Went to the waterfalls for Songkran but only Thais get in free, not foreigners.

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Only because she knew you would moan and cause a hissy fit. Your wife is one mature woman. She knew as well as you that this was coming. I mean really the whole car load was full of Thais who would get in for free and you. Completely selfish of you. Look at you running to TVF for support!  As judge Judy says RIDICULOUS!!  

You know his Wife?????..... OK, you watch Judge Judy...<removed>

 

Op hasn’t run to TVF for a support... He’s passed along his experiences and in doing so has started an interesting debate with interesting and intelligent responses on both sides, also, with some points from both sides by posters of highly questionable intellect and understanding of why this would even be an issue.

 

Personally.... Having driven there with the family I would have tried to enter with my Driving License, failing that I would have had to just suck it up and enter anyway. It would not have ruined or altered my day. But, perhaps I would have expressed my distaste for the event on ThaiVisa.com... Not to run for support, but to express an opinion on a forum which is designed for that very purpose....<removed>

 

[CharlieH]

Please refrain from personal comments.

[pacovl46]

Normally when you legally live in Thailand then you pay the same price as Thais. I used to live in Thailand and went to Khao Yai quite a lot. They wanted to charge me the tourist fee of 400 Baht, but when I showed them my work permit I had to pay only 40 Baht.

 

Having said that, though, considering the fact that foreigners earn quite a lot more money than the Thais do, it only makes sense that they have to pay less. You don’t expect a factory worker who might make 8000 a month to fork out 400 for the entrance fee, do you?

[1FinickyOne]

In the usa people from out of state pay more to go to state schools than people in state...

 

Same can be for locals at golf courses...

 

Get over it. Make your contribution and enjoy your day. Or not. For the small donation I am glad o contribute to the maintenance of a park here. 

[pacovl46]

On 4/14/2019 at 5:35 AM, Just Weird said:

This has been happening for decades, it's nothing new and chronic whinging about it doesn't help. 

 

Being married to a Thai and having Thai children does not make you Thai so why should it make a difference for you!  And it is nothing to do with the colour of your lilywhite skin, either, white-skinned Thais don't get charged!

Yeah, the thing is, though, that when a foreigner legally lives in Thailand then he has to pay only the Thai price. The entrance fee for Khao Yai for a Thai is 40 Baht, for a foreigner it is 400. When I was still living in Thailand I went there quite a lot. They were asking for 400, but after showing them my work permit I had to pay only 40. Assuming that the poster legally lives in Thailand he should’ve gotten in for free. Having said that, the double price policy makes sense to me. I wouldn’t expect a Thai who makes considerably less money to pay the Falang fee.

[cornishcarlos]

49 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

other foreign Asians have to pay the higher price as well.

 

Not if they keep their mouths shut they don't ????????

[alex8912]

27 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

You know his Wife?????..... OK, you watch Judge Judy...<removed>

 

Op hasn’t run to TVF for a support... He’s passed along his experiences and in doing so has started an interesting debate with interesting and intelligent responses on both sides, also, with some points from both sides by posters of highly questionable intellect and understanding of why this would even be an issue.

 

Personally.... Having driven there with the family I would have tried to enter with my Driving License, failing that I would have had to just suck it up and enter anyway. It would not have ruined or altered my day. But, perhaps I would have expressed my distaste for the event on ThaiVisa.com... Not to run for support, but to express an opinion on a forum which is designed for that very purpose....<removed>

 

Like you have not heard this same posting topic ad nausea. It was a free for Thais holiday. That is why his post is even more ridiculous. Also yes I’m sure I know his wife’s thoughts she knew his moaning would have been accelerated if he gave in and went to the other part of the falls for the payment. RIDICULOUS !!!  I agree the forum is designed to bash Thais and many of their  practices it is beyond apparent. So we do agree on one thing. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by alex8912

[cornishcarlos]

3 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

when a foreigner legally lives in Thailand then he has to pay only the Thai price

 

Not true at all... A lot of parks these days enforce the foreign rate even if you present a Thai driving licence, work permit or yellow book..

Double pricing would be acceptable but x 10 !!!

[pacovl46]

On 4/14/2019 at 6:17 AM, jackdd said:

Doesn't matter if he has permanent residency or a non-immigrant visa, because the official rule is "price x for thai citizens" and "price y (usually 5 or 10 times x) for all others"

Not true.

[pacovl46]

1 minute ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Not true at all... A lot of parks these days enforce the foreign rate even if you present a Thai driving licence, work permit or yellow book..

Double pricing would be acceptable but x 10 !!!

Never happened to me, but I haven’t been to all the parks.

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

Normally when you legally live in Thailand then you pay the same price as Thais. I used to live in Thailand and went to Khao Yai quite a lot. They wanted to charge me the tourist fee of 400 Baht, but when I showed them my work permit I had to pay only 40 Baht.

 

Having said that, though, considering the fact that foreigners earn quite a lot more money than the Thais do, it only makes sense that they have to pay less. You don’t expect a factory worker who might make 8000 a month to fork out 400 for the entrance fee, do you?

Yes, that used to be the case up until about 5 years ago when an announcement was made that all foreigners no matter their status paid the elevated foreigner price. 

 

So... No longer can foreigners get into these places with their Thai Work Permit, House Book or Driving License.... (with the exception of a few cases mentioned on this thread already).

 

 

The foreigners earning more than Thai’s comment has already been discussed. Its flawed, Thailand is not the country full of the poor and destitute that many foreigners assume...  Look at any restaurant, shopping mall, look at the car parks look at the cars parked there... there is a huge middle class in Thailand who can readily afford these Parks, in many cases this huge middle class in Thailand has more expendable income than the poor foreign English Teachers or retirees living on a budget... 

 

And no, we don’t expect the Factory worker to fork out 400 baht to pay for the park entrance... Its fair that they pay affordable rates. But using the same argument, why should a foreigner pay more if they can’t afford more? Using this same argument Thai Friends I know should be paying tens of thousands of baht to enter the parks, they are unimaginably wealthy.

 

Thus; a perfectly fair system would see all people pay the same. However, it’s become apparent through this discussion that additional revenue for the parks upkeep is required (or that’s at least one of the reasons for the Double Charge). In which case the least unfair of the unfair choices would be that Residents of Thailand (with WP, Housebook, DL) receive the Residents Discount - this works in other countries and has a less xenophobic, less unfair edge to it.

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

4 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Not true at all... A lot of parks these days enforce the foreign rate even if you present a Thai driving licence, work permit or yellow book..

Double pricing would be acceptable but x 10 !!!

Never happened to me, but I haven’t been to all the parks.

When did you last go to a National Park and pay the Thai Price, which park was it ?

 

 

For me the last park was Koh Samet, in Nov 2018 - I was charged the Foreigner Price.

It was about 8 or so years ago when I last got away with paying the Thai Price with a Thai DL. 

 

It may be that the quieter National Parks are more flexible with the charge which explains the differences. 

[Zendo]

10 minutes ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

Not true at all... A lot of parks these days enforce the foreign rate even if you present a Thai driving licence, work permit or yellow book..

Double pricing would be acceptable but x 10 !!!

That's right because after 20 years going to the same hot springs place, last time they refused to apply a 'local price' for me.. as my wife and kids are thais and I live here with all documents to show.

 

Things change and not for the best sometimes.

[RickBradford]

On 4/14/2019 at 10:39 AM, sammieuk1 said:

I'm with your Mrs on that its a disgusting racist tax practiced for decades and seam the norm and perfectly acceptable by some ????

It eases the pain somewhat if you regard differential pricing as a subsidy for Thais, not a tax on farangs.

 

Only somewhat, though. In Khao Yai National Park, the tariffs are 40B for Thais, 400B for cars, and 500B for farangs; it's a big park, too, no walking round the outside and meeting your family on the far side ......

[Kurtf]

I N E V E R put up with that kind of extortion. They need my money a hell of a lot more than I need their “attractions”.

[maccastime]

This has been in force for years national parks, water falls etc. so when thai people obtain a visa and come to let’s say Australia maybe they should pay for entry into places that charge a fee, and we be allowed to enter for free? Yeah not likely. Same as a local market I went to some time ago with the Thai mrs. she bought a pineapple got it chopped up etc 40 baht, it tasted lovely so I went on my own to get another same size, she said 65 baht? I called the mrs over who had a go at her oh sorry she said I make mistake, I couldn’t help myself I said come to my country everybody pays same same not farang price and Thai price

[uhuh]

23 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

 

Having said that, though, considering the fact that foreigners earn quite a lot more money than the Thais do, it only makes sense that they have to pay less. You don’t expect a factory worker who might make 8000 a month to fork out 400 for the entrance fee, do you?

Are you a factory worker?

Foreigners don't earn "quite a lot more money than the Thais do" in a similar job. Foreigners just like to think so. And foreigners like to compare the amount written on the pay slip, they forget all formal and informal perks a Thai has (like free health care for the parents, side line businesses not open to foreigners, tea money).

(BTW the times a factory worker makes 8000 are more than 10 years gone.

It is approaching 20000 nowadays. ) 

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, maccastime said:

This has been in force for years national parks, water falls etc. so when thai people obtain a visa and come to let’s say Australia maybe they should pay for entry into places that charge a fee, and we be allowed to enter for free? Yeah not likely. Same as a local market I went to some time ago with the Thai mrs. she bought a pineapple got it chopped up etc 40 baht, it tasted lovely so I went on my own to get another same size, she said 65 baht? I called the mrs over who had a go at her oh sorry she said I make mistake, I couldn’t help myself I said come to my country everybody pays same same not farang price and Thai price

 

Opportunism is not the same as government sanctioned double pricing.

 

Thai’s will over charge anyone... My Wife must look wealthier than I, she sometimes gets charged more for the same item I get (i.e. at a street stall etc) - again not acceptable but it just highlights how many try and take advantage at any situation (not just in Thailand). 

 

But, the government sanctioning the double charging filters down the the regular folk, that its the norm and that its ok. It encourages negative behaviour which would widely be considered unacceptable in other countries. 

[cornishcarlos]

23 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

When did you last go to a National Park and pay the Thai Price, which park was it ?

 

 

For me the last park was Koh Samet, in Nov 2018 - I was charged the Foreigner Price.

It was about 8 or so years ago when I last got away with paying the Thai Price with a Thai DL. 

 

It may be that the quieter National Parks are more flexible with the charge which explains the differences. 

 

I went to Emerald pool in Feb, got charged 200 baht. The rules changed there couple years ago. Still try with my Thai driving license but no go. Also went to a small local place last week, again foreign price 50 baht, locals 10 baht.. 

It's ok if they are funneling the money into upkeep and new facilities, which is evident at some parks. Others I have no idea where the money goes, wink wink 

[fxe1200]

22 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I know a lot of Thai's who are quite wealthy... Their kids at International Schools (Harrow, NIST, Patana etc), they travel everywhere in Business / First class... They too have huge expendable income, yet they get to enter these places for Free while Tax Paying Westerners (work Permitted) are expected to pay... 

 

There is no excuse for this rule... Thus turd of a rule cannot be polished or rolled in glitter... Its an extremely clumsy xenophobic rule, there is no way to make this rule seem justifiable for anyone with any sense of balance - its just plain wrong. 

 

They even want you to pay when you are running a charity, which cares for socially disadvantaged kids and you show up with them at the Nam Tok Chang waterfall. Even the Thai drivers license does not help. This is inhuman, disgusting, sordid and below the belt.

[4675636b596f75]

On 4/14/2019 at 10:18 AM, Despondent Foreigner said:

The fact that I am married and have children here doesn't make a difference. Because I have white skin I must pay the fee whilst all Thais go in free.

Do your children have white skin?  Did they try to make your child pay too?

[puipuitom]

I wonder how the outcry would be it the EU treated the Thai the same way. Not only for dual pricing, but also for visa, right te work, right to own any house, etc.

[Nanaplaza666]

On 4/14/2019 at 10:24 AM, Pilotman said:

I dont have a problem with differential charging at attractions and venues here.  The way I see it, my disposal income is probably higher than the average Thai families, it's their country not mine, so I pay a little more to access them.  Having said that, many, especially around the tourist spots of Pattaya and Phuket,  are not worth the money anyway, which is a different argument.   

The difference is not small everywhere , i went to bungsamran for fishing ,and foreigners who not have a workpermit or are not married to a thai , have to pay 4000 baht for half a day from 08:30 till 20:30 and thai pay only 400 baht so the difference is not small everywhere. I didn't mind to much still had a great day tho . But its quit a big difference .

[AntipodeanThai]

What's the problem; its their country; most of them have been contributing all their lifes paying taxes and homage, whether married or not we are not natural citizens and haven't devoted our lives to the country so where's the problem.  

[dode57k]

On ‎4‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 4:47 AM, Pilotman said:

totally different situation.  Western countries and their people are hardly poor and can access attractions on their own account.  Here a lot of families are poor, and dont have the disposal income to indulge themselves as most Westerns can.  It's not racist to favour your own people against visitors, many countries do that, at least not in my book.  You will also find that Asian visitors  to these attractions, who are not Thai and not on an organised tour,  pay the 'farang' rate. 

Exactly, perhaps if people looked at it another way as I do "Thailand doing something good for Thais" A reduced price for them is perfectly acceptable to me. Saves you getting all bitter and twisted and fanning the flames of anger towards the country many of us choose to live in. Just chill for goodness sake or return home to Rip off Britain etc etc etc

[metisdead]

Some offensive posts have been removed. 

[Kadilo]

2 minutes ago, dode57k said:

Exactly, perhaps if people looked at it another way as I do "Thailand doing something good for Thais" A reduced price for them is perfectly acceptable to me. Saves you getting all bitter and twisted and fanning the flames of anger towards the country many of us choose to live in. Just chill for goodness sake or return home to Rip off Britain etc etc etc

You will never appease the woe is me brigade. If it’s not Visas it’s dual pricing. It’s what they live for. 

[Mansell]

I went to the local park and the charge for me was 400 baht and 40 baht for the family members.......pissed me off, especially as the park wasn't that great. Another time I went to a park with my Hawaiian friend and they thought he was a Thai and it was 40 baht. Laughable. I won't go to the zoo here in Korat because of the same overcharging. When I went to the Fossil Museum they let me in for Thai price when I showed my Thai driver's license. Used to be similar in Vietnam if flying internally....one price for me and another for Vietnamese.

[richard_smith237]

5 minutes ago, dode57k said:

Exactly, perhaps if people looked at it another way as I do "Thailand doing something good for Thais" A reduced price for them is perfectly acceptable to me. Saves you getting all bitter and twisted and fanning the flames of anger towards the country many of us choose to live in. Just chill for goodness sake or return home to Rip off Britain etc etc etc

Of course, there’s no need to get bitter and twisted about any of these issues and we can continue on with life and tolerate those issues over which we have no control without any further fuss - which is what most of us do. 

 

However, it is still quite acceptable to voice such an opinion on a forum designed specifically for voicing such opinions and holding these discussions. 

 

Life in Thailand is great... but its not perfect and there are many outstanding issues which are in dire need of attention. This is not one of those issues in dire need of attention, but it is an issue which many find disagreeable. 

[millymoopoo]

Standard procedure, first time it happened to me was at some waterfalls near CM, can't remember the name, and I wouldn't object if it was going to support there upkeep, but I'm sure it's just pocketed.
They are even charging farangs (tourists) entry into some popular temples now.