Dream World Rip Off

[bangon04]

Went to DreamWorld today with a group of Thai friends and their kids.

I offered to buy the tickets - same as before - 150 baht with the tear off tickets - one free ride on each attraction.

The lady managing the queue at the box office - No Sir, Falang must buy ticket in the office - leads me into the Information office. There I am informed that I can only buy a sticker for unlimited rides all day, naturally for 3 times the Thai price (450 baht instead of 150). I wanted to go back out and buy the Thai ticket as per plan A. But the box office refused to serve me.

So I have to let my friends buy the tickets for us, and I am marched back to the office to buy the overpriced but "unlimited" sticker.

Well you guessed it - "Unlimited" rides is a blatant lie. Almost all of the rides demanded an extra ticket on top of the sticker. Plus I found out from my regular taxi driver that he gets a commission by quoting the number on the silly Sticker.

I have experienced Thai double pricing before, and it does not bother me, but simply lying to Falang is a step further.

So I will not go there again, and they have lost my business for the next 10 years. I will tell everyone I know that they cheated me, and I wish them all an early redundancy.

I am just as sure that they do not care about my disgust, because I am just a Falang ATM, and there will always be more along in a minute, but it makes me feel a bit better to have a quick rant.

[PatinBKk]

Dont go there again.....I refuse point blank to go to any attraction that charges more.....I have WP so could possibly get in at normal price but begrudge having to show it. I went to kaenkachaen and they tried to charge me more...I then asked how much for the kids as they are half Thai...theye didnt know what to say...I asked again and again....they couldnt amnswer so we just walked away....that was the last time I ever bothered....spend your money somewhere it is appreciated rather than being ripped off

[MeetJohnDoe]

I don't really have a problem with "farang" pricing, especially at private business like Dream World. Such pricing is common around the world at both public and private venues of all sorts. However, the prices and such should be clearly stated and in order to promote business, should be reasonable. (An unreasonable example would be the Thai national park's 10x price for non-Thais.)

Then one can make an informed decision on whether to patronize or not.

[thecatman]

I haven't actually been to Dreamworld myself, but Farang friends have told me that producing a Thai ATM card or bank book that is in your possession will get you in for the Thai price.

Maybe somebody can confirm this.

Edited April 15, 2009 by thecatman

[rixalex]

Such pricing is common around the world at both public and private venues of all sorts.

1) Don't think it is common

2) If it were common, wouldn't make it right

[BigSnake]

I am an old fart so I give Dream World a wide berth anyway, but I will make so or my younger farangs friends with farangs kids aware/beware of this practice, 100 percent sure dream world is not the only that does this.

[pedro01]

I suggest you lock yourself in your room & seethe for the next 10 years.

Average Isaan migrant worker in Bangkok earns between 3000-8000 baht a month. Foreign expats can't get a work permit for less than 50,000 a month most earn in excess of 100,000.

Instead of looking at it as you getting ripped off, why not look at it as people poorer than yourself getting a discount ?

[beano2274]

I don't really have a problem with "farang" pricing, especially at private business like Dream World. Such pricing is common around the world at both public and private venues of all sorts. However, the prices and such should be clearly stated and in order to promote business, should be reasonable. (An unreasonable example would be the Thai national park's 10x price for non-Thais.)

Then one can make an informed decision on whether to patronize or not.

I have never seen double pricing in England, Germany, Holland, France or Spain. Where have you seen it?

It does not happen in Europe that I am aware of.

[PatinBKk]

I suggest you lock yourself in your room & seethe for the next 10 years.

Average Isaan migrant worker in Bangkok earns between 3000-8000 baht a month. Foreign expats can't get a work permit for less than 50,000 a month most earn in excess of 100,000.

Instead of looking at it as you getting ripped off, why not look at it as people poorer than yourself getting a discount ?

So dependent on ones salery should detremine what one pays for purchasing items etc.......interesting theory.....Most Thais in BKK earn the same if not more than falangs, so shouldnt they pay just as much.....what about Thaksin in the U.K....he is mega rich...surely then, whilst he was there he should have paid 30 times more than the average family man on a South London council estate...BS...yor ideals are unfair....dont pay anymore than the locals for anything, whether it be foord/rent or entrance to some s*tty park

[PatinBKk]

I suggest you lock yourself in your room & seethe for the next 10 years.

Average Isaan migrant worker in Bangkok earns between 3000-8000 baht a month. Foreign expats can't get a work permit for less than 50,000 a month most earn in excess of 100,000.

Instead of looking at it as you getting ripped off, why not look at it as people poorer than yourself getting a discount ?

What about my kids...they are half Thai and born here but have both Thai and UK passports...do they pay the Thai or falang price...maybe somewhere between as they are half half...or maybe three quaters as they are half half , I am falang and wife is thai....answer me....how much should my kids pay and give me the reason for your conclusion

[spongeman]

I avoided places in Thailand like this when I lived there. Did'nt upset me, just ignored them completely.

TIT

[Shotime]

I suggest you lock yourself in your room & seethe for the next 10 years.

Average Isaan migrant worker in Bangkok earns between 3000-8000 baht a month. Foreign expats can't get a work permit for less than 50,000 a month most earn in excess of 100,000.

Instead of looking at it as you getting ripped off, why not look at it as people poorer than yourself getting a discount ?

I don't have a problem paying more because I'm from another country, and I'm not Asian. I don't look at it like you suggest, however. I look at it like if someone wasn't from my country, they would be subject to the same discrimination as I am here. That's the way it is. However, it becomes annoying when they're rude about it, and visibly get a kick out of taking a couple extra baht out of your pocket. Like rubbing your nose in it. It would almost be comical if it wasn't so prevalent.

Why only ten years?

[phetaroi]

I have never seen double pricing in England, Germany, Holland, France or Spain. Where have you seen it?

It does not happen in Europe that I am aware of.

In the U.S., out-of-state students often pay more tuition and fees than in-state students.

[kiakaha]

Went to DreamWorld today with a group of Thai friends and their kids.

I offered to buy the tickets - same as before - 150 baht with the tear off tickets - one free ride on each attraction.

The lady managing the queue at the box office - No Sir, Falang must buy ticket in the office - leads me into the Information office. There I am informed that I can only buy a sticker for unlimited rides all day, naturally for 3 times the Thai price (450 baht instead of 150). I wanted to go back out and buy the Thai ticket as per plan A. But the box office refused to serve me.

So I have to let my friends buy the tickets for us, and I am marched back to the office to buy the overpriced but "unlimited" sticker.

Well you guessed it - "Unlimited" rides is a blatant lie. Almost all of the rides demanded an extra ticket on top of the sticker. Plus I found out from my regular taxi driver that he gets a commission by quoting the number on the silly Sticker.

I have experienced Thai double pricing before, and it does not bother me, but never simply lying to Falang is a step further.

So I will not go there again, and they have lost my business for the next 10 years. I will tell everyone I know that they cheated me, and I wish them all an early redundancy.

I am just as sure that they do not care about my disgust, because I am just a Falang ATM, and there will always be more along in a minute, but it makes me feel a bit better to have a quick rant.

As a caucasian(farang), what is your legal residency status in thailand (citizneship, permanent residency, non immigrant B + work permit etc..) ?

Or are you just another "tourist" hoping to be granted the same pricing rights as residents...if you're not sure of your stauts, check the stamp in your passport

I have always paid 150 BT at dreamworld by explaining in the local language(a medium that a "resident" would be expected to communicate in) that I work, pay tax and live here.

In florida , floridian residents get a discount at disneyworld and universal studios.tourists pay a higher price.

[sniffdog]

I don't really have a problem with "farang" pricing, especially at private business like Dream World. Such pricing is common around the world at both public and private venues of all sorts. However, the prices and such should be clearly stated and in order to promote business, should be reasonable. (An unreasonable example would be the Thai national park's 10x price for non-Thais.)

Then one can make an informed decision on whether to patronize or not.

I have never seen double pricing in England, Germany, Holland, France or Spain. Where have you seen it?

It does not happen in Europe that I am aware of.

No comparison between developed countries or a third world country. Perhaps you can think about double pricing as 'all foreigners pay the same price, but we give our Thai customers discount'.

People in the countries you mention have, in general, a equal or even better income than tourists.

[onni4me]

As a caucasian(farang), what is your legal residency status in thailand (citizneship, permanent residency, non immigrant B + work permit etc..) ?

Or are you just another "tourist" hoping to be granted the same pricing rights as residents...if you're not sure of your stauts, check the stamp in your passport

I have always paid 150 BT at dreamworld by explaining in the local language(a medium that a "resident" would be expected to communicate in) that I work, pay tax and live here.

In florida , floridian residents get a discount at disneyworld and universal studios.tourists pay a higher price.

Some seem to get their kicks out of this kind of non-sense.

Maybe you'd like to label people to A, B, C and so on members of society. This one speaks Thai so let it be A, this one...but as OP asked: How are you going to label his children? Maybe just B.

I am a fond lover of equality in all aspects. You can dwell in your bubble making qualifications but not all are wealthy or have a top-paying job. They still manage to keep up their families and give other kind of donations to society.

If business is not profitable by same price tag to everyone, I don't think it's going to be a success. How about someone who looks Thai and speaks Thai but is actually from UK. Happen to know someone like that, too.

Your (and those who favor this disgusting practise) view is really not well-based, morally, ethically nor practically. I avoid these kind of places at all cost (<pun intended).

[kiakaha]

As a caucasian(farang), what is your legal residency status in thailand (citizneship, permanent residency, non immigrant B + work permit etc..) ?

Or are you just another "tourist" hoping to be granted the same pricing rights as residents...if you're not sure of your stauts, check the stamp in your passport

I have always paid 150 BT at dreamworld by explaining in the local language(a medium that a "resident" would be expected to communicate in) that I work, pay tax and live here.

In florida , floridian residents get a discount at disneyworld and universal studios.tourists pay a higher price.

Some seem to get their kicks out of this kind of non-sense.

Maybe you'd like to label people to A, B, C and so on members of society. This one speaks Thai so let it be A, this one...but as OP asked: How are you going to label his children? Maybe just B.

I am a fond lover of equality in all aspects. You can dwell in your bubble making qualifications but not all are wealthy or have a top-paying job. They still manage to keep up their families and give other kind of donations to society.

If business is not profitable by same price tag to everyone, I don't think it's going to be a success. How about someone who looks Thai and speaks Thai but is actually from UK. Happen to know someone like that, too.

Your (and those who favor this disgusting practise) view is really not well-based, morally, ethically nor practically. I avoid these kind of places at all cost (<pun intended).

I certainly have no problem worldwide with local residents getting a local discount for theme parks. This is hardly a crime against humanity(like the self victimized winging moaning brigade would lead you to believe)

[LordLindsey]

While I understand the reasoning behind it--Westerners are rich and Thai are poor--it doesn't make it right and creates NOTHING but animosity as Farang realize that they truly ARE nothing but a "walking ATM" to much of the Thai people. I don't BS; I tell it like it is. I lived in the land of the facade *fake smiles* for 19 months and travelled to 17 provinces and I know how it feels. My gf/informal fiancee is Khunai as her father was a senator and it was embarrassing being treated like I was just because people "THOUGHT" that I had money; this is a feeling that I will never, ever be able to forget and has forever left a terrible feeling in me toward the Asian system in general, because that is what I have seen with my own eyes in four (4) other countries.

You are not alone in your anger and resentment at how we *farang* are treated, and that is one reason that I left, because I DO NOT DESERVE to be treated as anything but a good human being and not ripped-off openly in front of the woman I love who is MUCH richer than I am.

LINDSEY

NB: Injustice, no matter in what form it lives, is forever unacceptable to me and knowing what I know about our collective futures I simply will not tolerate it, and didn't for the last three (3) months that I was in the "Kingdom." That means that if it was egregious enough of an insult I let the person know it and made sure that everyone else around me knew how I felt so that maybe, just MAYBE, these people who take us for fools will think twice before LOSING FACE from someone who will not accept mis-treatment.

[kiakaha]

While I understand the reasoning behind it--Westerners are rich and Thai are poor--it doesn't make it right and creates NOTHING but animosity as Farang realize that they truly ARE nothing but a "walking ATM" to much of the Thai people. I don't BS; I tell it like it is. I lived in the land of the facade *fake smiles* for 19 months and travelled to 17 provinces and I know how it feels. My gf/informal fiancee is Khunai as her father was a senator and it was embarrassing being treated like I was just because people "THOUGHT" that I had money; this is a feeling that I will never, ever be able to forget and has forever left a terrible feeling in me toward the Asian system in general, because that is what I have seen with my own eyes in four (4) other countries.

You are not alone in your anger and resentment at how we *farang* are treated, and that is one reason that I left, because I DO NOT DESERVE to be treated as anything but a good human being and not ripped-off openly in front of the woman I love who is MUCH richer than I am.

LINDSEY

NB: Injustice, no matter in what form it lives, is forever unacceptable to me and knowing what I know about our collective futures I simply will not tolerate it, and didn't for the last three (3) months that I was in the "Kingdom." That means that if it was egregious enough of an insult I let the person know it and made sure that everyone else around me knew how I felt so that maybe, just MAYBE, these people who take us for fools will think twice before LOSING FACE from someone who will not accept mis-treatment.

If you could read thai you would never see the term "farang" used on a pricing sign, i certainly never have anywhere in the country. You will however see the terms for non-resident and tourist witten on pricing signs.

If it is caucasian(farang) discrimination , as you are ranting, then how come myself and countless numbers of other caucasians I know in Thailand dont have a problem.

Pricing policies in thailand (parks, attractions, bank interest etc...) are a resident vs non-resident practice. The application of the policies at the ticket window might be inconsistent due to an individuals presumptions , but its nothing that some thai language communication and/or presentation of appropriate ID(to prove residency status) in a calm collected manner wont take care of.

Good luck dealing with you anger and resentment.

[phetaroi]

While I understand the reasoning behind it--Westerners are rich and Thai are poor--it doesn't make it right and creates NOTHING but animosity as Farang realize that they truly ARE nothing but a "walking ATM" to much of the Thai people. I don't BS; I tell it like it is.

if it was egregious enough of an insult I let the person know it and made sure that everyone else around me knew how I felt so that maybe, just MAYBE, these people who take us for fools will think twice before LOSING FACE from someone who will not accept mis-treatment.

Maybe it's an attitude problem YOU have, LORD Lindsey.

If you're insulted by someone, why do you have to "make sure that everyone else around me knew how I felt"?

[phetaroi]

Most Thais in BKK earn the same if not more than falangs, so shouldnt they pay just as much.

I wonder which Thais you're hanging out with? My closest Thai friends living in Bangkok have Bachelors or Masters degrees. One, for example, works at the middle management level for the HR division of an international company with which all of us are familiar. The other is management level in the Thai government. Neither earns anything close to my retirement pension from being a school principal in the States.

[phetaroi]

So dependent on ones salery should detremine what one pays for purchasing items etc.

In fact, isn't that the way of life? The poor shop on the street. Another few classes up shop at MBK. Another couple of groups higher shop at Central or Robinsons. Still another income group shops at Gaysorn.

[sanook2me]

While I understand the reasoning behind it--Westerners are rich and Thai are poor--it doesn't make it right and creates NOTHING but animosity as Farang realize that they truly ARE nothing but a "walking ATM" to much of the Thai people. I don't BS; I tell it like it is. I lived in the land of the facade *fake smiles* for 19 months and travelled to 17 provinces and I know how it feels. My gf/informal fiancee is Khunai as her father was a senator and it was embarrassing being treated like I was just because people "THOUGHT" that I had money; this is a feeling that I will never, ever be able to forget and has forever left a terrible feeling in me toward the Asian system in general, because that is what I have seen with my own eyes in four (4) other countries.

You are not alone in your anger and resentment at how we *farang* are treated, and that is one reason that I left, because I DO NOT DESERVE to be treated as anything but a good human being and not ripped-off openly in front of the woman I love who is MUCH richer than I am.

LINDSEY

NB: Injustice, no matter in what form it lives, is forever unacceptable to me and knowing what I know about our collective futures I simply will not tolerate it, and didn't for the last three (3) months that I was in the "Kingdom." That means that if it was egregious enough of an insult I let the person know it and made sure that everyone else around me knew how I felt so that maybe, just MAYBE, these people who take us for fools will think twice before LOSING FACE from someone who will not accept mis-treatment.

Thai ID Lord

it was embarrassing being treated like I was just because people "THOUGHT" that I had money; this is a feeling that I will never, ever be able to forget

Classic

I think baby has dropped his dummy

[biker Bob]

I suggest you lock yourself in your room & seethe for the next 10 years.

Average Isaan migrant worker in Bangkok earns between 3000-8000 baht a month. Foreign expats can't get a work permit for less than 50,000 a month most earn in excess of 100,000.

Instead of looking at it as you getting ripped off, why not look at it as people poorer than yourself getting a discount ?

BS. I is a f........ rip off.

[LordLindsey]

While I understand the reasoning behind it--Westerners are rich and Thai are poor--it doesn't make it right and creates NOTHING but animosity as Farang realize that they truly ARE nothing but a "walking ATM" to much of the Thai people. I don't BS; I tell it like it is. I lived in the land of the facade *fake smiles* for 19 months and travelled to 17 provinces and I know how it feels. My gf/informal fiancee is Khunai as her father was a senator and it was embarrassing being treated like I was just because people "THOUGHT" that I had money; this is a feeling that I will never, ever be able to forget and has forever left a terrible feeling in me toward the Asian system in general, because that is what I have seen with my own eyes in four (4) other countries.

You are not alone in your anger and resentment at how we *farang* are treated, and that is one reason that I left, because I DO NOT DESERVE to be treated as anything but a good human being and not ripped-off openly in front of the woman I love who is MUCH richer than I am.

LINDSEY

NB: Injustice, no matter in what form it lives, is forever unacceptable to me and knowing what I know about our collective futures I simply will not tolerate it, and didn't for the last three (3) months that I was in the "Kingdom." That means that if it was egregious enough of an insult I let the person know it and made sure that everyone else around me knew how I felt so that maybe, just MAYBE, these people who take us for fools will think twice before LOSING FACE from someone who will not accept mis-treatment.

Thai ID Lord

it was embarrassing being treated like I was just because people "THOUGHT" that I had money; this is a feeling that I will never, ever be able to forget

Classic

I think baby has dropped his dummy

It is an RPG name that I have used for 14 years, but laughing at a problem while NOT addressing it shows wherein your ability to discuss lays. Deal with the reality that the Thai people have allowed themselves to be enslaved in a most racist system, and that racism and resentment breeds the tripe that "farang" have to live with, until THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THAILAND AND PUT UP WITH THE BS ANY LONGER. The pitiful truth is that these people need US much more than "we" will ever need them, and they know it. My gf had to force herself to face the reality, and as painful as it was, it was the reality of Thai society, nevertheless.

If you are going to argue with someone over something as SERIOUS as this, don't do it by "making-fun" of someone's nickname; do it by addressing the INHERENT REALITIES. The sooner that you face the facts AS THEY ARE, the sooner you will come to terms with the fact that if you are a farang in Thailand, YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A "WALKING ATM MACHINE" TO A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THEM.

A fact is fact, no matter how painful it is to admit, and YOU CAN QUOTE ME UNTIL THE DAY THAT I DIE ON THAT.

LINDSEY

NB: Bottom line...when a woman of EXTREME privilege is forced to admit the painful and humiliating flaws of her people in how they view others, that is when you know that your view is no longer that of an opinion, but is in and of itself, A FACT OF LIFE--so I will never go back to the land of the facade *FAKE SMILES* but I will wait for her and her family to get the hel_l out of that warzone before things get much, much worse in the near future. What do you have to say about THAT?

[PatinBKk]

Most Thais in BKK earn the same if not more than falangs, so shouldnt they pay just as much.

I wonder which Thais you're hanging out with? My closest Thai friends living in Bangkok have Bachelors or Masters degrees. One, for example, works at the middle management level for the HR division of an international company with which all of us are familiar. The other is management level in the Thai government. Neither earns anything close to my retirement pension from being a school principal in the States.

You got a great pension then havnt you

[PatinBKk]

So dependent on ones salery should detremine what one pays for purchasing items etc.

In fact, isn't that the way of life? The poor shop on the street. Another few classes up shop at MBK. Another couple of groups higher shop at Central or Robinsons. Still another income group shops at Gaysorn.

But the higher up groups still have the option of shopping on the street..

so tell me what my kids should pay

Edited April 16, 2009 by PatinBKk

[fred2007]

I don't really have a problem with "farang" pricing, especially at private business like Dream World. Such pricing is common around the world at both public and private venues of all sorts. However, the prices and such should be clearly stated and in order to promote business, should be reasonable. (An unreasonable example would be the Thai national park's 10x price for non-Thais.)

Then one can make an informed decision on whether to patronize or not.

I have never seen double pricing in England, Germany, Holland, France or Spain. Where have you seen it?

It does not happen in Europe that I am aware of.

And it does not happen in OZ either

[PhilHarries]

Thid old humbug of dual pricing comes up regularly here and we get the same old answers/excuses rolled out.

I have to admit that I am fairly ambivalent to the whole subject. A business, any business, sets it's pricing structure according to it's target market and it's profit goals. Provided all charges are clearly displayed then I don't have a problem, even if they're not displayed but are explained clearly when making the initial enquiry all is okay.

Then I have a simple choice : Yes or No.

The answer depends on how much I want to avail myself of the offered goods and/or services and whether I am prepared to pay the asking price. Assuming that there is no room for negotiation I either pay up or walk away. It is a simple choice much the same as we all make every day when out shopping. It's a bit more complex when you are taking friends and visitors to attractions but the choice remains the same.

However, if one pays for the goods and/or services and then they are not provided as advertised either in written form of verbally that is quite clearly fraud. The degree of fraud depends on the level of charges involved. For all you spineless people who try and defend this action I will open a sumptuous restaurant offering a five course banquet at 1000 Baht for Thais and 5000 Baht for farangs. For this princely sum farangs will be served a cup of tomato soup and a bacon sandwich. The Thais will get a full on meal of five courses of their choice. You will all obviously go home very happy and well nourished and will not resort to complaining either here or anywhere else.

For those of you that say that this goes on worldwide please state examples to back up your claim. To my knowledge the only places where this goes on are tourist attractions where discounts may be offered to local residents, by local I mean in the local vicinity. That is merely a sweetener to recompense them for the inconvenience of the traffic to and from the attractions and the local tax burden associated with providing services to the visitors. Of course I am not including universities that charge more for out of state students because, as far as I am aware, a university does not feature as a recreational attraction. The fact that many of it's erudite products availed themselves more of the recreatinal side than academic is off topic.

Personally I don't particularly see the policy of dual pricing as racist but more of opportunist. If the people could get away with the inflated charges for both Thais and farangs they would but then they know the Thais would tell them to combine sex and travel. Ergo, we should blend in with the local population and convey a similar message by voting with our feet.

[phetaroi]

So dependent on ones salery should detremine what one pays for purchasing items etc.

In fact, isn't that the way of life? The poor shop on the street. Another few classes up shop at MBK. Another couple of groups higher shop at Central or Robinsons. Still another income group shops at Gaysorn.

But the higher up groups still have the option of shopping on the street..

so tell me what my kids should pay

The posted price.

The bottom line in pricing on almost anything world-wide is the price the traffic will bear.

I have a prescription drug I have to take fairly often, although not daily. Here in the States I pay 53 cents per pill. The same medication in Thailand, by the same manufacturer costs approximately 53 cents...for 5 pills.

Why? Am I being treated unfairly in the US?

No, it's what the price will bear.

For you the price of admission to that park is too high (the reason, to me, is irrelevant). So, don't buy a ticket. Go somewhere else. There are plenty of free things to do in Thailand...as compared to few free things to do in the US.