Tourism ministry dual pricing proposal for hotel rates

[LukKrueng]

Hotels had different prices for different nationalities long before COVID. Has to do with market demand and not government policies.

[gravity101]

Will never happen to any noticeable degree. Market forces, competition, allocation and distribution will see to that. You'll get some more hotels offering 'Thai resident rates' specific to individual platforms as they do now but that'll be it. In my experience any resident  can get those, they don't discriminate on nationality (or really care).

[JayBird]

What happens to mix race couples?  There are foreigners here married to Thai.  Do they pay the Thai rate, foreign rate, or in between?

 

How does it work with apps like agoda?  Will they be required to ask the nationality of the person booking then show the rates?

[actonion]

Its what Thai's do,         when  customers  are few   they put the prices up, a  local laundry has done it too 

[Srikcir]

This policy is directed towards "foreign tourists."

What about expats living in Thailand for long stay?

History shows no differentiation with dual pricing, no matter the visa nor wealth of the foreigner.

[aussiexpat]

Since quoting the "paper we shall not name" seems to be ok now, here is the justification

 

Mr Anutin likened the approach to that of luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton. "Hold your ground. Sell premium. The more expensive, the more customers," he said. "Otherwise Louis Vuitton wouldn't have any sales."

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by aussiexpat

[shackleton]

I am sure Tourists coming to Thailand will be aware of the Dual pricing 

If they are first timers up to them if they  to pay if  regular visitors  they know the score 

If not happy about it don't come you have a choice ???? 

 

[superal]

2 hours ago, alex8912 said:

Bangkok Post?  Really?  Wow.  
I thought that was worse than a swear word on here???  

That is what hit me too . Will admin explain ?  What has happened is they have quoted from the Royal Coast Review ( RCR ) not the Bangkok post directly . Is that correct admin ?

[austhai]

Great, people will start to book into small businesses again like guesthouses (under apartment licenses of course). the little people will start to get room customers again.

[sandyf]

20 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Dual pricing is just wrong, and no justification for it. 

"Dual pricing" is nothing more than a falang interpretation for "local" discounting, something that happens worldwide.

Currently Thailand has no tourist tax in place so they are quite justified in collecting additional revenue at tourist attractions. There is no dispute that in some cases the differential can be seen as excessive but it is up to you if you wish to enter. If they don't allow the Thai price with yellow book I don't go, simple as that.

Having been to several countries that have a tourist tax in place, it is not something I would want to see here.

As far as the OP is concerned there has been an official "local" discounting scheme for  hotels in place for most of the pandemic. There is nothing out of order with the government advocating the continuance of local discounting unofficially.

With the OP saying  "prices returning to pre- pandemic levels" they are hardly pushing for a specific increase aimed at foreigners, although many choose to see it that way.

[sqwakvfr]

This may already be happening.  Last week I checked on the price for one night at a highly rated hotel in CNX.

 

1. I set my VPN to USA and checked on the hotel website for one night in late July 2022. I was quoted 1800 Baht.

2.  I then turned the VPN off and checked on the hotel website for the same type of room and on the same night.  I was quoted 1700 Baht.  

 

The difference is 100 Baht but I wonder if this is going on elsewhere.  From now I am going check the prices for hotels and airfare twice: first with the VPN on and the second time with the VPN off.  

[chickin]

Aaaahhh the good old triad rears it's stupid head; ignorance, narcissism, and racism, all in one poisonous cocktail. Amazing Thailand.  

[ikke1959]

13 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

Since quoting the "paper we shall not name" seems to be ok now, here is the justification

 

Mr Anutin likened the approach to that of luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton. "Hold your ground. Sell premium. The more expensive, the more customers," he said. "Otherwise Louis Vuitton wouldn't have any sales."

 

The difference between Lois Vuitton and Thailand is the quality... but he forget

 

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, sandyf said:

"Dual pricing" is nothing more than a falang interpretation for "local" discounting, something that happens worldwide.

Currently Thailand has no tourist tax in place so they are quite justified in collecting additional revenue at tourist attractions. There is no dispute that in some cases the differential can be seen as excessive but it is up to you if you wish to enter. If they don't allow the Thai price with yellow book I don't go, simple as that.

Having been to several countries that have a tourist tax in place, it is not something I would want to see here.

As far as the OP is concerned there has been an official "local" discounting scheme for  hotels in place for most of the pandemic. There is nothing out of order with the government advocating the continuance of local discounting unofficially.

With the OP saying  "prices returning to pre- pandemic levels" they are hardly pushing for a specific increase aimed at foreigners, although many choose to see it that way.

Disagree.  Tourist Tax is fine, and they already have or will for arriving & departing tax has always been there.

 

Different pricing for same services, products (dual pricing) is not a local discount, it's theft.

 

Have to A2D on this one.  Supply & demand in a free market, not surcharges because of race, sex, religion, financial status. 

 

That's BS

[bbbbooboo]

Hmmm,….. what a diabolically clever idea, increase hotel prices for foreign tourists to increase foreign tourism. It could only happen in Thailand I suspect?

[KhunLA]

9 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

This may already be happening.  Last week I checked on the price for one night at a highly rated hotel in CNX.

 

1. I set my VPN to USA and checked on the hotel website for one night in late July 2022. I was quoted 1800 Baht.

2.  I then turned the VPN off and checked on the hotel website for the same type of room and on the same night.  I was quoted 1700 Baht.  

 

The difference is 100 Baht but I wonder if this is going on elsewhere.  From now I am going check the prices for hotels and airfare twice: first with the VPN on and the second time with the VPN off.  

That's nothing new, and been that way as long as I can remember, used, damn near 20 yrs.

[Straight8]

I'm not surprised muther-effers, no matter what thiscountry does next

[maxcorrigan]

43 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

it wont happen, dont worry about it, ignore it.

what hotel owner wants to lose money when the farangs dont book?

but if Thailand does bring in ridiculous things like this........Philippines looking good.

The PH just needs to sort out its electrical system, internet and food.......then it would be number 1 option for me anyway

Especially if you're a UK pensioner!

[asiacafe]

Just about every market I know of in the world has special pricing for locals at various establishments such as hotels, restaurants, museums, etc.  There are often ways for locals to participate in discounts and/or special offers that "foreigners" or out-of-state persons cannot access or are unaware of how to qualify. In Hawaii it's call kamaaina rates where locals (and sometimes those that know locals) get special 'local' rates at hotels and other places. In New York, locals "pay what they wish" (including $0) to enter various museums (including the MET) whereas non-New Yorkers must pay the list rates.  In Thailand they had Staycation rates during Covid which worked well for the hotels, filled some rooms and kept staff trained while earning some income for the hotels. Of course Thailand hotels might see the need to offer discounted rates to get locals to fill up the extra rooms that tourists aren't taking...rooms that locals probably don't really need as they live nearby or have friends to stay with or are saving up to spend on foreign vacations where they will be paying higher rates at those hotels than the locals are.

[brucegoniners]

That’ll help tourism. 
 

Sure. Soak the foreigners.

[JonnyF]

Coming to a 711 near you.

 

Jack the prices up 50%. Then offer a 50% discount for anyone with a Thai ID card. Claim it's not dual pricing, it's a local discount. The apologists on here will no doubt support it, quoting DisneyWorld, poor Thai people (arriving in their Benz) etc. ????

[RafPinto]

You don't understand:

 

 

It will be like this:

 

Let's say: 1 night rate 2000Baht

 

Thai customer: 2000

Chinese customer: 1000

Indian customer: 1000

Farang customer: 4000

 

We must sponsor the trillions of cheap Chineses and Indians coming soon.

 

Hope this article will be published all over the world.

 

Welcome to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, etc...

Did they check how much a flight to Asia costs nowadays?
Do they know how much living costs everywhere have gone up.
They really think that people are so stupid to spend their hard earned cash somewhere where the scam is written all over it?

Only ones who come will be:

People coming back to see family.
The desperados, looking for this cheap hook up.

[Wongkitlo]

I dont believe operators want Thai customers.  They complain, spend little money, and give bad reviews. Booking.com etc computer applications will not allow it technically. Government has been wasting money on 'We travel together' schemes which benefit rich Chinrse owners with large hotels while small ones do not qualify.  why are they stoopping the schemes  and switching to this.

[Daimler]

4 hours ago, mike1967 said:

That'll work then!!! After 12 years of staying in Thailand and having been back in the UK since Covid kicked in....I know where I'll be staying now. Being away from Thailand has opened many people's eyes.

I agree i have rediscovered my own country and like it more than Thailand now. This is after living in Thailand for a long time. I have left and will only visit when i feel like it now. My partner is loving Australia and does not want to go home 

[jesimps]

Thai tourists are not a problem, because from the start of Covid local tourists seemed to increase. All through the epidemic, you couldn't move in Jomtien for local tour buses and people. Therefore, if anything, it's hotel rates for foreign tourists that should be kept at Covid levels. The only reason I can see for putting up rates for foreigners is to increase the size of the brown envelopes for the rich and powerful.

[ThailandRyan]

45 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Been following Paddy Doyle (YT) adventures in Nan ... looking quite nice, and plenty of tourist/groups in the latest vid.

 

Just started the series, and first 4 suck, rain, landslides, flat tires, sorting his scooter.   Then he got out into the countryside....WOW, lovely place.

Latest 4 are quite nice: 

https://www.youtube.com/c/PaddyDoyleYT/videos

 

Infrastructure leaves a bit to be desire, but the rest, I can see the appeal.

 

Buddy, ex-regular visitor here, loved Cambo & PI.  He won't return to Thailand, although last visit, just prior to covid, he did enjoy Hua Hin, as his regular port of call was Patts, 30 yrs running.

We have been following him as well.  

[SymS]

Some hotels in Bangkok already had a policy to charge a 100% markup for foreigners.
I was with a Thai person, when she called to book the price was 700 Baht before, but they asked whether a foreigner would stay as well, the price went up to 1400 Baht. To be fair that was at least 10 years ago, and things may have changed, especially with online bookings.

[ThailandRyan]

46 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Something we never do, JIC.   Wifey will need to ask now, and yet another question:

Dog

Parking on site

Brekkie - no want, is it mandatory

Whitey surcharge ????

We do not prepay either, book through booking.com with no payment until arrival or checkout. Yet true tourists do.

Edited July 7, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[Boomer6969]

Well, I'll let my wife make all hotel bookings from now on.

[Wrwest]

Thailand Tourism will be met with issues from all international hotel associations. This proposal is dead in the water as not well thought out in the blowback damaging Thailand tourism. Any foreign tourists with friends in Thailand has alreading been forwarded of dual pricing to visit Thailands National Parks (a travesty as they could be promoted like these parks are in the US and elsewhere).