I don't understand why more of you don't do the simple thing - just encourage all visitors to Patong to ask the price of ANYTHING before buying.
I don't go to bars, and if it wasn't for this discussion, I'd have no ideas of which places are fair and which overcharge, and I'm sure the same thing applies to almost all new visitors to Patong. If you try to educate visitors with a complicated answer (this place is OK, but these places are not) it will just go i one ear and out the other. However, something as simple as to ALWAYS ask first will eliminate the problem.
I imagine if someone is told 500 baht for a beer, if he doesn't care, he'll do whatever. If he does care, he'll go somewhere else.
Complaining about touts is like complaining about tuk-tuks or tailors, and nothing is likely to change any time soon. However, ASKING the price for a beer or a jet-ski, or a hotel, or a tuk-tuk, will usually make things much better. Posting here will only help those who both read the forum, and who happen to read this particular discussion.
(...and heck, there's nothing that says the "good guys" have to fight fair - no reason not to have signs that say:
"UNLESS YOU ENJOY PAYING UP TO US $40 FOR ONE BEER, ALWAYS ASK THE PRICE BEFORE ORDERING."
Not realistic, but why not fight fire with fire? It will get people's attention.)
I don't go to bars, and if it wasn't for this discussion, I'd have no ideas of which places are fair and which overcharge, and I'm sure the same thing applies to almost all new visitors to Patong. If you try to educate visitors with a complicated answer (this place is OK, but these places are not) it will just go i one ear and out the other. However, something as simple as to ALWAYS ask first will eliminate the problem.
I imagine if someone is told 500 baht for a beer, if he doesn't care, he'll do whatever. If he does care, he'll go somewhere else.
Complaining about touts is like complaining about tuk-tuks or tailors, and nothing is likely to change any time soon. However, ASKING the price for a beer or a jet-ski, or a hotel, or a tuk-tuk, will usually make things much better. Posting here will only help those who both read the forum, and who happen to read this particular discussion.
(...and heck, there's nothing that says the "good guys" have to fight fair - no reason not to have signs that say:
"UNLESS YOU ENJOY PAYING UP TO US $40 FOR ONE BEER, ALWAYS ASK THE PRICE BEFORE ORDERING."
Not realistic, but why not fight fire with fire? It will get people's attention.)