Honest Small Thai Businesses

[petercallen]

Lets start a list of small Thai businesses that charge the same price to everyone, i know of several as other forum readers would to, i will start with the pharmacy on the left hand side about 100 meters from chalong circle heading towards kata/karon, the shop is air conditioned which essential for a lot of medicines everything we have bought there has the price marked on it, the staff are polite and friendly and they sell at a better price than other pharmacys we have been to. I know you can save a few baht by going to somewhere like supercheap but to me its not worth it, i will allways support honest local businesses.

[LivinLOS]

Its difficult as shops can be fine one day and gouge the next..

Keng Kiew phamarcy in Patong has always been fair to me..

As has the chinese woman dentist next door (unlike the dick on Nanai who claimed the missus needed 9 fillings and was going to happily drill her teeth to bits just to get paid)..

Theres a great automotive airco repair guy who is Thai /farang priced the same (and proud of it too.. Good attitude) coming out of Chalong before L&H..

Fact is it depends highly on the relationship to the service provider, not only in farang Thai dual pricing but how they price each other.

[ScubaBuddha]

At Supersport Chalong last night I bought a pair of trainers and got a 10% tourist discount by showing foreign drivers license or passport. (Actually now that I think about it I think they just used the DL to sign me up with a club membership which gets me the 10%)

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Villa Market, not small but same price

[MisterMan]

Chin Pharmacy in Kata Center

Dr Chusak in Kata Center

[Patong Bob]

As above, Keng Kiew pharmacy (sp. ?), also RJ's pharmacy in Paradise complex. But generally :

There are :

No honest lawyers

No honest real estate agents

No honest bankers

The above are worldwide; and

[markg]

Your local, friendly 7/eleven.

Whilst the 7/eleven franchise in Thailand is owned by Charoen Pokphand group, most of the stores are owned by individual franchisees. That's local people more often than not.

And they charge the same price whether you are black, white, Eastern, Western or alien.

And i like that.

[Yamantaka]

Rather than getting all worked up about two sets of prices, try thinking of it this way. The higher price is the normal price that everyone walking in off the street pays and the lower price is what the business owner gives to his friends, neighbors and family which is pretty normal everyone in the world. You wouldn't expect him to make a profit on them would you? If they charged local folks who earn a fraction of what farangs do the same prices, they couldn't afford to buy anything. If they charged farangs the same low price as they do their friends, they couldn't afford to stay in business because of the exorbitant rents they have to pay to serve the tourists. In Hawaii, where I lived for six years, everything has a lower Kama'aina price for residents. Everyone understands the financial situation and no one wastes their energy crying about it.

[gvallee2]

charged local folks who earn a fraction of what farangs do the same prices, they couldn't afford to buy anything.

You're probably new in thailand, defending thais at all cost is not gonna work.

Those 'poor' thais do always find a lot of money to buy themselves some leo beer or chang beer even if their kids are starving

[ScubaBuddha]

Chin Pharmacy in Kata Center

Dr Chusak in Kata Center

Seconded.

[Lannatyne]

everything has a lower Kama'aina price for residents.

That's the big issue - RESIDENTS. I'm foreign, live here, work here, pay tax here, but don't get charged resident prices.

[billythehat]

charged local folks who earn a fraction of what farangs do the same prices, they couldn't afford to buy anything.

You're probably new in thailand, defending thais at all cost is not gonna work.

Those 'poor' thais do always find a lot of money to buy themselves some leo beer or chang beer even if their kids are starving

Aye, true enough

[Yamantaka]

charged local folks who earn a fraction of what farangs do the same prices, they couldn't afford to buy anything.

You're probably new in thailand, defending thais at all cost is not gonna work.

Those 'poor' thais do always find a lot of money to buy themselves some leo beer or chang beer even if their kids are starving

I've only lived here for ten years, mostly among Thais, not in farang enclaves, nor sitting in bars with other farangs whining about how horrible the Thai people are. My explanation was merely a statement of economic realities not a biased opinion of how people should live their lives. I wonder why you live here if this is how you feel about Thai people and what you are doing to help alleviate the problem you see so clearly. As regards your comment, poor people everywhere including Europe and the states, tend to spend disproportionate amounts of money on alcohol and tobacco.

[petercallen]

I think the point is if we post the businesses that have the prices marked on there merchandise which are fair and reasonable this will encourage people to use them and maybe encourage other small businesses to do the same, its not about what people earn there are many wealthy Thais in phuket and they are not charged extra. Outside of patong the rents are quite reasonable so its not about paying the rent, if you have the prices marked on the merchandise people can check themselves, when you have to ask the price and you know you are being overcharged you vote with your feet and just leave. YOu dont lose face as they say in Thailand the shop owner does and maybe then they have trouble paying there rent. thats not my problem its the shop owners problem for overcharging.

[cotambear]

Rather than getting all worked up about two sets of prices, try thinking of it this way. The higher price is the normal price that everyone walking in off the street pays and the lower price is what the business owner gives to his friends, neighbors and family which is pretty normal everyone in the world. You wouldn't expect him to make a profit on them would you? If they charged local folks who earn a fraction of what farangs do the same prices, they couldn't afford to buy anything. If they charged farangs the same low price as they do their friends, they couldn't afford to stay in business because of the exorbitant rents they have to pay to serve the tourists. In Hawaii, where I lived for six years, everything has a lower Kama'aina price for residents. Everyone understands the financial situation and no one wastes their energy crying about it.

So do they charge `friends price` in non tourist areas? By your logic theyd be bust within weeks.