Refusing to pay your bar bill

[TaeD]

Just read this from Stickmans Site Yesterday

.....let this be a lesson, no matter what the issue always pay up, not worth getting the sh*t kicked out of you for a few baht.......

Refusing to let Pattaya outdo it in the news stakes, it was all happening in Bangkok too this week as Soi Cowboy witnessed a massive scrap outside Baccarra bar.

A mountain of a man, believed to be a New Zealander, was set upon by 4 bouncers from Baccarra, thought to either be off duty soldiers - or have some sort of military affiliation. But 4 Thai guys could not overcome this Kiwi who held his own despite the dogs hitting him with bar stools, metal chairs and bottles - which they smashed across his face in an effort to blind him.

The Kiwi colossus went down at what point but got right back up ready to fight on at which point the cowardly dogs withdrew to the bar. Furious at the manner in which he'd been set upon, the Kiwi was out for blood but commonsense prevailed as a couple of foreigners talked him out of it. Those who witnessed events said there was no doubt he would have won if it had continued. The Thais were all kicks and weapons but this guy was full on New Zealand power!

That said, reinforcements would have joined the pack and as heroic as the Kiwi's efforts were, the Thais play a game that a foreigner just can't win. He left just as the police arrived, minus his flip flops and with a few cuts and bruises.

One witness who has been in Thailand for 10 years said it was the worst violence he's ever seen in this country. All who saw it were sickened by the scene.

When asked, the bouncers said that he had disputed his bill. They wouldn't give him his change and he refused to leave. Very, very nasty business.

Regards

Drew

 

[syahir sephiroth]

So one should just pay up even if being short changed?Hell no!!!Those thais can be glad that kiwi didnt bring the rest of the rugby team!!!55555

 

[The Mrs]

you can be smart about it
but i would certainly not back down if i was being ripped off

and to be honest, i think the thai's get half their courage because they know in the most part a farang will not stand up for himself

 

[Anabelle]

Must be more in it than that...???

Baccara is one of my regular Soi C's venues.

I have never seen even the slightest problem there in years.

I have left there (not yet to Check Bill) and wandered down to another bar or two. Ended up going back to my condo in Bang Na and not going back to Baccara.

Not a problem...just turned up the next night and paid the bill (not even an extra LD on the tab)...Cost me a LD for mama though...

My record is leaving Patong after a bender of a night in Bangla Rd...same drill, went for a walk found a bed mate...went home, checked out in the morning and went to the airport and went home.

6 weeks later when I returned the first Beer Lao cost me circa THB 18,000.

(There on the beer fridge in a little glad zip bag is my chit)...

Being a "regular" maybe helped me getting a slap?

I got some hard eye looks from the girls behind the bar for the first 5 mins.

They told me if it had been anyone else then they would have gotten into a spot of trouble and they all would have had to pay the bill themselves (is that right, can any BM bar owner confirm that)? :rules:

I have had the odd instance where I thought a tab was maybe 500 / 1000 THB to much?

But my rule is if I have been drinking at all, then pay the bill...say goodnight ...and walkaway.

If you think you have been fisted just don't go back there...simple

The A&E Dept bill would be more than that...and whatever other injuries you are most likely to recieve. Just think how much 1 or 2 teeth (or for me a pair of top end specs) are worth..$$$

Cheers

SD

 

[TMOM]

And if it got to the point where 4 guys were going to kick the merry sh#t out of you? How would you avoid the scenario in the OP?
It's bad enough a TG giving you the verbals when you haven't a clue what you've done wrong

I would definitely argue the toss about a padded bill but hopefully i would see the cut off point in a situation and have the sense to walk...after paying of course:angry:

 

[music<3]

it is definitely a very grey area and everyone has to do what they think is right
i advocate using sense but i do not advocate just backing down from every confrontation if you know you are right and being scammed

again, these are all situations that have to be handled in the moment

 

[TJR]

I have had this happen to me once. Once in Shanghai where 30 mins with two ladies in Ktv turned into a couple hundred dollars. After debating with the mama for a time I pulled the angry American thing and demanded to see the police (they had a little sign stating if you had trouble contact the police.) Needless to say mama did not get her tip, we dropped down what I thought was fair and headed out of their. Luckily it was in a high traffic area.

I have had the occasion in LOS where the bill was a bit padded. Simply brought over the mama and went over it drink by drink. So far I have always won. Im with Paul on this one tho. You need to show a little back bone to show your not going to be taken for a fool.

 

[badkitty3168]

The times I have been ripped off before and pointed it out, I have always put up a fight until a certain point. Sometimes the bar backs down (not often!), the MIB come and try to force me to pay for drinks have never ordered but usually it gets to a point where I just pay and never return. Im not a fighter! But it will probably help a lot if you can speak a little Thai!

If its the odd 100bt then its not a problem, but if they can get 1 fake bill in your pot, then they will try to get more in! (So always check you pots, and be seen doing it!)



Saying that, if you are well known or at a 'friendly bar'. Then it is possible to accidently walk away and forget to pay. I have done it before! (Hey Nicke!) I have even been in a bar when an expat worker has had to get 100,000bt to pay back previous bills in a few bars! Now that is serious 'trust'!: :

 

[Bass]

after a big night when you got ten tanks to the sheets its not a strange thing to find out you have an outstanding bar bill when you front up at a mates bar the next night.....ain't that right Geir...555

I wouldn't recommend taking on bar bouncers to anyone in any country

 

[riches no butler]

I think when it comes to getting ripped off at the bars comes from the bars that put a new slip in your bin for each drink you buy instead of running a tab on one slip in your bin. What I do to avoid extra slips being thrown into my bin is to either bend a corner of the slips I know are legit. or if I have a pen on me put a mark somewhere on the slips so that at the end of my time there I know if they padded my bin or if everything is ok. Inless you are a regular at the bar I think there is always the chance that you might get taken by some dishonest bars.

 

[Ellisia]

When I drink in a place where they know me, I periodically sum up my tab. When it starts running up a bit (too many chits, or too drunk to add them up in my head!), I pay it and start a new one. In a strange place, I'll insist on paying each drink individually. I've had my bills padded in the past, and you'll never win that argument in my experience, especially in a bar where you are not well known.

 

[:: G e r r y ::]

Damn, happens much too often now...

 

[sarasmile]

What's weird is the number of times that I have been called to a bar, (as a tourist police volunteer) to help resolve a bar-bill problem where the customer fully agrees that they have had these drinks on the bill, (or have bought lady-drinks), and they don't dispute the final bill. They have the money to pay the bill in their pocket but simply don't want to pay the bill!!

How stupid is that? I see this scenario perhaps every other shift in Patong. Can't yet figure out why someone will drink themselves silly with no intention of paying the final bill.

Also get the odd case where a guy goes drinking with his mates. They run up a large bill and when one of the guys is in the toilet, all the others run for it - leaving the poor sod to pay the bill on his own. As you can guess, most times they don't have enough money to pay!!

Had a great example of this last week where an Ozzie got left with the bill for his mates, but had no cash. But he did have an ATM card.

'Fine - go to the ATM and withdraw the cash' I say.

'No can do, only my wife knows the PIN'

'OK, go back to the hotel and get the PIN number from her'.

'No way - she thought I was going out for a quiet drink on my own - she would kill me if she realised that I was out on the town with my mates and chatting up the BGs'!

This guy was more scared of his wife finding out what he had been up to, than of the Thai police!! Must be some scary woman

Simon

 

[twilight]

hi

you can avoid any problems by simply paying for your drinks as you have them,it's common practice in usa,uk,europe,aust ect,why invite trouble if your a nervous person.I've seen so many guys over the years get in big sh-t when they are really drunk and are no longer in state to handle the situation.

 

[Julian G]

must be maried to an Aussie Sheila.....:intello: :rules:

 

[Tornedeaus]

I've had any occasions where they have padded the bill with one or two extra LDs. If I am in a good mood, I am likely to just make a mental note that the bartenders there are not to be trusted, pay, and go on with the fun. Why spoil a lovely evening by getting upset over a few hundred Baht?

If it is more than that or I am in the mood to bicker, then I will ask for an explanation of the charges. Then they will say, "Oops, mistake!" or I will invariably find out that I have bought drinks for bartenders and girls without my knowledge of it, and a few times an extra LD or 2 for the girl I am with, even though I know she did not drink that many. I will pay the money, with a frown, so they can be assured that I will have a sharp eye on them, if I should return to that bar in the future.

But if they are not willing to admit a mistake, then they obviously do not value your business, and you will never get anywhere arguing with them.

 

[jdphenix]

Far be it for me to question the great Stickman, but if you strip out the purple prose from that initial report, it reads as: Kiwi gets stroppy. Kiwi gets whacked across the face and beaten with sticks. Kiwi gets decked. Bouncers go inside. Kiwi gets back up and his mates, knowing it's pretty much all over anyway, do the 'leave it Bruce, they ain't worth it' routine.

Moral: Pay the bill and never darken their towels again.

 

[Amanda Ramsbottom]

Girl in Baccara says one bouncer off work for 3 days due to stroppy Kiwi.

Still think its best to pay bill, not go back. Bacs has a rep for padding so beware if you go there.

 

[dear jamie]

Go the Kiwi....

 

[Kat...tis I look closer]

Guy should of just done tha Haka that scares the sh** out of most of the England rugby team before they start.5555555