Travellers Vent Frustrations Over Soaring Costs, Two-Tier Pricing, and Cannabis Concerns

[CharlieH]

 

Thailand, once a top destination for budget-conscious tourists, is facing increasing backlash from international travellers who feel the country is losing its appeal.

Nearly 2,000 comments on a recent Bangkok Post Learning social media post show growing dissatisfaction with soaring prices, outdated systems, two-tier pricing, and the pervasive smell of cannabis in tourist areas. An analysis by Krungthep Turakij identified four major complaints.

Sticker Shock: Thailand No Longer a Budget Paradise

Many travellers say Thailand is no longer a value-for-money destination. Accommodation costs, especially in popular areas, have skyrocketed.
"The hotel I paid 2,000 baht for five years ago now wants 6,000 baht," said a visitor to Koh Samui. A European tourist in Pattaya was shocked by a 7,000 baht dinner bill for two, without alcohol.

Travellers acknowledge global inflation but argue that Thailand’s price increases are far steeper.
"Hotels doubling or tripling their rates isn't normal inflation — it’s pure greed," said one European tourist.

Flight prices have also surged.
"I used to fly to Thailand for $300. Now it's almost $1,000," an American traveller complained.

Even Thai locals are feeling priced out.
"As a Thai, I can't even afford holidays here anymore," said one resident.

Frustrations at the Border: Visa Woes and Red Tape

Tourists also express frustration with Thailand's immigration bureaucracy, particularly the TDAC system requiring online registration three days before arrival.
"It's unnecessarily complicated, especially for older travellers," a German visitor noted.

Many long-term visitors are disappointed by the reduction of the tourist visa duration from 60 to 30 days, making extended stays less appealing.

Cannabis Clouds: A Turn-Off for Families

Thailand’s liberal cannabis laws are also turning off some visitors, particularly families.
"The smell of cannabis was everywhere we went," said an Australian mother travelling with young children.
"It’s not the Thailand I remember," added a British tourist, lamenting the shift in atmosphere.

Some feel the cannabis culture is attracting a different type of tourist, altering the country’s traditional charm.

Feeling Cheated: Two-Tier Pricing Still an Issue

A persistent grievance is the two-tier pricing system that charges foreigners more for attractions and services.
"I paid 200 baht to enter a national park; my Thai-looking girlfriend paid 40 baht," a German tourist recounted.

Many argue this practice is unfair and discriminatory, further souring their experiences.

Looking Elsewhere: Neighbours Offer Better Value

Several travellers say neighbouring countries now offer better experiences at lower costs.
"I spent three months in Vietnam but only one month in Pattaya. That says it all," one visitor remarked.

Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka were all cited as offering cleaner beaches, better infrastructure, friendlier locals, and more affordable prices.
"Boracay in the Philippines has clearer water and cheaper hotels than Koh Samui," said a British tourist.
"Malaysia has better infrastructure, amazing food, and fewer tourist scams," another added.

Deteriorating Standards and Overcrowded Hotspots

Travellers also report declining standards at Thailand’s tourist hotspots.
"The beaches are filthy, especially in Phuket," said a Scandinavian visitor, pointing to plastic waste.
Pollution, broken pavements, and overcrowded attractions like Pattaya and Hua Hin are frequent complaints.
"Beaches that were once serene are now packed with thousands of sun loungers," an Australian visitor noted.

Negative encounters with certain tourist groups and recent safety concerns following a building collapse at Chatuchak market have added to the worries.

Can Thailand Win Back Its Loyal Fans?

Despite the complaints, many tourists still express affection for Thailand but warn that without improvements, the country risks losing its market share.
"Thailand is still beautiful, but the rising costs, complicated systems, and declining quality are driving me to explore other places," said a Canadian visitor.

A long-time tourist summed it up bluntly:
"Thailand isn’t the only option anymore. If it doesn’t change, it will lose out to its neighbours."

 

 

 Adapted from The Nation.

[BritManToo]

Yep, Vietnam, Cambodia and The Philippines are much better destinations that western tourists.

But my life is in Thailand and I'm happy here, but when I go on holiday it's to those places I mentioned.

Obviously I don't stay in Thai hotels, so I haven't been affected by rising prices, inflation doesn't seem all that much.

[hotsun]

Thats one of the perks of having a thai partner. You just let her deal with everything alone. They cant rip you off if you arent there

[Lacessit]

Come as a tourist, pay tourist prices.

 

There are plenty of clean, comfortable hotels in the 500 - 800 baht price range. There are also plenty of good restaurants who can serve up a good meal for 200-300 baht, even less if it is traditional Thai.

 

Tourists don't know where to look, and most will also have a language barrier.

 

In CM and CR, costs of long-term rentals and condo purchases have stayed static for more than a decade.

[frank83628]

And 25yrs ago the THB - GBP used to be 72!!

 

I used to rent a basic wooden bungalow for 3k a month, now they're 12k, concrete, with aircon, pool, intenet and huge TV..... arghhh why are they not still 3k... rip off Thailand!!

 

[Robert Smith 2]

The media made Thailand and now it could break Thailand 

[klauskunkel]

23 hours ago, CharlieH said:

Can Thailand Win Back Its Loyal Fans?

It's still a favorite of foreign criminals 

[kingstonkid]

23 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Come as a tourist, pay tourist prices.

 

There are plenty of clean, comfortable hotels in the 500 - 800 baht price range. There are also plenty of good restaurants who can serve up a good meal for 200-300 baht, even less if it is traditional Thai.

 

Tourists don't know where to look, and most will also have a language barrier.

 

In CM and CR, costs of long-term rentals and condo purchases have stayed static for more than a decade.

 

When I first came here i stayed at name hotels.  The I realized that the market for hotels is not the average touris t but the dumb rich ones.  There is a hotel close to Patpong that used to be a great place to stay. It was older but it still had a lot to offer swimmng pool good food fancy restaurant if you wanted it and dancing. 

 

Then the owners decided to upgrade the hotel and of course with the up grade came the upgrade inprice to move it from a 3 star to a 4 star.  Same hotel same options nothing really changed except that tey thinkthey are a 4 star.

 

Just read on teh news that it has been bought and the same hotel is going to be rated as a 4.5 star hotel. Same location same basic building.

 

The bottom line is that as long as tourists are going to pay the high rates adn the hotels have profitable occupancy they are going to gouge people.  Me I find that I can get a nice room in the 1200 a night range with the same features in a 3 star hotel.  After all the only thing you need a hotel for is a place to put your stuff and lay your head at night. 

 

Really, all you need is a clean room, clean bedding, and a door that locks.  anything else is just over indulging

  

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

After all the only thing you need a hotel for is a place to put your stuff ......

I also like air con and a swimming pool, if there's no clean beach within walking distance.

 

Don't think I've ever needed to pay more than 1,000bht to achieve that in SEA.

[EVENKEEL]

23 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Come as a tourist, pay tourist prices.

 

There are plenty of clean, comfortable hotels in the 500 - 800 baht price range. There are also plenty of good restaurants who can serve up a good meal for 200-300 baht, even less if it is traditional Thai.

 

Tourists don't know where to look, and most will also have a language barrier.

 

In CM and CR, costs of long-term rentals and condo purchases have stayed static for more than a decade.

When I travel around Thailand to beach locations with ole lady and kid I like splurging on nice hotels. Beachfront with breakfast buffet, nice pool and view. With stores and restaurants nearby. Treat yourself, don't cheat yourself.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, kingstonkid said:

 

 

 

Really, all you need is a clean room, clean bedding, and a door that locks.  anything else is just over indulging

  

I would definitely include good aircon in the list.

 

Depending on what's on offer for breakfast, I will sometimes go out to an upmarket hotel, and pay for the breakfast buffet there.

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

When I travel around Thailand to beach locations with ole lady and kid I like splurging on nice hotels. Beachfront with breakfast buffet, nice pool and view. With stores and restaurants nearby. Treat yourself, don't cheat yourself.

The Le Meridien in Chiang Rai is 7000 baht/night. Big rooms, giant pool. The restaurant prices reflect the tariff as well, 300 baht or so for a pad thai goong.

 

There's treating yourself, and crossing over into ridiculous.

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

The Le Meridien in Chiang Rai is 7000 baht/night. Big rooms, giant pool. The restaurant prices reflect the tariff as well, 300 baht or so for a pad thai goong.

 

There's treating yourself, and crossing over into ridiculous.

Hotel price sounds doable, but not the obscene food pricing. I usually rent a car and locate the good eating establishments.

 

I like Marriott. Have enough points for 3 free nights. Rate is 6500 baht/nt for 2 queens. Thanks......

 

 

[norsurin]

Thailand have priced themselves out.The greedy style is covered alreadyA baht thats ridiculous high and prices MUCH higher then nabour countries makes people go somewhere else.

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Hotel price sounds doable, but not the obscene food pricing. I usually rent a car and locate the good eating establishments.

 

I like Marriott. Have enough points for 3 free nights. Rate is 6500 baht/nt for 2 queens. Thanks......

 

 

When I traveled on the company dime for about 25 years, it was business class flights, 4-5 star hotels, and expensive restaurants. Still remember Antoine's in New Orleans. Tiger prawns in piri-piri sauce fresh out of the Mozambique channel.

 

I am a lot more careful when it is my money I am spending.

 

Travel is a transitory experience. I prefer to spend up on more permanent items, such as a good smartphone, golf clubs, or appliances.

[kingstonkid]

23 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I also like air con and a swimming pool, if there's no clean beach within walking distance.

 

Don't think I've ever needed to pay more than 1,000bht to achieve that in SEA.

 

22 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I would definitely include good aircon in the list.

 

Depending on what's on offer for breakfast, I will sometimes go out to an upmarket hotel, and pay for the breakfast buffet there.

I agree that a pool and air conditioning are a must, but I think all 3-star hotels have air conditioning. There are enough places in most cities to get a good breakfast.

 

 I think most peope choose the 5 star because they do not trust the 3 stars.  I think with websites like Agoda and others that it is getting easier.

[GammaGlobulin]

On 4/27/2025 at 10:29 AM, Lacessit said:

a good meal for 200-300 baht, even less if it is traditional Thai.

 

Eat at uni.

Great food.

Two plates plus plenty of rice.....Bt.55.00

 

Also, no obnoxious diners, no drunks, no Russians, and no weirdos.

 

Relax under a tree, or have a tea.

 

Stay out of the Malls.

Don't frequent bars.

Etc.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

14 minutes ago, kingstonkid said:

I think all 3-star hotels have air conditioning.

 

Noisy ACs, very often.

Noisy everything.

Stay out of hotels.

 

[JackGats]

When I read "cannabis concerns" I suspect the news is news manufactured for the sake of sensationalism. What kind of turist will complain about one in ten Indian tailor shops being replaced by a cannabis shop? Maybe I'm optimistic about tourists. Maybe they're dumb enough to complain about that.

[MalcolmB]

On 4/27/2025 at 10:14 AM, hotsun said:

Thats one of the perks of having a thai partner. You just let her deal with everything alone. They cant rip you off if you arent there

No, she pockets the difference instead and you have no idea.

The old saying amongst the Thai ladies “ฝรั่งรู้มากไม่ดี” a farang who knows too much is no good.

[MalcolmB]

20 hours ago, norsurin said:

Thailand have priced themselves out.The greedy style is covered alreadyA baht thats ridiculous high and prices MUCH higher then nabour countries makes people go somewhere else.

They are still number one in south east Asia by miles and Bangkok…

 

According to Euromonitor International, Bangkok, Thailand, remains the world's most visited city, welcoming an impressive 32.4 million international arrivals this year.

 

When you have huge demand for something you can Jack up prices.

 

I prefer Phuket personally, higher standards of everything and the prices mean a higher standard of tourists.

 

[jcmj]

Well I imagine we will find out by the end of the year. We just hit slow season and all the press is bad about tourism and the losses they are seeing. After the high season starts then they will say more and more tourists are coming and business is booming. If they don’t say that this year, I’d suggest they start looking at why they are losing tourism and business and doing something about it other than writing an article. Unfortunately Thailand is on its way down the list of places to visit, and the surrounding countries are getting noticed and are becoming the new place to go. Thailand needs to really focus on getting the right tourists coming and stop trying to get any cheap Charlie they can get. They did this to themselves and only they can get themselves out of it. 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

Eat at uni.

Great food.

Two plates plus plenty of rice.....Bt.55.00

 

Also, no obnoxious diners, no drunks, no Russians, and no weirdos.

 

Relax under a tree, or have a tea.

 

Stay out of the Malls.

Don't frequent bars.

Etc.

 

I like the pad thai goong at the food court in Big C.

 

Oishi Ramen is the only other restaurant I go to in a mall, for takeaway.

 

It's coming up to ten years when I was last in a bar.

[norsurin]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

They are still number one in south east Asia by miles and Bangkok…

 

According to Euromonitor International, Bangkok, Thailand, remains the world's most visited city, welcoming an impressive 32.4 million international arrivals this year.

 

When you have huge demand for something you can Jack up prices.

 

I prefer Phuket personally, higher standards of everything and the prices mean a higher standard of tourists.

 

I dont believe these numbers.Maybe if they counting with the people tthe way to another country and just shift flights in Bangkok.Phuket have become a bad place because of all the problems with russians and arabs.

[GammaGlobulin]

3 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

I agree that a pool and air conditioning are a must,

 

The pool must by olympic size, 50-meter pool, for laps.

This is a must, as you say.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

One major problem is this:

 

a. When Thailand becomes more expensive, then Thailand's lower quality, riffraff tourists begin to go to more upscale places like Japan.

 

b. This would be fine, except the Japanese people don't like the quality of Thailand's tourists.

 

c. You can read about it on the internet.

 

d.  Many Japanese are becoming extremely disgruntled by having the tourist originally scheduled to visit Thailand, suddenly changing plans and visiting Japan.

 

e.  The Japanese really do not like this.  They are far less accommodating than the people of Thailand.

 

f.  In Japan, these days, there is far more pushback against tourists than there ever was.  50 years ago, the tourists to Japan were SUPER-DUPER high class.  But now, they seem to be the rejects from Pattaya, or something.  This is why I will not go to Japan.  I do not want to be seen as part of this rejected group from Thailand.

 

f2. Of course, i would move to Japan, but I would not be a tourist in Japan, or a rejected tourist from Thailand, especially.

 

[Ben Zioner]

On 4/27/2025 at 10:11 AM, BritManToo said:

Yep, Vietnam, Cambodia and The Philippines are much better destinations that western tourists.

Why is Malaysia so consistently overlooked. I use my French or my Australian passports and every and I get a great time on every trip, and better value for my Dollars. Food and wine lovers just don't bother with Thailand anymore.

[richard_smith237]

On 4/28/2025 at 12:48 PM, EVENKEEL said:

Hotel price sounds doable, but not the obscene food pricing. I usually rent a car and locate the good eating establishments.

 

I like Marriott. Have enough points for 3 free nights. Rate is 6500 baht/nt for 2 queens. Thanks......

 

Exactly what we do... 

 

When we holiday in Thailand, we tend to opt for a known quantity - a certain standard, beachfront location - which usually means significantly higher prices than the 800 Baht rooms people have mentioned. More often than not, we stick with international hotel chains we trust, where we can count on a consistent level of service, cleanliness, and room quality.

 

We've tried renting villas in the past, but after a couple of misadventures, we’ve steered away from that option- it just feels like too much of a gamble.

 

The article makes a fair point: Thailand has undeniably become more expensive. A beer that once cost 120-160 baht is now closer to 180-220 Baht in popular places (decent bars, clubs etc). Hotels that used to be 3,500–4,000 baht a night are now running 5,500 to 7,000 baht for the same rooms.

 

That said, the places are still full - ultimately, the market decides.

 

Two-tier pricing is a different issue altogether. It’s not universal, but where it does happen, it leaves a sour taste for tourists. Understandably so.

 

Thailand can still be inexpensive at the lower end - basic air-conditioned rooms, street food, that kind of thing -but that’s not really our scene, especially when travelling as a family.

 

When I was planning a getaway this April, I actually considered Vietnam given the rising prices in Thailand. But we ended up finding a good deal at a travel fair and stuck with Thailand - it was just easier, especially since we had the car.

 

Hotel dining and mini-bar prices have always been steep in mid-to-upmarket hotels. We usually ask staff to clear the mini-bar and then make a quick trip to 7-Eleven - stocking up on wine, craft beers, soft drinks, and snacks to fill the fridge ourselves. Simple and sensible.

 

 

We’re planning another trip in a couple of months, and it’ll have to be in Thailand since we’ll be travelling with several Thai families. Convenience is key - so we’re looking for somewhere drivable, beachfront, with a large pool for the kids and good restaurants nearby. When you put all those boxes together, it almost always points to an international chain. No one wants surprises, and that’s exactly what the big names offer: consistency, reliability, and peace of mind - unfortunately the price for that peace of mind is increasing. 

Hopefully there is another travel fair or the rao-tiew-duay-kan promo's (which offer great discounts for Thai's so the Wife can get it).

 

 

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Why is Malaysia so consistently overlooked. I use my French or my Australian passports and every and I get a great time on every trip, and better value for my Dollars. Food and wine lovers just don't bother with Thailand anymore.

 

As far as Beach holidays are concerned - Malaysia doesn't have the same standard compared to Thailand.

Penang is a bit of a hole.... only the beaches up north on Batu Ferrengi are ok.

Langkawi is good - often overlooked but worth a visit, often awkward to get to.

Tioman island is nice - very local small feel, very awkward to get to, for the same effort, there are lots of Thai Islands that are better.

On the mainland Malaysia, the beaches are very poor, much like the south east coast of Thailand.

 

As a City break, KL is a very good visit, Bangkok is much better for tourists.

After the towers, Merdeka square and Batu-caves - there's not much to see in KL.

Nightlife is limited - Bangsar.

 

Thailand has a lot more to offer than Malaysia: If Tourist want more civilisation than Thailand, Singapore is close enough for that high end city break, for Beaches and the 'holiday vibe', Thailand just does it better.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, JackGats said:

When I read "cannabis concerns" I suspect the news is news manufactured for the sake of sensationalism. What kind of turist will complain about one in ten Indian tailor shops being replaced by a cannabis shop? Maybe I'm optimistic about tourists. Maybe they're dumb enough to complain about that.

 

100% agree - what tourist has ever genuinely expressed concern about marijuana being available for those who want it? Absolutely none.

As you rightly pointed out, it’s just manufactured outrage, whipped up for media sensationalism.

People will take it at face value simply because it appears in an article, which is absurd. Nonsense like that shouldn’t even be given oxygen.