kwilco

A profoundly ill-informed and prejudiced post. Let’s clear up a few things about your misinformed post on dual pricing. Calling budget travellers “cheap backpackers who offer nothing” is not only inaccurate—it’s offensive. These travellers helped build Thai tourism, stay longer, spend more broadly, and support small local businesses. They are not the problem. Dual pricing isn’t the same as local discounts. It’s discriminatory pricing based on nationality, often 10x higher, even for foreigners who live, work, and pay taxes in Thailand. That’s why it gets criticised. Comparing it to London is a poor fit. Most major UK museums are free, and discounted transport is based on residency, not passport. If Thailand adopts a smarter fare model for BTS—great. But that’s no excuse for unfair pricing elsewhere. Environmental damage? That’s on park mismanagement, not travellers with backpacks. Pricing won’t fix that—better infrastructure and rules will. Bottom line: Dual pricing damages Thailand’s image, discourages repeat visitors, and makes no economic sense. Fair, transparent pricing benefits everyone. Let’s stop scapegoating travellers and fix the system instead.

Your photos are precisely the things that Thai is destroying and losing - it doesn't matter to many businessmen as now the majority of tourists come for the concrete and deckchairs. ...and BTW - why are you so close to that coral?????

"Never heard them complain about the air." - Interesting - I worked with a lot of Chinese people In Thailand for about 3 years and pollution was not on the conversation every now and then, but we lived in the South - They were very concerned about pollution in their home towns but the overriding impression I got was that they were largely unaware of the levels of pollution in Thailand at various times - but when made aware, would certainly avoid it. Furthermore, we know that tourism figures in the north are getting reduced at times of pollution. Chiang Mai in particular is concerned about low number during burning season. I also know Euro-Thai families with children who are desparate to leave the region for good. A couple of years ago - I did or rather started a tour of the North west - every single place I visited was totally empty - usually it was Thai people I"d expect to see but they were deserted - some places were actually closed in Umphang the only other tourists we saws was a small group pf Swedes. In Mae Hong Son eading for Chiang Mai, I turned back and headed South with a chest infection. However you seem to had had extansive conversations with Chinese tourists - You do realise that Chinese New Year is celebrated all over the country by both Thai Chinese and visitors but you seem to have worked out the difference - BTW do you speak Mandarin?

Classic case of using cynicism to cover ignorance.

Sorry I need to edit this.....An exceptionally banal and misinformed comment. We are not talking discounts for locals here we are talking visitors be asked to pay TEN TIMES MORE than the national fee - that's not a discount it is a dual pricing policy.

Air pollution is a major factor for some - no-one in their right mind would book a holiday in the North between January and April

An exceptiona;lly benal and misinformed comment. We are not talking discounts for locals here we are talking visitors be asked to pat TEN TIMES MORE than the national fee - that's not a discount it is a dual pricing policy.

looks like he hasn't really got a grip on the situation and has in effect promised nothing.

Calling a Thai person any of these when you know they are Thai would be deemed as a way to insult someone. It's a shame that so many people can live in Thailand for years and have little or no understanding of Thai culture and manners. Connecting this with dual pricing one has to be very careful.

How long does a ticket last?

How has this gone for you? Please share your experiences of actually using the new system Please save questions for other threads - just your experiences of filling in and entering (or departing) Good, bad, indifferent?

I don't think you understand the issues and prefer to resort to stereotyping with no reasoned response.

in the past, studies have shown that when it comes to National Parks, Thais are prepared to pay double the entrance fee at least. Whereas the "extra" income" from foreigners is in most cases insignificant and reduces numbers. Anyone running an attraction like a national parks that entrance fees are not how you make money - it is numbers buying add-ons and their management that is important.

the OP asked - "Economic Necessity or Hidden Bias" They are most certainly not an economic necessity - not sure what the mean by a "hidden" ias.....I think there used too be a widely held opinion amongst politicians and other authorities that foreigners were "rich and could afford it". Whatever their reasoning dual pricing puts people off....either from purchases or just a perceived attitude. and it is part of mismanagement of a lot of Thailand's resources that they use to attract foreigners so it isn't beneficial economically and has a negative affect in tourism

best you don't think too much!

I don't understand - this pension thing has existed for decades - surely he would have had te gumption to find this out before moving? The Second issue is that before the EU were pressurising the UK to increase levels to EU standards - France for instance has effectively double the UK pension and Germany 3 times the UK pension. If they hadn't voted leave all pensioners would be hugely better off. Iy's their own fault. UK has much lower benefits than most countries in EU - keeps the poor on their toes!

"where a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death." so what do you know that the rest of us don't?

In Thailand, collision investigations are often chaotic and ineffective, unlike the thorough, evidence-based approach seen in countries like the UK. The METHANE protocol—focused on securing the scene, preserving evidence, and using trained specialists—is rarely followed. In Thailand, investigations are typically rushed, relying on unreliable eyewitnesses and minimal technology, leading to vague reports and missed opportunities for safety improvements. With one of the highest road death rates globally, a shift towards more professional, evidence-driven investigations is crucial for better road safety. But it means that most people on this thread are commenting blind

the former prevents bites, the latter does nothing for Leishmaniasis once you've got it.

Ivermectin doesn't work - Leishmania is not a worm — it's a protozoan parasite, and it behaves very differently from parasites that ivermectin normally kills.

OK - "always" is a hyperbole . but what point are you trying to make - are you aware of the history of Thai tourism and the part it plays in the changing Thai economy? THe Thai ecoonomy has grown exponentially since the 1960s but so has te tourist industry in parallel.... e are talking percentages not shear volume.

Learning Russian and other languages - certainly! Top 5 visitors Q1 32025 are.. 1. China: Still the largest source number of visitors, but drops in their numbers are worrying because of the size of the market. 2. Malaysia: For years they were number one largely due to Thailand's proximity to Malaysia. 3. Then Russia so learning Russian is useful to Thais in the tourist industry – and more and more are taking up classes. Thailand imports from Russia steel products, chemicals, rubber, minerals, oil and petroleum products, and ex[ports quite a lot too. but Russia’s main interests in Thailand are property developments. 4. India’s bourgeoning middle classes and ease of visa appeals 5. South Korea: Probably the most popular visitors amongst Thais reflecting the country's strong interest in Thai tourism. Lot of Thai people learning Korean not just for tourism but because of the amount of Korean industry in the country and the possibility of employment in Korea. Only then do you get UK and USA but also Taiwan – basically the Asian market is big, partly at least due to the proximity and shorter flight times. But since Brexit the popularity of learning English in industry has reduced significantly and schools are responding to students market by setting up courses in other, Asian Languages including Russian.

Measles isn’t some harmless rite of passage—it’s a highly contagious, potentially deadly disease that we had nearly eliminated thanks to vaccines. Now? Cases are surging. Over 127,000 in Europe last year. 800+ in the US already this year. And yes, children are dying. Those aren’t just “co-morbidities” or “bad luck.” They’re preventable tragedies in a world that’s turned basic science into a debate. Measles can cause encephalitis, permanent brain damage, and death—especially in young kids. The idea that we should just “ride it out” like it’s 1962 again is not just ignorant, it’s dangerous. Vaccines are why we haven’t seen mass death from measles in decades. But immunity is a collective effort. When vaccination rates drop, herd protection breaks—and the virus comes roaring back. This isn’t some pharma conspiracy. It’s epidemiology 101. Vaccines work. Full stop. Don’t let anti-science fear-mongering masquerade as “critical thinking.” And don’t wait for more kids to die before we take this seriously again. You want freedom? Start by freeing yourself from disinformation.

the basis of every conspiracy theory is just a little bit of truth to get it started,,

It seems the US is on the brink of measles becoming endemic again. They are facing a serious public health risk. Measles, once eradicated in 2000, is on the verge of becoming endemic again due to falling vaccination rates. So far in 2025, measles cases have surged 180% compared to the whole of 2024. It’s already marking the second-highest annual case count in 25 years, according to the CDC. A new study published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) projects that at current MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccination levels, the US could see over 850,000 measles cases over the next 25 years. A 10% drop in vaccination could lead to 11 million cases. More extreme declines (50%) could bring back measles, rubella, and even polio—with staggering health impacts including hundreds of thousands of deaths and hospitalizations. In Texas alone the current outbreak has seen over 600 cases and 2 deaths, among unvaccinated individuals in tight-knit communities. Researchers warn that just a 5% drop in vaccination rates could push measles into widespread resurgence—emphasizing that even small declines have outsized impacts. The main thing to bear in mind is that vaccination rates are slipping, and the consequences could be catastrophic. Public health experts stress that reversing this trend is crucial to prevent a return of preventable, deadly diseases.