Dual Pricing - On The Trains

[needforspeed]

Anybody who is willing to pay 100 baht for a 3 in 1 coffee deserves to be ripped off.

Why, same happended with my parents.

I lived at sathorn road my parents when to Thonglor on a Taxi, taxi arrived and asked 500 Baht.

He turned halfway the meter off , my parents didn't know and as they didn't wanted to causes any problems they paid.

Anybody who is willing to pay 500 baht for a distance cost you normally 100 baht deserves to be ripped off, that is your statement.

This are people on holiday, don't speak the language at all.

Ordered 3 cups off coffee, coffee been served with a smile add some milk and sugar and the girl or boy asked them 300 Bath.

They been just polite to pay and find out that a cup off coffee at the train in Europe much cheaper, what is wrong with the information from the travel agency,

Thailand cheap!!!!!!!

Next year 2 weeks to Portugal or Greece instead of Thailand.

And you still believe they deserved it, not realy a business mentality.

Edited June 9, 2010 by needforspeed

[ExpatJ]

Capitalism is alive and well- good on the vendor for trying to make abit of extra profit (in the same way as millions of vendors from all over the world who charge extra for some tourists).

[Jimi007]

These vendors are free enterprise.

They get on at one stop then off at the next.

No boss to be informed.

If you do not like the price, buy before you board the train.

Very true, The vendors change at almost every stop. I got fed up with it and the Thais I was with were getting angry at the vendor for over charging me. So, they waited until a new vendor came on board, then went to the next car and bought food and drink for me. The price of train tickets for Thais is much less as well... Plus the trains seem to derail a lot... I fly or drive mostly. But here's no trains near my house.

[llso]

Dual pricing is a fact of life in Thailand for any Tourist and some expats. Last summer when I spent two months in BKK there was a traveling food cart that cooks food for you on Suk Soi 11. I used to stop there some nights for a quick pad kapow moo. There were two menu signs one in Thai and one in English. The English price was 15-30 baht more than the Thai price. After standing there one night I looked at the sign,I can't really read Thai but have become pretty good at pattern recgonition and sounds of certain characters. I bluffed her into thinking I could read it. It was exactly the same as the Thai menu except for price.BTW She charged me the Thai price after I pointed it out with the usual "geng mak mak"

LL

[PingManDan]

G'day,

My wife was on the train from BKK to CNX and this was what she witnessed. There was a vendor that came around selling drinks, and there were scattered groups of farang backpapers and tourists in the same carriage as her.

Plain bottle of water - 15 THB, Farang 30 THB

3-in-1 Coffee - 30 THB, Farang 100 THB

Bottle of orange juice - 40 THB, Farang 100 THB

My wife bought the orange juice (already double the usual price as they are the types selling at 20 THB in the food courts), and when the vendor was selling to a farang, she flashed a wry smile at my wife as if to say, look, there's another sucker. How apt is the term "tourist trap"!

Imagine AirAsia or any of the budget airlines doing that!

Matt

How about dual pricing almost everywhere in Thailand.

At Palm Hills Golf Club they are running a special now, 1000 THB for two people, 1800 THB for frang, I asked the caddie mother why, she said the frang have more money, that is it in a nut scell, they all think frangs have an endless amount of money why not dual price, in my book it still stinks.

[Kilgore Trout]

These items for sale are from a private individual who is running a business.

What business is it of yours if tourists are paying double and they are making a good profit...this is good business.

Capitalism alive and well...

If you live here you as a farang should speak enough Thai to get the local price...if not tough titties..

This is not what i would call dual pricing this is just capitalism and how it works and helped to get your big dollars to live here....

Now ask me about the National Park which tried to charge me 200 baht on Sunday when i was with my wife and 10 other Thai friends...

I refused to pay and went walking around the local market while my 10 bewildered and embarrassed Thai friends went swimming in the waterfall after paying 40baht each...

That is dual pricing my friend... blatant government authorised over charging of 5 times the amount for being a farang..

Yes Sanook, you are right. In my business I always charge double for Englishmen.

Everyone else gets the fair price.

Btw, why don't you come over here and clean up my beach?

[Kilgore Trout]

Dual pricing is a fact of life in Thailand for any Tourist and some expats. Last summer when I spent two months in BKK there was a traveling food cat that cooks food for you on Suk Soi 11. I used to stop there some nights for a quick pad kapow moo. There were two menu signs one in Thai and one in English. The English price was 15-30 baht more than the Thai price. After standing there one night I looked at the sign,I can't really read Thai but have become pretty good at pattern recgonition and sounds of certain characters. I bluffed her into thinking I could read it. It was exactly the same as the Thai menu except for price.BTW She charged me the Thai price after I pointed it out with the usual "geng mak mak"

LL

Yes, most vendors will casually give you the regular price if you tell them politely in Thai that you know what the real price is. I've even gotten to parks and musuems for the Thai price by speaking decent Thai telling them my mum is Thai and my dad farang. Hey, if they are going to use double prices, I don't feel bad about telling a little white lie

[Spee]

The price of train tickets for Thais is much less as well...

Sorry but this is flat out wrong. Ticket prices are public knowledge and posted on signs for all to see.

For what it's worth, I've traveled on the Northern Line quite a bit between Hua Lamphong and Phichit, and have never seen any of the overcharging being discussed in this thread. Possibly it is taking place at points farther north.

[Birdman]

OP is coming here with issues widely known and easy to handle. And neither was it he, who was asked the higher price nor was he present. Someone told him.

[CHdiver]

My wife and I recently experienced double pricing as well. In our case, both she (Thai) and I (American) had to pay twice the fare to enter Pompei. EU citizens only had to pay 5.50 euros, while the sucker tourists had to pay 11. So double pricing does exist outside of Thailand.

First, Prices are clearly written, its not like that they would write the local price in the local language and the price for Tourists in Numbers.

Second, your Information is not fully correct, here the Information from the website:

snip

Reduced prices apply for EU citizens aged between 18-25 and for EU state school teachers. There are reciprocal agreements for some non-EU countries.

snap

So this price is reduced for young People and Teachers from the EU (and other Countrys if they have an agreement), all other will pay the same prize as you did. I can not see any "double pricing" here. I do understand that they do not have an agreement with Thailand, otherwise you would have paid 5 to 10 times more for your wife (similiar to Thailand doing it with there Tourists).

[sanook2me]

Yes Sanook, you are right. In my business I always charge double for Englishmen.

Everyone else gets the fair price.

Btw, why don't you come over here and clean up my beach?

I would come over and help clean your beach but i don't want to pay 200 baht entrance fee which is 5 times the Thai price...

Unless i get 5 times the pleasure... will I, Do farangs receive 5 times the pleasure?

To be honest, one national park and waterfall all look the same really and swimming about in a river with lots of kids piddling in it isn't that exciting is it....

[t.s]

utterly shocking that someone would try to make a little extra money especially given the current economic climate.

[needforspeed]

utterly shocking that someone would try to make a little extra money especially given the current economic climate.

Was before this situation as well, nothing to do with the current economic climate.

And if keeping doing this it doesn't get better

[StreetCowboy]

utterly shocking that someone would try to make a little extra money especially given the current economic climate.

I reckon if we all whine loud enough, it will change. I'm whining now - can you hear the difference?

I'm sure it will make us happier and more popular as well; not just with the Thais, but amongst our peers, and probably our compatriots back home as well.

I regularly explain to them the hardships of having to haggle and bicker to get a cup of coffee for less than a pound.

Oh, I've just remembered by Hualamphong grizzle, as well. Last time I was buying a train ticket, I was in a little bit of a rush, and the fellow just sold me a 3rd class single, instead of offering me 1st class or 2nd class, so I ended up in the non-aircon chapel, when I'd have happily paid a couple of quid more for a padded cell and chilling. And if that's all one can find to complain about, then things must be pretty good! Turns out the scenery outside 3rd class was the same as outside 1st class as well, so I smiled quietly all the way to Hua Hin...

Can we provoke someone into grizzling that BMCL charge 41 baht or thereabouts for Bang Sue to Hualamphong, when SRT will take you to Chiang Mai or the Malaysian border for the same price? Surely we can wind someone up to go off on that rant? It's just a bloody train...

SC

[robblok]

utterly shocking that someone would try to make a little extra money especially given the current economic climate.

I don't mind them making some extra money i mind them ripping foreigners off. Its not about the money its about the thought and the feeling of right and wrong. If its not wrong then i wonder why people made a fuzz about blacks having to sit in the back of the buss long ago. Its the same buss anyway.

It's about being treated fair not about paying more. Anyway everyone has his views of this and some will never be convinced that is just normal.

[robblok]

Can we provoke someone into grizzling that BMCL charge 41 baht or thereabouts for Bang Sue to Hualamphong, when SRT will take you to Chiang Mai or the Malaysian border for the same price? Surely we can wind someone up to go off on that rant? It's just a bloody train...

SC

The thing is everyone will have to pay the 41 baht.. not just one group of people. I hope you see the difference and that your argument is invalid.

[MartinBKK]

Neverdie has it right. She is running a private enterprise and if you can't speak enough Thai to avoid the rip off then tough luck.

Ripoffs happen the world over and having a little of the local language helps a great deal in these situations.

I also think that Neverdie got it right. If a Tourist is to lazy to learn the lingo before he comes to Thailand, all locals have the right to ripp them off. I mean thats just a little inconvinience for them and Thailand has no troubles to attract Tourists.

Mind boggling comment - are we supposed to learn the language before we go on holiday for 2 weeks to all countries? Ive been studying Thai for years and i won't be putting this time and effort into learning a language i might have use of for 2 weeks. You are missing the point entirely. These farangs wont care much about an extra 60 baht but when they find out later about this little scam, they feel ripped off and will take their next holiday elsewhere where they feel their hard earn $$$$ are more appreciated. I have a ton of friends who wont return to various places because of similar experiences.

"Thailand has no trouble attracting tourists" - In case you aren't aware a lot of hotels in this country are now experiencing the lowest occupancy rates in their history - with crippling unemployment.

[Jimi007]

The price of train tickets for Thais is much less as well...

Sorry but this is flat out wrong. Ticket prices are public knowledge and posted on signs for all to see.

For what it's worth, I've traveled on the Northern Line quite a bit between Hua Lamphong and Phichit, and have never seen any of the overcharging being discussed in this thread. Possibly it is taking place at points farther north.

It was in Kanachanaburi to Bangkok and I seem to remember paying less for my GF's ticket than mine, but that was over 5 years ago. And the vendors were double pricing.

[phutoie2]

OP is coming here with issues widely known and easy to handle. And neither was it he, who was asked the higher price nor was he present. Someone told him.

Well observed Bird!, thats the trouble with TV just lately, people just go off on some wierd tangent.

It was the OP's wife on the train and the farangs were allegedly backpackers and tourists.

Then we suddenly get into a debate about folk coming to live in Thailand must learn the language.

Well lets just blame the backpackers, surely they should have got their 'Lonely Planets' out and read up on Thai double charging.

[basjke]

utterly shocking that someone would try to make a little extra money especially given the current economic climate.

I reckon if we all whine loud enough, it will change. I'm whining now - can you hear the difference?

I'm sure it will make us happier and more popular as well; not just with the Thais, but amongst our peers, and probably our compatriots back home as well.

I regularly explain to them the hardships of having to haggle and bicker to get a cup of coffee for less than a pound.

Oh, I've just remembered by Hualamphong grizzle, as well. Last time I was buying a train ticket, I was in a little bit of a rush, and the fellow just sold me a 3rd class single, instead of offering me 1st class or 2nd class, so I ended up in the non-aircon chapel, when I'd have happily paid a couple of quid more for a padded cell and chilling. And if that's all one can find to complain about, then things must be pretty good! Turns out the scenery outside 3rd class was the same as outside 1st class as well, so I smiled quietly all the way to Hua Hin...

Can we provoke someone into grizzling that BMCL charge 41 baht or thereabouts for Bang Sue to Hualamphong, when SRT will take you to Chiang Mai or the Malaysian border for the same price? Surely we can wind someone up to go off on that rant? It's just a bloody train...

SC

Can I ask you people if you are real Thais or just die hard Thai apologists?

[StreetCowboy]

utterly shocking that someone would try to make a little extra money especially given the current economic climate.

I reckon if we all whine loud enough, it will change. I'm whining now - can you hear the difference?

I'm sure it will make us happier and more popular as well; not just with the Thais, but amongst our peers, and probably our compatriots back home as well.

I regularly explain to them the hardships of having to haggle and bicker to get a cup of coffee for less than a pound.

Oh, I've just remembered by Hualamphong grizzle, as well. Last time I was buying a train ticket, I was in a little bit of a rush, and the fellow just sold me a 3rd class single, instead of offering me 1st class or 2nd class, so I ended up in the non-aircon chapel, when I'd have happily paid a couple of quid more for a padded cell and chilling. And if that's all one can find to complain about, then things must be pretty good! Turns out the scenery outside 3rd class was the same as outside 1st class as well, so I smiled quietly all the way to Hua Hin...

Can we provoke someone into grizzling that BMCL charge 41 baht or thereabouts for Bang Sue to Hualamphong, when SRT will take you to Chiang Mai or the Malaysian border for the same price? Surely we can wind someone up to go off on that rant? It's just a bloody train...

SC

Can I ask you people if you are real Thais or just die hard Thai apologists?

I'm not sure about the relevance of the quote, but to answer the question, you can and you may, and to anticipate your next question,

No, I am neither Thai nor a die-hard Thai apologist, although I do try to be just in all my judgements, though I think for most of us armchair judge-jury-executioners, tolerance is probably a greater virtue than justice.

SC

Edit: Irrelevant material saved for later

Edited June 10, 2010 by StreetCowboy