Tomtomtom69

Most of them don't even have any money and I mean literally. Can't tell you how many cheap charlie Russians I've met over the years, particularly in Laos. One guy I picked up on my drive from Pakse to Bangkok at the border (I was being nice) argued with a Lao border official over a 40 Baht overtime fee. I probably shouldn't have been so kind as to give him a ride, when I saw him at the border, but I was heading in that direction anyway. At a gas (petrol) station rest stop somewhere around Sri Saket, he was very reluctant to fork out a mere 49 Baht for a plate of fried rice. I personally almost never spend that little on anything; 49 Baht is an absolute bargain for lunch, I consider a cheap meal to be around 200 Baht per person including a soft drink or water. However, in that part of Isarn, there's really nothing; if you stick to the main highway between Chong Mek and Si Khiu in Nakhon Ratchasima (highway 24), you have a handful of PTT stations, most of which only have Cafe Amazons, some basic no name Thai food and not even a Black Canyon. Yes, there are a couple of Lotus's with MK restaurants in places like Nang Rong, Buri Ram, but when I'm on long road trips, I generally don't like to waste time by stopping off at shopping centers as that consumes too much time. At the Chokchai steakhouse where I stopped for a steak dinner, he said it was "far too expensive" for him, preferring to smoke a few cigarettes while waiting outside for me to finish my meal. He never offered a tip or anything. A bus ticket between either Pakse or Chong Mek and Bangkok, would have cost somewhere around 1000-1200 Baht. He spent 49 Baht on fried rice, I think he got the deal of a lifetime. On another occasion prior to that near Tha Khaek, a Russian couple were hitchhiking and I picked them up. We saw a few caves together and then I dropped them back off along the highway, after which I continued towards Savannakhet, my destination for the day. Again, they didn't spend even a nickel, though they were very thankful for me taking them around. I understand they tried hitchhiking their way towards Vientiane that evening.

What an idiot. Acting like an out of control hyena. Good thing his wife and kids left the country already; no doubt she's going to be filing for a divorce as soon as they land.

I agree to a certain extent, but keep in mind, that given countries like Singapore also practice dual pricing (though only in a very limited number of settings) it's hopeless to expect a much poorer country like Thailand to give up on it altogether. The best we can hope for is that some private establishments end the practice, that public hospitals might eventually end it as well (or only apply it to tourists) and for most other dual pricing venues, there will be more regular "fee free" days, such as around the New Year, and residency based pricing at others. We can also hope that in future, rather than using racial profiling, ALL visitors to any dual pricing venue will be required to furnish proof of Thai citizenship, failure to do so means paying the foreigner price. This is exactly the way they do it in Malaysia, Taiwan and certain other countries - you show proof of local citizenship, else you pay the standard price (they don't call it a "foreigner price" there). The Grand Palace, being a site of national significance, is likely to continue charging only foreigners and extend free entry only to Thai nationals on a more or less permanent basis. I think as long as the foreigner entry fee is dropped down to like 100 or 200 Baht and they actively enforce the Thai fee free entry option by requiring anyone claiming to be Thai to prove it via way of their national ID card or passport or birth certificate (for young children) this is OK. Again, while I don't like dual pricing in any form, with Singapore and Taiwan (2 rich countries) imposing it, there's zero chance Thailand will completely eliminate it, regardless of the economic impact on Thailand you mentioned above.

You don't have a Thai ID if you're not a Thai citizen. You may have some sort of identification issued by the Thai government such as a Thai driver's license or pink non-citizen ID, but neither of these prove Thai citizenship. Actually, the latter proves that you're not Thai.

I know very well. Thais know they can't complain about things that happen in Laos (except on a forum once they get back home) but dual pricing at tourist attractions in Laos is not something they complain about when they're so cheap anyway. Even for foreigners, we're talking 5000 Kip (vs 2000 for locals) something like that, not a big deal.

No, they wouldn't. Thais pay more than Laotians when visiting tourist sites there and don't complain about that.

Yep many Thais are quite woke; many are very easily offended over the slightest criticisms.

Wrong attitude. However, I wonder why this news keeps coming up knowing nothing will be done about it. It is however telling that the writer has done no research, otherwise he or she would know that all nearby countries, other than mainland China, impose nationality based dual pricing. It's not a Thailand only thing. However, depending on the country and venue, some extend locals pricing to foreign residents too, which only a small number of mostly privately owned venues in Thailand do. About the only good thing to emerge in recent years has been free entry to certain museums, historical parks and even national parks (the latter only applies to foreigners) during the New Year period. They started this in 2019 (the national park free entry scheme, applying to some, not all parks was launched for the first time last December and lasted until the end of February). The validity of free entry to specific museums and all historical parks has gradually been extended from 5 days when it was first launched to 17 days in 2023/2024.

Ok, she's paying the higher price reserved for local citizens, in one of the world's most politically correct countries.

I said I was aware of it. I have however NOT come across it affecting me personally. I was actually under the impression it is more common now than it used to be, however rare it is.

Well, at least the mother was wearing a face mask. Lol

Firstly, it is a very rare practice; I've not personally come across a hotel or restaurant that practices dual pricing but I know they exist and I'm aware of one or two hotels in the Ramkhamhaeng area that practice it. That being said, if they can get away with dual pricing at museums and national parks, why do you think they can't do it at hotels? An argument can be made that they have to do more work checking in a foreigner, having to do a TM30 and all (even if many, if not most hotels don't bother but that's a separate issue).

No, she's paying the foreigner price.

So you support foreign residents paying the same fees as British residents? If so, you agree with me then, in that a British citizen shouldn't be disadvantaged or discriminated against, regardless of whether they have previously lived in the UK. Otherwise, that greatly disincentivizes Brits who grew up abroad from seeking an education in their home country. Mainland Europe is thus a better option; mostly no dual pricing and low tuition fees. Unless of course, you don't understand the difference between citizenship and residency, which are NOT the same. It seems to me you're so PC, you can't even bring yourself to refer to foreigners as they are, which is foreigners (or non-citizens).

It should be, based on him being a British citizen. Otherwise, he might as well apply as a Thai student.