Hualamphong travel agent warning ... - Thorn Tree travel forum

Hualamphong travel agent warning

Replies: 38 - Last Post: 11-Mar-2007 12:40 Last Post By: tizer

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Posted
13-Sep-2005 22:07
by: Phillyhosteler

Posts: 26
Registered: 03/05/03

Hualamphong travel agent warning

Hello travelers. i just wanted to pass some helpfull info on Thailnad to all. I just returned. I Went to A travel agency next to the central Train Station in Bangkok. (Hualamphong) I thought it might be easy to help out my trip since I had a limited amount of time and also did not get ot plan too much before I went. I Went to RICHLY TRAVEL CENTRE. They ripped me off!! I did not have too much of an idea of price since my tour book was olf (not Lonely Planet) I wanted to go north to Chiang Mai. I booked a one day tour and rail up and flight back. Around the train station there are hawkers that have official T.A.T. tags. Tehy are official but get comission from taking people to travelagencys. The Woman (Miss Shen Alizza) was ver plesant BUT. ... She told me the airfare ws 2000 baht and charged 1800 for a day tour. I also booked two nights in their hotel in Chiang Mai. I do not mind paying for their services but not being ripped off. I found out at the airport that the flight was only 1333 and everyone els payed from 690-700 baht for the same tour. They really over charged about $50usd. She also charged my card and then had the nerve to ask for 40 more baht that "she forgot to add in for the train" I went back to them when I returned to bangkok and explained that I did not mind paying a fair price but not a rip off. I talked to an older guy and he swore that the flight could not have been that cheap and just continued to lie. I told them I would try to talkwith my card company when i returned home. I also stood outside of the store and told other travelers that they rip off people. This did not please them but at leat it provided a service to otehr travels.

Posted
13-Sep-2005 22:48
by: markmac2005

Posts: 1
Registered: 13/09/05

1

fair play excellent stuff,
just to let people know. if you are travelling by train, buy the ticket at the windows in the station on the ground floor, never buy at the first travel agent.. just get up walk out and price around.. learning from experience. 2nd calss ticket a/c to chaing mai on train will cost about 550b one way.. leave guest house booking until you get there.. found a jewel of a place just down from UN irish bar in chiang mai, 350b a night for a double... spotless with a/c, tv and own bathroom..cant remember the name of it but nearly directly accross the road from smile travel.. still work going on in the guest house but no noise. two day one night trek can be got for about 1300 b and 15 day visa to laos can be got for 1500b...or 30us dollars no more, just rem price around. have your note book... and do not book anything from any one who claims to be a genuine tat office..tat is information based only, tat licence the travel agents.. anyone claiming to be genuine tat is after your money and about double the price.. just humour them and ask lots of soft and silly questions

Posted
13-Sep-2005 22:49
by: Chanchao

Posts: 6,533
Registered: 03/11/00

2

A travel agency is a business. Businesses want to make money. If you use their services they can charge whatever they feel you will pay.

I do the same in my business. You traded off internet-research-time against the convenience of a quick booking at the railway station. It cost you $50. You were not happy. Next time use Google, it's free.

Cheers,
Chanchao

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

Posted
13-Sep-2005 23:57
by: fondonzella

Posts: 1,092
Registered: 01/09/00

3

I think they should do something about those guys at the station. A well known ripoff.

What business are you in Chanchao? extortion and kidnapping?

Posted
14-Sep-2005 03:01
by: james747

Posts: 1
Registered: 29/07/05

4

I used the same RICHLY travel agent next to Hualampong, faxed them my credit card details, definately was not ripped off at all ! If you are buying a tour any travel agent will try to get the maximum you will pay. Don't look too eager when buying non-fixed price goods/services.

Agree with Chanchao, google flight prices wouldn't take long.

555 = har har har !

Posted
14-Sep-2005 03:17
by: Chanchao

Posts: 6,533
Registered: 03/11/00

5

> What business are you in Chanchao? extortion and kidnapping?

No, it's called a free market economy. :) Anyway in most business I know of, almost no two customers pay the same price for the same product, and for very few products are the prices actually driven primarily by the actual cost of the product or service. :)

Check out pics and reviews of all kinds of food at chanchao.fotopages.com. Get the Thai Travel Menu, a printable bilingual menu to help you order great food off the beaten path.

Posted
14-Sep-2005 11:51
by: callippo

Posts: 6,135
Registered: 12/07/04

6

and for very few products are the prices actually driven primarily by the actual cost of the product or service.

thats true. Vendors charge whatever they think they can get away with, they put the service on the market and see what happens. If somebody's ready to pay 200 baht for pad thai you can hardly blame the vendor for asking for it, even if it only costs them 3 and a half.

Posted
14-Sep-2005 13:44
by: Pagalo23

Posts: 39
Registered: 27/08/04

7

Bisness is bizness. It is up to the customer to determine if it is the right price.

Posted
14-Sep-2005 17:13
by: callippo

Posts: 6,135
Registered: 12/07/04

8

...simply walking to the next outlet and finding out by asking might be a start in what should really be a brief search to find out what the price is.

Posted
15-Sep-2005 08:33
by: Phillyhosteler

Posts: 26
Registered: 03/05/03

9

I believe there is a difference betwen having a variable scale and taking advantage of a situation. In Ecuador there is a train and tickets are cheaper for locals and tourist pay a much higher price. This subsidises the train and keeps it running. I have no problem paying on this scale. But if someone sells the ticket at an even higher price for a set item, then that would just be taking advantage of the situation. This travel agency had charged much more for a set price and reflects badly on them. On the other hand I was at a bus station in Thailand and ordered some food. I thought they had said 72 baht which I thought was a little high but it also looked very good. I handed them 80 baht. It turned out to be 37 baht. She handed back all of the extra. Hence even though I was wiling to pay almost double, they did not take advantage of the situation. This reflected very nicely on them and showed their honesty.
Just a post note, I am now seing where I can get with my credit card company especially since they charged extra for a cradit card which is illegal and only points to the corrupt agency. I do not expect or want to pay nothing , i only want to pay a fair price.

Posted
15-Sep-2005 11:51
by: Pagalo23

Posts: 39
Registered: 27/08/04

10

Then dont be lazy, get a 2nd opinion. Your negligence makes you partly responsible. Not a pure "victim".
The world is what it is.

Posted
15-Sep-2005 12:36
by: martim45

Posts: 89
Registered: 27/08/02

11

The op is not "negligent" at all?? what on you on about?

If the price agreed is not whats paid then the contract is broke and a refund from the credit card company is warranted. Its quite simple.
Thanks for Taking the time OP

Posted
15-Sep-2005 15:28
by: Pagalo23

Posts: 39
Registered: 27/08/04

12

It was not that he was charged more then they said it was that he got charged more then he thought proper.

Posted
15-Sep-2005 18:06
by: PlanB

Posts: 286
Registered: 15/01/01

13

I think the lessons of this thread might be to avoid touts and shop around. I hope others read and take note.

Posted
16-Sep-2005 03:46
by: Phillyhosteler

Posts: 26
Registered: 03/05/03

14

It is said, A smart person learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others. I am hoping that there are a lot of wise people out there. This was the main reason for posting this. I also went back to the agency to let them know that tourist will complain about heavily padded prices. (Also illegal exta charge for credit cards)Just like when bartering at markets and paying a fair price or paying proper prices in other places, it keeps the prices lower for other travelers following you. If the next tourist pays a little more and the next and the next, this is how prices rise out of greed rather then regular inflation. Resturants in Thailand could charge more then double for items, but that is what I found nice in Thailand that prices in resturants are not that high for locals to eat out.
And #12. It is true i signed the receipt and knew how much they were charging me(except the extra fee for credit card.) But thinkof it like this. If I met you traveling and I said i would go and get your ticket for you at the airport that cost $100 and you just pay a small fee of $10. Then when I give you the ticket you find out that ticket only cost $70. Would you feel riped off $30. I think so. Hence this is part of why I posted.

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