Dual OVER pricing still active in Krabi

[Bangkok Barry]

Come on! National Parks used to charge 10x didn't they? Now it's only 5x. Written with irony and disgust.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, onebir said:

Does anyone know it it's actually legal?

 

Whether something is illegal or not has absolutely no relevance in Thailand.

[Natai Beach]

On 1/11/2021 at 12:50 AM, Patong2021 said:

Good that OP go away. The only thing the people who do this understand is money. Don't give them the money. They can keep hoping China tourists come back to pay high price.

Not right what they do and for that I give them language of curses many times over.

 

pretty sure the woman in the ticket booth, who is a fixed salary, could not give a flying .... if the OP and his friends visited or not.

 

Probably easier for her the less people come.

 

I don’t mind paying extra, me and all my friends get free visa on entry to come to Thailand, the Thais must pay for a visa to go to Australia.

Plus we stitch them up big time on education, the Thais must pay thousands of dollars more, and and on medical procedures. 
 

 

 

[LittleBear57]

Went there a few years ago, absolute rubbish. Had to remove shoes on the beach which had lots of broken glass on it. A complete rip off and a waste of time and energy.

 

[5633572526]

On 1/11/2021 at 2:36 AM, Salerno said:

 

So where on the scale would Florida sit when it discriminates against not only foreigners but also their out of State compatriots?

 

It’s sitting right where Disney not Florida agreed to be. The discount was a result of the tax breaks Disney got from Florida before building the park. Florida taxpayers had to make up that shortfall. Also note the residents regardless of where they are from get the discount. If a Thai person shows a Florida drivers license they get the discount. I would love to be able to show my Thai drivers license after living here for so many years and get the Thai price.

[recom273]

On 1/11/2021 at 2:36 AM, Salerno said:

 

So where on the scale would Florida sit when it discriminates against not only foreigners but also their out of State compatriots?

 

Are they not offering a discount to Florida residents because maybe they pay a local tax or they want local people to come and enjoy the park? If your reside in Florida, then you get the discount irrelevent of ethnicity or colour. 
 

With regard to Thailand, these things are not taken into consideration - I have paid income tax here, I have had a work permit, I pay the government tax via VAT for 10 years already, i have the correct visa and am married to a Thai. If I visit some local waterfalls I’m not permitted a local discount because the colour of my skin.

 

Disney’s policy is quite transparent, if you live within a specified area, you get a discount. 

There is no pleading at the gate, with your WP or DL. 
 

The whole thing is so counterproductive because a lot of expats just walk away, no one benefits. 
 

Anyway, it’s all a load of toss - national parks are just as much as a franchise as the police, I have distant family in a big park in the south, it’s all nepotism, only a percentage reaches the government, only a small part of the money is used to keep the park, most vanishes with creative accounting and they all get a share.

[petermik]

10 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

 

 

 

 

Plus we stitch them up big time on education, the Thais must pay thousands of dollars more, and and on medical procedures. 
 

 

 

Your country aught to be ashamed....

[PaoloR]

Easy, you don't have to pay anything.

Take the road down to the beach just before the mosque, park the car and walk round to the fossil beach - no pay - no steps.

All beaches are public - only the access is private, once on the beach you can walk where you like.

I walk my dogs there most mornings and have never encountered other dogs.

You would have to be a geologist to appreciate the place but the sunsets from the free car park can be spectacular. The free to enter fish research centre 500m back down the road is also worth a visit. 

[Hawkman]

Anyone who doesn't see a problem with this, really is missing the point and their reasoning doesn't make sense. It doesn't matter how rich you are or how poor you are (many Thais these days are much wealthier than expats and visiting tourists), signalling out a huge potential audience and penalising a minority is not only rude but discrimination. I know other countries do it too, so shame on them.
Luckily, it sounds like there is pressure and solutions coming such as https://www.facebook.com/foreignerfriendlythailand. When places see that they are being avoided due to their dual pricing, hopefully they will realise the errors of their ways and come on board.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Hawkman

[chuang]

Here we go again...if you think Thailand practises dual pricing, you are wrong. Welcome to the world.

[tomauasia]

On 1/10/2021 at 6:46 PM, Mavideol said:

I thought somebody at the Prayut's gang was looking at removing(or already did remove) the discriminatory/discrimination DUAL Over pricing fee to enter parks  here, I guess I was expecting too much from these scum bags, my wrong, so today decided to visit Krabi with some Thai friends, group of 6 people (2 foreigners included) and we went to Krabi Fossil park, were instructed to purchase tickets at the both,  much to our surprise the lady ask for 5 Thai to pay a price and for the 2 of us to pay different price, we all looked at each other with surprising look and asked why, she pointed to a sign located to the left of her booth, Thai friends start to argue and told her we have Pink card, live here for many years and we all should pay same price, she pretended not to understand and kept pointing at the sign... we then realized that it was a lost cause and the park has nothing special to see besides some rocks with some (or they say) fossil gravures dated 75 millions years ago, not my cup of tea and was not looking for any arguments, we did U Turn and left.... there was nobody there, park and stores empty, tourism is down to zero and yet they still practice dual pricing with an attitude.... Thailand should prepare itself for a rude/unpleasant awakening

 

That's how totally uneducated they are. Im the deep rounds of starvation they still insist to rob the country lol. There is no bright future ahead.

[tomauasia]

On 1/10/2021 at 7:22 PM, bkk6060 said:

How is it sneaky and insulting?

From my experience seems the prices at most of these places are clearly posted, as in your photo.

It was announced that it would be scrapped completely. That's why

[tomauasia]

13 hours ago, impulse said:

 

It's still just $6. 

 

If that's going to ruin someone's day, I suggest they aren't Thailand's target demographic- not the foreigners they want to cater to.

 

Not even comment worthy 

[EricTh]

On 1/10/2021 at 5:46 PM, Mavideol said:

 

 

 

 

Did the worker demand to see Thai ID cards from your Thai friends or just assumed they are Thai?

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by EricTh

[EricTh]

On 1/11/2021 at 1:06 AM, farang51 said:

I visited some years ago, got the Thai price by showing my driving license. You didn't miss much unless you are very much into fossils:

 

If people can't even get Thai price by showing their pink ID, how could you get it by showing a driving license that can be easily gotten by staying in Thailand for just 3 months?

 

[Almer]

You cant reason with there mindset

 

sell 100@50each you have 5000

sell 10@100 you have 1000

sell nothing @ 10,000each, disaster.

[farang51]

1 hour ago, EricTh said:

If people can't even get Thai price by showing their pink ID, how could you get it by showing a driving license that can be easily gotten by staying in Thailand for just 3 months?

I guess it depends on who's on duty. It was one of the few times I succeeded in getting the Thai price, most places they say no, and I leave.

Edited January 12, 2021 by farang51

[Mavideol]

15 hours ago, impulse said:

 

It's still just $6. 

 

If that's going to ruin someone's day, I suggest they aren't Thailand's target demographic- not the foreigners they want to cater to.

 

could it be that you missed the point, it has nothing to do with 5-6 or 7 Dollars, it's the principle and it's discriminatory

[Putupon]

A few months ago I went to koh samet with Thai family and friend's,  entrance fee 40 baht for Thai people and 200 baht for foreigners,  I showed the park ranger my pink I.D card saying I'm not a tourist I live here . He looked at my card and looked at me a few times and said in Thai , you old free ( well knock me down with feather ). P.S. I'm over 60 .

[impulse]

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

18 hours ago, impulse said:

It's still just $6. 

 

If that's going to ruin someone's day, I suggest they aren't Thailand's target demographic- not the foreigners they want to cater to.

could it be that you missed the point, it has nothing to do with 5-6 or 7 Dollars, it's the principle and it's discriminatory

 

You can look at it that way and live your Thai life in a constant state of resentment. 

 

Back home, we call them Karens.

 

I made my decisions based on the value presented by the price available to me.  $6 to get into a National Park is a lot less than I pay in other parts of the world.  It's a good value.  Whether a local gets a discount or not is none of my business. 

 

To be fair, there are some places (like the aquarium at Siam) that cost a foreigner more than I'm willing to pay.  So I don't go.  Just like I don't sleep at the Ritz when I'm in town.

 

Dual pricing happens all over.  Senior discounts.  Student discounts.  Disney's resident discounts.  College tuition for citizens vs foreigners.  State park fees are often different for people with local license plates on their cars.  Fishing and hunting licenses.  And many more examples.  All of them discriminate on some basis...  Age, residency, citizenship, etc.  And all are well accepted. 

 

Come back and complain when they start charging black tourists more than whites, or when they start discriminating against dark skinned Thais.  Meantime, I'll accept that Thailand (Inc) is operated for the benefit of Thai people and I'll get over the $6.  And I won't spend my life in a huff like a Karen.

 

[EricTh]

2 hours ago, Mavideol said:

could it be that you missed the point, it has nothing to do with 5-6 or 7 Dollars, it's the principle and it's discriminatory

Right.... and Western countries don't discriminate?

 

What about those foreign university students fees etc?

 

I found some restaurants in tourist areas charge more for Chinese/Western tourists than those for Thai customers. Just go elsewhere to eat.

 

Those tuk-tuk and red songtaew also overcharge tourists.

Edited January 12, 2021 by EricTh

[Peterphuket]

I refuse to pay dual overpricing fee.....I can't come in.

[Time Traveller]

22 hours ago, impulse said:

 

It's still just $6. 

 

If that's going to ruin someone's day, I suggest they aren't Thailand's target demographic- not the foreigners they want to cater to.

 

Thats a naive way to look at it. Sure you could say that it's only $6.

But everyone knows its not.  It's $6 extra for the entrance to the park here, and it's $10 extra for the taxi here, and $5 extra for the food there, then its $20 extra for the hotel there, and $10 surcharge on a regular hire rate there, then 20% on top of something else.  And thats everyday you're on vacation. 

 

The easiest way to deal with this is to not visit them. And the good news it, you're not missing anything by not going.  Thai national parks are pathetic. 

[richard_smith237]

14 hours ago, Natai Beach said:

pretty sure the woman in the ticket booth, who is a fixed salary, could not give a flying .... if the OP and his friends visited or not.

 

Probably easier for her the less people come.

 

I don’t mind paying extra, me and all my friends get free visa on entry to come to Thailand, the Thais must pay for a visa to go to Australia.

Plus we stitch them up big time on education, the Thais must pay thousands of dollars more, and and on medical procedures.

 

 

 

Really, Thai’s who become resident in Australia have to pay extra for eduction (for their Children) and have to pay a lot more for medical procedures ????

 

I think you’ve used some selective confirmation bias to justify the unjustifiable - your argument is flawed. 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, EricTh said:

Right.... and Western countries don't discriminate?

 

What about those foreign university students fees etc?

 

If a Thai National obtains resident status, they get resident fees for University - the pricing is based purely on residency, not on nationality or race.

If a foreign nations obtains resident status in Thailand, the are still ‘double’ charged, the pricing is based purse on nationality. 

 

 

5 hours ago, EricTh said:

I found some restaurants in tourist areas charge more for Chinese/Western tourists than those for Thai customers. Just go elsewhere to eat.

Agreed, just go elsewhere - but the point is once again missed - state sponsored dual pricing sends the message that this acceptable practice for businesses. 

 

 

5 hours ago, EricTh said:

Those tuk-tuk and red songtaew also overcharge tourists.

 

I’m not sure what point you are making here... That because Tuk-Tuks double charge its ok for the government to double charge ??? 

 

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

 

You can look at it that way and live your Thai life in a constant state of resentment. 

 

Back home, we call them Karens.

 

I made my decisions based on the value presented by the price available to me.  $6 to get into a National Park is a lot less than I pay in other parts of the world.  It's a good value.  Whether a local gets a discount or not is none of my business. 

We have all made similar decisions. In much the same way I’ve made many decisions to accept things in Thailand. That doesn’t mean we also have to like it and when the discussion comes up on forums such as this which are designed for voicing an opinion we see how many people feel these practices are distasteful. 

 

 

Quote

To be fair, there are some places (like the aquarium at Siam) that cost a foreigner more than I'm willing to pay.  So I don't go.  Just like I don't sleep at the Ritz when I'm in town.

To be fair, these places allow entry at the Thai Price with a Thai Driving Licence. 

 

 

Quote

Dual pricing happens all over.  Senior discounts.  Student discounts.  Disney's resident discounts.  College tuition for citizens vs foreigners.  State park fees are often different for people with local license plates on their cars.  Fishing and hunting licenses.  And many more examples.  All of them discriminate on some basis...  Age, residency, citizenship, etc.  And all are well accepted. 

 

That it happens else where does not make the practice any less objectionable. That said many of your examples are flawed as they offer discounts based on residency not solely on nationality. In every example you have provided if a Thai (or any other foreign national ) were to secure local residency they too would receive the same discounts. 

 

Quote

Come back and complain when they start charging black tourists more than whites, or when they start discriminating against dark skinned Thais.  Meantime, I'll accept that Thailand (Inc) is operated for the benefit of Thai people and I'll get over the $6.  And I won't spend my life in a huff like a Karen.

 

No one is huffing and making a scene like a ‘Karen’, people have simply chosen to vote with their feet and wallet. In much the same way you do so at the Ritz or Siam Aquarium. This forum has witnessed the voice of many who find dual pricing distasteful and others who argue ‘it happens elsewhere’ or ‘if you don’t like it don’t’ go there mentality, which doesn’t make the practice any less distasteful. 

 

IF you were to turn up at a bar and order a beer and be charged 10x the price charged to Thai sat next to you I wonder if you would struggle to ’shrug it off’ so readily. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by richard_smith237

[BangkokBoyJohnny]

On 1/10/2021 at 6:53 PM, scubascuba3 said:

These parks are best avoided until/if the  dual pricing stops. I accept dual pricing at where I play golf 250 baht foreigner vs 120 baht Thai because otherwise I'd be paying 2,000 baht elsewhere, but apart from that I avoid anywhere that dual prices

Which course ?

Ps Lucky you, I'm in Phuket currently !

[impulse]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

No one is huffing and making a scene like a ‘Karen’, people have simply chosen to vote with their feet and wallet. In much the same way you do so at the Ritz or Siam Aquarium. This forum has witnessed the voice of many who find dual pricing distasteful and others who argue ‘it happens elsewhere’ or ‘if you don’t like it don’t’ go there mentality, which doesn’t make the practice any less distasteful. 

 

Ummmm.  The OP planned on spending some time in a park with some friends.  Meaning they took the time, drove the miles and burned the fuel to get to the park.  Seems like they must have seen some value in going to the park- enough to take the time and spend the $$$.  Then, for $6, nobody went in.  Plans dashed and time wasted.  Maybe just on principal.

 

Only a Karen would consider that a win.

 

Just to be clear, I'm glad I wasn't one of the disappointed friends.  Because I may have left with the OP in solidarity, but I wouldn't have been happy about it...  It's $6 for Pete's sake.

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by impulse

[AlexRich]

I’ve never been bothered by it, as I simply wouldn’t go anywhere that practiced dual pricing. If every foreigner did likewise it would stop. 

[richard_smith237]

58 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Ummmm.  The OP planned on spending some time in a park with some friends.  Meaning they took the time, drove the miles and burned the fuel to get to the park.  Seems like they must have seen some value in going to the park- enough to take the time and spend the $$$.  Then, for $6, nobody went in.  Plans dashed and time wasted.  Maybe just on principal.

 

Only a Karen would consider that a win.

 

Just to be clear, I'm glad I wasn't one of the disappointed friends.  Because I may have left with the OP in solidarity, but I wouldn't have been happy about it...  It's $6 for Pete's sake.

 

 

Agreed, if everyone else made the effort and drove hours to a national park only to turn around the response to refuse to go in is somewhat of an over-reaction - that in no measure or form makes dual pricing acceptable. 

 

The term ‘Karen’ has recently been adopted to indicate a temper tantrum over something simple - I don’t think the op had a temper tantrum, it seems he simply decided to stuck to a principle.

 

 

Last year I paid 200B to enter Koh Samet while my Wife paid 40 baht. This year I paid 40baht with a pink ID card. 

I didn’t really care about the 200B last year. But I did get annoyed when I saw Chinese Tourists being harassed by the National Park Guards - The Tourists had paid the 200B the day before, and were then being harassed to pay the 200B again for that day being told the charge is per day !! - IMO that treatment of tourists is atrocious. 

 

 

If my wife (Thai) had to pay more than me for any national park or tourist attraction in the UK I would be very annoyed. That this has become acceptable behaviour in Thailand is outrageous. 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by richard_smith237