I disagree with the pricing structure at national parks where anybody who doesn't look asian and/or cannot speak Thai has to pay 5-10 times the price.

 

In an effort to avoid this malpractice, I have on a few occasions attempted to get away with paying the Thai price.  This involves wearing long sleeve tops and trousers, which I do anyway to protect from the sun, and a full-face helmet through which you cannot see my face.  Of my whole body only my neck and hands are visible.  I instruct my passenger (who is invariably Thai) to get off and go to the window/desk a few metres away and pay for 2 people.  At no point is it mentioned that one of us is a foreigner, yet the park ranger always knows, without asking.  My passenger is occasionally dressed like a whore, (which I concede might raise suspicions), but usually not.

 

So how?

Well - if you're 192cm & white as a light bulb (like me) I'd have to hazard a guess it's pretty easy to spot.....

Also, depending on female companionship, you might be the umpteenth farang "friend/tourist/paramour" she's brought through that same gate....

As much as some like to dun them - they don't forget & their antenna is always out....

I would go shoe polish and a black wig and lots of Wai ing.

 

A sure thing would be to take a nap on bike Helmut on handles bars while waiting

 

Or you could try removing your muffler and revving the guts out of your bike, they will wave you through for free!

 

 All thai traits

 

 

Well, if you are not taller than 1.70..

..The full face helmet may be a giveaway too, i don't see many Thais using those.

Nice try though, i just hate double-pricing, if i was a Thai i would not like it too.

I'm 180cm and my skin is tanned, still lighter than most Thais I guess, but I'm not convinced it's that noticable when you just have hands to go from.  Often I pull up 5 metres past the checkpoint so they can only see my back; same outcome.

 

A lot of the national parks I'm going to are out of the way and I doubt they get many foreign visitors.  Doi Pha Hom Pok national park, for example.

Fat arse and/or very wide girth/shoulders/frame . Usually easy to spot the difference.

How do you know for sure that "At no point is it mentioned that one of us is a foreigner?"  C'mon, your "dressed like a whore" companion obviously spilled the beans.  Is it really that difficult to figure out?

 Thai asks a Thai, are you both adult Thai and the Thai tells the Thai the truth... The ticket taker is not cheating you, the Thai lady is not cheating you, you are trying to cheat them.

It's the smell; fee, fo, fi, fum ... .

12 minutes ago, nausea said:

It's the smell; fee, fo, fi, fum ... .

Stick a couple of Poy-Sian up your nostrils and away you go...

Many subtle cues. Few Thai men your age ride a bike with a female pillion rider, whether or not dressed as a common trollop.


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12 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

I'm 180cm and my skin is tanned, still lighter than most Thais I guess, but I'm not convinced it's that noticable when you just have hands to go from.

Ever thought of gloves?

I got Thai price in a national park the other day.  Was ready to pay the whole thing because the party I was with wanted to go in, and I was embarrassed to say anything about it in front of them.  They inquired nicely to the staffer working the booth and I got the same fee as them.  It happens now and then, just depends on the mood of the gatekeeper.  It's not like there's anything in it for them either way, so rather than trying to slip through, just a friendly chat and smiling request might work, especially if they're working alone.  But getting irrate and complaining will certainly not get anyone anywhere.  

18 minutes ago, johnnynmonic said:

I got Thai price in a national park the other day.  Was ready to pay the whole thing because the party I was with wanted to go in, and I was embarrassed to say anything about it in front of them.  They inquired nicely to the staffer working the booth and I got the same fee as them.  It happens now and then, just depends on the mood of the gatekeeper.  It's not like there's anything in it for them either way, so rather than trying to slip through, just a friendly chat and smiling request might work, especially if they're working alone.  But getting irrate and complaining will certainly not get anyone anywhere.  

 is there a special ticket for Farangs stating the cost or is it recorded by the gate keeper 

34 minutes ago, johnnynmonic said:

I got Thai price in a national park the other day.  Was ready to pay the whole thing because the party I was with wanted to go in, and I was embarrassed to say anything about it in front of them.  They inquired nicely to the staffer working the booth and I got the same fee as them.  It happens now and then, just depends on the mood of the gatekeeper.  It's not like there's anything in it for them either way, so rather than trying to slip through, just a friendly chat and smiling request might work, especially if they're working alone.  But getting irrate and complaining will certainly not get anyone anywhere.  

tell them you spend your last money on a lottery ticket ending on 999......they will let you in for free if they may touch you.

13 hours ago, InMyShadow said:

I would go shoe polish and a black wig and lots of Wai ing.

 

A sure thing would be to take a nap on bike Helmut on handles bars while waiting

 

Or you could try removing your muffler and revving the guts out of your bike, they will wave you through for free!

 

 All thai traits

 

 

You might also want to pick your nose and use your mirrors to find and squeeze any spots you might have while you are waiting for her! - Have you ever thought your companion might have gotten the THai price but pocketed the difference?

Just pay the damn fee and stop your whining and sniveling.  Your cheap attitude is disgusting.  If you can't afford to pay the few baht extra you shouldn't be living in Thailand.

They probably saw you coming and driving/riding sensibly, a  dead giveaway...

5 minutes ago, Guy360 said:

Just pay the damn fee and stop your whining and sniveling.  Your cheap attitude is disgusting.  If you can't afford to pay the few baht extra you shouldn't be living in Thailand.

......Gawd..

13 minutes ago, Guy360 said:

Just pay the damn fee and stop your whining and sniveling.  Your cheap attitude is disgusting.  If you can't afford to pay the few baht extra you shouldn't be living in Thailand.

So you consider being charged 1,000 % more than a Thai person and not liking it makes him a sniveling and disgusting person?

 

What a retarded way of thinking, i suppose you lack of knowledge of the price difference backs that up.

 

Try adding 1,000% to a 100 baht bottle of beer (or anything else), once you have managed that please explain if you still would still think of it as fair?

15 hours ago, dfdgfdfdgs said:

I'm 180cm and my skin is tanned, still lighter than most Thais I guess, but I'm not convinced it's that noticable when you just have hands to go from.  Often I pull up 5 metres past the checkpoint so they can only see my back; same outcome.

 

A lot of the national parks I'm going to are out of the way and I doubt they get many foreign visitors.  Doi Pha Hom Pok national park, for example.

The average Thai is certainly not 180cm same for full face helmet, I guess it's enough to spot a farang. By the way, or maybe your motorbike has a top case 

1 hour ago, chrissables said:

So you consider being charged 1,000 % more than a Thai person and not liking it makes him a sniveling and disgusting person?

 

What a retarded way of thinking, i suppose you lack of knowledge of the price difference backs that up.

 

If there was no dual pricing, a lot of the venues I enjoy visiting would go out of business- or at least have to curtail services and facilities below what I'd consider an acceptable standard.  Maybe fine for the locals, but that's often not a high bar.

 

If everyone paid the Thai price, the places could be packed, and they'd still go broke.  If everyone had to pay the same high price, they'd be like ghost towns, the overhead wouldn't be absorbed, and they'd still go broke.

 

I, for one, don't want to poop into a hole in the ground and wipe with... well, nothing.  And I do enjoy those signs and directions in English, which the Thai's certainly shouldn't have to pay for.  Which leaves it up to me to pay for a decent toilet, signs I can read and an occasional employee that can communicate with me.

 

That said, there are a lot of places I don't visit because they're not worth the money (to me).  But not because I have to pay more than the locals.

 

If there was no dual pricing, a lot of the venues I enjoy visiting would go out of business- or at least have to curtail services and facilities below what I'd consider an acceptable standard.  Maybe fine for the locals, but that's often not a high bar.

 

If everyone paid the Thai price, the places could be packed, and they'd still go broke.  If everyone had to pay the same high price, they'd be like ghost towns, the overhead wouldn't be absorbed, and they'd still go broke.

 

I, for one, don't want to poop into a hole in the ground and wipe with... well, nothing.  And I do enjoy those signs and directions in English, which the Thai's certainly shouldn't have to pay for.  Which leaves it up to me to pay for a decent toilet, signs I can read and an occasional employee that can communicate with me.

 

That said, there are a lot of places I don't visit because they're not worth the money (to me).  But not because I have to pay more than the locals.

If the park wants tourists then they should pay for the signs. Why do you think they shouldn't? If a resteraunt, hotel or bar has English signs why should a farang pay for those? They are a business not a charity

 

If there is no western toilet then they miss out on business.

 

By your logic once those toilets are paid for, shouldn't they drop the extortion price back down again? Errrm yeah right..

 

Talk about being a thai apologist!!

 

2 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

If the park wants tourists then they should pay for the signs. Why do you think they shouldn't? If a resteraunt, hotel or bar has English signs why should a farang pay for those? They are a business not a charity

 

If there is no western toilet then they miss out on business.

 

By your logic once those toilets are paid for, shouldn't they drop the extortion price back down again? Errrm yeah right..

 

Talk about being a thai apologist!!

 

'Tell ya what.  Check into a hotel in New York City with a corporate account from, say Microsoft, then check into the same hotel a few days later as a tourist and see if they charge you the same.  Or buy a Colorado hunting license as a resident, then buy one as a non-resident and see if the price is the same. Or go to Disneyland with a S. California driver's license, then have your New York buddy try, and see if you get the same price.  Or go to a state university as a resident, and a non-resident.

 

Multiple tier pricing is a very common business practice all over the world.  It's not just Thailand. 

  'Tell ya what.  Check into a hotel in New York City with a corporate account from, say Microsoft, then check into the same hotel a few days later as a tourist and see if they charge you the same.  Or buy a Colorado hunting license as a resident, then buy one as a non-resident and see if the price is the same. Or go to Disneyland with a S. California driver's license, then have your New York buddy try, and see if you get the same price.  Or go to a state university as a resident, and a non-resident.  

Multiple tier pricing is a very common business practice all over the world.  It's not just Thailand. 

 

 

Agree to a point. As a business you do get cheaper deals especially hotels (in Australia) and of courses many places give you a discount if your a local, obviously repeat business issues a priority but at what cost? Do the costs double if your not local or are a business.. Absolutely not. Triple, 10 times more? Of course not

 

No go and price A national parking park in Los!

 

 

And why should I pay up to 50% more at vegetable markets, what services are they providing me apart from ripping me off,

 

 

Just simply stop visiting places with dual rate, farang/Thai. 

Your gf will let them know. You don't believe it ? ??? you better do. 

I have seen this at least a few times. 

And don't tell me that your gf is "different" ???? yes of course she is. ?

 

 

38 minutes ago, InMyShadow said:

And why should I pay up to 50% more at vegetable markets, what services are they providing me apart from ripping me off,

 

One of the things I learned in 17 year in Asia is that our own governments haven't prepared us for international business.  When you come from a nanny state (like me) where the price is always clearly marked, and everyone pays the same clearly marked price (by law), we end up getting our clocks cleaned in a culture where everything is negotiated from a kid's first satang.

 

There are 2 price tiers in the veggie market.  One for people who know how to negotiate, and one for those who don't.  Skin color may increase the starting price, but it's negotiating skill that determines the final price.  I have to admit that I still often pay too much because the time it takes to get a better price is often more than I'm willing to invest.  But that's on me.

 

  One of the things I learned in 17 year in Asia is that our own governments haven't prepared us for international business.  When you come from a nanny state (like me) where the price is always clearly marked, and everyone pays the same clearly marked price (by law), we end up getting our clocks cleaned in a culture where everything is negotiated from a kid's first satang.  

There are 2 price tiers in the veggie market.  One for people who know how to negotiate, and one for those who don't.  Skin color may increase the starting price, but it's negotiating skill that determines the final price.  I have to admit that I still often pay too much because the time it takes to get a better price is often more than I'm willing to invest.  But that's on me.

 

 

 

Do thais negotiate as well? I'm not going to negotiate over 20 baht and of course they know this   

It's really not about the money any way. Just dislike the gauging

 

 

1 minute ago, InMyShadow said:

Do thais negotiate as well?

 

Did Howdy Doody have a wooden butt?

Isn't that like does the pope shit in woods?