We were out looking at the Mimosa (The City of Love) opposite the Ambassador hotel today.

Then when done we was driving in the area and saw the sign: Pattaya dolphin show so we said, Okay lets go and have a look.

We went to the ticket counter and I showed them my Thai 5 year driver licenses for car & motorbike and asked them if I can get Thai price;

No I was told, in order to get Thai price you have to have a Thai ID card. Thais= 250 bath, Farangs= 500 bath.

I got angry and asked them about my 3.5 year Thai/Danish boy if they consider him a Farang as well, no, he can get in free because you pay Farang price.

I told them: Fxxk you, I live here so no way I will pay tourist price.

Thankfully my boy didn't really knew why we were going there in the first place so we left without big dramas from his side.

In Under Water World in Bangkok, I got in to Thai price when I showed them my Thai licenses, same in UWW Pattaya, Nong Nuch Garden also ok.

Well when I cooled down, we went to a nice sea food restaurant next to the Ocean and had an excellent lunch for less than 600 bath but okay didn't see any dolphins LOL.

I am considering writing a letter to "Pattaya Dolphin Show Ltd" and complain.

Edited April 6, 201313 yr by guzzi850m2

please post their response...

So you'd have been happy to pay 250 baht for yourself and 250 baht for your son (500 baht total, Thai price) but not 500 baht for the two of you (500 baht total, tourist price)?

I wouldn't bother with the letter of complaint - their business, like others in the Huay Yai area such as the Fruit Farm, depends almost exclusively on tour groups not on local visitors (Thai or tourist).

So you'd have been happy to pay 250 baht for yourself and 250 baht for your son (500 baht total, Thai price) but not 500 baht for the two of you (500 baht total, tourist price)?

I wouldn't bother with the letter of complaint - their business, like others in the Huay Yai area such as the Fruit Farm, depends almost exclusively on tour groups not on local visitors (Thai or tourist).

The 500 bath won't kill me financially it's pure because of principles.

Kids below a certain age and height (1 mtr) get in free, the if they are below 1.2 mtr, I think it's 100 bath.

Well if they don't want my business it's up to them, I been to Dolphin shows before.

... and from what I'm told of this one I expect the ones you have been to were infinitely better and more interesting.

Sorry man I think you are sad to make a fuss over 250bht . I agree its a pain but that the way things work in Thailand and if you don't like it why not go to Denmark where I am sure they will charge you double that and more. I have an friend who spends his time complaining about Thai ways

and like you gets angry remember my friend you will be always a guest in their country so respect . Peace !!

Sorry man I think you are sad to make a fuss over 250bht . I agree its a pain but that the way things work in Thailand and if you don't like it why not go to Denmark where I am sure they will charge you double that and more. I have an friend who spends his time complaining about Thai ways

and like you gets angry remember my friend you will be always a guest in their country so respect . Peace !!

I don't think they have Dolphins shows in Denmark anymore as it considered against animals rights to make them perform shows in a confined space.

And no I am not sad but angry, as I mentioned before: I can get in to Thai prices at many attractions: Pattaya, Bangkok, and even on Phuket, so when I encounter a place where they try to screw me, I choose to say no, what's wrong with that.

If nobody stands up to them they will just make it worse.

Hell they might even say: this Farang today with Thai driver licenses and a Thai wife, why shouldn't he get into Thai prices and then change the fees accordingly? It they have a couple of Westerners every week complaining they might listen, who knows?

If you just pay and smile to anything here then it's you that is stupid.

Had a similar encounter at Mimosa the other night, their website said 50baht admission, over 60s free, went up there and they would not have it, pay 50 baht or not go in! I know it's only 50 baht but like the op it's the principal, they advertise something then do not abide by their own adverts! Anyway went in, complete waste of time inflated tourist prices, just another shopping mall with a food court and the " water show" lasted nine minutes! My first and last visit.

Sorry tried to cancel this and transfer to post about Mimosa but couldn't!

Edited April 6, 201313 yr by JohnC

"I told them: Fxxk you, I live here so no way I will pay tourist price."

The "them" you were being abusive to were probably just staff on minimum wage who were merely implementing the rules set by the owners. Made their working day a little less pleasant and further coloured their view of farangs.

"I told them: Fxxk you, I live here so no way I will pay tourist price."

The "them" you were being abusive to were probably just staff on minimum wage who were merely implementing the rules set by the owners. Made their working day a little less pleasant and further coloured their view of farangs.

And further reinforces their feeling that most farang are savages.

"I told them: Fxxk you, I live here so no way I will pay tourist price."

The "them" you were being abusive to were probably just staff on minimum wage who were merely implementing the rules set by the owners. Made their working day a little less pleasant and further coloured their view of farangs.

And further reinforces their feeling that most farang are savages.

Ohh, you 2 guys are really wise, I am impressed.

I work in the Oil Offshore industry and not for the Royal Danish Embassy so my language is not the most soft spoken/diplomatic in the world.

Further for your info, it was the boss in the ticket office that got the famous word as I was holding up the line during our "talk" and he came to investigate.

I hope he got a dose of oil offshore diplomat talk he wont forget soon.

Heh. I knew this was the case, so let the Mrs. take the kids to the show, while I enjoyed the more traditional attractions in the area where Farang males are highly appreciated as customers. Best of both worlds.

I saw the pics; it didn't look like the best dolphin show in the world, but it's interesting in that they use local species like the Irawaddy / Mekong River dolphin and the pink dolphin. Mrs. has also been to the national aquarium in Baltimore and saw the show there, so she mostly went for the kids for whom it was the first time, and it's affordable. They spent less on it than I did that afternoon anyway. Probably had more fun too in hindsight, so it's all relative.

Edited April 6, 201313 yr by WinnieTheKhwai

Those dolphin shows are barbaric and pure animal torture

In 3 visits to the Dolphin Show I've never had a problem getting the Thai price with my Thai driver's licence.

They say you coming a mile off.

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guzzi850m2, Just write your complain letter to the management. If more people were doing that, they eventually may think about loosing customers.

Maybe it is a drop in the sea, but those operating large business in Thailand are usually quite rich but they are still business people. And as you may know , minor staff never report problem to the Big Boss in Thailand.

Doing nothing about the problem will never achieve a result...

Cant believe I just wasted 5 mins of my life reading this!

I know 250 baht is 250 baht but I would never get so upset about it.

"I told them: Fxxk you, I live here so no way I will pay tourist price."

The "them" you were being abusive to were probably just staff on minimum wage who were merely implementing the rules set by the owners. Made their working day a little less pleasant and further coloured their view of farangs.

And further reinforces their feeling that most farang are savages.

Ohh, you 2 guys are really wise, I am impressed.

I work in the Oil Offshore industry and not for the Royal Danish Embassy so my language is not the most soft spoken/diplomatic in the world.

Further for your info, it was the boss in the ticket office that got the famous word as I was holding up the line during our "talk" and he came to investigate.

I hope he got a dose of oil offshore diplomat talk he wont forget soon.

your name not steak by any chance???

SICK and BARBARIC are the only words I have for these places. How do you think they get an highly endangered animal out of the Irrawaddy River, which is in Burma and get it miles in land from the sea near Pattaya ??? <deleted>

It sure as sh*t did not swim there. It and it's relatives were probably netted, most died and then you get a few survivors to put in a tank for people to pay or not pay 500 Baht to gawk at it. Then they die and the whole mental cycle starts again.

I am sure I read the owner of this Loh mah Show as the Thais call it was banned from doing it in other locations and of course Pattaya being Pattaya, bribery and corruption get you anything you want.....

SICK and BARBARIC are the only words I have for these places. How do you think they get an highly endangered animal out of the Irrawaddy River, which is in Burma and get it miles in land from the sea near Pattaya ??? <deleted>.

There's always one.

First of all they also occur in the Mekhong river and other rivers. Yes the name is Irrawaddy Dolphin, but that doesn't mean they only live there. And how do any dolphins (or any sea animal, or any land animal for that matter), anywhere, get to aquariums and zoos? By catching them, or by breeding them. Same way the monkeys, snakes and elephants get there. Same way turtles and fish get there. You make it sound like this is some great unknown to most of us. It's not.

And as for threats to the natural population, the main threat is actually fishing (nets!) and loss of habitat. As much as you want to paint any business or show that uses animals in any way as some kind of animal auschwitz, there was a time when kids could actually enjoy a zoo, display or show without unleashing rabid comments as if crimes against humanity are being committed.

Edited April 7, 201313 yr by WinnieTheKhwai

I doubt that these creatures are well treated, any more than most animals (or people) are in Thailand. I think that all entertainment involving animals should be banned outright and I would certainly never patronise it, be it for 500B or 250B or 0B.

"I told them: Fxxk you, I live here so no way I will pay tourist price."

The "them" you were being abusive to were probably just staff on minimum wage who were merely implementing the rules set by the owners.

With the owners possibly being Western, like Siam Ocean World (Australian owned and managed).

Keeping a dolphine in a water tank is very wrong, if nobody visited these places, maybe people would stop treating animals so cruelly

SICK and BARBARIC are the only words I have for these places.

Why? Space is confined, but there are no predators, fishing, propellers, pollution. Food supply and healthcare secured. In the long run, they will go extinct in the wild in any case, and the only places where they survive is in pools. Burma is backwards, but as soon as it's as industrialized as Thailand, the Irrawaddy becomes a dump like the Chao Praya. Meet the Chao Phraya catfish. It's extinct.

You didn't care because you didn't know it. Good it's different with Dolphins.

SICK and BARBARIC are the only words I have for these places.

Why? Space is confined, but there are no predators, fishing, propellers, pollution. Food supply and healthcare secured. In the long run, they will go extinct in the wild in any case, and the only places where they survive is in pools. Burma is backwards, but as soon as it's as industrialized as Thailand, the Irrawaddy becomes a dump like the Chao Praya. Meet the Chao Phraya catfish. It's extinct.

You didn't care because you didn't know it. Good it's different with Dolphins.

The negative effects of captivity on these animals are well documented. The lack of protection they get in the wild does not justify keeping them in a tank for amusement.

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.. In the long run, they will go extinct in the wild in any case, and the only places where they survive is in pools.

Even if dolphins ever go extinct, it is not an excuse to keep them in cages now, for our amusement

Oh by the way, do you know it is the word dolphin show ever? Ugly dolphins in a shitty brownish greenish water, really old and the show itself was absolutely ridiculous. Trainers were so stupid and incapable of doing anything...

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So you'd have been happy to pay 250 baht for yourself and 250 baht for your son (500 baht total, Thai price) but not 500 baht for the two of you (500 baht total, tourist price)?

I wouldn't bother with the letter of complaint - their business, like others in the Huay Yai area such as the Fruit Farm, depends almost exclusively on tour groups not on local visitors (Thai or tourist).

The 500 bath won't kill me financially it's pure because of principles.

Kids below a certain age and height (1 mtr) get in free, the if they are below 1.2 mtr, I think it's 100 bath.

Well if they don't want my business it's up to them, I been to Dolphin shows before.

My God man. You mean they discriminate against kids that grow faster?

If you want to save money, dont feed your kids! Also it might help if they go barefoot, when they want to see the dolphins!

My wife just called them today and asked how much for her, our 4-year old daughter and myself, Swiss national living in Thailand since 27 years. Answer:

Thai adult: 250 Baht (already up from the 200 Baht)

Thai children up to 90 cm height: 100 Baht

Thai children over 90 cm height: 250 Baht (same as Thai adult)

Foreigner: 500 Baht (living here since 1 day or 100 years) same same with Thai drivers license: same same 500 Baht

The few foreigners who were willing to pay all say it's not worth the money at all. Very amateurish. I better download a good Dolphin show from the US in HD from Youtube and our little daughter (over 90 cm) can watch a superior show as many times as she wants on one of our 50" TVs for free. I downloaded it already, in 1080p.

How shortsighted Thai entrepreneurs sometimes are!

Edited June 21, 201313 yr by Dario