It’s time to scrap two-tiered pricing for foreigners in Thailand: TAT spokesman

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, GAZZPA said:

What about the parks, the rip off restaurants, the taxis, the house rental, the market trader prices? 

Please stop with <deleted>. Yes parks dual price. Currently I'm Koh Samed. Thai 40baht. Farang 200baht. Few similar trains etc. Taxi is not rip off if you know the correct rates. Granted helpfull if you can  state destination in Thai. House rental??

Your full of it. 

Do you live in Thailand? Surely not.

[Krabi King]

I don't think this should apply in all cases, to foreigners. Some attractions/museums in our own countries also offer discounts to nationals. However, charging prices that are 10 fold is unacceptable.

And expats should definitely be treated as nationals, since they support the local economy on a daily basis and because they pay their local taxes, etc.

I'm not making any bets on this changing any time soon though ... we can only wait and see ...

[GAZZPA]

2 minutes ago, jerolamo said:

This kind of price differences (not a bit more, but 10 times upper !!!) contribute to xenophobic mind thinking.

I can accept to paid a bit more because i'm a foreigner. I can accept there is different social level and then the ones who can paid upper (Thaï first because rich Thaï should help first there own country... right ?).

But, ten times upper, i did not and i will never accept this scam because what does it mean ? (most of the time i saw this, also, i saw many dirty trash on the floor around... is it directly linked with this practice ?)

Instead of make me come and stay, paid for anything around for myself and my own Thaï family, i just leave the place quickly and talk only about this price difference who make me feel like a not welcome person on the place.

I remember the first time i see that, i sit in front and make a picture, i was very dispointed and sad, much more for Thailand image than for myself, because i love Thailand and i wish the best for them, so to delete these kind of scam practices.

well said,, absolutely correct. Thailand is hurting itself and it's been getting worse in recent years with regards to making foreigners feel welcome. If they want to improve their economic situation they need to change and treating foreigners fairly is the place to start.

[GAZZPA]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

Please stop with <deleted>. Yes parks dual price. Currently I'm Koh Samed. Thai 40baht. Farang 200baht. Few similar trains etc. Taxi is not rip off if you know the correct rates. Granted helpfull if you can  state destination in Thai. House rental??

Your full of it. 

Do you live in Thailand? Surely not.

Worked in Thailand on and off for 15 years, lived there for 7 years, I assume you either don't live there or never go out.. so why don't you please stop now,, you are wrong, the Thai government now think your wrong, countless foreigners are complaining about this issue,, so stop now yourself please..

[Trillian]

2 minutes ago, GAZZPA said:

Worked in Thailand on and off for 15 years, lived there for 7 years, I assume you either don't live there or never go out.. so why don't you please stop now,, you are wrong, the Thai government now think your wrong, countless foreigners are complaining about this issue,, so stop now yourself please..

So you don't live here.....priceless!

[Airbagwill]

Lived in Thailand 17 years and am constantly amazed how expats canalise here for years yet still have absolutely no idea of what is going on in the country.

 

They don't speak the language - inn fact they are illiterate yet thin they are superior to Thai people in every way and cover up their ignorance with statements like "t'll never change" - "if you don't like it go home" - this says more about their own stupidity and anything to do with 2-tier pricing policies

[fred110]

China must have complained.

[GAZZPA]

1 minute ago, Trillian said:

So you don't live here.....priceless!

Did you read my post? I have been doing business there for 15 years prior to living there for 7 years, I think that qualifies me to have an opinion on this, how long have you been there? I left last year because I have had enough of all the anti foreigner sentiment, dual pricing being part of that. I didn't want my son growing up around all of that nonsense. I have plenty of friends still there, although many have now left for the same sort of reasons.. I think it is good to read the Thai government are at the very least recognising what an outdated policy this is. 

 

This topic is about the Thai government abolishing dual pricing as it is an out of date policy,, you chose to contribute to the post saying I choose to come to Thailand so have no complaint, what value do you think you are adding to the forum? Can you see the nonsense of you posting that view here? I suspect you cannot and don't have the fortitiude to accept you could be wrong despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

[CLS]

46 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I think the complainers about this seem naive about the double pricing policy worlwide.  Arguing over a few bucks.

Check your home countries..

Disneyland, and other theme parks/entertainment venues in the US offer discounted rates to residents at certain times of the year.  Same with some of the tourist venues I have visited in Europe. 

It also applies to things like golf.  Residents get a discount.

 

 

In civilized countries you qualify for the discount by residence, not nationality.

[SunsetT]

At last! A Thai talking sense! Good man!

[SunsetT]

Next reform the new two-tier pricing for health insurance!

[digger70]

18 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Don't like it, Not my problem , Don't Reply. 

 

18 minutes ago, digger70 said:

There seem to be 2 highly dubious attitudes on this thread

 

first - "if I don't do it, I don't care"

secondly  - an attempt to hie one's ignorance by with cynicism.

 

this appears to be an example of both?

I have been looking at some Replies you have been making. 

I was thinking maybe you should change you're Avatar to Wind Bag  I think it would suit you nice.  

Please Sir, it's just a Suggestion .   ????

[chuck holmes]

Agreed. Most of them tell me the double standards are not right. However I tell them it is the same all over asia.

[DrJack54]

Just now, GAZZPA said:

So the dual pricing does not exist? So what is the Thai announcement about? ????

 

You are just posting abuse for no reason, many people on here are complaining about the dual pricing in Thailand,, you are going to be busy abusing them all.. ????

I asked you earlier. How much have you lost out on dual pricing in say last 12 months. Talking about taxis etc is rubbish.

Personally in last 12 months I have been Samed 3 times. So I have been "stung" 160x3= 480baht. Oh cry me a River.

 

[GAZZPA]

2 minutes ago, chuck holmes said:

Agreed. Most of them tell me the double standards are not right. However I tell them it is the same all over asia.

I genuinely dont remember that. I have lived in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Thailand and I honestly don't remember it anywhere else,, I may be wrong but it certainly wasn't as obvious and I don't ever remember paying more for anything over my Asian friends.. 

[GAZZPA]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

I asked you earlier. How much have you lost out on dual pricing in say last 12 months. Talking about taxis etc is rubbish.

Personally in last 12 months I have been Samed 3 times. So I have been "stung" 160x3= 480baht. Oh cry me a River.

 

You are posting on a forum where the topic is the Thai government recognising and suggesting a change to the dual pricing for goodness sake,, is that really that hard for you to understand? You have never been charged more for a taxi then a Thai person? ???? I have nothing more to add, I don't think you would see the problem if it kicked you directly up your backside....

[P100]

6 hours ago, djayz said:

I don't believe my eyes!!! 

and you shouldn`t coz nothing will happen... it`s Thailand and the give a <deleted> about non-Thais...

[GAZZPA]

2 minutes ago, P100 said:

and you shouldn`t coz nothing will happen... it`s Thailand and the give a <deleted> about non-Thais...

I hope you are wrong fella,, it needs to change so we can only hope..

[Rimmer]

An abusive personal attack has been removed also a reply

 

[huntandcollect]

5 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Thats why its a good idea to hook up with a Thai girl.  To take care of business for you.

and your money as well????

[Paul DS]

All talk, it will never change, it is imprinted in there mentality! They look down on everyone including poor Thais, they are rascist in every situation dealing with Foreigners!

[PeeJayEm]

The average wage in Bangkok is c.US$800/month which includes huge disparities from metropolitan elite to poorest. The minimum wage (if it is actually enforced) which is more representative of most Thais is c. US$200/month. Average per capita income across the whole county is c. $280/month.

 

The average visiting tourist will be coming from an average approximately 10 times that.

 

Unless we want to see poorer (average) Thais unable to visit attractions in their own country (forget the metropolitans - they're factorially above average) there ought to be differentiated pricing or a concessionary system.  The simple concessionary systems operated in western countries won't work because Thai poverty covers all age groups.

 

So what systems might be the fairest?  Constructing a completely fair concession system is impossible: there are poor foreigners long term resident in-country that need taken care - and there are rich HiSo elite Thais who don't need concessions - but means testing for this is impossible. There are also tourists that might be able to speak Thai - but the very vast majority can't.

 

So, for simple practicality to get the vast majority of visitors to attractions correctly levied - and with priority to ensuring poor Thais can visit, my vote would go to a system that had a high level price as standard for entry  (the current "foreigner price" being the standard entry) and a concessionary price of about 15% of that for all fluent Thai speakers. - Easily checked case-by-case.

There will be an odd exception but I have no patience or sympathy with self-centred touchy tourists / visitors who cannot see that they SHOULD help to subsidise their on average VASTLY poorer hosts.  They should remember that someone unemployed in e.g. the UK is still receiving benefits from government that are 500% of the average Thai income !!  And anyone who want's to complain can get over it themselves by learning to speak Thai (which should also help generate some much needed humility too :)

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, GAZZPA said:

I don't think you would see the problem if it kicked you directly up your backside....

Simple question. How much has dual pricing cost you in past 12 months. Simple question. I outlined my enormous loss of ~ 500 baht. And you? Since this is such an important issue for you. Just take a stab. Added details would be lovely.

[Older bolder]

6 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

At last!! Someone in authority who not only has indentified the problem but explained the pitfalls of dual pricing.

 

Tanse Petsuwa, you've bought a tear to my eye

 

Are they going to stop the two tier system in the hospitals????????????

[DrJack54]

Just now, Older bolder said:

Are they going to stop the two tier system in the hospitals????????????

If your a farang living here and even if working here you deserve nothing. Have health insurance or pay to stay in private hospital. BTW world class.

[Trillian]

There's a large element of beer o'clock in some of these posts, it's the only logical answer.

[Blumpie]

Ah, the reckoning.... 

Everyone breathe it in.  In and out.  The reckoning is here.  

The numbers in tourism are so staggeringly poor that they will do anything, anything to fix it.  It was westerners who got Thailand more or less back on the map, then they wanted you out.  Now look at them.  They know that China is NOT going to permit their tourists back into the country, possibly shutting down world #2's economy.  

Let's watch them grovel.  ????  No, I'm still not going to your littered abandoned garbage national parks.  Your caged starving elephants don't interest me either.  

[rwill]

"It's time to" does not equal "will happen"

 

Expect the difference to increase to make up for lost revenue.

[Burma Bill]

Will the Thais now have to pay "farang" price????

[Mapguy]

There are all sorts of tiered pricing in effect worldwide for all sorts of things. Most are hidden in the common auction of the price of something as in the market.  It is good to hear a logical reason why it can be counter-productive.  If and when this particular system is eliminated in Thailand, I think most relief will be felt by the unfortunate clerks who manage entrance at booths and gates and have no doubt received a great deal of personal abuse from foreigners if complaints I have read on Thai Visa over the year in any indication.  So, an added benefit, I think, will be definite improvement in Thai-farang relations!