Thread: (intended) double charge at Bangkok Hospital Rayong?

Little note of our visit to the always surprising Bangkok Hospital Rayong yesterday to have our 2 month old vaccinated:

I payed with my credit card and received 10 minutes later an SMS with the amount that left my account. It was exact twice the amount on the bill.
Could have been an human error, so back I went.
On my way I remembered that the whole payment procedure was quite off and I had the feeling, that they pulled my card through 2 payment terminals, glancing over their shoulder at me and whispering stupid comments.
So I went straight to the international department, expecting that they would anyhow be easier to communicate with.
The lady there called the cashier staff, who came a couple of minutes later with 2 long printouts form 2 payment devices (showing the days payments) proudly showing me, that only one was showing the correct amount charged at 15.48 pm.
So she had no Idea what I was going on about.
I told her, the missing transaction on the 2nd slip doesn't surprise me, as the printout was cut off at about noon time - the remaining payments of the day missing.
I was informed, that they would check with the bank on Monday and call me, as an Saturday nobody can be contacted there due to it being a holiday.

One hour later I received another SMS, showing that one time charge had been send back into my account.

If they have been so sure that they don't know what happened as they tried to convince me and couldn't clear with the bank before Monday, why did they send the money back?
And: What exactly happened?
The cashier booking the transfer back all by herself?
She being forced by the lady at the international department/ Management?

What would you do, report that kind of thing to management?

Management probably won't care, and will try to charge you for their time.

Typical Thais trying to rip off stupid farang. That's all. The ingrained culture. No one involved will care about it. Though you going back and having a hissy fit will probably entertain them for a while.

Choke Dee khraaaap.

Let them know that you know exactly what they're up to. It might not get you anywhere but at least they'll know that you're not just another stupid farang. How, though, does the scam benefit those involved. Doesn't the money just go into Bangkok Hospital's account?

Originally Posted by oxyjohn

Let them know that you know exactly what they're up to. It might not get you anywhere but at least they'll know that you're not just another stupid farang. How, though, does the scam benefit those involved. Doesn't the money just go into Bangkok Hospital's account?

Maybe they have monthly targets? Hit the target get a bonus?

If I was Thai I'd be ripping whitey off right left and centre, coming over here stealing our women, buying our lan.... oh yeah lulz.

Originally Posted by oxyjohn

How, though, does the scam benefit those involved. Doesn't the money just go into Bangkok Hospital's account?

I was thinking about it.
If the cashier only have to show a balanced cash register/ Electronic payment system, they could take home cash for what they double charged.
Since I was told swiping cards twice is also common in many gas stations, I believe there is a system that allows them to pocket the difference.

Originally Posted by amazon777

Originally Posted by oxyjohn

How, though, does the scam benefit those involved. Doesn't the money just go into Bangkok Hospital's account?

I was thinking about it.
If the cashier only have to show a balanced cash register/ Electronic payment system, they could take home cash for what they double charged.
Since I was told swiping cards twice is also common in many gas stations, I believe there is a system that allows them to pocket the difference.

^that'd make more sense than my punt!

^^ i think you've got it, perhaps now you could go back to them and describe exactly what their scam is. Might make them think twice about doing it again... and certainly not to you anyway. And if they do that nervous laugh thing they do; then you know you've sussed them.

^ they don't care.

In their puny little minds, you are in the wrong... Not just in words, but deeply in their minds - you are, and always will be, in the wrong.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ they don't care.

In their puny little minds, you are in the wrong... Not just in words, but deeply in their minds - you are, and always will be, in the wrong.

Poor poor Farang....

^ indeed.

Best to deal in cash rather than risk such tricks. Probably best for your piece of mind to put the word around not to trust this area of the hospital. Hurting them in the pocket is the only thing they really understand, sadly.

Keep your visa slip and invoice and demand the refund 3 days later, when they have cashed up and already spent the money they defrauded from you.

If you really want to fall out with the hospital admin where you go for treatment ?

i posted on here some months ago that BPH scammed my credit card and emptied the account

i know it was them because i don't use my card except for emergencies and they were the only people that handled it

i now use a card with a sticker over the last 3 security numbers on the back and someone at the hospital peeled it off so i had to cancel it before they emptied that card as well

bloody inconvenient

^ might sound naieve, but aren't the police interested in such a scam? there will be traceable paper/digital paper trail.

[at] Capello,
Had a look through your thread. Was quite eye opening before it deteriorated.

[at]Bower,
That's why I was asking what the folks here would do.
BRH is where were we go on a quite regular basis (with 2 kids).
And to be honest, I don't mind the idea of having my picture hanging in the cashiers booth with the caption "beware of that guy!".

I went to that hospital about 8 years ago (first and last, I may add). I had an abscess which needed draining and before I went into surgery the doctor asked me what the limit was on my Bupa card. I thoughtlessly told him and when I went over to complete the paperwork afterwards I was told that everything including the bandages and everything cost me another 500 bt.

I remember sitting in the English pub in silom soi 4 (can't remember the name now) and after a few beers checking the bill and saw it included something that I hadn't received. I went back and spoke to the nurse in charge of that area. She took my bill and went off to check with the doctor. when she returned she told me the doctor had decided to give me a 500bt discount and handed over a purple pursuader!

It all sounds very dodgy over there when it comes to money

I would avoid Bkk-Rayong hospital altogether. In my experience the longer trip over to the (supposedly same company) Bkk-Pattaya is much better service, managed, and priced. Also the doctors and staff there are used to dealing with foreigners and don't try the scams, shit service, and condescending "I am a doctor - you are a peasant" attitude that they get away with over at Rayong, with their mainly Thai and unwitting foreigner clientele.

Originally Posted by kmart

I would avoid Bkk-Rayong hospital altogether. In my experience the longer trip over to the (supposedly same company) Bkk-Pattaya is much better service, managed, and priced. Also the doctors and staff there are used to dealing with foreigners and don't try the scams, shit service, and condescending "I am a doctor - you are a peasant" attitude that they get away with over at Rayong, with their mainly Thai and unwitting foreigner clientele.

I believe Bkk-Pataya Hosp has Iain Corness working there as a consulting doctor. He is sort of a liaison between the other doctors and the farangs. He's a local celebrity in Pattaya I'm led to believe (read his books, Farang, and Farang The Sequel).

i would agree with Rocksteady....if you can pay cash, do it. I have even had them ask me where i work, before they total up the bill. ( i guess if i tell them i'm a homeless, unemployed loser i'll get the Thia rate?) While we're on the subject of ripoffs, used my ATM card in Bangkok one day and kept getting a " unable to complete transaction" flag on the screen. This happened 3 times. Finally found an ATM machine that worked. But the bank that the first 3 ATM machines belonged to took the full amount requested out of my bank account ( $500). I went to the bank to try and recover my money and they could find no proof of transaction. ( was Siam Bank)