Siam Ocean World

[jfchandler]

Went to Siam Ocean World yesterday, knowing well in advance that I'd have the infamous dual ticket pricing scheme to contend with.... Got thru it fine, but boy, it took some work.

OK, as of now August 09, the regular ticket pricing on the SOW web site (in English) for farangs is 850 baht for adults and 650 baht for children. Then in Thai only characters, the prices are listed (for Thais) as 350 baht for adults and 250 baht for children. There's no mention on the web site, as best as I could see, for exceptions/discounts for resident farangs.

But I'd gone once before long ago as a tourist, and got hit for the 850 baht ticket, or close to that amount, while my TGF at the time paid some amount half as much or less. So I knew what we were in for when my current TGF expressed a desire to go lately.

What set us in motion this time was a promo email I had received from SkyTrain/BTS's Nuduan card (a kind of rewards card they offer), which advertised regular adult SOW tickets priced at 350 baht being discounted to 240 baht for all of August 09 for Nuduan card holders. Note, BTS makes the Nuduan cards available to Thais and farangs alike, though their promotional emails and such so far have only come in Thai language. And the promo email didn't say anything about the discount being limited in any way.

So, to make sure, I had my TGF call the BTS Nuduan contact number listed on their promotional email, and after a lot of going round, she came back with the reply that the Nuduan people were saying the discounted SOW tickets were for Thai only, not farang. OK, can't change that... and I'm not going to pay another 850 baht to go SOW for a second time, so I start looking for another way.

Notice that True, which is a sponsor of SOW, also is promoing discounted tickets. So we call about that to SOW... Same answer, True subscriber discount only for Thais...not farang... of course, even though same like BTS, both farangs and Thais can be True subscribers/customers.

So at that point, I call back and talk to the SOW people myself. The rep I speak with finally does acknowledge, yes, they will allow farangs to buy tickets at the Thai price if you can show a work permit. I answer, I'm retired and have a long-term visa, but don't have a work permit. But I tell her again that I live here full-time, and am not a tourist.

And then she (nicely enough) replies with, "Well, if you have a Thai bank ATM card, you can use that to receive the discount." BINGO... Thai bank ATM cards I have in spades.... So off we go to SOW for a Friday afternoon visit.

Get to the ticket counter, my TGF shows her BTS Nuduan card and talks with the sales agent. The rep then looks at my Thai bank ATM card, and wants to see some other ID with a signature that matches the signature on my bank card, so I show my U.S. driver's license. And she is satisfied.

So I'm expecting we'll pay 350 baht (regular Thai price) for my ticket and 240 baht Nuduan discount price for her. But when the sale is rang up, the cashier has charged us both the 240 baht Nuduan discount deal for a total of 480 baht for two people. Nice little perk after all the ticket hassling.

So, if you're a farang and don't want to pay 850 baht per ticket, the answers seem to be:

--bring and show a work permit

--bring and show a Thai bank ATM card

--or find some other discount that is available to farangs, not just Thais.

Someone mentioned above in this thread that showing a Thai driver's license also works. But I don't have one, so I couldn't try that approach to verify it.

Siam Ocean World is OK, not great, not bad... For 240 baht per ticket, it's a nice afternoon. For 850 baht per ticket, it's a definite PASS.

PS - What I don't know from the above experience, is what would have happened if I had gone alone (farang only) armed with my BTS Nuduan card. The BTS people told us over the phone that the discount was only for Thais. But the cashier at SOW ended up giving both my GF and I the Nuduan price after she showed her Nuduan card, and I showed my Thai bank ATM card. I too had a Nuduan card, but based on the advice from BTS, I never actually took it out to show to the SOW cashier.

[ukrules]

It sounds a lot simpler to just avoid the place completely.

Edited August 7, 2009 by ukrules

[Jimjim]

Very nice report, jfchandler. And 850 baht sounds far too high for this aquarium if you compare it to places like Monterey Bay in California which is awesome and costs $30 (1000 baht) and I doubt Siam Ocean World gets anywhere close to the size of Monterey Bay Aquarium.

[Heng]

The solution is obviously some kind of biometric scanner that would be able to identify non-Thai Asians so they could be charged more as well.

[robblok]

The solution is obviously some kind of biometric scanner that would be able to identify non-Thai Asians so they could be charged more as well.

Or ask the US to colonize Thailand and let the Thais pay more

[Heng]

Baby steps, a good start would be to break through the "front lines" of purple stamps, 90 day perfect attendance checks, etc. of the Thai Immigration Police.

[robblok]

Baby steps, a good start would be to break through the "front lines" of purple stamps, 90 day perfect attendance checks, etc. of the Thai Immigration Police.

I agree i was just joking around.

[Heng]

Me too. I'm actually for equal pricing for general goods and services, I just like to rib folks who are particularly cranky about anything.

[StatlerandWaldorf]

I have sent an email, asking the management their reasons for employing the policy.......will be interesting to see what their reply is....if anything at all. I doubt it will be the old...'if you don't like it go home.......'

There is absolutely no way they will reply to you, of this I am quite sure. Well done for trying though, I hope I am proved wrong.

I am not too impressed with the pricing, I personally would not be bothered to go there but I want my Son to experience these things. I think you will find that the crocodile farm in Samut Prakan does exactly the same thing.

[dondraper]

when i went i got the thai price. the lady told me "wwwoooo can speak thai.. very handsome ookkkkkk"

ah, the perks of youth.

[dondraper]

I have sent an email, asking the management their reasons for employing the policy.......will be interesting to see what their reply is....if anything at all. I doubt it will be the old...'if you don't like it go home.......'

There is absolutely no way they will reply to you, of this I am quite sure. Well done for trying though, I hope I am proved wrong.

I am not too impressed with the pricing, I personally would not be bothered to go there but I want my Son to experience these things. I think you will find that the crocodile farm in Samut Prakan does exactly the same thing.

So does Disney Land.

[ukrules]

Is this Ocean World actually any good ?

[dondraper]

not really.