Tourism Thailand Vows to End Dual Pricing Amid Growing Tourist Backlash

[johng]

4 minutes ago, Dave0206 said:

more annoying was the elephant pants I had to rent or buy outside gate.

Well you shouldn't have worn your miniskirt  didn't you read the lonley planet guide before hand ?

[Free the 115]

13 minutes ago, Unamerican said:

Where/what are these? — examples please! 

https://www.timeout.com/london/news/londoners-can-get-50-percent-off-loads-of-the-citys-biggest-attractions-right-now-042924
 

took me less than a minute to find.. and probably less than the time it took you to type your “request”

[johng]

Thailand Vows to End Dual Pricing

 

I vow to end drinking,take up exercise and start a new hobby too 😋

[connda]

When pigs fly.

 

[digger70]

Thailand Vows to End Dual Pricing Amid Growing Tourist Backlash.

 

Nah not going to happen ,People are just too Greedy .Same as Corruption .

[mrmicbkktxl]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

London museums and parks all free for everyone.

10 times higher?

[connda]

In Thai
Adults - 40 THB
Kids - 30 THB

You can read the English yourselves.  Do this in the US and you're a "racist."  Imagine a park in the US, but reverse the Thai and English but keep the prices in the same place.  "Racists!!! Racists!!!" 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The minister assured better regulation of tourism scams

That omission in itself is worrying.

[fittobethaied]

Now they need to do something about double pricing in government hospitals. I have a disease which requires a special semi-annual blood test that cost me 11,900 Baht at the Udon Thani Hospital, but only 4,500 Baht at the local Army Hospital. They use the same lab in Bangkok, and everything is exactly the same. My meds cost 7000 Baht per month from UTH, and I get the very same medication from a company in Bangkok for 700 Baht per month. The disparity in prices can only be explained by sheer greed and ripping off the farangs. Thais don't pay anywhere near that price at UTH, and the cashiers have already told me that there is a two-tier system of pricing. God only knows what those prices would be at a private hospital. 

[JustinTyme]

They just need to change the wording, to more easily explain the rationale behind this.  These are PUBLIC areas funded by taxes! 
The Thai have "already paid."

Tax Payer - 30 Baht
Non Tax Payer - 150 Baht

(and to the very small minority of tax paying foreigners, yes, they should provide you with a card to avoid the higher charge)

[connda]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I always do the I'm over 60 so it's free, the Thais all have to pay and I don't.

Much unhappiness as rich foreigner doesn't have to pay!

They'll usually drop me down to Thai adult prices as I read them off of the price board.  I have yet been able to talk them down to "Hey, I'm over 70 and I should be free."

[connda]

5 hours ago, hotsun said:

Why are you condoning discrimination when your home country charges everyone the same price

For the same reason as those who insist that long-stay expats need to "pay their fair share of taxes," and then out of the other side of their month, will condone dual-pricing.

[EVENKEEL]

JHC just pay it and smile. Have a good day. My kid ribs me on this one though. 

 

Farang have to pay how much? 

 

Just pay and enjoy.

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, connda said:

They'll usually drop be down to Thai adult prices as I read them off of the price board.  I have yet been able to talk them down to "Hey, I'm over 70 and I should be free."

They never advertise over 60s have free entry, but in many places that's the rule.

 

[connda]

Vietnam has officially banned dual pricing for non-Vietnamese at heritage sites, tourist attractions, and national parks since January 2020, following Circular 85/2019/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance. This made Vietnam the first country in the Mekong Region to enforce uniform pricing for both locals and foreigners at such venues.

Good Morning Vietnam!

[freedomnow]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

London museums and parks all free for everyone.

Free as in paid by tax payers, yes.

[connda]

12 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

They never advertise over 60s have free entry, but in many places that's the rule.

 

Puu sung ayu - free <---  ผู้สูงอายุฟรี

i can read the Thai right off of the signs, which I do with DL and pink card in hand. I either get mai dai or the adult price. Or they just tell me to pound sand in Thai vernacular.

[Zack61]

Not in my lifetime 

[Captor]

Better they ban the cannabis. Allowing the cannabis smoking will have a much more influence in the tourists (familys wirh kids mostly).

[newnative]

5 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

Dual pricing only effects cheap backpacker type tourists and sensitive souls. Thailand in no way should appease cheap backpackers who offer nothing to the economy, but take up valuable space. Not only should they put the prices up for foreigners but ban anyone with a back pack from coming into a national park. Furthermore ban hostels. 

 

The prices for these places are still cheap compared to western standards. 

 

Thailand simply needs to adjust the wording and image of the dual pricing. For example, if you see a price on the wall, but then offers Thais a reduction it may look better than showing two prices on board and you get the dreaded sensitive police brigrade crying dual pricing. 

 

In London you have attractions and places that offer discounts for locals, and those not from the area pay more. I see no moral outrage there. Imagine being a local Thai and seeing lovely national parks destroyed by mass cheap tourists, throwing rubbish everywhere, crowds, and the enviromental damage it does to your locality. Letting them in cheaply offers some compensation. 

 

Aren't the also planning this for the BTS - where by locals in Bangkok may get a set fare of 20 Baht per person, but others will pay full fares. Wording makes it okay. 

     I agree.  As you point out, it's certainly not just found in Thailand.  There are lots of examples in the US-- everything from reduced park rates for state residents to higher tuition for foreign students to discounted tickets to Disney World for Florida residents.   Standard practice and no big deal.  

[cedel]

6 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Will never happen. National parks etc. Next!

another example : the floating market in Pattaya used to be free 15 years ago for everybody, but a few years later, they wanted to charge me an entry fee because I was foreigner.. so, I simply did not go there anymore.. and boycotted this place. 

[Ben Zioner]

Goods news, but too late, told them to penetrate themselves wherever they wanted...

[Davedub]

The dual pricing at hospitals is the big issue for me.

 

When I see the procedure I'm paying for can be profitably performed at a fraction of the price for a Thai it leaves me feeling ripped off and disrespected.

[DaRoadrunner]

They can start by ending dual pricing at hospitals. I will believe it when I see it.

[Chongalulu]

55 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Yes, the way it is worded needs looking at.

Same as signs on highways say 'SLOW traffic keep left'  No-one wants to be classed as SLOW.

Change it to ALL traffic keep left unless overtaking.

Yes that’ll make a huge improvement to Thai lane discipline… 🙄 

[cedel]

6 hours ago, Gsxrnz said:

Bit of a gouge. 40 baht and 20 baht.

 

Try this - Rock up with your Thai license, and a stern DFWM look on your face, hand over the Thai price exactly, change your DFWM look to a toothy widemouth smile, and tell them in Thai you're a Thai person. Works more often than not and usually elicits a laugh from the ticket issuer,   

it did not work last Saturday in Krabi: I was with my thai gf, and to enter a "national park" (some islands), foreigners had to pay 200 B, and thai 40, I contested the price and said that I was resident and showed my thai driving license.. but the guide after calling said that I still had to pay 200 B, while my gf paid only 40B

[wwest5829]

Over the 14 years here, I have found it to be hit or miss. My Thai Wife and I are always together, I present my Thai Driver’s License and say I have lived in Chiang Mai for 14 years.  Sometimes they give me the same price as my Wife. Sometimes not and then I say, sorry, so you get nothing and just leave. Life is too short for this to be a hill to die on. My only global home is Chiang Mai, after a decade of trouble free life here, here I see myself as a Permanent Resident whether the Thai government recognizes the fact or not.

[stix40]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I always do the I'm over 60 so it's free, the Thais all have to pay and I don't.

Much unhappiness as rich foreigner doesn't have to pay!

Are you sure over 60s are free for farang price ? 

 

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I always do the I'm over 60 so it's free, the Thais all have to pay and I don't.

Much unhappiness as rich foreigner doesn't have to pay!

Are you sure over 60s are free for farang ?? 

[Chongalulu]

10 minutes ago, newnative said:

     I agree.  As you point out, it's certainly not just found in Thailand.  There are lots of examples in the US-- everything from reduced park rates for state residents to higher tuition for foreign students to discounted tickets to Disney World for Florida residents.   Standard practice and no big deal.  

The essential point that goes over your head is Thai dual pricing is based on RACE, nothing else. If you look Thai you’ll get the reduced price. I’m a long term resident near a national park and get no discount, but a Thai visitor from the other end of the country does. Look again at your examples- "Residents" not white Americans. Got it now…? 

[BritManToo]

9 minutes ago, cedel said:

it did not work last Saturday in Krabi: I was with my thai gf, and to enter a "national park" (some islands), foreigners had to pay 200 B, and thai 40, I contested the price and said that I was resident and showed my thai driving license.. but the guide after calling said that I still had to pay 200 B, while my gf paid only 40B

Did you pay the park warden direct?

The guides like to charge the foreigner price, then give the warden the Thai price.

 

The last time I went to Koh Samet I refused to pay the park price on the boat, they phoned the park warden to meet the boat as they had a problem foreigner. I handed the park warden my Thai D/L and the Thai price, as I exited the boat, which he took, returned my D/L and walked away.