Dual Prices

[CWMcMurray]

We have had many threads on this website about Dual Pricing and it is very common to hear the argument from those in favour of it to say, "If I go to the US to study, I have to pay a higher rates than a US person".

Thought you might like to see the below article. It shows that in some states in the US you most definately do not need to be a US citizen to pay the lower price.

...In fact you could even be a Thai person who entered the country under a tourist visa that expired and are now living in the US as an illegal immigrant.

****************

...10 states – among them California, Kansas, and New York – passed legislation explicitly allowing in-state tuition rates for undocumented students. The issue is on the table again in California, where a new bill would let undocumented students qualify for financial aid.According to assistant Senate majority leader Richard Durbin (D) of Illinois, about 65,000 of the 2.8 million American teens who graduate from high school each year are undocumented. In April, Senator Durbin and Sen. Richard Lugar ® of Indiana introduced the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. The DREAM Act is a bipartisan measure to make it easier for undocumented students to become permanent residents if they came here as children, are long-term US residents, have good character, and attend college or enlist in the military for at least two years.

******************

[source. World Education Services ]

[beano2274]

have never seen dual pricing in Countries that I have lived in

England, Germany, Spain, Gibraltar and a few others

when visiting Tourist Attractions.

For education, am not sure........

[bertlamar]

have never seen dual pricing in Countries that I have lived in

England, Germany, Spain, Gibraltar and a few others

when visiting Tourist Attractions.

For education, am not sure........

in state and out of state prices for education are wildly different.

There are state resident discounts for virtually everything from hotels, to lift tickets, to disneyland in Cali and Nevada AFAIK. Ditto for many tourist attractions in other countries.

Insurance...bank access....wildly different.

But let's face it, some Thai double pricing is completely taking the Pi$$; 10X difference??? In Nevada I think the ski pricnig difference for locals is more like 2X difference.

[teacup]

Dual pricing in the US....esp in education is still alive and well

Tuition fees...

Out of state students pay more than residents of the state - even tho they are holding the same citizenship

International students always pay more.....many times - up to 3-4 times than the normal tuitition fee

been there... done that

Nothing to complain, that's just the way it is

[Norrad]

Fair enough, but try charging a Black person more than a White person and you will see the chaos that ensues. And don't say that it isn't so, my wife and I took our niece (Thai mother, Foreign father) to Pata Zoo the other day. I was charged foreign price which I accepted and the wife was charged the Thai price, our niece was charged the foreign child price despite speaking perfect Thai and us arguing the fact that she is Thai and has a Thai passport.

[h90]

have never seen dual pricing in Countries that I have lived in

England, Germany, Spain, Gibraltar and a few others

when visiting Tourist Attractions.

For education, am not sure........

In Austria definitely there is dual pricing.

[Heng]

Yeah, it's totally different. They're charging dollars, not Baht.

[oldsparrow]

have never seen dual pricing in Countries that I have lived in England, Germany, Spain, Gibraltar and a few others when visiting Tourist Attractions. For education, am not sure........

Yes, I paid around 6.3 K quids fee each year to U. of Nottingham, for technical degree it was much higher. That was in the last century.

Edited May 15, 2009 by oldsparrow

[senign]

In Austria definitely there is dual pricing.

Where?

I only know about season ski-passes.

As an Austrian I am keen to know.

[CWMcMurray]

But is it really dual pricing if anyone regardles of race,religion, nationality, sex or immigration status can qualify for the discounted price?

All that's needed is a local address...

[LivinLOS]

have never seen dual pricing in Countries that I have lived in

England, Germany, Spain, Gibraltar and a few others

when visiting Tourist Attractions.

For education, am not sure........

in state and out of state prices for education are wildly different.

There are state resident discounts for virtually everything from hotels, to lift tickets, to disneyland in Cali and Nevada AFAIK. Ditto for many tourist attractions in other countries.

Insurance...bank access....wildly different.

But let's face it, some Thai double pricing is completely taking the Pi$$; 10X difference??? In Nevada I think the ski pricnig difference for locals is more like 2X difference.

And presumably any legal resident of that state, no matter what their ethnicity, skin color, or nationality.. Gets the same discount ??

[JohnGotti]

Why don't you guys stage a protest. The Thai news will show up. You can be the green shirts who want farang equality. The government will hear about it.

Or.... you can just continue posting on Thai Visa about it like a bunch of little girls, while at the same time continuing to support the practice.

"Then I argued this and that. Then I screamed that it was unfair. Then I said it was outrageous. Then I cursed their mothers to hel_l. And then I paid."

[CWMcMurray]

Then I politely asked for confirmation that there was in fact dual pricing.

Then she confirmed

Then I politely said no thank you and walked away...

My family and I then made alternative plans to do something that did not have dual pricing.

Edited May 15, 2009 by CWMcMurray

[bertlamar]

And presumably any legal resident of that state, no matter what their ethnicity, skin color, or nationality.. Gets the same discount ??

For the most part, yeah - perhaps there is some exception, but I am fairly sure you theoretically cannot disciminate on these things.

Over here, logic should be anyone with a Thai passport/ID card gets the Thai price; for the most part even PR seems to be enough.

Exception are religious places, in which case perhaps any Thai passport/ID card + Buddhist one price, non buddhist or foreigner or both another price perhaps.

I presume Bill heineke etc etc all can get the Thai price (if they care enough to worry about it) being white skinned (but full Thai). Thai Chinese get the Thai price. With a Thai passport/ID then yes, everyone should be getting that price.

Obviously for education, there are huge differences in access to cheaper fees for ethnicity, skin color, nationality even for legal residents of the state. Ditto for insurance etc etc.

And any one giong to a night club knows that discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, appearance etc etc occurs all the time; there is acutally some court case going on at the moment in USA to stop 'ladies nights' which are a breach of anti discrimination legislation obviously.

Edited May 15, 2009 by bertlamar

[JohnGotti]

Then I politely asked for confirmation that there was in fact dual pricing.

Then she confirmed

Then I politely said no thank you and walked away...

My family and I then made alternative plans to do something that did not have dual pricing.

you think too much.

[CWMcMurray]

you think too much.

Why thank you.

Even if you did not mean it as such, I definatately going to take that as a compliment.

[noahvail]

Then I politely asked for confirmation that there was in fact dual pricing.

Then she confirmed

Then I politely said no thank you and walked away...

My family and I then made alternative plans to do something that did not have dual pricing.

you think too much.

Having thought about it a bit more... ... Unless I am mistaken - and CWMcMurray, please correct me if I'm wrong - the poster was "voting with his feet." It is a polite manner of civil protest against a discriminatory practice; while in all probability it is not effective for only one person to do it, if *every* non-Thai did that, then perhaps the discriminatory practice would not continue.

[bungy007]

Or.... you can just continue posting on Thai Visa about it like a bunch of little girls, while at the same time continuing to support the practice.

"Then I argued this and that. Then I screamed that it was unfair. Then I said it was outrageous. Then I cursed their mothers to hel_l. And then I paid."

[/quo

What? Are TV posters dressing up in baby clothes and clutching dollies to their tender hearts? What a fine sight that would be - make a fortune down the naughty bars.

On a serious note, unless there really is no alternative but to pay, I think most ex-pats would walk away from the situation and save their pennies. Of course, if you are out here for a short holiday you may suck it up and put it down as part of the cost and maybe put another cross in the negative box for the country. TV is a forum to discuss and broadcast information which is useful to all of us trying to get by or enjoy our stay in Thailand - so keep on posting.

It is true that tertiary education in the UK does cost a lot more than that paid by the British. Having said that, it should be noted that the foreigners are not held to the same academic standards as the British. The English of many Thais who hold a Masters from the UK is absolutely shocking! They wouldn't be able to pass a GCE 'O' level yet they proudly boast of their degree. So they are basically purchasing an education - its a fair transaction in their eyes. Front up the dosh, go through the motions, take a stab at it and get the degree.

However, dual pricing as practised by the Thais does not occur in the UK and I'm pretty sure that that goes across the board for all English speaking Anglo Saxon dominated countries. We understand, generally speaking, the idea that the customer is a valued commodity and though our service standards may well be far behind the Americans, we do recognise that we live in a multi-racial/cultural world which is a leap in development that Thailand is yet to make.

[PastEgo]

which is a leap in development that Thailand is yet to make

let me correct you

which is a leap in development that Thailand will never make

[Dakhar]

Then I politely asked for confirmation that there was in fact dual pricing.

Then she confirmed

Then I politely said no thank you and walked away...

My family and I then made alternative plans to do something that did not have dual pricing.

.... and I followed you too.

[JohnGotti]

you drive all the way out there, your kid is excited and you turn around for another 200 baht? don't think too much. pick your battles in life. "principles" are overrated... most farang going to these places are tourists. the overcharging ain't gonna change anytime soon without some kind of publicity stunt.

[Misplaced]

Dual pricing in the US....esp in education is still alive and well

Tuition fees...

Out of state students pay more than residents of the state - even tho they are holding the same citizenship

International students always pay more.....many times - up to 3-4 times than the normal tuitition fee

been there... done that

Nothing to complain, that's just the way it is

Didn't you know? If it gets done in Thailand it's considered to be "racism", but when its done in the west, it's "policy"

[PastEgo]

can you please state in which country dual pricing occurs where you believe it is a done because of a racist motivation

making such a statement you should be able to back it up

Edited May 15, 2009 by PastEgo

[Misplaced]

can you please state in which country dual pricing occurs where you believe it is a done because of a racist motivation

making such a statement you should be able to back it up

reread my statement again. It was written with sarcasm to rebut posters who think that they are being charged more to enter various venues in Thailand is based on racism.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Misplaced

[PastEgo]

cop out

[h90]

In Austria definitely there is dual pricing.

Where?

I only know about season ski-passes.

As an Austrian I am keen to know.

In Vorarlberg, we got half the price if we let our Xiberger order in dialect than the Germans (or the Vienna people).

On Stuhleck (spelling???) my parents pay local prices not tourist prices.

It is not as official as in Thailand and it is usually just for the region not for the country, but very common.

[uhuh]

examples for dual pricing because of race:

Taiwan:

free taxi rides several times when the driver learned that I hail from the land of Benz and BMW

cheap bus rides many times when the driver was too lazy to explain to me how much i really should have paid

free or reduced entry for the same reason in all kinds of places

Malaysia:

discounts when buying stuff from Malays (not Chinese)

Thailand:

I pay the farang price at my favorite GH on the beach. Thai price has always been almost double. I believed this only when my Thai was good enough to understand what the owner is quoting his Thai customers. (reason being Thais move into the room with 5 people, bring their own food instead of patronizing the restaurant and leave a mess behind)

guess my race

[Texpat]

In Thailand, it's based on race. They spot a white face and the baht signs flash in their eyes.

Chinese, Koreans, Japanese are too difficult to spot and likery seldom get charged the higher rate. Cambos, Burmese and Malays are even tougher to ID.

In my eyes this is blatant racism.

Charging someone a different price based on where they live (and pay/don't pay taxes) is discriminating, but not racist.

[uhuh]

BTW Asian tourists are ripped off all over Europe. Its not dual pricing, but that doesnt help them.

Examples:

Taxi drivers (its common to use the radio as meter and charge 100s of Euros)

Banks (Deutsche and Citi routinely rip off young Asians who stay in the country for a limited time, knowing they are not going to sue them: sell them financial products that are worthless outside Europe, overcharge on CC)

Insurance companies (sell health insurance to visitors with the intent of never paying if they get sick - who will sue you?)

Bakery staff (charge double or triple, shortchange)

Embassies (you give me bakshish, I give you visa - I am talking out of personal experiences with several Austrian and German embassies in Europe)

Metro (in a certain very touristy German big city, the fare system is so complicated that after 20 years of living there I realized I had it all wrong (I have a PhD from this city); Metro staff is always looking for out-of towners who invarably buy the wrong ticket so you can fine them)

Its just that the locals dont realizeall this.

[Misplaced]

cop out

That's because you failed to understand what you read.