National parks report financial loss from COVID-19

[webfact]

National parks report financial loss from COVID-19

 

   

BANGKOK (NNT) - National parks are among places affected by an absence of tourists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation has reported some 900 million baht in loss in revenue at national parks nationwide from October 2019 to September 2020.

 

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation’s (DNP) Deputy Director General Chongklai Voraphongston, disclosed today that the total number of national park visitors this year has fallen to only 13.9 million, from the previous 20.8 million figure in 2019, due to the closure of national parks from 1st April to 1st July this year due to the COVID-19 threat.

 

The drop in visitor numbers has led to a drop in revenue to only 1.365 billion baht, far less than fiscal year 2019’s revenue of 2.258 billion baht.

 

The DNP deputy chief said however, the lower number of visitors to national parks is beneficial to the wildlife and the environment, and allows the national parks time to improve the facilities, tourism routes, and visitor services such as advance online reservations for visits to comply with the capacity control policy.

 

The DNP has reported only 50 million baht in revenue from national park admissions. The department expects the number of visitors will improve from November to January next year, especially in the northern region where people usually flock to enjoy the winter breeze at Natural tourism attractions.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-11-12

 

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[Flying Saucage]

35 minutes ago, webfact said:

National parks are among places affected by an absence of tourists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

 

Quite logic, isn't it? When you don't let in foreigners to rip them off with your officially sanctioned dual pricing, charging 5 times the prices a Thai has to pay, then you don't get this money from the tourists. Surprised, general Chonklai? 

 

Still Thai officials did not find a way to get the tourists money without letting them in, but we know it is their wet dream.

 

Some Thai girls have this mystic talent, though.  

 

 

[Somtamnication]

What are the 3 govt officials doing by the tent?

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

National parks are among places affected by an absence of tourists due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation has reported some 900 million baht in loss in revenue at national parks nationwide from October 2019 to September 2020.

Excellent news, long may it continue.

The national parks lost me 5 years ago when they tried to rip me off to the tune of 10X the Thai entry price.

What goes around comes around

Som nam na !!!

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

What are the 3 govt officials doing by the tent?

Looking for a wise monkey... 

[RotBenz8888]

"When the falangs are back, they're gonna pay 20x as Thais to make up for the loss. Yeeeee" 

[quake]

Ah a good news thread.

[Misterwhisper]

Why this consistent reporting of half-truths, NNT?

 

Why not clearly name THE single-most influencing factor that has caused revenue to drop so sharply?

 

And that factor is the almost complete loss of foreign visitors who could be fleeced for 10 times the entry fee and routinely also had to pay considerably more for national park accommodations and other services than locals.

 

While the 4-month closure of Thailand's national parks certainly had some smaller impact on local tourism, the foreigners were already gone by then.

 

In any case, citing a 4-month closure as the principal reason for the revenue drop is dishonest and little more than a lukewarm excuse.

 

A local pays 20 baht entry into any national park. A foreigners pays 200 baht. It's simple arithmetic: You need 10 local visitors to generate the same income that you would get from 1 foreigner.  

[TSF]

I don't bother with their national parks or anything that has higher for foreigner admission fees. Next week we'll be passing through Sukhothai. Neither myself nor my Thai wife have been there and I thought we'll visit the historical park until I read about the admission fees. There are 5 different sections to the park and you have to pay separate admission fees to enter each....the foreigner fee is 10 times that of the Thai fee. So that's 10 times the Thai fee X 5. So they can shove it. I've already been to Angkor 3 times now, so I've seen way better ancient ruins than what they have at  Sukhothai. 

[Peterphuket]

Since the price has multiplied, I don't visit them anymore, also my family and guests too give the advice not to go.

 Sinds they raised the price....let me guess 15 year already?

[wwest5829]

My unsolicited two satang worth. Thailand has some very beautiful national parks. I am familiar only with the National Park System in the USA. To me this is an area of immense sustainable potential if Thailand were both to develop and manage to control the number of visitors. I am afraid I also, as a resident retiree of Thailand, do not visit Thai national parks as much as I would like due to the discrimination shown through the price differences due to being a foreigner resident.

[PatOngo]

What a shame there are no farang tourists to rip off with over inflated entry fees. I stopped visiting National Parks years ago because of that rip off! Whistle for your money!

[Andycoops]

And most expats are boycotting them due to the racist prices for non Thais, thereby losing another revenue stream.

[TSF]

1 hour ago, Andycoops said:

And most expats are boycotting them due to the racist prices for non Thais, thereby losing another revenue stream.

Not only do we boycott these things but we spread the word around via forums and word of mouth. So it's really backfiring on them in many ways.

[Blumpie]

I found the opposite - national parks tend to be delapitated, over priced, largely deserted and trash everywhere with lazy thais sleeping.  Obviously ive gone to the wrong national parks!  

And who would camp with a bunch of lemurs running around.  Oh that sounds like fun, having those animals trying to claw their way into your tent.  

 

[greeneking]

2 hours ago, Blumpie said:

I found the opposite - national parks tend to be delapitated, over priced, largely deserted and trash everywhere with lazy thais sleeping.  Obviously ive gone to the wrong national parks!  

And who would camp with a bunch of lemurs running around.  Oh that sounds like fun, having those animals trying to claw their way into your tent.  

 

I remember recent reports the government was  looking into ending double pricing.  How much time do they need?One for you Deputy PM Wisanu Kruangam?

[briansbiology]

12 hours ago, Blumpie said:

I found the opposite - national parks tend to be delapitated, over priced, largely deserted and trash everywhere with lazy thais sleeping.  Obviously ive gone to the wrong national parks!  

And who would camp with a bunch of lemurs running around.  Oh that sounds like fun, having those animals trying to claw their way into your tent.  

 

lemurs? are you in Madagascar?

[maxcorrigan]

On 11/12/2020 at 4:55 AM, Flying Saucage said:

 

Quite logic, isn't it? When you don't let in foreigners to rip them off with your officially sanctioned dual pricing, charging 5 times the prices a Thai has to pay, then you don't get this money from the tourists. Surprised, general Chonklai? 

 

Still Thai officials did not find a way to get the tourists money without letting them in, but we know it is their wet dream.

 

Some Thai girls have this mystic talent, though.  

 

 

Change The rip off price from 5x To 10x and too be more accurate or 1000% i refuse to go in any of these places, not that they are worried but makes feel better!

[Rubble]

15 hours ago, greeneking said:

I remember recent reports the government was  looking into ending double pricing.  How much time do they need?One for you Deputy PM Wisanu Kruangam?

It is an ongoing mull and besides it has to go through a number of committees before a decision can't be reached. Thai government committees are designed so as to avoid making any final decision.