Similan National Park Opens, Fees Remain The Same For Phuket Tourists

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Similan National Park opens, fees remain the same for Phuket tourists

Phuket Gazette

Grab your snorkeling gear, because the Similan National Park re-opened today. Photo: Rhurtubia

PHUKET: -- The Similan National Park officially re-opened today with its park fees remaining unchanged as Phuket’s tourism high season approaches.

Admissions fees were expected to take a sharp jump after Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) chief Damrong Phidet, now retired, announced in September the need to increase the price of fees to raise money to carry out improvement to national park facilities.

However, newly appointed DNP chief Rerngchai Prayoonwet cancelled his predecessor’s plan, leaving park fees unchanged.

Mr Damrong had laid out a plan to increase the fees at 29 national parks, raising the price for a Thai adult from 40 to 100 baht; a Thai child from 20 to 50 baht; a foreign adult from 400 to 500 baht; and a foreign child from 200 to 300 baht.

The price hike caused some concern for tour operators, especially dive companies operating in the world-renowned Similan National Park.

One official at the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry said Mr Rerngchai’s decision would hurt plans to upgrade facilities at national parks, reported The Nation.

“The increase in admission fees, after all, had been applied to big national parks only,” the official said.

However, Mr Rerngchai said that maintaining the admission fees at their current rates would attract more visitors to the parks and reduce the risk of vendors in the surrounding areas from losing business.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ists-19307.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-11-02

[nakhonandy]

Well good news, as my wife and I are going diving there in a couple of weeks 5 - 600 THB sounds a lot better than what was being discussed, double that.

[Wombat6]

All foreigners should boycott Thai National parks and anything else that has a two tier pricing system

[nakhonandy]

All foreigners should boycott Thai National parks and anything else that has a two tier pricing system

I understand why you raise this but to be fair pretty well all of Asia has the same system. Usually producing a Thai driving license will get you the Thai pricing anyhow. It is mainly aimed at tourists which after all are a major part of the economy.

[Udox]

All foreigners should boycott Thai National parks and anything else that has a two tier pricing system

I understand why you raise this but to be fair pretty well all of Asia has the same system. Usually producing a Thai driving license will get you the Thai pricing anyhow. It is mainly aimed at tourists which after all are a major part of the economy.

Last time I told the guy collecting money at a national park that I had a Thai driving licence, and live here - he replied "so what"

I usually ask for the Thai price and show my driving licence or social security card when there is double pricing - if they still refuse - then I walk away.

I pay taxes here and get little benefits for doing so.

I refuse to be cheated because of the colour of my skin.

I believe the Thai Constitution states that every person will be treated the same regardless of race colour or ethnicity

yeah - right !

[noob7]

Well good news, as my wife and I are going diving there in a couple of weeks 5 - 600 THB sounds a lot better than what was being discussed, double that.

Snorkeling, or diving?

This 400 for Farang/ 100 (I think) for Thais is entrance fee. For diving, the fee comes on top. 200/day, methinks. For Thai an Farang.

Not that the Ranger charging for every Thai/Farang, but every Thai/Farang is paying it. But that ia another scam. This one will cost the UNESCO heritage status. Eh, b/c of this options, the islands will never get this status. Ok, the fishing industry is another player in "no,no,no" to the UNESCO thing!

[stevenl]

Well good news, as my wife and I are going diving there in a couple of weeks 5 - 600 THB sounds a lot better than what was being discussed, double that.

Snorkeling, or diving?

This 400 for Farang/ 100 (I think) for Thais is entrance fee. For diving, the fee comes on top. 200/day, methinks. For Thai an Farang.

Not that the Ranger charging for every Thai/Farang, but every Thai/Farang is paying it. But that ia another scam. This one will cost the UNESCO heritage status. Eh, b/c of this options, the islands will never get this status. Ok, the fishing industry is another player in "no,no,no" to the UNESCO thing!

Well, he said 'diving' so I would presume he means 'diving'.

Why would the 200 Baht fee for diving per day be s cam BTW?

[noob7]

Well good news, as my wife and I are going diving there in a couple of weeks 5 - 600 THB sounds a lot better than what was being discussed, double that.

Snorkeling, or diving?

This 400 for Farang/ 100 (I think) for Thais is entrance fee. For diving, the fee comes on top. 200/day, methinks. For Thai an Farang.

Not that the Ranger charging for every Thai/Farang, but every Thai/Farang is paying it. But that ia another scam. This one will cost the UNESCO heritage status. Eh, b/c of this options, the islands will never get this status. Ok, the fishing industry is another player in "no,no,no" to the UNESCO thing!

Well, he said 'diving' so I would presume he means 'diving'.

Why would the 200 Baht fee for diving per day be s cam BTW?

If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand!

[stevenl]

Well good news, as my wife and I are going diving there in a couple of weeks 5 - 600 THB sounds a lot better than what was being discussed, double that.

Snorkeling, or diving?

This 400 for Farang/ 100 (I think) for Thais is entrance fee. For diving, the fee comes on top. 200/day, methinks. For Thai an Farang.

Not that the Ranger charging for every Thai/Farang, but every Thai/Farang is paying it. But that ia another scam. This one will cost the UNESCO heritage status. Eh, b/c of this options, the islands will never get this status. Ok, the fishing industry is another player in "no,no,no" to the UNESCO thing!

Well, he said 'diving' so I would presume he means 'diving'.

Why would the 200 Baht fee for diving per day be s cam BTW?

If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand!

No, I probably wouldn't understand. Since all divers, all nationalities, are paying 200 Baht per diving day and this is officially cashed by the marine park officials who give official invoices for this, no, I really don't see how this can be a scam.