Thai media investigates trouble in Koh Samet - foreign tourists ripped off, operators hit with charges - claims of parks' dept bribery

[KhaoYai]

A few years ago I was invited to complain about the entrance fee at Khao Yai by the manager who was equally disgusted at the racist pricing for foreigners.  She gave me an e-mail address for the head office in Bangkok.

 

It took 5 months for a reply to come which basically stated that its free for Thai's because they pay tax.

 

I wrote back asking exactly how many Thai's pay tax and what about working foreigners that pay tax?  I also pointed out that in that year I had probably paid more in VAT than most tax paying Thai's had paid in income tax.

 

Of course, I didn't receive a reply to that e-mail.

 

National Parks in the UK are free for everyone - resident or otherwise and that's the way it should be.  I wouldn't mind paying a reasonable amount to enter as long as its the same for everyone.  I've seen others turn around at the gate to Khao Yai NP and I'm sure that like me, its not because of the price, its the dual pricing that really grates with most people.

 

Until that day arrives, I will continue entering the way I always do...........in the boot (trunk).

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

On 1/16/2023 at 1:44 PM, dddave said:

The sad truth is, most countries charge tourist more than locals.  If you travel in the USA, even if a citizen, cross a state line and visit a state park, you will pay higher entrance and usage fees than locals will.  Go to any public beach and locals will have parking stickers allowing them to park for far less.  Go to almost any museum or public attraction in the US or Europe, locals pay less than outsiders.  Even US National Parks charge Non-citizens higher fees.

Yes we know tourists are ripped off everywhere, but when you work and pay tax in a country for many years it becomes rather annoying. It is one of the downsides of living in Thailand. Just count the pros and cons to decide if you can put up with it or find somewhere else. As for the Thais they shoot themselves in the foot so often I lost count but people still come.

[swoods58]

On 1/16/2023 at 5:44 PM, dddave said:

The sad truth is, most countries charge tourist more than locals.  If you travel in the USA, even if a citizen, cross a state line and visit a state park, you will pay higher entrance and usage fees than locals will.  Go to any public beach and locals will have parking stickers allowing them to park for far less.  Go to almost any museum or public attraction in the US or Europe, locals pay less than outsiders.  Even US National Parks charge Non-citizens higher fees.

To be a local, they say show me your address not your citizenship. That's the difference.

[sambum]

A few years ago, when I was "green", my girlfriend at the time wanted to go to a local park, and wanted to bring 3 of her friends along. "It'll be fun" she said.

Naturally, they expected me to pay for them all - 200 baht each, to which I reluctantly agreed, after hearing whispers of "Cheap Charlie" and something that sounded like "Keen Yow", I set off to the entry desk to pay the 1000 baht only to be told that it was 400 baht for me, making it 1200 baht. After trying to "negotiate' a price for all 5 of us, I gave up, turned around and we went for some noodles instead!

So, the Thai logic applied here meant that the park lost 1000 baht through pure greed and trying to fleece the farang, but the point is - they didn't seem to care! (I suppose they were just the paid staff on a pittance - so why should they?) 

[rudi49jr]

On 1/16/2023 at 7:23 AM, spidermike007 said:

Does this spectacularly corrupt administration have any semblance of will or volition to do anything about the national park franchisees? Is it ever possible for them to do the right thing? Just once?

Of course they don’t have the will or volition to stop it. Money, bribes, kickbacks, it all goes up the chain in Thailand, many billions upon billions of baht. The higher up you are in that chain, the more you get. So I’m guessing the people at the top (among which are the members of the spectacularly corrupt administration, as you so aptly described it) receive a pretty penny from many different sources, including the national park entry fees and kickbacks for illegal building permits and whatnot in national parks. They’d be slashing their own income, so that’s never going to happen.

[richard_smith237]

When the government legalises and sectional dual pricing, it simply opens the door and sends the message to all officials and operator that ‘anything is fair game’.....

 

That said: 

Those pickups priced a reasonable service that isn’t ridiculously inflated: 

- 150 baht for a full pickup which could be 10 of you... down to another part of the island for dinner etc...  

And... IF they weren’t controlled in numbers with a licensing, then there would be way too many on the island and it would be overcrowded with them (if it isn’t already) -  think there are about the right amount of numbers of these pickups. 

 

 

 

[Dan O]

On 1/16/2023 at 12:36 PM, stoner said:

went on a boat tour to phi phi last week. included maya bay and monkey island.

 

they had people out on a deserted beach staring at the rocks looking for monkeys. 

 

 

Maybe they smoked too much before the went. Last I checked the monkeys actually come and go at their own desire

[richard_smith237]

On 1/19/2023 at 4:33 AM, swoods58 said:

On 1/16/2023 at 9:44 AM, dddave said:

The sad truth is, most countries charge tourist more than locals.  If you travel in the USA, even if a citizen, cross a state line and visit a state park, you will pay higher entrance and usage fees than locals will.  Go to any public beach and locals will have parking stickers allowing them to park for far less.  Go to almost any museum or public attraction in the US or Europe, locals pay less than outsiders.  Even US National Parks charge Non-citizens higher fees.

Expand  

To be a local, they say show me your address not your citizenship. That's the difference.

Agreed.... Some many (people), posters such as stuttering dave don’t comprihined the difference between residency and citizenship....  The examples he has presented from the USA highlight dual pricing based on residency....  i.e. Thai who lives within (had residency) wit that state while receive the same resident discount and when crossing that state line may pay a higher price along with any other ‘out of state’ tourist.  Any resident, regardless of nationality will have a parking sticker allowing them to park for less, regardless of the nationality of the resident. 

 

DDDave is also very wrong with all his examples...  

- When (IF) there is a difference a museum or public attraction charges the same rates to all Residents regardless of the nationality (i.e. a Thai resident of the UK pays the same rate as a British Resident of the UK), non-residents of any nationality may pay higher entrance fees - but this is not based on Nationality, its based on Residency.

US National Parks do NOT charge Non-Citizens higher fees... they charge NON-Residents higher fees, a Thai can become a resident of any state and receive the same discount as any other resident from that state. 

 

This does not happen in Thailand - we can prove residency (Work Permit, Yellow Tabien Baan, Pink ID, Thai Driving licience etc), but none of this flies... the dual pricing is not based on residency, its based on nationality and is thus, unfair and a practice which is illegal in many nations. 

 

SO... Those of you who want to enter the debate regarding Dual Pricing - FIRST understand the difference between Citizenship (Nationality) and Residency, because you’re making yourselves look uneducated when you quote the same rubbish dddave has above. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan O]

On 1/16/2023 at 4:32 PM, prakhonchai nick said:

That is why foreigners should refuse to pay those higher fees..................Easier said than done when you have taken the family out for the day.

It should be easy even with a family out for fun. This issue isn't new or a surprise to anyone here for any length of time. If you chose to go there knowing the dual pricing then don't complain as you knowingly put yourself in that situation

[metisdead]

A post that had the quoted content altered has been removed:

 

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[owl sees all]

Simply don't go to these places. They would soon be crying in their beer.

 

Much better things to do in Thailand than wander about in a park.

[rudi49jr]

59 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

Simply don't go to these places. They would soon be crying in their beer.

 

Much better things to do in Thailand than wander about in a park.

Koh Tarutao is quite wonderful, though. It’s the only large (or larger) island in Thailand that - so far, at least - has escaped large scale development of tourist resorts and such. 

[Hanuman2547]

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

US National Parks do NOT charge Non-Citizens higher fees... they charge NON-Residents higher fees, a Thai can become a resident of any state and receive the same discount as any other resident from that state. 

 

True.  US National Parks do not charge non-citizens higher fees.  They also DO NOT charge non-residents higher fees.  Everyone pays the same except for senior citizens aged 62 and over.  They pay a reduced rate regardless of where you are from, what nationality you have, or where you live.  You only have to be aged 62 or over.  

[StayinThailand2much]

On 1/16/2023 at 5:42 PM, Thingamabob said:

Every country in the world does all it can to make money out of tourists.

 

In this case, in Thailand, they are being asked to pay 100 baht extra. 

 

Wow ! Who can possibly afford such a huge sum ?

 

My suggestion ? Don't ever leave your own country in the first place.

 

Utterly pathetic.

Certainly true, even in one of the 'least corrupt countries' in the world (NZ), one is charged much more for hiking tracks, huts, sights, etc., etc., if one is a foreigner.