Rip Off Hua Hin

[Big Boy]

No, I started this thread with the intention of not naming anybody (in fact, I don't know the name, or if it even has one).

[StevePIraq]

Shame as others may use the same facility and could check what we are being changed

[kendo]

I'm surprised theirs not mobile car wash/valet that come to your house and spruce your motor under your carport.

[Three]

Agreed: Hua Hin is a ripoff. It's over-priced by Thai standards AND dirty, crowded, noisy and has an ugly beach. If you can find it.

It's never been enjoyable doing business with Thais. My advice is to limit your interaction with them to the extent possible. Do your own cooking, shop only at supermarkets where the service is uniform and the pricing is clear (and they use English), wash your own vehicle, enjoy lots of time in your home (if you're lucky enough not to live too near Thais who will almost invariably ruin your peace), where possible, spend your money not in Thailand but on your travels where service isn't so rude and the people not so vulgar.

[hhfarang]

Hua Hin has become primarily a (foreign tourist) holiday destination over the last 10 years, whereas before it was relatively unknown except for a small number of adventurous European tourists and Thai families from Bangkok. I watched that change happen while living there and in the course of my time there I watched the general cost of living increase by 50% in about 5 years as a result.

Now, after having been back to the U.S. for nearly two years I can tell you that most things, including larger purchases like homes and cars cost the same or cheaper for similar here. There are exceptions of course and those cost comparisons certainly vary by your location in the U.S. but I live in the biggest city in my state and homes (by sq meter) can be had for the about the same price as Hua Hin, cars are much cheaper, most electronics are cheaper, food (other than Thai street food) is comparable, clothing is comparable, gasoline is cheaper here, etc., and I am even paying less for some utilities like electricity. Services involving manual labor, i.e., car washes will always be cheaper there and of course, and the big two for me, health care and taxes are a lot more here.

Anyway, my point is that Hua Hin is no longer the cheap place to live that it once was since it has been turned into a major, well known holiday destination.

[fabman]

Agreed: Hua Hin is a ripoff. It's over-priced by Thai standards AND dirty, crowded, noisy and has an ugly beach. If you can find it.

It's never been enjoyable doing business with Thais. My advice is to limit your interaction with them to the extent possible. Do your own cooking, shop only at supermarkets where the service is uniform and the pricing is clear (and they use English), wash your own vehicle, enjoy lots of time in your home (if you're lucky enough not to live too near Thais who will almost invariably ruin your peace), where possible, spend your money not in Thailand but on your travels where service isn't so rude and the people not so vulgar.

I agree about the beach , i expect somebody made loads of money selling off all the beach front land ( to mainly big hotels etc ) it could of been an amazing place , had they built a promenade instead and just had hotels and restaraunts set back further from the beach itself.

[caller]

homes (by sq meter) can be had for the about the same price as Hua Hin, cars are much cheaper, most electronics are cheaper, food (other than Thai street food) is comparable, clothing is comparable, gasoline is cheaper here, etc., and I am even paying less for some utilities like electricity.

For me the biggest difference is the value of the pound. On my first visit and a few subsequent one's it was @73. Ignoring current events, it's generally been about 23 less since the crash. So that in itself makes a huge difference.

But housing, utilities, fuel and taxes (including some that don't exist here), are much more expensive in the UK. Electrical equipment, clothing and fresh food - not eating out, which is generally much cheaper here - I would say are broadly comparable.

So there are differences between different western Countries when comparing costs to Thailand.

[handdrummer]

to compare prices in hua hin with the u.s. I have to say that I can live here for 1/2 of what It cost me to live in Pensacola, fl. the population is comparable as is the climate and beach factor. beaches in Pensacola are far superior to hua hin but that's small in comparison to the cost of living. there is no way I could find a 2 bd., 2 bath, fully furnished house, in a gated community with a pool for15,000 a month anywhere in the u.s. if I buy local produce and limited imports my food bill is much lower here. eating out is much cheaper here as is mobile phone and internet charges. as an aside, Three, I wonder why you live here when you don't like the people?

[Three]

Three, I wonder why you live here when you don't like the people?

I like the climate and can afford it. And there are other positive attributes, including a few dear souls - usually poor and struggling - who manage to be kind and decent despite the prevailing and defining predatory nature of the country.

[Stargeezer]

I went to Pran Buri the last visit to Thailand and found some items for a cheaper price
than in Hua Hin, I may use that strategy again this next visit. Greed is alive and well all around the world.
I read of the fake Nestles instant coffee and wonder what else I may buy will be fake.
Te world is going nuts, guess I can only drink, get drunk and hope I survive my next
visit to Thailand
Geezer

[HHTel]

As has already been said, my biggest gripe has been the slump of the pound. At the current exchange rate, my pension has been cut by 25,000 baht a month since my fellow countrymen voted to leave the EU. Maybe the UK government, who already froze my pension a few years ago, will make up the shortfall....... lol,.... Is that a pig flying overhead?

[STEVE G]

I went to Pran Buri the last visit to Thailand and found some items for athe eaper price
than in Hua Hin, I may use that strategy again this next visit. Greed is alive and well all around the world.
Geezer

I've thought about the economics of starting a business in Hua Hin over the years and one of the things most against it is the price of land and property. Some historic family run businesses are operating off property they've had years and can afford to cater to the budget market but if you wanted to start a new business, you would have to charge a premium to cover the initial investment in land or the high rents. Of course, there will always be rip off merchants in tourist areas but my point is that even a straight business in a town like Hua Hin is going to have to cover the higher cost of being there.

[heartofmidlothian]

Why do people who hate Thailand and the Thai people stay here?? Yes land is expensive in town but 15 or 20 minutes outside town you can buy 1 rai for about 400 000 baht. The cost of local fruits, veggies, meats, eggs and rice is really cheap. Buying or building houses is cheap compared to other parts of the world. I think if you think Hua Hin is a rip off it is time to leave.

[Big Boy]

Who says they hate Thailand (apart from Three, maybe)? I absolutely love it here - I just don't like the rip-off merchants (small minority that you could find anywhere in the world), who seem to think it acceptable to add huge Farang surcharges.

[Three]

Really folks I have just been messing with you.

Hua Hin is wonderful. It's just so great to be a guest here.