Thailand Hikes Entrance Fees for Foreign Visitors at Historical Attractions

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

I just love it every time we enter a National Park and I am singled out in front of my family and told to pay 5 or 10 times more. Makes me feel so welcome.  

I don't go... easy solution.

[soalbundy]

3 minutes ago, stix40 said:

Still cheap but I understand the sentiment.

I have heard if you show a Thai driving license that can reduce the cost ?

True or urban myth?

It works in some places but not all.

[wwest5829]

Sad, my only global residence is Chiang Mai since 2011. I am a Tourist when I visit countries outside Thailand. That includes a trip earlier this year to my own country, the USA. Whether officially designated as such or not, I am a Permanent Resident of Thailand. My income, brought into Thailand from the USA exceeds the income of many Thai citizens … thus I am supporting the Thai economy as much as Thai citizens. For the record, I am affronted by this discriminatory practice. Easily fixed by making mandatory recognition of the “Pink Card” or 5 year Driver’s License. OK, whining finished.

[No Forwarding Address]

32 minutes ago, Ironmike said:

it makes me sick to live here

I  used to think that, then 15 years later figured out it makes no difference to the Thai Govt what we think.............we are a non-entity so why get our knickers in an uproar over a couple hundred baht??  Life's too short 

[4MyEgo]

4 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Let them adjust the prices as much as they like. Won't be going in one again until the rip off ends.

Have never been and will never go if they keep charging more for farangs, simple really, I'd rather buy lottery tickets, same price for Thai's.

[wwest5829]

3 hours ago, SoilSpoil said:

I just love it every time we enter a National Park and I am singled out in front of my family and told to pay 5 or 10 times more. Makes me feel so welcome.  

I turn to the Wife and Daughter and say, sorry but I am a resident and will not pay this. Turn the car around and go …

[Trippy]

The fees should really be on a sliding scale. Those who complain the most, pay the most.

 

 

[wwest5829]

46 minutes ago, Andyfez said:

It's waterfalls and hot springs that get me most.

 

Recently I went to a hot spring in Chiang Mai area. Apart from hot smelly water there was no beauty to this site.

 

I refused to pay, and we went off to a 'free' waterfall for a nice lunch.

I would just observe that I show my 5year Thai Driver’s License stating in Thai that I have lived in Chiang Mai for 12 years. I suppose the girl has some leeway As my Thai Wife and myself usually pay the same Thai price.

[ignore it]

And just like that, all the small museums and all the medium museums became large museums.

[EVENKEEL]

18 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

I turn to the Wife and Daughter and say, sorry but I am a resident and will not pay this. Turn the car around and go …

Yeah, that certainly ruins the experience. I get, I've been angered over small amounts. Guess if I'm forewarned I can handle it better and not ruin the trip.

[Grahamlil]

What a way to make foreign visitors feel welcome

I struggle to understand Thailand they say they want visitors for the economy then treat them like crap   

[MRtommyR]

53 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

I used to live in Orlando FL near Disney World. 

I got drastically reduced rates for season tickets because I lived in the area. 

Was that fair or racist? 

It wasn't racist because it was based on residency which is not the same principal as the system in Thailand.

[wwest5829]

34 minutes ago, SoilSpoil said:

I also live in the area, pay tax, have kids here, and still have to pay more than my wife.

Agreed. Took my Thai Wife and Daughter for a month tourist trip to the USA. Each of our 4 day Disney tickets equal cost. When I showed my Senior’s Pass at US Nat’l Parks … no separate or foreigner price for my guests. The girls were overwhelmed by the costs in the US, we all agreed we are better off financially living in Thailand. We loved our visit but … couldn’t afford to live there.

[Fairynuff]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

support education, preserve cultural heritage,

Teach them that it’s “our culture”to rip off foreigners. And that’s why we say they are all pride and no shame.

 

58 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Whatever, it is small money.

I have more self respect than to take that attitude 

[wwest5829]

5 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Yeah, that certainly ruins the experience. I get, I've been angered over small amounts. Guess if I'm forewarned I can handle it better and not ruin the trip.

I need folks to allow for some slack with me. My relatives hauled the Philadelphia bound tea and set fire to it in Greenwich, NJ. It was only a small tea tax …

[Fairynuff]

57 minutes ago, AAArdvark said:

I used to live in Orlando FL near Disney World. 

I got drastically reduced rates for season tickets because I lived in the area. 

Was that fair or racist? 

It’s fair to give discount to locals, I.E. those who live locally and those who don’t  do not get the discount. It’s unfair to overcharge foreigners. There is a difference between a discount, the standard rate and overcharging. Surely you can see that?

[Fairynuff]

56 minutes ago, Muzzique said:

I´m truly happy that racism is now at the heart of pricing.

It always has been 

[Fairynuff]

40 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Sad, my only global residence is Chiang Mai since 2011. I am a Tourist when I visit countries outside Thailand. That includes a trip earlier this year to my own country, the USA. Whether officially designated as such or not, I am a Permanent Resident of Thailand. My income, brought into Thailand from the USA exceeds the income of many Thai citizens … thus I am supporting the Thai economy as much as Thai citizens. For the record, I am affronted by this discriminatory practice. Easily fixed by making mandatory recognition of the “Pink Card” or 5 year Driver’s License. OK, whining finished.

The DL used to work, then they started refusing it but the pink card still worked. But more recently I’ve heard that that doesn’t work anymore. I haven’t tested it, so many national parks are a big disappointment that I’ve given up.

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, AAArdvark said:

I used to live in Orlando FL near Disney World. 

I got drastically reduced rates for season tickets because I lived in the area. 

Was that fair or racist? 

Fair? Up to you. Racist? No.

 

You had to prove your Florida residency to get that discount, and any Thai person who moves there will get the same reduced rate that you did.

 

In Thailand, I've never seen anyone have to produce a Thai ID to get the Thai citizen price - the sites simply charge it to anyone who looks Asian.

[bristolgeoff]

The last time i went was the night safari cnx.had a thai license so i paid 50 baht. The farang price 500.So i refuse to enter after that and pay the price they ask.20 baht for thais ten times the price is the farang price so very unfair and thais know and have a private laugh about it

[khunjeff]

1 minute ago, Fairynuff said:

so many national parks are a big disappointment that I’ve given up.

This is probably the real issue. Even at the previous price, most of the sites I've visited were very poor value - underwhelming and often badly kept up.

[wwest5829]

9 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

The DL used to work, then they started refusing it but the pink card still worked. But more recently I’ve heard that that doesn’t work anymore. I haven’t tested it, so many national parks are a big disappointment that I’ve given up.

It is sad as I think the Thai National Parks could be developed into great tourist attractions.

[Joe32]

1 hour ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Whatever, it is small money.

How long are you living here? 

It's not about the money. It's about people who live here for about 10+ years, who have a family and all, then being singled out and made pay more. That's just ridiculous. Tourists, whatever, but expats should just pay like the Thai, or well, maybe at least a discount compared to the tourist prices. Easy to check, just show a wp. 

[Edwin Cameron]

This is blatant discrimination, if we did that here in Australia we would be labelled 'Racist's'....

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

1 hour ago, shackleton said:

Tourists pay a lot of money to come to Thailand for a holiday so paying to see historical sites won't put them off 

If you reside in Thailand you have the option of  paying or not up to you ???? 

So true I exercise that right. ????

[Searat7]

Why I the old government making unnecessary decisions at this point ?

[Joe32]

22 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

Racist? No.

 

22 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

In Thailand, I've never seen anyone have to produce a Thai ID to get the Thai citizen price - the sites simply charge it to anyone who looks Asian.

So, racist, yes. 

[Joe32]

50 minutes ago, Trippy said:

The fees should really be on a sliding scale. Those who complain the most, pay the most.

 

 

Idea is good, however, it should be, the longer you stay, the closer it will get to the Thai price. 

[GABRIELE Hua Hin]

Each farang has exactly 2 options:

1. Support this rip-off by going inside.

2. Just don't go in.

We choose option 2.

[Balance]

5 hours ago, stoner said:

i could see if it was double the price thai pay. but you just look like mongers with this pricing. 

There is a lot of tea to be served.