giving me crappy service. It's a common scam pulled on single dudes enjoying a few beers, but not getting wasted. I had to argue tooth and nail 3 times in Chiang Mai. I didn't do any drinking in Pattaya as no place seemed comfortable and friendly to me. It looked like one big scam.

Overall, in Thailand, more times than not, I got great service, awesomely healthy fresh food, and felt welcome, particularly at backpacker bungolow kitchens where single people are their main customer. You just got to go to the right places which is hard to identify, becuase a dirty little place with no toilet can be a great place to go while a cleaner looking styling place with a toilet can be downright awful or mediocre at best though this isn't concrete rule of thumb.

Edited by RobotTeacher, 2009-07-05 09:49:02.

[PST]

If you are unhappy about the service anywhere,or feel as if you have been over charged,simply take out your camera/phone,and take a pic of the business on the way out.The thais are a curious race and nine times out of ten will ask you 'why you take photo?',my reply is usually along the lines of 'so i can speak with people on the internet and tell them not to come here'.

The faces on these people after this are a sight to behold,it probably sinks in after a while,how many people COULD be actually reading this bad press.


PST.

[bravingbangkok]

I am not going to say where but I swear one particular English restaurant in Asoke serves microwaved dishes, not all but definitely some. I even think you can buy them at central chidlom.

Fry ups have completely gone down the poop shoot as well.

[yabaaaa]

RobotTeacher, on 2009-07-05 09:39:18, said:

Pattaya is not a foodie capital of the world. Like anywhere else, if you wait too late to order your dinner, you go hungry or get kwuap quality dinner. I get irked when bad coconuts are served anywhere as I like to drink them fresh. When I'm alone and wanting to eat late such as on one the islands where BBQ and pizza stop at 9PM, I'll order take away like at 8, get it, and make sure it's sealed in a bag to keep the ants out. And have it to eat after I'm done drinking or when I'm hungry. Like most places, there is no food for the late night party people when they need it most. 10PM to 4am. It's like that in most parts of the world and this is where McDonald's can fill in, but they're only located in the largest cities and Pattaya has one like 3 roads out from the beach.

I hate it when I visit a place where the staff put on this feeling that you're a burden or they can't serve up a real coffee in the morning and use fresh ingredients.  You would get this treatment more often alone than with your partner or in a group.  I had problems in Chiang Mai tourist restaurants and bars trying to over charge me while giving me crappy service. It's a common scam pulled on single dudes enjoying a few beers, but not getting wasted. I had to argue tooth and nail 3 times in Chiang Mai. I didn't do any drinking in Pattaya as no place seemed comfortable and friendly to me. It looked like one big scam.

Overall, in Thailand, more times than not, I got great service, awesomely healthy fresh food, and felt welcome, particularly at backpacker bungolow kitchens where single people are their main customer. You just got to go to the right places which is hard to identify, becuase a dirty little place with no toilet can be a great place to go while a cleaner looking styling place with a toilet can be downright awful or mediocre at best though this isn't concrete rule of thumb.

So you don't mind dirty little places to eat

[Datsun240Z]

yabaaaa, on 2009-07-05 13:48:29, said:

RobotTeacher, on 2009-07-05 09:39:18, said:

Pattaya is not a foodie capital of the world. Like anywhere else, if you wait too late to order your dinner, you go hungry or get kwuap quality dinner. I get irked when bad coconuts are served anywhere as I like to drink them fresh. When I'm alone and wanting to eat late such as on one the islands where BBQ and pizza stop at 9PM, I'll order take away like at 8, get it, and make sure it's sealed in a bag to keep the ants out. And have it to eat after I'm done drinking or when I'm hungry. Like most places, there is no food for the late night party people when they need it most. 10PM to 4am. It's like that in most parts of the world and this is where McDonald's can fill in, but they're only located in the largest cities and Pattaya has one like 3 roads out from the beach.

I hate it when I visit a place where the staff put on this feeling that you're a burden or they can't serve up a real coffee in the morning and use fresh ingredients. You would get this treatment more often alone than with your partner or in a group. I had problems in Chiang Mai tourist restaurants and bars trying to over charge me while giving me crappy service. It's a common scam pulled on single dudes enjoying a few beers, but not getting wasted. I had to argue tooth and nail 3 times in Chiang Mai. I didn't do any drinking in Pattaya as no place seemed comfortable and friendly to me. It looked like one big scam.

Overall, in Thailand, more times than not, I got great service, awesomely healthy fresh food, and felt welcome, particularly at backpacker bungolow kitchens where single people are their main customer. You just got to go to the right places which is hard to identify, becuase a dirty little place with no toilet can be a great place to go while a cleaner looking styling place with a toilet can be downright awful or mediocre at best though this isn't concrete rule of thumb.

So you don't mind dirty little places to eat

What's wrong with that? The best breakfast I ever had, was with the hilltribe....

[apetley]

Not a restaurant moment but loss of custom anyway.
A couple of days ago I wanted to buy one of those pressure sprays you wear on your back.
The nearest town to us has a whole host of agricultural shops so we did a price comparison.
The next to last shop quoted 3200 bht for a Chinese Mitsubishi spray.
I was tempted but wifey insisted we try the shop two doors down.
The sales guy had the same model for 3100 bht.
Out came my wallet.
Then the owner comes out.
He insisted his sales guy gave us the wrong price and that it should be 3600 bht.
We both walked straight back to the last shop and bought the same model for 3200 bht.

[Flatouthruthefog]

PST, on 2009-07-05 10:08:28, said:

If you are unhappy about the service anywhere,or feel as if you have been over charged,simply take out your camera/phone,and take a pic of the business on the way out.The thais are a curious race and nine times out of ten will ask you 'why you take photo?',my reply is usually along the lines of 'so i can speak with people on the internet and tell them not to come here'.

The faces on these people after this are a sight to behold,it probably sinks in after a while,how many people COULD be actually reading this bad press.


PST.

THIS could be a really good idea in the Thai places where they DO undestand the internet and its implications. However!
Reading this thread carefully I have to say that
1. You get the level of service and food you pay for and
2. If you do NOT, here in Thailand, you had better just calmly, clearly and slowly explain why you will NEVER bother them again.
It MAY have some effect. But you will never know. Because you will stick by your word and never darken their doors again. Your lesson learned, their loss!
And to paraphrase what SO many posters have said: right now, there are more restaurants in Thailand than there are customers.
Need I say more?

[Rinrada]

Burger King....

[edwinchester]

KFC is doing it's best to irritate me and my wife lately.
Went into one in Utong last weekend and they would not honour one of the latest promotions so we ordered a couple of burgers. After about 30 minutes they had not arrived. On asking where our burgers were they informed us that they had run out! We left.
In Kanchanaburi KFC yesterday went in and ordered a burger, I'm a glutton for punished, to be told that they had run out of burger buns! Left again!

[HYENA]

Devil's advocate for a good percentage (not all) of ankle biter issues I read here:

There are many complaints I read where some don't seem to understand Thai customs and the Thai way. It's not farangland so TV's and loud music are appropriate for a Thai restaurant in Thailand  (they think noise brings customers...or turn it up so the cook can hear, too) and standing waiting for the tip isn't out of place because 1. Likely some may have run off which would devastate their  150 baht a day pay and 2. What's the secret? We're pulling out our money and giving it to them anyway (they likely are thinking this way) so why the big secret if they're going to be given the tip by us to them anyway, why walk away like some big secret...open the wallet, pay the bill and the tip while they stand there. why walk twice to get it? Why walk twice for drinks then the food? They're not used to the inefficiencies of "politeness" we perceive as classy. I got over that.

These people have absolutely no European history so placing our values on them and our expectations to their service is unfair to them. I hear common repeated complaints which tells me there must be a reason they all do it that way or they just plain don't know only to be chewed out or rejected by a customer (only some here) for something that may have been just fine in their culture.

The first post and this "I am the customer, treat me like royalty" attitude is unique to us. My wife and I get bad service at one place, we'll skip it for a couple weeks and try again but also before eating ask about the size of the portions, do they have this, that, etc.  My wife snoops around the kitchen (near it) and asks questions before we sit since it's a crapshoot and anyone can open a restaurant so these people just plain don't know or may not care or maybe in their culture it's enough they're offering sustenance to people; who knows? I do know in many places thanking someone is a no-no while other places it's compulsory.  I remember thanking someone and getting laughed at because they were doing their duty and they didn't work for me (like a 7-11...can't recall the country)....all a frame of mind.

Back to hovering...my guess statistically a hoverer will get a larger tip because they're standing right there. 150 a day, I would too. I'm no king. Maybe a "good worker" is perceived to be "attentive" and they think they're treating you like a king being by your side at your call. It is only our culture that "needs space". Remember, Thais don't get claustrophobic and don't do much of the privacy thing (and many farang live alone, kick kids/parents out of the house, etc). These are "herd animals" we're loner animals :-)  


Eating separate or as soon as the food is ready: Apparently people who are thought to have traveled a long distance, it is polite to not hesitate to begin eating regardless of the order or when the "other dish" is ready, etc. My guess this custom was from the old days where people would trek for days not eating until their destination so food and sustenance was on the priority list. I thought that was fascinating and I started eating as soon as my food arrived from there out.

I have to laugh at the never going back to buy cigarettes because of a whopping 2 baht ripoff. Mai pen rai! I get ripped off daily but if it's minimal, I don't sweat it. Sometimes I'll smile at them and say "I know what you just did" and they sheepishly correct it and never do it again. I allowed face saving so theyll treat me well next time; come on...2 baht? They're friendly people and smiling when stating your concerns always works like a charm.  Interview briefly the restaurant while looking at the menu at the door before sitting (we always do this now) asking polite questions (my wife is the Thai food connoisseur so she's lung mat about her tom macoom).

I'd venture to say they do their best and if it's not good enough, smile and eat it anyway! Loved the fur burger story! My guess is he'd think it insane to waste the food and accidents happen (look where some of these people come from...they're not like us...they're trying to move up and the wait staff are going to be the least informed, kindly (or not) ignorant and just need a job. The waiter warming his thumb in the mashed potatoes for his rheumatism may have been OK at his house ( I wouldn't be happy) but some of these nice folk REALLY ARE very very ill informed and ignorant. They just plain don't know our standards; some are still in the medieval era up north and surely medieval people didn't sweat hair or fingers in the food (except high Europe). I'd hate it too but think from their view...the ignorance I learned is deep and low paying people will be the wait staff who have more of it.

I love it all, even the bad service and the mini scams because it's likely been this way forever. it's Thailand! Order fresh juice and get it out of a carton? BFD! drink it and say "that wasn't fresh..".smile and tell them you caught them! They'll get it.  You got juice, no one died and you got it cheaper than farangland. That's happened to me, too but i laughed when I drank it (hotel breakfast). I'm definitely NOT taking it out on some underpaid waiter!

Want bad service where they thrown down the plate and don't care what you asked for? Try some places in China. Thailand is a dream....this is Asia, gotta change your expectations completely and have fun.

Edited by HYENA, 2009-07-10 10:15:03.

[HYENA]

edwinchester, on 2009-07-09 18:44:25, said:

KFC is doing it's best to irritate me and my wife lately.
Went into one in Utong last weekend and they would not honour one of the latest promotions so we ordered a couple of burgers. After about 30 minutes they had not arrived. On asking where our burgers were they informed us that they had run out! We left.
In Kanchanaburi KFC yesterday went in and ordered a burger, I'm a glutton for punished, to be told that they had run out of burger buns! Left again!

Obviously a farang chain supply problem.

I'd rather have Thai food than KFC; maybe it's natural selection of the healthiest foods...Buddha is preventing you from a heart attack!

[edwinchester]

HYENA, on 2009-07-10 11:19:00, said:

edwinchester, on 2009-07-09 18:44:25, said:

KFC is doing it's best to irritate me and my wife lately.
Went into one in Utong last weekend and they would not honour one of the latest promotions so we ordered a couple of burgers. After about 30 minutes they had not arrived. On asking where our burgers were they informed us that they had run out! We left.
In Kanchanaburi KFC yesterday went in and ordered a burger, I'm a glutton for punished, to be told that they had run out of burger buns! Left again!

Obviously a farang chain supply problem.

I'd rather have Thai food than KFC; maybe it's natural selection of the healthiest foods...Buddha is preventing you from a heart attack!

Your right of course and I love Thai food too so I hate myself when I go into KFC but about once every few months can't help myself. Wifey likes the wings anyway!
Now what I really crave is a good British doner kebab after a few drinks on a Friday night but have never found those in Kanchanaburi.

[IanForbes]

Good post, HYENA, you and I think alike when it comes to Thai customs. I mostly eat in little Thai cafes where you sit on plastic stool at metal tables. My Thai meal costs me about 30 baht and I can be a big spender and give them 40 baht. Because I eat in the same few places on a regular basis they give me larger portions than they give other people.

As far as proper dining is concerned it doesn't really matter because I'm only there for the company I'm with. I hardly even notice the food or what it costs. It HAS amused me that in Thai restaurants where we go as group of 6 or more the Thais tend to serve each person one at a time, and the first guy served will be long finished his meal before the last person is even served. I chalk it up to one cook in the kitchen using one wok, and he can only prepare one meal at a time. Now if we go as a group we find it better to dine at one of those cook your own meal places where they put a little stove on your table and you choose food from a huge table of veggies and meat.

[Datsun240Z]

HYENA, on 2009-07-10 10:48:35, said:

Devil's advocate for a good percentage (not all) of ankle biter issues I read here:

There are many complaints I read where some don't seem to understand Thai customs and the Thai way. It's not farangland so TV's and loud music are appropriate for a Thai restaurant in Thailand (they think noise brings customers...or turn it up so the cook can hear, too) and standing waiting for the tip isn't out of place because 1. Likely some may have run off which would devastate their 150 baht a day pay and 2. What's the secret? We're pulling out our money and giving it to them anyway (they likely are thinking this way) so why the big secret if they're going to be given the tip by us to them anyway, why walk away like some big secret...open the wallet, pay the bill and the tip while they stand there. why walk twice to get it? Why walk twice for drinks then the food? They're not used to the inefficiencies of "politeness" we perceive as classy. I got over that.

These people have absolutely no European history so placing our values on them and our expectations to their service is unfair to them. I hear common repeated complaints which tells me there must be a reason they all do it that way or they just plain don't know only to be chewed out or rejected by a customer (only some here) for something that may have been just fine in their culture.

The first post and this "I am the customer, treat me like royalty" attitude is unique to us. My wife and I get bad service at one place, we'll skip it for a couple weeks and try again but also before eating ask about the size of the portions, do they have this, that, etc. My wife snoops around the kitchen (near it) and asks questions before we sit since it's a crapshoot and anyone can open a restaurant so these people just plain don't know or may not care or maybe in their culture it's enough they're offering sustenance to people; who knows? I do know in many places thanking someone is a no-no while other places it's compulsory. I remember thanking someone and getting laughed at because they were doing their duty and they didn't work for me (like a 7-11...can't recall the country)....all a frame of mind.

Back to hovering...my guess statistically a hoverer will get a larger tip because they're standing right there. 150 a day, I would too. I'm no king. Maybe a "good worker" is perceived to be "attentive" and they think they're treating you like a king being by your side at your call. It is only our culture that "needs space". Remember, Thais don't get claustrophobic and don't do much of the privacy thing (and many farang live alone, kick kids/parents out of the house, etc). These are "herd animals" we're loner animals :-)


Eating separate or as soon as the food is ready: Apparently people who are thought to have traveled a long distance, it is polite to not hesitate to begin eating regardless of the order or when the "other dish" is ready, etc. My guess this custom was from the old days where people would trek for days not eating until their destination so food and sustenance was on the priority list. I thought that was fascinating and I started eating as soon as my food arrived from there out.

I have to laugh at the never going back to buy cigarettes because of a whopping 2 baht ripoff. Mai pen rai! I get ripped off daily but if it's minimal, I don't sweat it. Sometimes I'll smile at them and say "I know what you just did" and they sheepishly correct it and never do it again. I allowed face saving so theyll treat me well next time; come on...2 baht? They're friendly people and smiling when stating your concerns always works like a charm. Interview briefly the restaurant while looking at the menu at the door before sitting (we always do this now) asking polite questions (my wife is the Thai food connoisseur so she's lung mat about her tom macoom).

I'd venture to say they do their best and if it's not good enough, smile and eat it anyway! Loved the fur burger story! My guess is he'd think it insane to waste the food and accidents happen (look where some of these people come from...they're not like us...they're trying to move up and the wait staff are going to be the least informed, kindly (or not) ignorant and just need a job. The waiter warming his thumb in the mashed potatoes for his rheumatism may have been OK at his house ( I wouldn't be happy) but some of these nice folk REALLY ARE very very ill informed and ignorant. They just plain don't know our standards; some are still in the medieval era up north and surely medieval people didn't sweat hair or fingers in the food (except high Europe). I'd hate it too but think from their view...the ignorance I learned is deep and low paying people will be the wait staff who have more of it.

I love it all, even the bad service and the mini scams because it's likely been this way forever. it's Thailand! Order fresh juice and get it out of a carton? BFD! drink it and say "that wasn't fresh..".smile and tell them you caught them! They'll get it. You got juice, no one died and you got it cheaper than farangland. That's happened to me, too but i laughed when I drank it (hotel breakfast). I'm definitely NOT taking it out on some underpaid waiter!

Want bad service where they thrown down the plate and don't care what you asked for? Try some places in China. Thailand is a dream....this is Asia, gotta change your expectations completely and have fun.

No, but you can do to the manager. So if all folks would say nothing, than nothing would change...
Thailand will eventually become modernized, it may take another 100 years, who knows....

[Datsun240Z]

IanForbes, on 2009-07-10 15:24:43, said:

Good post, HYENA, you and I think alike when it comes to Thai customs. I mostly eat in little Thai cafes where you sit on plastic stool at metal tables. My Thai meal costs me about 30 baht and I can be a big spender and give them 40 baht. Because I eat in the same few places on a regular basis they give me larger portions than they give other people.

Same same, gotta love the local eating joints

[Theyreallrubbish]

Since the thread seems to have morphed slightly I'll add my experience in Tesco today.

Went to buy a fridge.  They have one at a promotional price.  I checked other places and decided to buy this one.

Stood around the fridge for a while looking for a staff member.  Inexplicably none around so I walked over to where a girl was selling mobile phones and told her I wanted to buy the fridge.  She went off and came back with a Thai staff member.  

I told him I wanted to buy this fridge and pointed at it.  He asked what color and I said this color.  He had a look at the box next to it and seemed to be noting something.  He then asked me to follow and I thought we were going to the service desk.

As we walked off I noticed I had now attracted 3 sales staff.

We walked deeper into the fridge section and he pointed at a different fridge and said, "This one very nice."  

"Yes it is." I replied, "But I want the one I showed you."

There were now 5 sales people around me and a new guy asked me to come over here.  I wandered over and he began opening other fridges.  "This one very good."

"I'm sure its wonderful, but I don't want that one.  I want the one I asked for."

"What about this one?  You like the color?"

By now there were 7 sales staff and they were all standing by different fridges and each was calling out and competing to try and entice me to the fridge they were at.

"I have already looked at many fridges and I know the one I want."

There was a collective sigh of disappointment and the original salesman re-appeared from wherever he had been hiding and finally led me to the service desk.

Paid for the fridge but couldn't pay for a small item I'd picked up unless I agreed to leave it to be delivered as well! Went to the next service desk where a different guy took down my address (written in Thai) for delivery.  The address was on quite a major road, but although he knew the road and knew the landmarks I said I lived near to he didn't know where it was.  About 15 minutes of me drawing maps ensued covering 4 sheets of paper, but he finally agreed he knew where to go.

I head off satisfied in my accomplishments for the day in buying a fridge and do some shopping in other parts of the store.  So about 30 minutes later I've just returned to my car and am climbing in when my phone rings and its Tesco Lotus.  Can I come back to the service desk.

OK, back I go to the service desk to be greeted by a completely new guy.  He also has no idea where my address is, (Although he also knows the road and the landmarks nearby) so I redo my map drawing until I have a brain wave and get out my phone and show him exactly the route on Nokia maps with Thai road names.

Despite all this I am completely confident my fridge will arrive on time tomorrow as I've been through this before.  They seem completely clueless and even brain damaged at times but everything gets done just fine.

[IanForbes]

Funny story, Theyreallrubbish, thanks. I could picture the whole proceedings because I've been through something similar. Many Thais don't understand maps... no matter how good they are, but, they always seem to know how to get somewhere. Me? I'm lost without maps. Go figure.

[Jingthing]

Quote

HYENA: Order fresh juice and get it out of a carton? BFD! drink it and say "that wasn't fresh..".smile and tell them you caught them! They'll get it. You got juice, no one died and you got it cheaper than farangland.

Who cares what juice out of a carton costs in any other country than Thailand when you LIVE in Thailand?
Especially when your ordered FRESH juice anyway? Might as well be the price of parrot's urine, its not relevant.

I don't know what alternative universe you live in but when a business advertises one thing of a better quality and gives you an inferior product without telling you and expects you to PAY for the superior product which they didn't provide, they are CHEATING you, here or anywhere. I am glad for you if  you are made of money and think it  is hilarious and charming every time a business cheats you. Ha ha, smile smile, my bean freakin' rye bread (sic), and go elsewhere, they lost my business. I can't be bothered with thieving businesses ... There are WAY too many options of where to spend our money in Thailand, we don't have power here, but that power we do have, and  we should use it.

Your point about hovering tip hungry waiters was more interesting. However, I seriously doubt the waiters have done a scientific study of tip generation, hovering vs. non-hovering. In my case, the hovering reduces their tip, and I know I am not alone on that.

Edited by Jingthing, 2009-07-11 03:56:40.

[FairwayJack]

We no longer eat at Pizza Hut after seeing a young kitchen worker sneezing and coughing directly onto the salad bar. The Nara restaurant chain is off our "go to" list as well. Once got a half an onion in my calzone there. This was a few years ago. I really do miss good Italian (fast) food.

[torrenova]

Burger King delivery frustrates me. It is owned by the Minor Food Group which runs Pixxa Company who have the best website for dealing with orders in a foreign language I have ever come across. Now I know they've screwed up a couple of times but usually they can read !

So why don't they use the same principal for BK ? Order on the internet, have it your way and if they really need to, they can phone you up. I guess 50% of deliveries are screwed up.

And there is another Thai problem. Say you order a meal and they screw up the burger. They don't replace the meal, only the burger (unless you really let rip on the phone).

Why are restaurant delivery services really crap ? Why do the restaurants put in lower quality food with almost no care ?

[zorro1]

the new Australian bar at soi 11 BKK. Watched the state of origin and didn't like they way the stuck the tab to the edge of the bar facing away from the client and out of site so firstly you would never know what you were paying or how many you had on a big night. Only had a few and gave watress 1000bht and get change from 500bht. Complained so she went to the till operator who gave the money straight back without hesitation, totall scam. Wont go back as its WAY overpriced anyway even for soi 11

Edited by zorro1, 2009-07-11 09:24:10.

[Bjorn]

I never go to a "farang" restaurang with my thai gf that has farang and thai food in the menu and they charge a fortune for a simple thai dish (my gf prefers thai food). It is clear that the restaurang owner wants to rip off the farang since he is often the one paying for the bill.

I also avoids all restaurangs with a thai menu with "normal" prices and a farang meny with very high prices.

Since I'm living in Northeast of Thailand, I normally have no problems with above. I lived in Bangkok for 5 years and that was a diiferent story (not to mention all my weekend trips to Pattaya)

[Bagwan]

One evening 'er that does the ironing and I were strolling along the south end of Walking Street on our way home. I noticed an attractive looking seafood restaurant on the seaward side and I pointed out that it might make a good venue for a celebratory dinner for her birthday the following week when we usually entertain some of her friends. We stopped and started to review the bill of fare that was on show.

A Thai guy who I assumed was the proprietor emerged and watched us as we scanned the menu and beckoned us to come inside. I smiled and shook my head. My wife spoke to him in Thai and said that we had already eaten. She was about to tell him that we would probably come back on her birthday with a few friends but he lost all reason and started to rant and rave. He almost screamed at us wanting to know why we were perusing the menus when we were not going  to eat. He finished his outburst with the phrase 'fcuk off', the only bit that I understood. I was gobsmacked and ready the chin the prat, but not my treasure. Normally the most placid of people, even for a Thai, she launched into a furious tirade. I heard her call him 'kwai' a few times, but the rest was lost on me. She told me afterwards that she told him why we were looking and his attitude had ensured that we would never darken his doors. He had lost about 8-10 prospective diners the following week.

He quietened down and offered to shake my hand. I refused, muttered 'va t'en', and we departed. I do hope somebody explained to him what I had said.  

Pattaya in particular is one big service industry. It is about time that the locals learnt the meaning of 'service' and 'customer satisfaction' particularly at this difficult time for many businesses. Understand and tending to a customers wants and needs accompanied by a good attitude will help them survive. Following a mantra of 'this is Thailand and we do it our way' may well be suicidal. If businesses go to the wall, then good riddance to bad rubbish. They simply haven't learnt good commercial practices.

Before some unthinking troll jumps in, claiming that I want to turn LoS into beautiful downtown Boise - or Scunthorpe - I recommend that they eat more fish. It is supposed to be good for the brain. For all the stories we have been regaled with here, my guess is that, on balance, most would never think of returning to their native heath.