Thai tourism targets expats with special deals

[TroubleandGrumpy]

14 hours ago, mokwit said:

Should be the case but there are reports of new TM30 being required - often due to not able to do 90 day online because of travel address in system.

Yes indeed - that is when Expats sometimes get caught out - when doing a 90 day report.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

3 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Waaaa!  You are not and never will be Thai... In Thailand you are a tourist and as such will pay the going rate for tourists... this is done on a worldwide basis... citizens always get discounts in every country even yours... you want a discount go home and get it.

That is total BS - both in terms of information and your p-poor attitude.  Australia, New Zealnad, USA and most of Europe do not have dual-pricing because it is illegal.  Did you know that it is technically illegal in Thailand? But of course in Thailand they get away with it - and the Courts have ruled it is OK 'because farang have more money and it is good for Thai people'.  

[charleskerins]

20 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

We booked a hotel room at an Imperial Hotel in Central Thailand four weeks ago, it cost 831 baht for two people (no BF). The room was discounted as a promo from 2,600 which we didn't believe, until we got there. The entire front of the hotel, reception and two guests floors had been remodelled, it was easily worth 2,600 but you would never have got that price on a walk in basis. The fact is that many hotels discount their rooms to the likes of Agoda, all TAT has done is to act as an Agoda equivalent.

You booked it on Agoda? What is BF? Breakfast?

[Mike Lister]

3 minutes ago, charleskerins said:

You booked it on Agoda? What is BF? Breakfast?

Booking.com as I recall, we use both Booking and Agoda. Yes, BF is breakfast.

[charleskerins]

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

Booking.com as I recall, we use both Booking and Agoda. Yes, BF is breakfast.

Same ,thanks.

[Mike Lister]

3 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Yes indeed - that is when Expats sometimes get caught out - when doing a 90 day report.

And when trying to cross the road, and for many, when trying to think and chew at the same time.

[Puccini]

On 11/23/2023 at 9:26 AM, hotchilli said:

How about equal rights at the national parks?

Last time I went to Erawan waterfalls they wanted 10X the Thai admission price..
40 baht for nationals 400 baht for me.

I traveled with a Thai family group with nine Thais and me.

My admission was more than theirs combined.

I never returned... so tell me how that benefits tourism?

 

Since the last time you were there, the entrance fee for foreigners has been reduced to 5 times the fee for Thais at all national parks.

[bignok]

9 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

That is total BS - both in terms of information and your p-poor attitude.  Australia, New Zealnad, USA and most of Europe do not have dual-pricing because it is illegal.  Did you know that it is technically illegal in Thailand? But of course in Thailand they get away with it - and the Courts have ruled it is OK 'because farang have more money and it is good for Thai people'.  

Nonsense. Dual pricing for local postcodes.

[Skipalongcassidy]

18 hours ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

That is total BS - both in terms of information and your p-poor attitude.  Australia, New Zealnad, USA and most of Europe do not have dual-pricing because it is illegal.  Did you know that it is technically illegal in Thailand? But of course in Thailand they get away with it - and the Courts have ruled it is OK 'because farang have more money and it is good for Thai people'.  

When I lived in Orlando... Disney World gave me discounts for being a resident... when I lived in Idaho... I got discounts for Yellowstone National Park for being a resident... When I lived in California I got discounts to the parks and restricted beaches for being a resident...  The countries you mentioned give discounts to senior citizens at a lot of different venues for a multitude of reasons... What you fail to understand is that it is not illegal to give discounts to specific groups of people in any of those countries and it is not illegal to give Thais a discount in Thailand... it's not dual pricing... it's  discounts. 

[Mike Lister]

5 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

When I lived in Orlando... Disney World gave me discounts for being a resident... when I lived in Idaho... I got discounts for Yellowstone National Park for being a resident... When I lived in California I got discounts to the parks and restricted beaches for being a resident...  The countries you mentioned give discounts to senior citizens at a lot of different venues for a multitude of reasons... What you fail to understand is that it is not illegal to give discounts to specific groups of people in any of those countries and it is not illegal to give Thais a discount in Thailand... it's not dual pricing... it's  discounts. 

It's worth remembering also that many many countries impose taxes or surcharges on tourists, Venice has a daily tax just  to visit, Nepal has an absolute minimum tourists must spend every day, European cities frequently impose a hotel surcharge on tourists, even UK tourist spots such as Devon and Cornwall are considering similar. If a country attracts tourists, I think it's right that they pay more than locals to support the things they have come to see. Tourists may pay indirect taxes but they don't pay direct taxes which is an equal source of support in Thailand for places such as national parks.

[GypsyT]

US has many things wrong but The National Park entry system is excellent! So are the parks and services.

When I bought my "Life time pass" about 15 years ago it was $40. The card is still valid and I use it every time to visit US parks.

Is Thailand had good, safe, clear and well organized parks I wouldn't mind 400TH fee.

They are not and don't visit any more any of them. Not even for free.

 

The way it should be:

US citizens or permanent residents 62 years or older are eligible for a Senior Pass.

The Senior Lifetime Pass is valid for your lifetime and costs $80.

The Senior Annual Pass is valid for one year and costs $20.

Annual and lifetime Senior Passes provide access to hundreds of recreation sites managed by these six federal agencies:

    National Park Service
    US Fish & Wildlife Service
    Bureau of Land Management
    Bureau of Reclamation
    US Forest Service
    US Army Corps of Engineers

 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

7 hours ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

When I lived in Orlando... Disney World gave me discounts for being a resident... when I lived in Idaho... I got discounts for Yellowstone National Park for being a resident... When I lived in California I got discounts to the parks and restricted beaches for being a resident...  The countries you mentioned give discounts to senior citizens at a lot of different venues for a multitude of reasons... What you fail to understand is that it is not illegal to give discounts to specific groups of people in any of those countries and it is not illegal to give Thais a discount in Thailand... it's not dual pricing... it's  discounts. 

That is one way to look at it - but there is another way - one that you fail to understand - reality. 

 

Firstly - those 'discounts' you got were to encourage locals to visit for business and social reasons, and they were provided to all locals whatever the colour of their skin or ethnicity. In Australia seniors will often get discounts - it is a social reason.  Movie theatres give 'Tuesday discounts' for business reasons.  It is not based on any group of people for thei ethnicity or skin colour.  

 

Thailand imposes dual-pricing on Farangs (white expats) on sight - not based on anything but their skin and ethnicity. I knew an expat that was a permanent resident, and when we visited a Zoo they also charged him the farang price - despite him showing his resident card and his wife complaining.  And guess what - his wife is Laos and they charged her the Thai price.  It is endemic in Thailand like corruption - does not happen everywhere - but it happens a lot - and it is wrong - and it is racet based. 

 

That Court case I mentioned was a bloke in Thailand that took the local hospital to court for charging him 3 times what they charged Thais which is against the Constituion. The Court ruled that it was OK, because farangs have more money and it is good for the Thai people.  And guess what??  Nothing has been done by any Thai government agency, or Thai politician, or Thai human rights agency, or any Thai people, to try and fix this matter.  Because they all agree with it and they do not see price discrimination as a problem - it is endemic (part of the culture). 

 

Quote:  A Dutch national said today he will appeal a court ruling against his lawsuit challenging dual-pricing at Thailand's public hospitals as unconstitutional. Erwin Buse said the Administrative Court in Phetchaburi province relied on incorrect information provided by the health ministry in its Tuesday decision. 

Dutch expat to appeal after Thai court sides with higher hospital fees for foreigners | Coconuts

Quote: "The pricing was set on an appropriate basis of socioeconomic status, and it benefits Thailand, so it therefore doesn’t count as discrimination,” the court ruling said.

[Geir Rasch]

On 11/24/2023 at 3:12 AM, mokwit said:

Why don't you tell us the full story e.g which Imm Office or whether you are on a visa where you leave the country every 90 days  and have no contact with immigration.

 

If you are saying staying away from your home province doesn't require a new TM30 then the system is working as it should, but others find it doesn't always.

I’m on a non-O visa, lived for 12 years. During this time I have travelled in Thailand and abroad many times. Never filed TM30 and never been asked for one. There was a time in early covid they demand TM30, but when asking imm. They said they did not want that extra work. What imm? I rather not say in case they did wrong and I do not want any changes.

[GypsyT]

I did it after re-entering visa free and asked "Do I need to do this every time after a trip out of Thailand?"

 

"Yes", she said. So that's what I'll do at Jomtien. Why rock the boat? Reporting is free.

 

 

[TroubleandGrumpy]

On 11/24/2023 at 6:13 PM, bignok said:

Nonsense. Dual pricing for local postcodes.

[In the jungle]

I am travelling within Thailand next week. 

 

To the airport to fly to Vietnam for a holiday.

[daveAustin]

Why they bother doing that, bringing all those undesirables in, just tax the retirees.