Erewin National Park - Forget Double Pricing

[StickKettleOn]

Things like this dont usualy wind me up - but today i was fuming and made a bit of a <deleted> of myself for lossing my rag. But i dont care - im pissed off with the double pricing.

Just drove up to Erewin National Park. Me, the Mrs, her kid and her friends kid.

The price, for the Mrs, two kids, and car (cars are charged) came to 70Baht all in. So why did the toal price come to 470 baht? You guessed it... me, the 'rich ferang' was there.

I asked the guard at the gate why i was being charged 400 Baht - compared to 20 baht for my Mrs. He pointed to a big sign that i missed that said 'foriegners charged 400 baht'. I told him that this did not answer my question, and he explained that as a foreigner, i dont pay taxes, so i shoud pay more. Fair enough i said - but the maths do not work.... you are charging me the average Thai's tax for the entire month. The reply was an expected 'Mai Soonchai' (I dont care).

He asked me if I spoke Thai. In basic Thai, I asked him why this was important. he explaind that if i worked in Thailand, i would not have to pay foriegner rate. He then explained that my Thai was basic, and i obviously didnt work here. I asked him 'what if i just go here last week, and i worked for the UN, but spoke no Thai'. At that point, he told me I should turn the car around, if i didnt like it. At this point, there is a line of cars behind me beeping horns and getting angry in the sun. I must have looked like the type of ferang that many Thais dont enjoy - the ferang 'Jai Rawn' type. Well sod it i thought, if i have to pay a tax for being a ferang, im going to act like one.

So i turned the engine off, and carried on with my conversation.

'So if i work here, i dont pay 400 baht, right'. Yes he said. 'how do you know if i work here or not' i asked him. Again, he refered to my basic Thai. What if i showed you my work permit? he said that wouldnt matter - i am a foriegner, and i have to pay 400 baht. So i paid it, and drove up to the park

We park the car and there is a small tinker shop selling stuff. Shoes lined up outside indicating bare foot policy inside shop. I made a point of going in the shop with my trainers on, squeeking loudly on the floor. The Mrs told me off, and i calmley explained that 'i am a foriegner - what would i know?'

There is a small sign before the path explaining that it would be preferable to undress for the waterfall actualy at the waterfall, as aposed to in the car park. I mad e a point of getting undressed and puting my trunks on there and then. After all, I am a forigner - what would i know about delicate Thai customs?

The Mrs - by now pissed off with me, said she was going to the loo before we got to the falls. I told her i would wait until we got to the falls and piss in the pool - i am a foriegner, dont know any better.

At this point she rightfully chastised me for being an idiot, and i calmed down and enjoyed the day.

This is the first time i have ever lost my rag over stuff like this.

What i would like to know is, is there a situation where this works in our favour? Can a situation be conived that the foriegner card be played to our advantage, as aposed to loosing out all the time?

Before any of you start ranting at me - i dont usualy get angry at stuf like this and yes i know, if i dont like it i can go home.

[Mid]

pick ya battles ,

carefully .............

[wadsy]

Yeah I agree with you 100%, I think that it is outrageous that they charge 1000% more just because you are a farang. I went to Doi Inthanon last week with the g/f and her two kids, 40 baht for her, 30 baht for the car, the kids funnily enough weren't charged, well that is what she told me AND 400 baht for me. Personally I wouldn't pay it but we wanted a family day out so had no choice. I've spoken to other farangs around here who have point blankly refused to go National Parks because of this reasons. Can't say I blame them. Plenty of other places to go. I can understand you being pissed off StickKettleOn...........

[qualtrough]

Did you gather up all your trash and throw it in the bin like a farang, or did you do what the natives do?

You really should have turned around.

Can't identify with the 'lose all the time' feeling though.

[KhunMarco]

I simply quit going to Parks in Thailand, not even 20 baht from me anymore. It's their choice, it's my choice.

There are many things to do here, Parks are just off my list.

The guy in the booth is simply doing his job.

I'm curious to know what your Mrs thought about it, don't get me wrong, I have the idea that this is so "normal", some Thais don't even realize the injustice.

1 bad thing about Thailand (not the only country to apply this policy by the way) among many good things.

Too bad.

[StickKettleOn]

While I am on my rant - i just thought of another example that happend just yesterday. at the local night market, the mrs and her kid selected 4 DVD's, all cartoons, from a busy stall. She waited for me to come to the stall to give her the 400 baht. I was trying a pair of jeans on in the stall next door at the time. When i hooked up with her, i asked how much i had to pay and she said 400 baht, which i assumed anyway. I gave her the 400 Baht and was about to walk out of the stall.

But then I then noticed a DVD that i have been after for ages but never seen in Thailand - Bridge On the River Kwai. I picked it up, handed it to the woman (who did not notice i was with the mrs and kid) and handed her 100 baht. I had already gave my mrs the 400 Baht, who was paying the other woman at the stall when i was dealing with mine.

'No, No, this new movie - 150 baht.'' She says. I said '<deleted>! This movie was made before you were born!!'

She says 'yes but not have DVD before'

I said 'This has been out on DVD for ages - but even if it was a new DVD it dosent matter.... all DVD's in Thailand are 100 baht. I have been here years, and never paid more than 100 baht for a DVD. PLUS - my girlfiend is over there, just about to buy 4 DVD's for 400 baht!!'

'Oh' She said, realising i was with the mrs. "but this one have special feature, look!' SO she points to the back of the DVD that sayd 'speacial feature'.

So I walk over to the mrs who hasnt paid yet, grab the DVD's and showed this woman the back cover.... all four of them said 'special feature'. SO why, i asked, is mine 50% more than my Thai girlfiends?

She couldnt answer. So i put all five DVD's down, put the 500 baht back in my pocket, told her i wasnt interested and brought the same DVD's from the stall opposite for 500 baht.

Its only 50 baht - i dont care about the money - its the double pricing. I am begining to realy hate it and in all the years i have been here, it has never bothered me. For some reason, call it iratyional if you like, but its bugging the shit out of me latley.

Rant over. Sorry.

[chevykanteve]

Four-hundred baht? Really?! What a ripoff. I wonder if that applies to all foreigners. I mean, not just to farangs with Thai families but also to (non-ethnic Thai) Asians living here with their ethnic-Thai families?? By non-ethnic Thai Asians I mean, for instance, Tibetans, Mongolians, Nepalese, etc.

[Nebukanezar]

Get over it, you don't pay Tax, Taxes support the park and pay that man's salary. 400 baht is not a big deal, you say it's more than the average Thai pays in a month... They are paying it all year every year their entire lives, and you wanna bitch about a month??? Suck it up.

Now, if it was a PRIVATE company like say Mini Siam in Pattaya that is supported by customers and charges forginers a higher price I would say SCREW them thats just bigotry at it's finest.

But Tax is Tax, if you pay taxes then it should be the same price for you too.

[StickKettleOn]

Did you gather up all your trash and throw it in the bin like a farang, or did you do what the natives do?

Actualy, thats a great point. I was sitting by the side of the pool having a smoke. I finished it, dipped the smoke in the pool to put it out and then wrapped it in a leaf, rolled the leaf up and shoved it under some dirt. At the same time, i noticed a Thai guy (who paid 380 baht less than me to get in) throwing an empty bottle of water into the bush.

Again, im ranting - but it is all suddenlt becoming clear to me now. It makes no difference if you have been here 10 days or 10 years. You are a forigner. Always have been, always will be. The efforts that we make to blend in, adhere to the customs, represent our own countries and generaly show understanding and respect..... none of it counts for anything. We will always be 'Johnny Foreigner' to the Thai's.

[StickKettleOn]

Get over it, you don't pay Tax, Taxes support the park and pay that man's salary.

How do you know i dont pay tax?

I asked the guy if my work permit would suffice (actualy i was calling his bluff, as i didnt have on me) and he said no.

His insane notion to qualify me as a tax payer was my grasp of the language. In short - i had to pay, regardless of what i said.

And even if i didnt pay tax - you dont see this as an injustice? Toursists contribute billions of baht per year to the Thai coffers.

Edited March 31, 2007 by StickKettleOn

[chevykanteve]

Get over it, you don't pay Tax, Taxes support the park and pay that man's salary. 400 baht is not a big deal, you say it's more than the average Thai pays in a month... They are paying it all year every year their entire lives, and you wanna bitch about a month??? Suck it up.

Now, if it was a PRIVATE company like say Mini Siam in Pattaya that is supported by customers and charges forginers a higher price I would say SCREW them thats just bigotry at it's finest.

But Tax is Tax, if you pay taxes then it should be the same price for you too.

Yeah, but I PAY TAX in this country and have done so for many years. Indeed, I'm 100% legal here in terms of tax card, work permit, tabien ban, visa, drivers's license, etc. And my opinion is that 400 baht is an utter ripoff.

[tuky]

My wife has never paid a satang in tax...hmmmm

[terry57]

Did you gather up all your trash and throw it in the bin like a farang, or did you do what the natives do?

Actualy, thats a great point. I was sitting by the side of the pool having a smoke. I finished it, dipped the smoke in the pool to put it out and then wrapped it in a leaf, rolled the leaf up and shoved it under some dirt. At the same time, i noticed a Thai guy (who paid 380 baht less than me to get in) throwing an empty bottle of water into the bush.

Again, im ranting - but it is all suddenlt becoming clear to me now. It makes no difference if you have been here 10 days or 10 years. You are a forigner. Always have been, always will be. The efforts that we make to blend in, adhere to the customs, represent our own countries and generaly show understanding and respect..... none of it counts for anything. We will always be 'Johnny Foreigner' to the Thai's.

miss kettle,

one thing that all farang must realise, and they will all be so much happier once they accept the fact, is that we are in fact " johnny foreigner " and always will be.

i have absolutely no problem with this concept as this is " thailand " and not " farangland "

one must realise its a privilage to be here and treat it as such.

if one cant grasp this fact one must relocate back to there own country and forget about this country.

as far as double pricing goes, we must get used to it, as its the norm in asia at certain spots but on the other hand there are many places that pricing is the same.

thank you very much.

[chanchao]

Way to go.

Anyway, I think it's all been said, perhaps more than once, before on discussions on this forum.

I pay the 20 baht to go into national parks. If there's visiting friends of family then I also try to get them in for 20 baht and mostly succeed. If however I cant get them in for 20 baht then I don't go in. Or sometimes I completely dodge the fare, for NP's you're familiar with there's usually a couple avenues of dodging the charge.

I hate double pricing too, EXPECIALLY of public/government stuff. A particular magazine article comes to mind of what Thailand really is best appreciated for. I better not repeat it.

Edited March 31, 2007 by chanchao

[chanchao]

(Anyway, I stooped lower than you recently, and it wasn't about double pricing and wasn't even in Thailand, but it was even more petty. And yes, I got even for taking that tube of toothpaste off me at a particular airport. )

[StickKettleOn]

Did you gather up all your trash and throw it in the bin like a farang, or did you do what the natives do?

Actualy, thats a great point. I was sitting by the side of the pool having a smoke. I finished it, dipped the smoke in the pool to put it out and then wrapped it in a leaf, rolled the leaf up and shoved it under some dirt. At the same time, i noticed a Thai guy (who paid 380 baht less than me to get in) throwing an empty bottle of water into the bush.

Again, im ranting - but it is all suddenlt becoming clear to me now. It makes no difference if you have been here 10 days or 10 years. You are a forigner. Always have been, always will be. The efforts that we make to blend in, adhere to the customs, represent our own countries and generaly show understanding and respect..... none of it counts for anything. We will always be 'Johnny Foreigner' to the Thai's.

miss kettle,

Error? or childish, petulant insult? Miss? Ok, whatever pal.

one thing that all farang must realise, and they will all be so much happier once they accept the fact, is that we are in fact " johnny foreigner " and always will be.

I have reason to respect myself and see value in my presence here. The county benefits from my decision to live here, albeit on a minute scale but hey - combined, we furnish this country with huge benefits. Accepting a lower status, which is essentialy what you are suggesting we conform to, is beyond my grasp. Its not an ego thing - its a self respect thing. If you are happy to consider yourself as an afterthought, an 'also ran', part of a group to be tolertated if taxed heavily than hey, up to you pal. But may i suggest you think about getting a backbone the next time you are thrown to the back of a 7/11 line?

i have absolutely no problem with this concept as this is " thailand " and not " farangland "

Again - what difference should it make? I respect this country as a temporary favour - a gift, for the time being - not my country but i will respect it as if it was my own while i am here.... so why should i be mugged off? Why should i be robbed?

one must realise its a privilage to be here and treat it as such.

if one cant grasp this fact one must relocate back to there own country and forget about this country.

You are presuming i do not consider it a privilage to live here -purley because i object to being robbed? I do consider it a privilage to live here. Conversley, I think the Thais should consider it a privilage that us ferangs spend tens of billions of baht every year here. They are lucky that so many tourists chose Thailand - it is a privilage for them that we are here. Dont listen to anyone who has the opinion of 'they wouldnt care if we all left tommorow'. They would care. It would kill them overnight. I expect the privilage of our gracing this country with so much revenue to be returned in honest pricing.

[tartempion]

one must realise its a privilage to be here and treat it as such.

if one cant grasp this fact one must relocate back to there own country and forget about this country.

as far as double pricing goes, we must get used to it, as its the norm in asia at certain spots but on the other hand there are many places that pricing is the same.

thank you very much.

So you say Because I can't grasp that it is a privilege offered to me by this country which allows me to spend a few million baht/year that I need to relocate to the country I come from and that double pricing is the norm in Asia?

If you don't like it shut up and get out of here is something I read way too many times on this board.

Double pricing the norm in Asia?

Well not in Malaysia and Singapore where I spend some days last week.

I do like others say, double pricing places don't get my business. National parks, where are they?

[chevykanteve]

Did you gather up all your trash and throw it in the bin like a farang, or did you do what the natives do?

Actualy, thats a great point. I was sitting by the side of the pool having a smoke. I finished it, dipped the smoke in the pool to put it out and then wrapped it in a leaf, rolled the leaf up and shoved it under some dirt. At the same time, i noticed a Thai guy (who paid 380 baht less than me to get in) throwing an empty bottle of water into the bush.

Again, im ranting - but it is all suddenlt becoming clear to me now. It makes no difference if you have been here 10 days or 10 years. You are a forigner. Always have been, always will be. The efforts that we make to blend in, adhere to the customs, represent our own countries and generaly show understanding and respect..... none of it counts for anything. We will always be 'Johnny Foreigner' to the Thai's.

miss kettle,

one thing that all farang must realise, and they will all be so much happier once they accept the fact, is that we are in fact " johnny foreigner " and always will be.

i have absolutely no problem with this concept as this is " thailand " and not " farangland "

one must realise its a privilage to be here and treat it as such.

if one cant grasp this fact one must relocate back to there own country and forget about this country.

as far as double pricing goes, we must get used to it, as its the norm in asia at certain spots but on the other hand there are many places that pricing is the same.

thank you very much.

as far as double pricing goes, we must get used to it, as its the norm in asia at certain spots but on the other hand there are many places that pricing is the same.

"We"? Please speak for yourself. You may feel free to get used to it.

[Maigo6]

The guy at the gate of The National Park is just doing his job, and being paid about 3500 - 4000 Baht per month.

Those rates for Farangs are laid down by the higher powers, not the humble National Park worker.

I can't understand why you would go into the park after paying the 400 Baht, then come on here whining about the CHOICE you made..................you could have refused to go in.

You are like the Farangs that buy houses in a Thai womens name, then come onto Internet forums complaining about the Land ownership laws, they already knew the laws, yet they still paid for a house.

Will farangs never cease their constant whining about how hard done by they are in Thailand ?

Jesus h Christ, nobody is chaining you up to keep you here, think how lucky you are having that passport that can take you to almost any country you choose, the majority of Thai people do not have that choice. They are stuck here, you ain't!

Edited March 31, 2007 by Maigo6

[jdinasia]

Things like this dont usualy wind me up - but today i was fuming and made a bit of a <deleted> of myself for lossing my rag. But i dont care - im pissed off with the double pricing.

Just drove up to Erewin National Park. Me, the Mrs, her kid and her friends kid.

The price, for the Mrs, two kids, and car (cars are charged) came to 70Baht all in. So why did the toal price come to 470 baht? You guessed it... me, the 'rich ferang' was there.

I asked the guard at the gate why i was being charged 400 Baht - compared to 20 baht for my Mrs. He pointed to a big sign that i missed that said 'foriegners charged 400 baht'. I told him that this did not answer my question, and he explained that as a foreigner, i dont pay taxes, so i shoud pay more. Fair enough i said - but the maths do not work.... you are charging me the average Thai's tax for the entire month. The reply was an expected 'Mai Soonchai' (I dont care).

He asked me if I spoke Thai. In basic Thai, I asked him why this was important. he explaind that if i worked in Thailand, i would not have to pay foriegner rate. He then explained that my Thai was basic, and i obviously didnt work here. I asked him 'what if i just go here last week, and i worked for the UN, but spoke no Thai'. At that point, he told me I should turn the car around, if i didnt like it. At this point, there is a line of cars behind me beeping horns and getting angry in the sun. I must have looked like the type of ferang that many Thais dont enjoy - the ferang 'Jai Rawn' type. Well sod it i thought, if i have to pay a tax for being a ferang, im going to act like one.

So i turned the engine off, and carried on with my conversation.

'So if i work here, i dont pay 400 baht, right'. Yes he said. 'how do you know if i work here or not' i asked him. Again, he refered to my basic Thai. What if i showed you my work permit? he said that wouldnt matter - i am a foriegner, and i have to pay 400 baht. So i paid it, and drove up to the park

We park the car and there is a small tinker shop selling stuff. Shoes lined up outside indicating bare foot policy inside shop. I made a point of going in the shop with my trainers on, squeeking loudly on the floor. The Mrs told me off, and i calmley explained that 'i am a foriegner - what would i know?'

There is a small sign before the path explaining that it would be preferable to undress for the waterfall actualy at the waterfall, as aposed to in the car park. I mad e a point of getting undressed and puting my trunks on there and then. After all, I am a forigner - what would i know about delicate Thai customs?

The Mrs - by now pissed off with me, said she was going to the loo before we got to the falls. I told her i would wait until we got to the falls and piss in the pool - i am a foriegner, dont know any better.

At this point she rightfully chastised me for being an idiot, and i calmed down and enjoyed the day.

This is the first time i have ever lost my rag over stuff like this.

What i would like to know is, is there a situation where this works in our favour? Can a situation be conived that the foriegner card be played to our advantage, as aposed to loosing out all the time?

Before any of you start ranting at me - i dont usualy get angry at stuf like this and yes i know, if i dont like it i can go home.

Yeppers you were an absolute tw@t .... as the National Park fee's have always been far more for tourists ... of course if you do read Thai ... and speak Thai it foregoes the need to produce the WP ... but a WP DOES get you in at local price at Erawan <if you weren't an idiot to the guy first ...>

Really silly to assume that the guy at the gate had ANY say in what the fees are.

[meadish_sweetball]

I am not fond of the two-tiered pricing policy either, but I have never experienced any place where presenting your work permit and speaking Thai do not get you in at the local rate though.

It is not worth getting all worked up about. In the second instance, I would have done the same as you, cancel the deal, say something sarcastic, and proceed to another shop.

We've had long discussions about this same subject before, I don't think I can be bothered writing another post with essentially the same content. If you want more perspectives, just search the forum and plenty of threads will come up.

Suffice it to say that if you make a real effort at assimilating with local norms, you will notice that more often than not, you are often treated better than the locals for the fact.

[jdinasia]

I am not fond of the two-tiered pricing policy either, but I have never experienced any place where presenting your work permit and speaking Thai do not get you in at the local rate though.

It is not worth getting all worked up about. In the second instance, I would have done the same as you, cancel the deal, say something sarcastic, and proceed to another shop.

We've had long discussions about this same subject before, I don't think I can be bothered writing another post with essentially the same content. If you want more perspectives, just search the forum and plenty of threads will come up.

Suffice it to say that if you make a real effort at assimilating with local norms, you will notice that more often than not, you are often treated better than the locals for the fact.

Concur 100%

Not to mention a Thai Driver's License almost always works too!

Edited March 31, 2007 by jdinasia

[sutnyod]

Hi,

you have actually more than one choice here:

1. pay the 400 Baht and enjoy the park. Because you are a foreigner, chances are you will have a guide accompanying you and explaining things. He/she will not expect any payment.

2. save 400 Baht and turn around

3. learn to speak Thai; see picture below; NEVER EVER had a problem, even not when coming with a foreign car (that also got the Thai rate)

In the latter case, even though you paid the local rate, a guide will still want to take you around. Not because you are a RICH person, but because foreigners tend to show more interest in the local features. If I imagine a foreigner not able to speak my language wanting to have ANYTHING in my home country.... well, he would certainly get the answer to go and learn the language first.

PS: Stay away from Angkor ...

[bino]

Things like this dont usualy wind me up - but

'So if i work here, i dont pay 400 baht, right'. Yes he said. 'how do you know if i work here or not' i asked him. Again, he refered to my basic Thai. What if i showed you my work permit? he said that wouldnt matter - i am a foriegner, and i have to pay 400 baht. So i paid it, and drove up to the park

Yeppers you were an absolute tw@t .... as the National Park fee's have always been far more for tourists ... of course if you do read Thai ... and speak Thai it foregoes the need to produce the WP ... but a WP DOES get you in at local price at Erawan <if you weren't an idiot to the guy first ...>

Really silly to assume that the guy at the gate had ANY say in what the fees are.

I agree with jd... acting like a tw@t obviously got you nowhere. Calling the park employee's bluff with your "how do you know" and "what if" questions only caused him to call yours back.... if you had a work permit / tax ID card or any other Thai Identification (Student card works wonders too) you would have produced it by this point instead of asking "what if" questions.

I'm not crazy about double pricing policies, and generally just don't support places that have them. Having said that... Canada does it too. Sport fishing licences in Canada are more expensive for non-citizens because the citizens pay the taxes that support the Fisheries department.

What i would like to know is, is there a situation where this works in our favour? Can a situation be conived that the foriegner card be played to our advantage, as aposed to loosing out all the time?

I've found that being a foreigner works in my favour with the traffic police in Bangkok. Whenever I drive through one of their tea money traps, and see the officer walking out to flag me over, he will change his mind when he sees my white face and wave me on - nine times out of ten.

[mrt273nva]

Personally I hate the double standards for the "farang" white skinned people. It is unjust BUT... I am able to relate to a tourist industry being from Las Vegas. In Las Vegas there are local discounts on everything. all you have to do is present your ID. It is how a touristy area makes its money FROM THE TOURISTS.

Unlike Las Vegas, Thailand does have natural resources but they are trying to increace revenue from their tourist industry. Makes perfect sense to me, HOWEVER...

Now as a resident of Thailand I would think that I would be granted these special local discounts, but nope, my skin color is too white.

I now operate a business in Koh Phangan. Certain Thais have told me that I need a Thai discount, and I asked why? Their answer is "because we are Thai". Well sorry Thailand, your people pay the same price as everyone else.

My wife (Thai) runs her own clothing shop here now. She is enacted the same policy of equality among ethnicities.

[jdinasia]

Personally I hate the double standards for the "farang" white skinned people. It is unjust BUT... I am able to relate to a tourist industry being from Las Vegas. In Las Vegas there are local discounts on everything. all you have to do is present your ID. It is how a touristy area makes its money FROM THE TOURISTS.

Unlike Las Vegas, Thailand does have natural resources but they are trying to increace revenue from their tourist industry. Makes perfect sense to me, HOWEVER...

Now as a resident of Thailand I would think that I would be granted these special local discounts, but nope, my skin color is too white.

I now operate a business in Koh Phangan. Certain Thais have told me that I need a Thai discount, and I asked why? Their answer is "because we are Thai". Well sorry Thailand, your people pay the same price as everyone else.

My wife (Thai) runs her own clothing shop here now. She is enacted the same policy of equality among ethnicities.

Sorry ... but you CAN get the local price ...... scroll up and read Meadish's post

[Gary A]

You don't have to be in Thailand to pay a huge premium. In the US if you want to buy a hunting or fishing license it will cost you up to ten times more if you are not a resident in that state. Even many of the amusement parks have a residents price and a non-residents price.

[mrt273nva]

Personally I hate the double standards for the "farang" white skinned people. It is unjust BUT... I am able to relate to a tourist industry being from Las Vegas. In Las Vegas there are local discounts on everything. all you have to do is present your ID. It is how a touristy area makes its money FROM THE TOURISTS.

Unlike Las Vegas, Thailand does have natural resources but they are trying to increace revenue from their tourist industry. Makes perfect sense to me, HOWEVER...

Now as a resident of Thailand I would think that I would be granted these special local discounts, but nope, my skin color is too white.

I now operate a business in Koh Phangan. Certain Thais have told me that I need a Thai discount, and I asked why? Their answer is "because we are Thai". Well sorry Thailand, your people pay the same price as everyone else.

My wife (Thai) runs her own clothing shop here now. She is enacted the same policy of equality among ethnicities.

Sorry ... but you CAN get the local price ...... scroll up and read Meadish's post

no need to say sorry, i forgive you.

the best way i have found to get the local price on things is to stand outside while my wife pays for the item. if i am spotted as her husband then she loses the local price as well. When say local price it doesn't refer only to national parks.

[kratindaeng]

I remember a waterfall in Koh Chang wantin 400b, well the waterfall couldnt speak but the park ranger asked for it, yes 400b for a quick peak at a swanky waterfall! I wheelied the motocyc' outta the place as fast as possible, poor missus hangin off the back, her legs dragging in the dirt!!! Then when I stopped to think about it, it was only 400b, Im sure I have wasted 400b on other 'pleasures' during my stints in Bra tet Thai, especially that time when the girl from the salon finished work and...............

[KhunMarco]

Now now, we all make mistakes eh , and once in a while , ok a pretty long while anyone can lose his temper.

Let's give SKO some slack, gee today I'm good ...crucify me