National parks' entrance fees totaled 2.4 billion baht in 2017

[webfact]

National parks' entrance fees totaled 2.4 billion baht in 2017

 

File photo

 

BANGKOK, 11th January 2018 (NNT) - The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation reported that the collected fees from national parks nationwide in 2017 totaled 2.41 billion baht. 

The Director of the National Park Office, Songtham Suksawang, said the government's measures to stimulate domestic tourism contributed to this revenue. 

The national parks earning the highest amount of revenue last year included Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, Ao Phang Nga National Park, Similan Islands National Park, Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park, and Erawan National Park. 

In 2017, more than 17 million Thais and foreigners visited the national parks, the number of national park visitors is expected to increase by eight million this year. 

Mr. Songtham reiterated that the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation will put in place measures to accommodate the increasing number of national park visitors.

 

-- nnt 2018-01-11

[rkidlad]

Well, I hope that money is collected and put back into keeping the parks clean and natural. Thus attracting more tourists and making more money which can then be used for schools and hospitals, etc. 

 

But it won’t. ‘Corruption’ - it’s okay ‘cos it’s part of the culture. 

Edited January 10, 2018 by rkidlad

[SABloke]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

In 2017, more than 17 million Thais and foreigners visited the national parks, the number of national park visitors is expected to increase by eight million this year. 

There's optimism and then there's this  

[Thian]

I won't go to Thai parks, instead i go to The Gardens at the Bay in Singapore which are free and great, also have a great lightshow at dusk. All free.

 

It's right next to the Marina bay sands hotel, can't miss it.

[Misterwhisper]

The Director of the National Park Office, Songtham Suksawang, said the government's measures to stimulate overcharge domestic foreign touristsm ten-fold contributed to this revenue. 

[Khun Paul]

At most locations the toilets are still DISGUSTING and UINHEALTHY

[Oziex1]

Big profits, understandable given the pictures of the overcrowding at Phi Phi Island. 

[blubb]

Do not forget to Rate the Parks,Places either with the Rip-off-foreigner-prices or they are free or they had fair prices on TripAdvisor. I plan

my trips based on such Ratings.   

[petedk]

2.41 Billion baht from 17 million visitors that is an average of 141 Baht per visitor.

 

Must be a lot of foreigners visit the parks after all.

[gunderhill]

Well they didn't  collect a  single baht of that off me!

[Cake Monster]

And I am proud to say they never had a single Baht off me.

 

On principle, I refuse to be openly exploited and ripped off by paying  a Farang  price  upon entry to the parks.

 

I have visited many National Parks around the Globe, and I am am sure that I will not be missing anything special by not paying a visit to any of these so called parks.

 

[Airbagwill]

This is one figure in isolation.....on its own it has little significance - how much money does the government cough up??

It doesn't relate either to each national parks only the most popular are mentioned) and it doesn't address the amount contributed by dual charging.

Fees from NPs are meant to go into a single fund towards helping to finance them.

As the numbers and areas involved have increased there has been no significant increase in government funding, and no organised assessment by the Thai authorities of how to approach the issues involved. There have been a couple of papers by wildlife orgs and ASEAN that have made suggestions and of course the research into management of National parks throughout Asia ands the rest of the world is freely available to the Thai authorities, but there is little or no sign that anyone of high rank has any knowledge or interest in the matter.

It was assessed about 10 years ago that if dual charging was dropped and Thai  subjects paid between 30 and 50 baht instead the income of the National Parks would increase.

It would also increase the numbers of foreigners visiting.

In other countries entrance fees not the sole or even main source of finance - secondary income is generated by services within the attraction that can considerably improve the income of some parks - e.g. food, guides, tours camping etc etc.

As Thailand's beaches become more and more crowded, people who enjoy nature and quietness are looking to Thailand's other natural resources for their holidays and the National Parks could answer is need....unfortunately they are by and large incredibly ineptly managed and there seems to be little knowledge of how to handle tourists within a natural environment.

The ministers words on increang numbers of visitors gives one little confidence in Thailand’s ability or will to deawith it in a rsponsible or sustainable manner.

I would fear greatly for the condition of all Thailand’s national parks etc. under an unregulated onslaught of new visitors

 

[Airbagwill]

On 1/11/2018 at 4:58 PM, Cake Monster said:

And I am proud to say they never had a single Baht off me.

 

On principle, I refuse to be openly exploited and ripped off by paying  a Farang  price  upon entry to the parks.

 

I have visited many National Parks around the Globe, and I am am sure that I will not be missing anything special by not paying a visit to any of these so called parks.

 

Isn't that a a particularly Philistine attitude?

[Airbagwill]

On 1/11/2018 at 4:11 PM, petedk said:

2.41 Billion baht from 17 million visitors that is an average of 141 Baht per visitor.

 

Must be a lot of foreigners visit the parks after all.

I aree the maths is problematical...but that is the same with most Stats in Thailand. I would also suggest that there is a certain amount of value-added income in the form of car entrance fees, camping etc....as there is no serious breakdown of figures it is difficult to tell...however it does give one the impression that they really don't know what's going on, which is somewhat concerning.

[Airbagwill]

On 1/11/2018 at 10:15 AM, Khun Paul said:

At most locations the toilets are still DISGUSTING and UINHEALTHY

there are 2000 parks in Thailand, which are you referring to?

[DrTuner]

I won't be in the middle of those mobs. Double pricing even when I have the pink Thai ID. Keep your filthy parks.

[Airbagwill]

50 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

I won't be in the middle of those mobs. Double pricing even when I have the pink Thai ID. Keep your filthy parks.

In what way are they "filthy"?

[Airbagwill]

1 hour ago, Airbagwill said:

there are 2000 parks in Thailand, which are you referring to?

sorry over 200 parks....

[Airbagwill]

On 1/11/2018 at 11:26 AM, Oziex1 said:

Big profits, understandable given the pictures of the overcrowding at Phi Phi Island. 

THere's no mention of profit. Entrance fees are only part of NP income.

Your example of Phi Phi is one of the 3 most popular parks with foreigners. however it doesn't take into a count the around 200 other national parks which outside the top five get hardly any foreign visitors.

[jvs]

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

I won't be in the middle of those mobs. Double pricing even when I have the pink Thai ID. Keep your filthy parks.

I have been able to use my pink id card and get in for the Thai price.

If they do not accept my Thai id card i will not go in,has not happened

yet.Image is one of the parks i recently have been to.

Edited January 14, 2018 by jvs
added image.

[Thian]

On 1/11/2018 at 4:58 PM, Cake Monster said:

And I am proud to say they never had a single Baht off me.

 

On principle, I refuse to be openly exploited and ripped off by paying  a Farang  price  upon entry to the parks.

 

I have visited many National Parks around the Globe, and I am am sure that I will not be missing anything special by not paying a visit to any of these so called parks.

 

In my homecountry we even don't have public parks where one has to pay a fee....only in the Keukenhof but there every nationality pays the same price. Would be fun if they let only Thai, Indians and Indo's pay a 10-foulded price there as well.

[Thian]

5 hours ago, jvs said:

I have been able to use my pink id card and get in for the Thai price.

If they do not accept my Thai id card i will not go in,has not happened

yet.Image is one of the parks i recently have been to.

Last time i visited a waterfall was on Samui...i climbed up the track to swim in a basin there but slipped on the rocks and fell very hard, lucky i protected my fall with by hand which got very swollen after that and it hurt much for many weeks.

 

I don't care anymore for thai waterfalls, they are dangerous.

[survivalblue]

There are actually groups of educated Thai people trying to spread awareness to the public in some National Parks.  Specifically Khao Yai, I was able to attend a program that was showing the effects of feeding and disturbing the wildlife and attempting to make people aware of the problems that occur when humans interfere with the natural habitat of the animals.  

Whilst a number of people were involved and paying attention, and being affiliated with the group granted me a free entrance to the park, I still watched monkeys being fed and even attacking young children who carried food.

There were also a number of "safari" groups out at night with large spotlights driving around looking for elephants and animals.

So in all reality, attempting to educate the public on wildlife protocol is about as effective as trying to stop the monkeys in Lopburi from stealing your pepsi while your not looking.  It just isn't going to happen without proper law enforcement.

 

[Airbagwill]

3 hours ago, Thian said:

In my homecountry we even don't have public parks where one has to pay a fee....only in the Keukenhof but there every nationality pays the same price. Would be fun if they let only Thai, Indians and Indo's pay a 10-foulded price there as well.

10 times zero is zero

[Airbagwill]

2 hours ago, survivalblue said:

There are actually groups of educated Thai people trying to spread awareness to the public in some National Parks.  Specifically Khao Yai, I was able to attend a program that was showing the effects of feeding and disturbing the wildlife and attempting to make people aware of the problems that occur when humans interfere with the natural habitat of the animals.  

Whilst a number of people were involved and paying attention, and being affiliated with the group granted me a free entrance to the park, I still watched monkeys being fed and even attacking young children who carried food.

There were also a number of "safari" groups out at night with large spotlights driving around looking for elephants and animals.

So in all reality, attempting to educate the public on wildlife protocol is about as effective as trying to stop the monkeys in Lopburi from stealing your pepsi while your not looking.  It just isn't going to happen without proper law enforcement.

 

Every country has similar problems....just look at the foreign tourists who pour into the various animal attractions such as elephants or the old tiger temple.

What the DNP here needs to do is take a leaf out of National park management in places like USA and Oz...or even India. Education is an up hill struggle  ... The parks need managing.