Swedish businessman accuses Chiang Mai karaoke parlour of rip-off

[webfact 78,303]

Swede accuses karaoke parlour of rip-off
The Nation

CHIANG MAI: -- A Swedish businessman lodged a complaint against a Chiang Mai karaoke parlour for alleged overcharging yesterday.

He said he ordered just five small bottles of beer and sang some songs with female staff for a few hours but ended up being charged over Bt50,000.

The 49-year-old foreigner said more than 10 men surrounded him when he offered Bt3,000 to clear the bill at 5am. He was held against his will for two hours during which the staff used his credit card to withdraw cash.

"I returned to my hotel and then consulted my friends. They advised me to go to the police," the Swede said at the Muang Chiang Mai Police Station.

Police say they are investigating the case.


-- The Nation 2013-12-30

[NeverSure 26,764]

Stay completely out of those places unless you have ten big Swedish friends with you.

I'd like to see ten of those tiny shit punks try that on me in the US.

[SaamBaht 386]

Fighting the good fight!

The guy is clearly out of his element and probably a newbie. It's really good to see him take this to the authorities. I hope the bastard wins, but he most likely won't get his money as the police probably already have a stake in the place.

[noikrit 1,481]

ABBA songs ....very expensive !! .....

[andygunther 433]

Fighting the good fight!

The guy is clearly out of his element and probably a newbie. It's really good to see him take this to the authorities. I hope the bastard wins, but he most likely won't get his money as the police probably already have a stake in the place.

That there are those karaoke bars here in BKK, I know, but did not think they have them in Chiang Mai.

The police will collect some percentage of that money, and the case resolved.

It is how it works here...

I'm sure he will be more careful the next time.

What a night he could have had for 50,000 Baht !!

[andygunther 433]

ABBA songs ....very expensive !! .....

Ohh... they where there LIVE

[lovetotravel 1,621]

These "clip joints" are quite common all over the world. Police are involved for sure. Even at go go bars, I pay cash for every drink. No "check bin".

[LuckyLew 4,196]

If cash was taken from his credit card ... can he not contact the bank for a refund?

If money taken from an ATM .... do they not have cameras installed?

Another farang screwed in Thailand .... should be the TAT slogan

[virtualtraveller 1,064]

These karaoke bars are notorious, they are all owned by one mafia guy and in recent years have gotten so out of hand the managers were all called to a meeting with the police a few months ago to 'explain themselves', complaints were getting too much.

I went in awhile back to 'investigate' and saw how blatantly they 'load' you. A one-hour session of singing was 5,000 baht between 4 of us, all drinks (think: 100 baht per ice bucket x 10).

But 50,000 baht really takes the cake, that is truly absurd.

I write travel guides and warn anyone coming to Chiang Mai to stay away from them, most people know this and consequently these places usually only get one or two customers a night, when they do it's 'fleece time'.

[1ma 251]

Police say they are investigating the case.

Sgt. Somchai will speak to all the staff about the incident at the premises while he is there to pay them their wages and collect the night's takings, before 'interviewing' 2 more staff applications from Laos.

[BDG 48]

It is not fair at all, these criminals are using karaoke to steal money from tourists. It happens all the time, it happened also to my son and his friends 2 years ago, also in Chiang mai. They were kept hostage the whole night and i had to bail them out in the morning.

[Thormaturge 189]

Sadly the Swede probably didn't realise he had to pay for the female company and their drinks too.

He sang some songs "with female staff" and then he left at 5am ... how many female staff and what did they drink? Then he consulted with his friends.....who were, doubtless, experts on Thai nightlife.

ThB 50,000 in one night ... now there's a night to remember. I wonder whether there were other customers who could verify his story......at those prices I suspect not.

[charliebru 138]

Good to see that he took legal action. It probably won't get him much but at least its another warning to everyone to stay away from these ripoff joints.

[JingerBen 1,632]

Stay completely out of those places unless you have ten big Swedish friends with you.

I'd like to see ten of those tiny shit punks try that on me in the US.

Even ten big Swedes wouldn't have been enough.

He was up against the entertainment mafia in cahoots with the cops.

Push them too far and you'll end up a "suicide".

Edited December 30, 2013 by JingerBen

[somchaismith 584]

Them and clothing shops with a foreign interest.