Tomtomtom69

That doesn't make any sense unless you didn't spend anything. I don't go to bars, but if I did, I'd expect to spend most of my cash there, leaving only with enough to pay for parking or a cab back home or my hotel. People have money going into bars, they shouldn't have much left leaving the bars, otherwise something is seriously wrong.

What are you talking about? Plenty of stories of Thai on Thai violence in the English language press these days.

There is no evidence to suggest they were Burmese or Cambodian. While I am aware of the fact that people from those two countries commit crimes in Thailand, at this point, it's highly probable they were Thai kids as the news seems to indicate. Moreover, statistically, Thais are still most likely to be the perpetrators of crimes committed in Thailand, not foreigners.

If I were you, I would have never gone anywhere near Soi Khaotalo since the first incident you experienced back in 2002.

I'm normally a big advocate of cash usage but in this case, might be time to consider using cashless payments more, to avoid carrying so much cash. For me personally, if I'm carrying 7000 Baht or more in cash (in whatever currency) it means I intend to spend it that day or within the next 24-48 hours. I love cash, but I can't make it last. I only take out as much as I need and this is spent very quickly. 80% of the time, I'm carrying very little cash, like less than 100 Baht, meaning I wouldn't have anything to give to a robber.

Agreed. Pattaya is one of the most dangerous and deplorable parts of the country.

Probably the best comment made on this topic so far.

Parts of Cambodia hate foreigners? What nonsense. Cambodia is probably more foreigner friendly than Thailand. The smiles seem more genuine and other than Chinese on Chinese related gang violence, one rarely hears of foreigners being attacked in Cambodia, but sadly, in Thailand, it happens daily (granted, most are provoked).

You're taking things a bit too literally. It doesn't really matter what the reason is, unprovoked attacks on foreigners DO occur sometimes and they don't always involve money. Case in point are the two recent attacks on elderly Europeans in Pattaya.

You're in denial. Richard is correct; random attacks on foreigners do sometimes occur, especially in places like Pattaya. While uncommon, they're not as rare as they used to be. How is what he wrote a "word salad"? Or is that simply a tactic you use to describe someone who writes something you disagree with?

I'm not sure they're as rare as you've mentioned. Two incidents already recently, though both of them occurred in Pattaya. Another one in Khon Kaen a few years ago, described by someone on this forum (not sure if it made the news): he was walking back to his car with his wife after an evening meal in the vicinity of the lake when they were approached by a group of racists, who made a derogatory remark about her, since she married a foreigner. He said something back (in Thai) and was attacked for it. Ended up in hospital. Sadly, it is a reality in Thailand, though I consider places like Pattaya to be far more dangerous than Bangkok or upcountry Thailand as you only hear of occasional incidents like this occurring in the "real" Thailand. It also depends where you go - never go to a Thai bar, whether in Bangkok or upcountry. Don't go to a cock fight as a farang. Drive places, don't walk (except short distances or in very touristy areas, where it's safe). Stay in more upmarket lodging. Don't rent dorms in working class neighborhoods. I'm not worried about getting randomly beaten up by a group of Thai teens like happened to two unrelated European men in Pattaya recently but that's because, other than the occasional quick shopping trip during the day, I don't go to Pattaya. When I've stayed there overnight, it's been at good hotels with safe parking and only for a night before moving on to my next destination or returning home. I don't frequent bars. Overall, I'm more of a Hua Hin guy - I frequent Hua Hin much more than Pattaya and it feels much safer there.

Some people in deep denial. Just in the last couple of days, there were two separate incidents of elderly foreigners minding their own business beaten up by Thai teenage thugs in Pattaya. First, a 66 year old Swiss man, who's car was destroyed and then an 80 year old Belgian man who was stabbed by a group of teens on motorcycles for no reason. Sadly, it happens, especially in Pattaya.

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.