Increase of entrance fees for foreigners visiting Thailand's 72 historical sites and museums

[AhFarangJa]

Just now, Gottfrid said:

But how can you say that? I used it all the time. Last time was like 3 weeks ago.

Fine, you are lucky, maybe where you are going is not on the mainstream so to speak. I only commented from my own experiences in Chiang Mai, and other large parks. That is why I do not bother any more. I would be happy to pay a small increase, but 500% is just plain daylight robbery. Before anyone says 'it is only 2 beers'. it is not the money, but the principle.

However, I wish you continued luck in getting in using your licence.......

[bigt3116]

14 hours ago, Goat said:

They all seem to forget we all all get free visa on arrival.

ALL? Visa on arrival is only for 19 nationalities

 

FREE? A visa on arrival costs 2000 baht

[Patong2]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

By locals ..... you mean all citizens of your country?

By locals I mean local city residents who are in the rate paying area for the council

that runs the zoo. 

Las Vegas locals enjoy great discounts from casinos, shows etc because the businesses know they want the full time residents to support and attend the venues etc. Good business sense.

[Artisi]

15 hours ago, connda said:

No they don't.  Speaking from experience as opposed to what I've heard on AN.

Happened for me once in 20 years, drove into Chiang Mai zoo on morning, girl ticket collector asked if I lived in Thailand - guess it was because I was driving , said yes want to see my licence, no thanks - you pay local price - I nearly fell out the door in surprise. 

[Skipalongcassidy]

It is not an "extra foreigner fee"... it is the "fee"... just because the Thailand attractions, government, or whatever or whoever give Thai nationals a discount should be of no concern to you... it's a perk for Thais  

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, Patong2 said:

By locals I mean local city residents who are in the rate paying area for the council

that runs the zoo. 

Las Vegas locals enjoy great discounts from casinos, shows etc because the businesses know they want the full time residents to support and attend the venues etc. Good business sense.

But the Thai price isn't for locals, it's for all Thais.

In Chiang Mai I'm a local and a Thai from Bangkok isn't.

Edited July 27, 2023 by BritManToo

[Yellowtail]

11 hours ago, rbkk said:

What is being discussed here is the nationality of the customer not whether he is a resident or not. They are very different things. I have a yellow residence book and a pink Thai ID card with a National Identification number but I am not allowed to pay the same price as a Thai resident because I am "Foreign."

They most always charge me the local price, why not try smiling rather than hollering next time? 

 

In any evert, while you apparently reside in Thailand, you are not a permanent resident, you are a visitor. 

 

 

[Pumpuynarak]

16 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Just say NO! We must absolutely refuse to pay these jacked up fees. If no foreigners went to these parks, maybe the goons would rethink their idiotic and racist policies.

On a certain level, I understand their desire to charge more to foreign tourists. But, there should be a policy for ex-pats living here. We support the nation on countless levels. So a drivers license, or a pink card should be all that is required, to show we are residents, not tourists. Asking us to pay these prices is dumb and dumber. Not to mention arrogant, and deeply offensive.

Good post which i agree with in its entirety. I do just as you advise i say NO, having done ALL the the attractions i've ever been interested in when i was visiting as a tourist and was'nt aware of their racist practices (i now live here with my Thai wifey and  have done for nearly 17 years) I found these attractions to be pretty crap tbh so a revisit is never on the cards, they can stick them where the sun does'nt shine.

 

I think the next time i'm back in the UK i'll suggest to the authorities that they charge ALL THAI NATIONALS (not wifey of course as she's married to a British national) for enjoying the beauty of the New Forest which was on my doorstep when i lived there. 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Pumpuynarak

[fondue zoo]

21 hours ago, grs90 said:

But do they charge someone living locally extra just because they are foreign, even if they have lived locally for years?

 

We are -never- locals ever.

 

[Dcheech]

22 hours ago, Patong2 said:

The locals should get it cheaper, happens in Las Vegas too.

Really. Where at in Vegas are they requiring ID checks to determine if you are foreign? 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Dcheech

[Smokey and the Bandit]

22 hours ago, connda said:

Exactly.  Or charge you extra based on your skin color as "farang" means person from European decent.
Show me one Western country where the foreign spouse of a citizen is charged extra based on their ethnicity and nationality, especially if like myself, they have lived in-country for 16 years and married for well over 15. 

There are none.  Westerners, especially those on the Left would scream 'racism' at loud as they can.  And legitimately.  I would too.

How is this discrimination even considered moral by any civilized, modern standards?

Maybe you answered your own question?

" considered moral by any civilized, modern standards"

[Purdey]

The answer is simple. Just stop visiting places with double pricing until they lose enough money to reconsider.

Just don't visit parks and museums if you can't afford them or feel cheated. 

[rbkk]

8 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Just stop visiting places with double pricing until they lose enough money to reconsider.

Sadly Thai logic normally dictates that in the event of income going down prices will be raised to compensate for the loss of said income.

[KhunLA]

14 hours ago, biervoormij said:

Is there a list of these 72 historic sites and what the price was and the new price? I have never been to a historic site in Thailand that was under 50 bhat. Is it a 50 bhat increase?

 

I visited Prasat Bam Phluang and it cost 50 bhat so is the price going to be 100 bhat now?

Prasat Phanom Rung was 150 bhat. What will the new price be?

Simple Gsearch would give you a ballpark idea of the increases:

The revised entrance fees for historical sites are as follows:

1. Historical parks for Thai nationals: 20 baht per person, for foreign nationals: 120-200 baht (previously 100 baht).
2. Archeological sites or significant places for Thai nationals: 10-20 baht per person, for foreign nationals: 80-120 baht (previously 50-100 baht).

As for admission fees to national museums, the new rates are:

1. Small national museums for Thai nationals: 10 baht per person, for foreign nationals: 80 baht (previously 50 baht).
2. Medium-sized national museums for Thai nationals: 10-20 baht per person, for foreign nationals: 120 baht (previously 50-100 baht).
3. Large national museums for Thai nationals: 20-30 baht per person, for foreign nationals: 200 baht (previously 100-150 baht).

For highly visited national museums, such as the National Museum in Bangkok, the following new rates apply to Thai nationals: 30 baht per person and for foreign nationals: 240 baht (previously 200 baht).

 

 

In addition, four other registered historic sites and national museums that previously charged fees for the rental of foreign language audio guides will now eliminate the fee. These sites are:

1. Historical Park – Sdok Kok Thanom, Khok Sung District, Sakaeo
2. Wat Kudi Dao, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya.
3. Nakhon Nayok National Museum, Mueang Nakhon Nayok District, Nakhon Nayok.
4. Surin National Museum, Mueang Surin District, Surin.

The government spokesperson, Tipanan Sirichana stated that “entrance fees for Thai nationals will remain unchanged to promote learning, preserve cultural heritage, and foster a sense of national identity across all generations without increasing the financial burden of tourism on Thai citizens.”

 

Source: KhaoSod

[Yellowtail]

Hmmm, so one spends US$5,000 on airfare, $2,000 on hotel, $1,000 for meals, but gad-darn-it they're not going to spend an extra dollar to get into the zoo, it's the principle don't you know!

 

 

[gearbox]

19 hours ago, connda said:

No they don't.  Speaking from experience as opposed to what I've heard on AN.

I have the pink ID card and was charged Thai prices at 3 different NP in the south last Jan/Feb.

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

I have the pink ID card and was charged Thai prices at 3 different NP in the south last Jan/Feb.

Oh, the humanity! 

 

Did you have your kids with you? 

[StayinThailand2much]

On 7/26/2023 at 11:24 AM, Joe Farang said:

The price hasn't gone up in 15 years. Nobody can complain about the increase in this case.

So why no increase for Thais too?

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, Dcheech said:

Really. Where at in Vegas are they requiring ID checks to determine if you are foreign? 

Charging foreigners more than locals is not only a Thai thing. I remember paying more as a foreigner in New Zealand. Yet, I still have to travel to another country that, like Thailand, charges 8x or 10x the locals' price.

[gearbox]

54 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Oh, the humanity! 

 

Did you have your kids with you? 

We were 2 foreigners, my mate was a tourist, he paid the foreigner's price, I paid the local rate. However similar to the immigration offices different rules are probably applied at the different Nat Parks.

[Joe Farang]

16 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

So why no increase for Thais too?

This is their country and generally speaking foreign tourists have more money. What is the purpose of having tourists other than having them spend money to support the economy

[KhunLA]

22 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

So why no increase for Thais too?

 

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

The government spokesperson, Tipanan Sirichana stated that “entrance fees for Thai nationals will remain unchanged to promote learning, preserve cultural heritage, and foster a sense of national identity across all generations ....

 

.... without increasing the financial burden of tourism on Thai citizens.”

 

Source: KhaoSod

 

[StayinThailand2much]

3 minutes ago, Joe Farang said:

This is their country and generally speaking foreign tourists have more money. What is the purpose of having tourists other than having them spend money to support the economy

Of course it is. Then again, would you also support tourists (incl. from Thailand) paying 8-10x what locals pay in your country? And what do you think the Thai tourists, or Thai media would say to that?

[KhunLA]

In case you missed it ... apparently many did, the increases don't apply to Nationa Parks.

 

Getting in NPs @ Thai price is all a bit irrelevant, whether successful or not.

[Joe Farang]

3 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Of course it is. Then again, would you also support tourists (incl. from Thailand) paying 8-10x what locals pay in your country? And what do you think the Thai tourists, or Thai media would say to that?

If a person wishes to pay the price, let them. If not, then go elsewhere.

Personal choice

[KhunLA]

4 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Of course it is. Then again, would you also support tourists (incl. from Thailand) paying 8-10x what locals pay in your country? And what do you think the Thai tourists, or Thai media would say to that?

Hopefully the Thai tourist would vote with their feet if presented a higher price.  

 

Would I not support, enter a place in home country (USA) because of foreigner dual pricing ? ... NO, as doesn't concern me.

[ravip]

17 hours ago, greeneking said:

The price should rise for Thais, using this rational.

Won't this deter the visitors they have 'lured' here?

The caretaker government has no right to make any changes.

Honestly, were you "lured" into Thailand? 

By whom? How? 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

2 minutes ago, Joe Farang said:

If a person wishes to pay the price, let them. If not, then go elsewhere.

Personal choice

Doesn't answer my question, but yes, of course you're right. If they raised entrance fees to museums and parks in Thailand to 10,000 baht for foreigners, it wouldn't bother me.

[Yellowtail]

15 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Of course it is. Then again, would you also support tourists (incl. from Thailand) paying 8-10x what locals pay in your country? And what do you think the Thai tourists, or Thai media would say to that?

I would support tourists paying 8-10x what locals pay in my county. 

[ravip]

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Hopefully the Thai tourist would vote with their feet if presented a higher price.  

 

Would I not support, enter a place in home country (USA) because of foreigner dual pricing ? ... NO, as doesn't concern me.

Absolutely!

Principals,  ethics,  fairness, blah blah blah are all Important when it affects your self. Otherwise,  it's something floating in the air. 

Sad... but true.