Tourism: An end to dual pricing? Tourism minister talks of stimulus measures

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, Curt1591 said:

Giving "local people" a discount is a good way to entice locals to visit venues that they might not otherwise visit. I have no problem with that. But, there are many "local people" who are not Thai. 

They should charge the locals 10x more for all the trash they leave.

[Thaifriends]

Even farm chicken & vegetable sellers at Khloeng Toi market gives higher price when you go there first time. For them you are tourist $£€¥

[Thaifriends]

3 minutes ago, michelsavage said:

Double pricing made me lose my temper, once at a wat in BKK, and once at a WWII museum in Kanchanaburi. You see, double pricing is ethically and philosophically wrong. It creates two classes of humans: the Thai and the non-Thai. And because this procedure is often based upon the looks of the visitor, it opens the door to race profiling. A Myanmar citizen, or Lao or Cambodian may very well benefit from looks in the area of double pricing. But if you are European-looking, you're rich and you'll pay three to ten times more. Moreover, double pricing, set by the government itself, gives Thai merchants permission to adopt such a racist procedure in restaurants, in stores, and in hotels. We all know Thailand is xenophobic, and I will not go into the reasons why. But if the Thai government sets THE example, why should ordinary merchants do otherwise. What Thailand sees of the outside world (other than through Western films) is the image of a bunch of lightly colored people who are filthy rich. I travelled for six years on a motorcycle with my Thai wife everywhere in Thailand. Every day, as we prepared to book a hotel/resort/room, my wife went alone first (me hiding in the bush) to get a price. Then I would show up. Double pricing is lifestyle, it's expected, it's normal life. "Milk the tourist, bleed the expat, exploit the White. That is the norm here. And it will not change until Thailand experiences a deep, fundamental, explosive revolution. Thailand must grow up, and that will hurt.

I know a person who do the same as you do to get better deal. Its TH or TIT. Did you see at Pattaya on street seafood prices? Chinese tourist flock to those as if free. One can have a dinner at a decent restaurent in that price

[Yinn]

4 hours ago, Huayrat said:

Why should a Doctor or dentist who gets paid more than me pay half the price i have to pay? Unemployed or low income ppl i agree but not the wealthy.

Yes, I think that good idea. I think same. 

I don’t care if poor people pay less than me. Good for them to go. If to expansive they can not go.

 

But difficult to know that if poor person or rich person. The system now, easy to know if thai or foreign.

 

[Sumarianson]

400 Baht to walk on a beach in Krabi for a foreigner and zippo for a Thai, I stayed on the boat in protest. I have not taken my family to any attraction that has dual pricing and I have been here 7 years. About bloody time I say.

[Curt1591]

21 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

They should charge the locals 10x more for all the trash they leave.

I forget what temple sight we visited, but the place charged Thais as well as foreigners. Being used to Thais entering such places, my wife asked why they charge. The caretaker said it helps keep the slobs out!

[chrissables]

8 hours ago, Yinn said:

Not everyone. I not piss off. 

Have a rethink 

[Thaifriends]

1 hour ago, CanterbrigianBangkoker said:

 

Well, what other 'caveat' can I impose? In as much as it is even a caveat and not simply a clarification of statement. I don't know EVERY single British person, not all 67 million of us, not even close, so I will talk about the things that can be discussed - existing policy.

 

I mean in terms of political, social, charitable aid and immigration policy - we are and have been for many years ONE of THE MOST liberal, tolerant and welcoming nations IN THE WORLD! That is provable on many levels, not least of which is the fact that we are often the #1 destination for asylum seekers (real or fake) and economic migrants who could very easily stop in southern Europe where they enter, but instead make the desperate struggle to get to Calais and then across to either the UK or north into Germany and Scandinavia

 

Again - totally uninformed and erroneous points fella! And by the way I have met 4 or 5 utterly racist, bigoted Canooks over here! - Ergo: the majority of Canadians are xenophobic jam-rolls, right!? ???????? 

P--lease! 

 

Sorry, getting off topic now.

I am not sure on recent numbers of asylum or investors but asylums were given to crook politicians, murderers and thugs who stole in billions from their respective countries. Majority of Panama leaks money trail in billions goes to .......? GBR

 

For someones sake, realize the reality. Why all the ill gotten money goes to the UK.

[Jiggo]

Thailand could be seeing the beginning of the end to a subject that angers many visitors and residents in the kingdom.

 

Dual pricing for foreigners and tourists.

 

Good, So they will be paying the same prices as us, or us as them.????????????

[Jiggo]

1 hour ago, dallen52 said:

Not exactly 20 baht. 

Try Phuket zoo. 

Thai price 100 baht 

Farang price 1500 baht. 

(But can take photos for free)

 

That's a lot of 20 bahts.

 

Would not go in a Thai Zoo for free, but that's another issue.

[thesetat2013]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourism: An end to dual pricing? Tourism minister talks of stimulus measures

Haha.. I will really have to see this happen to believe it. The spin factory is really working overtime today. 

[Jimbo53]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Looking after the welfare of tourists was his number one priority, he said

He needs to start at the points of entry,and sort out the rip offs by customs department officers.

[drbeach]

26 minutes ago, michelsavage said:

Double pricing made me lose my temper, once at a wat in BKK, and once at a WWII museum in Kanchanaburi. You see, double pricing is ethically and philosophically wrong. It creates two classes of humans: the Thai and the non-Thai. And because this procedure is often based upon the looks of the visitor, it opens the door to race profiling. A Myanmar citizen, or Lao or Cambodian may very well benefit from looks in the area of double pricing. But if you are European-looking, you're rich and you'll pay three to ten times more. Moreover, double pricing, set by the government itself, gives Thai merchants permission to adopt such a racist procedure in restaurants, in stores, and in hotels. We all know Thailand is xenophobic, and I will not go into the reasons why. But if the Thai government sets THE example, why should ordinary merchants do otherwise. What Thailand sees of the outside world (other than through Western films) is the image of a bunch of lightly colored people who are filthy rich. I travelled for six years on a motorcycle with my Thai wife everywhere in Thailand. Every day, as we prepared to book a hotel/resort/room, my wife went alone first (me hiding in the bush) to get a price. Then I would show up. Double pricing is lifestyle, it's expected, it's normal life. "Milk the tourist, bleed the expat, exploit the White. That is the norm here. And it will not change until Thailand experiences a deep, fundamental, explosive revolution. Thailand must grow up, and that will hurt.

Excellent post in general although I continue to be confused by foreigners who claim that hotels regularly charge higher rates for foreign nationals. This is one area where this is just not true. You can always book online to avoid the possibility of dual pricing (it's usually cheaper than doing a walk-in anyway). Only in very exceptional cases have I heard of hotels charging more for foreigners but I doubt this is an official policy and mostly applies to dingy, grimy hotels located in a few tourist areas. In Myanmar however, it applies across the board. All hotels except for 4 and 5 star hotels employ a dual pricing policy.

 

My main gripe in Thailand continues to be, like you have pointed out, with official government approved dual pricing at tourist attractions, such as temples, national parks and the like. As you point out, it's something that is particularly offensive when the ticket sellers don't even ask Thais to prove their nationality (what's the point of a national ID card if no one is asked to show it as proof of nationality?) and Asians who look Thai or can pass for Thai (especially Burmese, Lao, Cambodian, Malaysian, Indonesian and Filipino nationals) don't even need to show any proof of nationality and can get the local price. It's this practice which turns dual pricing based on nationality from being merely discriminatory and xenophobic to racist. There are many stories of westerners and other non-east Asian looking people who've been asked to pay extra even if they show proof they live here. I've even heard of a small number of cases of westerners with Thai citizenship being asked to pay the foreigner price. That is clearly racist and I would encourage any non-native Thai who has acquired Thai citizenship to make a scene and/or say they'll write a letter of complaint or something to that effect. As a citizen, you should have the same rights as every other citizen. As foreigners, we don't have these rights but we should still campaign to have this system abolished or at least largely gone and replaced with a fairer system, as Vietnam has managed to do. I'm not concerned about getting ripped off by Thai vendors, rarely happens as I am fluent in Thai, can read the language and everything and am an excellent bargainer. If I had any concerns about being ripped off I would simply move on to the next vendor. Fortunately, I have not experienced this for a very long time in Thailand. On the other hand, if you don't want to pay the higher admission price for a tourist attraction, the alternative is usually just to boycott it.

[Millcx]

9 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Talk is cheap, i'll believe it when it happens.....

Talk is all it will be ... Or ... A bigger price to be charged 

[Dogmatix]

Good news re the dual pricing, if it really ever happens. I stopped going to national parks because of this and have been reluctant to return to them, even after obtaining Thai nationality, because the reprehensible practice continues. I particularly dislike the practice of government departments putting Thai prices in Thai numerals, which they assume no foreigners can read, in order to try to cover up what they are doing.

[Jimdandy]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand could be seeing the beginning of the end to a subject that angers many visitors and residents in the kingdom.

Seeing is believing

[Isaan sailor]

Let’s make a deal: bring your grossly overpriced Baht down to a 10-year average, and we’ll gladly pay two-tiered entrance fees.

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Not exactly 20 baht. 

Try Phuket zoo. 

Thai price 100 baht 

Farang price 1500 baht. 

(But can take photos for free)

 

That's a lot of 20 bahts.

 

Yes, it is. On the other hand it´s just 50 quid. Nothing to cry and complain for. And you see, you get to take photos for free.

[drbeach]

25 minutes ago, Jimbo53 said:

He needs to start at the points of entry,and sort out the rip offs by customs department officers.

Yeah but what does that have to do with dual pricing? Customs department rip offs dis-proportionally affect Thais. Thais (and Thai residents) are subjected to "dual pricing" when comparing the cost of the same product in other countries. Richer Americans pay less for their Toyota Corollas than poorer Thais. Oh, the irony.

[Expat Tom]

When my lease is up, my many years in Thailand will end. I'm out of here! The famous Thai smile has turned to plastic.

[drbeach]

12 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

Good news re the dual pricing, if it really ever happens. I stopped going to national parks because of this and have been reluctant to return to them, even after obtaining Thai nationality, because the reprehensible practice continues. I particularly dislike the practice of government departments putting Thai prices in Thai numerals, which they assume no foreigners can read, in order to try to cover up what they are doing.

So you're one of the expats that has gained Thai nationality I was referring to in my previous post. As I pointed out above, you have the right to make a big deal out of this and not accept it. I have seen signs on some national park entrances which clearly point out that if you have Thai nationality you will be asked to show your Thai national ID card to get in for the local price. One such location is the Doi Inthanon national park. Therefore, I can't imagine it to be a big issue. I assume you are completely fluent in Thai though (as you should be, since you're a Thai national now?) If not then it becomes a bit of a sticky issue.

[Yinn]

2 hours ago, MartinBangkok said:

Yinn, I know many Thais want to leave Thailand and live and work in a western country, like my home country Norway. Why? I will tell you why: 10 times more salary (at least), no corruption (compared to Thailand), freedom of speach, true democracy, a welfare and health-system Thailand can only dream about, a functioning justice-system, no dual pricing, a pension-system. True, pussy is way more expensive in Norway than in Thailand.

I not have any friend want to go Norway.

 

cold and expansive. How much for steam rice at the restaurant.

 

if so good, why you live here?

[drbeach]

3 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Yes, it is. On the other hand it´s just 50 quid. Nothing to cry and complain for. And you see, you get to take photos for free.

Just? That's a huge amount of money. There are many zoos in western countries that cost less than this, most probably in fact. This particular example is particularly outrageous because the difference in pricing is 15 times. 15 times! I mean, have they lost their marbles? It simply smacks of greed. You wanna pay the "50 quid" because it's nothing to you, go right ahead. Even in "expensive" Australia and America, zoos charge lower entrance fees than the equivalent of 50 Pounds, and you get a lot better value for money too!

[trainman34014]

Just words and merely a glimmer of hope.    It's not just Tourist prices that need sorting out; they adore ripping off their own poor at every turn, even Supermarket prices here are now equal or above Western prices for just about everything they have to buy, disgraceful.

[BobbyL]

3 hours ago, waxpro said:

The last time I visited the national park at khao yai was more than 2 years ago, when I paid entrance fees 450 baht, but for Thai wife paid just 40 baht,,, it's x 11 times higher,,,

and before this, was another time when trying to enter puttabat national park coming from khao kho, petchabun province, almost 3 years ago, the guards asked to pay 500 baht,, just to drive inside the park?

Anyone of you foreigner guys faced the same situation???

Any thing changed about this? or still the same policy?? I decided to never go again to any of such places,

Additionally, to make it clear, the guards in both places shown me a printed paper half Thai and half English to prove the fee amount is a regulation by the management or something alike, and not their idea, I believe the guards at the entrance saying the true amount as they told,

Anyone here to inform the minister about this? why the fees for Thai person at 40 baht, and 450-500 baht for a foreigner? any logical reason behind this? I used to pay 80 baht some years int eh past,, suddenly jumped to more than x 10 times?

 

 

Similar experiences. I think it was an idea from the Junta, as in my opinion around their takeover was when I started to be refused from using a DL or WP to get a reduced rate. Maybe wrong, but who knows. 

[Mitkof Island]

When i see the prices for foreigners are higher i just walk away. Had this argument at a national park a few weeks ago. Showed them my Thai ID card and all i got was Mai Di Mai Di. and i said bye bye bye bye

[drbeach]

3 hours ago, British Bulldog said:

So whats going to happen now, before it was 100 baht for locals and 200 baht for foreigners, now they are going to charge 200 baht for everybody ... Ha ha ha !

Nah. They bring the price down to 100 for everyone or meet in the middle, say 150 for all. However, more often than not it's 100 Baht for Thais and 400 for foreigners, or 40/400 Baht (at national parks). You need to give a specific example.

[Yinn]

2 hours ago, dallen52 said:

Not exactly 20 baht. 

Try Phuket zoo. 

Thai price 100 baht 

Farang price 1500 baht. 

(But can take photos for free)

 

That's a lot of 20 bahts.

 

Today I go salon.

 

have double price.

 

man cut-hair 120 baht

woman.        300 baht!!!!!!!!

 

All the baht you can guys save with the cut hair every time, you can use it for the national park!!!!

[Mavideol]

1 minute ago, Yinn said:

Today I go salon.

 

have double price.

 

man cut-hair 120 baht

woman.        300 baht!!!!!!!!

 

All the baht you can guys save with the cut hair every time, you can use it for the national park!!!!

or you could cut your hair short, man style, and next time you get same price as a man

[Dogmatix]

41 minutes ago, drbeach said:

I've even heard of a small number of cases of westerners with Thai citizenship being asked to pay the foreigner price. That is clearly racist and I would encourage any non-native Thai who has acquired Thai citizenship to make a scene and/or say they'll write a letter of complaint or something to that effect. As a citizen, you should have the same rights as every other citizen.

 

With the exception of the BTS I have have never encountered this problem after I have pulled out my ID card.  The girl at the BTS station kept on insisting that the 50% discount stored value seniors card was not for foreigners, even after I showed her my ID card, and insisted on trying to make me take a full price card. After a few minutes of getting angry and explaining about equal rights for all Thais under the constitution with a queue building up behind I told her I was not leaving until I got the discount card and asked her to call her supervisor to resolve the matter. To give him credit he looked totally shocked when he saw what the stupid girl was trying to do and told her to issue the card and be quick about it.