Tourism ministry dual pricing proposal for hotel rates

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

You missed the point, The Menus are the same items, one in Thai language at Thai prices and the other in English with tourist prices.

Maybe I did with your post, my GF certainly wouldn't when she is ordering. Not that she would be ordering, we would both be walking out.

The menus I see are one item, English and Thai, one price.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Lacessit

[superal]

Please forgive this digression but my point is relative in dual pricing .

Has it ever occurred to you why there is never a price on the wind screens of used car sale sites ? It is of course that they will try to extort as much money as they can from you . A foreigner will pay top price .  There is dual pricing between Thais , as I know first hand , where in my daughter in laws shop she charges a lower price to regular customer and higher to unknown customers . None of her merchandise carries a price tag    

[Senior Player]

7 hours ago, petermik said:

Room for two persons booked in lead guests name....immaterial who the other guest is........????

Looking at the small print on one of the major booking sites there is an "Additional Charges by Accommodations" clause that allows the hotel to charge mandatory service fees, surcharges, and local taxes. It states: "If we are aware of these service fees and local taxes, we will display them with your reservation price. These service fees and local taxes may be collected directly from you by the Accommodation, in addition to the price you pay for your reservation." 

 

Depending on the mindset of the hotel or its staff, they could in theory charge you more upon your arrival or checkout claiming you violated their booking policy and put it down as a city tourist tax (farang tax) or surcharge. Of course, I'm talking purely hypothetical here, but should the government decide to push through with this dual pricing, it could tempt some hoteliers to double down and ask for more if they see farangs trying to circumvent their new policy by deceit or evasion. Until it happens, we just don't know.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Senior Player

[KhunLA]

37 minutes ago, Senior Player said:

Looking at the small print on one of the major booking sites there is an "Additional Charges by Accommodations" clause that allows the hotel to charge mandatory service fees, surcharges, and local taxes. It states: "If we are aware of these service fees and local taxes, we will display them with your reservation price. These service fees and local taxes may be collected directly from you by the Accommodation, in addition to the price you pay for your reservation." 

 

Depending on the mindset of the hotel or its staff, they could in theory charge you more upon your arrival or checkout claiming you violated their booking policy and put it down as a city tourist tax (farang tax) or surcharge. Of course, I'm talking purely hypothetical here, but should the government decide to push through with this dual pricing, it could tempt some hoteliers to double down and ask for more if they see farangs trying to circumvent their new policy by deceit or evasion. Until it happens, we just don't know.

Simple solution, don't use booking site, or any that charge in advance, or only book 1 night if necessary.

 

Y'all got feet, simply use them.  We've only had to do it a couple times, once arrived the rate changed on seeing whitey.  Bye bye.

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Are you mistaking me for someone else sir.  Fleeing Thailand, where have I ever indicated that.  I think your confused, live here, and enjoy like you do.  Sure I moan about stuff but then most of it is as you say is out of our hands.  Enjoy your weekend.  Off to enjoy the day at a rooftop eatery before the rain settles in again here in Bangkok.

Did I mention you specifically?

 

I hope your lunch went well. Mine was in the shade on the patio. Hot here too but hopefully the rain will break in the evening as I'm playing basketball with the boys. Well, trying to anyway.

[ThailandRyan]

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

Did I mention you specifically?

 

I hope your lunch went well. Mine was in the shade on the patio. Hot here too but hopefully the rain will break in the evening as I'm playing basketball with the boys. Well, trying to anyway.

Thanks, lunch was great we finished just in time before the rain rolled in and we drove back to the condo in a deluge.......all clear now and the lights of the city look beautiful with a clear and undirtied sky.  Sitting on the balcony now chilling.....temp dropped to 27C which is pretty nice since the humidity is at 67% according to my weather station.  Hope the BB went good.

[2009]

9 hours ago, NanLaew said:

However, I have a soft spot for the moaners who like to moan about everything but then claim they avoid exposing themselves to the things they're still moaning about. That about right @2009?

As a non-tourist, I can pretty much avoid most of the tourist troubles on my list, yeah. Lol

[Senior Player]

3 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Simple solution, don't use booking site, or any that charge in advance, or only book 1 night if necessary.

 

Y'all got feet, simply use them.  We've only had to do it a couple times, once arrived the rate changed on seeing whitey.  Bye bye.

So after a 12-hour flight or more, feeling hot, sweaty and jetlagged, you're going to take all your luggage and go in search of another hotel that doesn't impose dual-pricing when it's most likely to be established across the entire town or city where you're staying at?

 

I get your point, but I just don't see how this proposal is perceived as an incentive to boost tourism when they're being so open and blasé about its inequality.

[Blumpie]

Gentlemen,

This is the nail in the coffin.  

Does it surprise me?  It does a little.  I've never seen such a bone-head move in my entire life.  

How low can they go?  Apparently a lot lower that's for sure!

[KhunLA]

44 minutes ago, Senior Player said:

So after a 12-hour flight or more, feeling hot, sweaty and jetlagged, you're going to take all your luggage and go in search of another hotel that doesn't impose dual-pricing when it's most likely to be established across the entire town or city where you're staying at?

 

I get your point, but I just don't see how this proposal is perceived as an incentive to boost tourism when they're being so open and blasé about its inequality.

Quote

 

 KhunLA said:

 or only book 1 night if necessary.

 

 

[Senior Player]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

 

Yes, I get your "book 1-night if necessary" suggestion, but how will that change the dual-pricing you'll find at the next hotel or the one after that? And unless you're a Thai national who is getting the 50% discount, how will you even know if your hotel is operating such a dual-tariff scheme if it's at their own discretion? It's not as if the Thais will be flaunting their 50% discounts to every farang staying in the same hotel. They'll pay discreetly and most new arrivals will not be even aware of the difference in room rates.

 

Bottom line, the dual-tariff scheme is a bad proposal by the tourist minister and reflects poorly on the country.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Senior Player

[KhunLA]

7 minutes ago, Senior Player said:

Yes, I get your "book 1-night if necessary" suggestion, but how will that change the dual-pricing you'll find at the next hotel or the one after that? And unless you're a Thai national who is getting the 50% discount, how will you even know if your hotel is operating such a dual-tariff scheme if it's at their own discretion? It's not as if the Thais will be flaunting their 50% discounts to every farang staying in the same hotel. They'll pay discreetly and most new arrivals will not be even aware of the difference in room rates.

 

Bottom line, the dual-tariff scheme is a bad proposal by the tourist minister and reflects poorly on the country.

Hotel / GH owners aren't that stupid to follow the govt BS.  They'll do what they want, like they always have.

 

TBH .. I'm hoping there is a mandatory new 'farang tax' added to accommodations.  Something they can't avoid not charging for, and with big letter 'FOREIGNER SURCHARGE / FEE / TAX' ... ????

 

Unfortunately, don't see that happening.

[ross163103]

On 7/6/2022 at 2:47 PM, webfact said:

planning to raise hotel rates to pre-pandemic levels to support a faster recovery of the industry.

They JUST don't get it, do they?! TIT!

[moogradod]

On 7/9/2022 at 12:12 PM, ThailandRyan said:

........What I have found is that dressing appropriately is required and a polo shirt and slacks is frowned upon....lol

I am most of the time overdressed, at least at upscale eateries where I mostly regard jacket and tie as appropriate (at least tie and long sleeve shirt). I also dress nice for Immigration (although no tie). It never did me any harm so far apart from feeling a bit silly at times when the neighboring table wears short pants or below casual attire (even in more upscale venues).

 

The biggest affront I ever made was to sit down in the Elizabethan Grillroom in the Raffles Singapore which is a VERY elegant "eatery" wearing but a training suit. A very long time ago though. As I was a hotel guest this time this was generously ignored in a good old british colonial fashion. "Do you like to try from our Roast beef, Sir ?".

 

Maybe double pricing comes as well in another though not widly recognized form. Maybe the (s) and (l) that occur some time after the prices do not mean "small" and "large", but "sage" (for the Thais) and "lowlife" (for the rest, like me). Just check your bill carefully ????

[trainman34014]

22 hours ago, superal said:

Please forgive this digression but my point is relative in dual pricing .

Has it ever occurred to you why there is never a price on the wind screens of used car sale sites ? It is of course that they will try to extort as much money as they can from you . A foreigner will pay top price .  There is dual pricing between Thais , as I know first hand , where in my daughter in laws shop she charges a lower price to regular customer and higher to unknown customers . None of her merchandise carries a price tag    

This is an area where Laws should have involved for years to ensure everything is priced for the customer to see. These sort of pricing scams should be thing of the past but hey...this is Thailand where most things are at least 50 years behind others !

[Senior Player]

17 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Hotel / GH owners aren't that stupid to follow the govt BS.  They'll do what they want, like they always have.

 

TBH .. I'm hoping there is a mandatory new 'farang tax' added to accommodations.  Something they can't avoid not charging for, and with big letter 'FOREIGNER SURCHARGE / FEE / TAX' ... ????

 

Unfortunately, don't see that happening.

I actually agree with you on the first part, as many hoteliers in Thailand have already slammed the government's plan to create dual-pricing for foreign tourists and locals.

 

The "foreigner surcharge" will still get the same reaction from wannabe tourists to Thailand as the dual-pricing proposal—which, in effect, is the same thing. If Thailand really wants more tourism, then advertising that they'll pay higher prices compared to the locals for the exact same service is not the smart way to go.

 

The only reason I can see for making such a proposal is TAT don't believe their own foreign arrival estimates for this year and want to ensure hotels are filled with locals rather than laying half-empty. Either way, it doesn't incentive your average tourist to book an already expensive flight to Thailand knowing full well that they're paying a hotel price that even the government admits to be inflated just because you're a foreigner.

 

Edited July 10, 2022 by Senior Player

[overherebc]

On 7/9/2022 at 3:43 PM, superal said:

Please forgive this digression but my point is relative in dual pricing .

Has it ever occurred to you why there is never a price on the wind screens of used car sale sites ? It is of course that they will try to extort as much money as they can from you . A foreigner will pay top price .  There is dual pricing between Thais , as I know first hand , where in my daughter in laws shop she charges a lower price to regular customer and higher to unknown customers . None of her merchandise carries a price tag    

Just proves that they would steal the sugar from your tea if there was a way.

[DjSilver]

On 7/8/2022 at 5:25 AM, NanLaew said:

Great idea. Please, PLEASE don't come.

 

And all you that are here, don't like it and moan about it, please, PLEASE go home.

I guess you are either one of those sex buyers or one who bought a wife from Isaan right?

[UweK]

I think I will follow that example and double my prices, than with 50% discount for foreigners!

[raccos21]

On 7/7/2022 at 3:47 AM, webfact said:

The government expects 9.3 million foreign arrivals this year, a fraction of the 40 million tourists who arrived in 2019. 

Wow, I expect that after the other tourists read this there’ll be at least 4 billion of them being unable to wait to come in to Thailand.

I also believe that the Indians will be the first to arrive in place of the CCPs who are unable to get in now for a while because of the Zero Covid Policy.

I think that this will the showdown of Thailand’s tourist industry, especially hotels; except for those that are owned by Hi-So.

Good luck to the amazing  Thailand.