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

[richard_smith237]

14 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

There is no excuse for being impolite to your customers while at work. Be you a general or a shelf stacker.

 

Your use of the word 'customer' highlights a certain delusion as to your status when entering and when 'in' Thailand... You are not a customer.

[GammaGlobulin]

4 hours ago, rough diamond said:

Give up!

Please go and swim in the ocean. (with my favourite sharks, just make sure there are no kids around)

 

No worries.

 

Just like WC Fields, ankle biters, for me at least, are even worse than sharks.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Please don't be so ridiculous - with proper supervision (for both) ocean swimming is never safer than pool swimming.... 

 

Your comment is well beyond ridiculous.

 

 

 

No it's not.

 

If you believe otherwise, then please present your evidence using valid data.

Thank you.

 

[GammaGlobulin]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Yet here you are on a forum for Thai expats, not Belize expats...   

 

Yes.

Here I am.

I am proud to be a TV member, in fact.

And...

 

Here I shall stay...

By the way.

 

 

[CG1 Blue]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Not all foreigners visiting or living in Thailand are wealthy; many are budget travellers, students, or retirees on limited means.

All of whom are fortunate enough to have had the means to travel to a far away exotic country to visit or retire. Your average Thai living in Isaan could only dream about that. It's all relative. 

[richard_smith237]

33 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

5 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Please don't be so ridiculous - with proper supervision (for both) ocean swimming is never safer than pool swimming.... 

 

Your comment is well beyond ridiculous.

 

 

 

No it's not.

 

If you believe otherwise, then please present your evidence using valid data.

 

I'm reluctant to give such stupidity that amount of oxygen....

 

But.. here goes..   

There are not a lot of information which isolate 'sea' from natural water - but there are some...

(natural water otherwise includes rivers, lakes, quarries etc).

 

https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/about/news-and-updates/news/2025/mar/104-lives-lost-to-drowning-in-waterways-and-swimming-pools-this-summer

 

104 drownings in Australia in 2024/2025 Summer.

 

- 32% of drownings were at beaches.

- 11% were in swimming pools.

 

Reasons: 

In swimming pools most deaths / drownings were attributed to Lack of supervision, inadequate fencing...

In the sea, most deaths / drownings were attributed to Rip currents, alcohol, overconfidence...

 

You fall into the 'over-confidence' category... though given your postings a fence with a childproof latch would protect you from banging your head and drowning in a pool as you might struggle to open it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

28 minutes ago, CG1 Blue said:

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Not all foreigners visiting or living in Thailand are wealthy; many are budget travellers, students, or retirees on limited means.

All of whom are fortunate enough to have had the means to travel to a far away exotic country to visit or retire. Your average Thai living in Isaan could only dream about that. It's all relative. 

 

I think thats flawed thinking.

 

The idea that foreigners are inherently wealthier simply because they’ve had the means to travel doesn’t justify dual pricing (IMO). Here’s why....

 

Wealth isn’t guaranteed by travel: While it’s true that many tourists may have the financial means to travel, it’s a false assumption to claim all foreigners are wealthy. Budget travellers, students, digital nomads, and retirees on fixed incomes have limited resources. They live on the same street food the poor do.

 

Living costs are different: The cost of living in Thailand can be much lower for foreigners who choose to live modestly, particularly retirees or expats on pensions or savings. These people might not be rich by Western standards but are still considered “foreigners” and subject to unfair pricing - I'm not using this as a strong argument, nevertheless its a facet that yields a valid point.

 

Thai citizens may have fewer opportunities: Yes, many Thais, especially in rural areas like Isaan, have limited opportunities for travel, and I agree that does not mean they should be given less access to their own national parks or heritage. The basic right to enjoy nature should not be restricted to anyone - certainly not at a 10x surcharge.

 

Tourism Revenue vs. Tax: Thailands income tax cut-off is set at 150,000 baht per year, meaning the poorest locals pay no taxes. Meanwhile, the country generates an impressive 32 billion baht annually from tourism. With such significant revenue from tourists, Thailand is already in a massive net positive from tourism alone -there’s no need for the additional eff you of dual pricing.

 

Income inequality: The assumption that foreigners are wealthier ignores Thailand's own internal wealth disparity. Many Thai citizens, particularly in urban areas, are much wealthier than foreign tourists (in fact almost every Thai I know well here is on a similar level or wealthier than I). Therefore, using nationality as a basis for pricing is arbitrary.

 

Tourism isn’t a charity: Foreign tourists spend money in Thailand, contributing to the economy. Overcharging them for park access feels like taking advantage of that, rather than recognising their contribution to local economies. A more equitable system would ensure that all people, regardless of nationality, can enjoy the parks without discrimination - Come here, we want you here, we won't rip you off !!!.. kind of message.

[Gottfrid]

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

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.

Exactly. We foreigners who stay in Thailand, have been doing that for a while. We have a house, we have a car, if we need and a motorbike. Soo, that´s the essential. It  can be more of course. But we know how things work, and we did not go here on a happy thought of freedom. We know what we did, and living after what we have. 

That´s the opposite of dumb <deleted> people coming here today, what to stay, over stay and don´t even have money for that. 

Intelligence has just come to a level at the bottom never seen before.

[GammaGlobulin]

1 hour ago, CG1 Blue said:

All of whom are fortunate enough to have had the means to travel to a far away exotic country to visit or retire. Your average Thai living in Isaan could only dream about that.

 

YES.

 

I am living the dream.

 

But, also, I sometimes dream about returning to the USA, ans living in the tr-state area, a land I love....

 

So...

Do I miss this landscape?

Do I miss this spectacular New York beauty.....????

YES...I do.....!!!!!!!!!!!

 

But, still, I prefer Asian Culture, and Thai Culture.....

 

Watch this vid, and you will see some spectacular landscape, something I do miss, from time to time.

 

I am tempted to move back there, anytime I see such magnificent images as those included in this vid.

 

BUT, returning for a short visit is a hassle, and therefore....I shall remain here, in Asia....until....

Kingdom Come....

 

By the way, the entire design of the IBM building shown here was done by some Norwegian-(Finland)-American GENIUS....

 

IBM does almost EVERYTHING right....it seems, from logos to pocket-protectors.....

 

You just gotta love....IBM.....

 

The beauty of IBM machines has been highly underappreciated.

 

And, just watching this vid....one can appreciate the beauty of the design of the research center in New York....

===================

 

 

Designer of this incredible building which fits so neatly into the landscape.

 

 

Watch the vid here to see just how it fits...and how beautiful this place truly is....

 

 

This is the ONE place I might miss, and prefer to be, other than Thailand.

 

And, as we all know....

 

Thailand is almost impossible to beat......

At almost ANY price.

 

Thailand is great.

And, its greatness has NOTHING to do with cost of living.

 

Believe me, folks, when I tell you.....

 

 

 

 

[steven100]

9 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

This talk of a downturn in tourism is utter nonsense. They on course to hit 40 million tourists, which is record breaking. They just had a boom during Songkran.

your talking nonsense

[baansgr]

Obviously places like Samui have been ruined by DTV holders, people working illegally as yoga, Muay Thai and health awareness instructors thinking it's great to change exactly what attracted them to the place. As for inflation,it's almost non existent, petrol same price, utilities except for a 0.5 baht increase in electric are the same if not cheaper than 20 years ago. Food has barely increased, cigarettes for smokers are the same price and beers can be found at 50 baht bars. A new Honda wave has increased less than 10% in 20 years. Can still get air con rooms for 500 baht. Thailand has changed, for the uneducated, novice Instagram travellers but for the most part, things are same, same as they always were. Thailand is in a time warp, and a great place to travel or live.

[DonniePeverley]

1 hour ago, steven100 said:

your talking nonsense

 

 

Whilst it is cheap tourists .... they are on course to hit 40 million visitors this year. That would be their record. 

 

Now i have no idea why Thailand is so obsessed with number of visitors as a gage of success, the actual barometer should be income generated. Furthermore could income be further improved if there were more quality spending tourists. 

 

The likes of UK, France, USA, Australia could get far more tourists than Thailand, but they chose to have restrictions on their borders. Thailand is basically an open border at the moment to anyone. Hence why 'total number of visitors' is a really poor gage to work out any policies. 

 

Furthermore, when you allow in so many cheap tourists -  you then have the costs involved in infrustricture, policing, pollution, enviromental damage, etc .... so some tourists make you a loss per head. 

[DonniePeverley]

1 hour ago, baansgr said:

Obviously places like Samui have been ruined by DTV holders, people working illegally as yoga, Muay Thai and health awareness instructors thinking it's great to change exactly what attracted them to the place. 

 

The DTV has destroyed Thailand - you are starting to see the erosion of Thai culture. 

 

It is one of the worst things implemented by any government i have known. I am including coups in that too. It was ill thought out, an absolute disgrace. 

[kevozman1]

It's still a cheap place for a holiday. Double pricing has declined a fair amount from when I first visited Thailand, or maybe because I speak more This they don't try it as much not sure.. Personally it doesn't bother me that much regarding the national parks extra charge, although it does show an issue/inconsistency with being very nationalistic but also heavily promoting tourism.

 

The cannabis part annoys me a little, for different reasons then it would possibly for others. Thailand has liberalized a fair amount over the last 2 decades, but not in a good way for most foreigners if you're similar to me.  Same sex marriage is now allowed. Cannabis legal. Drinking culture has increased. All things I have no interest in. Obviously if any liberalizing was going to happen it would have been nice to get a realistic route to permanent residency. Maybe some protection rights for foreigners. But no, in that regard things have got worse if anything making Thailand not a suitable long-term option. Still ok for a holiday, aside from the road carnage, increasing air pollution, and that you could be jumped and the perpetrators will tell the police they were 'protecting fellow Thais' and give a little wai before walking off scot- free, and with it reducing around 99% of the potential 'quality tourists' the TAT keeps droning on about.

[ChipButty]

It's gone crazy, I noticed yesterday on FB somewhere near where I live, will be opening an new restaurant, Im not going to mention any names, they will be charging 1900 baht for all you can eat buffet dinner, we are out in the middle of Rawai not down town Bangkok, 

 

Update;

I've just been out for a coffee I think I know where it will be, it's in a busy spot with no parking, what's so ever, It's a big problem in this area now,