Something That Pisses Me Off

[New007]

I've been living in Thailnd for 6 years. I work and live here, pay my taxes and I am married to a Thai. I also enjoy travelling in LOS (maybe not any longer). I invited my parents over from Europe and travelled with them using the State Railway of Thailand. For the trip we purchased 4 tickets. While one was priced at 15 Baht the other three were priced at 100 Baht each! Only because we are foreigners we had to pay four times as much as a local! If this becomes a common thing for tourist services in LOS I'll have to think of not offering anyone at home to come and visit LOS because of the rip off. People will want to know why the hel_l they are charged more than 4 times more than a local! In our countries , we don't charge foreigners more than the locals. I think if companies in LOS don't change that we should advice our tourist services in Europe or elswhere to start charging Thai tourists 4 times more. Sure, they'll like that!!! Let's spread the words fellows! Mobs are "in" in LOS these days.

[Khutan]

I didn't know that was the case, but the few times I have travelled on the train, I have sent my wife to buy the tickets.

Remember also there are different classes of travel, maybe you got a 1st class ticket and the other people were buyng 2nd or 3rd class tickets

[sriracha john]

Have ridden the train dozens of times... across the length and breadth of Thailand and NEVER paid one baht more than anyone else riding.

What was the route and class of travel you bought tickets for? Did you buy the tickets at a ticket booth or through an agent?

[BKK90210]

Hmm....interesting

Never happened to me for both train and plane ticket while in Thailand

[cdnvic]

Did you bring this up with the ticket agent? What was their explanation?

cv

[Tywais]

Two tier pricing is a common topic here but I've taken trains, buses and planes here many times and never seen that. And exactly where does one go on a train for 15B - airport to town?

[Thaipwriter]

If you have been living in Thailand for 6 years I would have thought that you would have become savvy enough to deal with this.

All you have to do is show work permit or driving licence and speak a little Thai to talk your way out of this problem.

That aside, 100 baht of a train journey is not exactly big trouble.

The general prices are ridiculously low and are aimed at those who have little means to pay any more. Foreigners should be aware of this before they start spouting off too much.

[thaiflyer1]

I have never been charged anymore than a Thai for bus or train travel................something's amiss somewhere.

[sriracha john]

If you have been living in Thailand for 6 years I would have thought that you would have become savvy enough to deal with this.

All you have to do is show work permit or driving licence and speak a little Thai to talk your way out of this problem.

None of that is necessary with the State Railways of Thailand. In ticket lines at Hua Lamphong, I've been behind German tourists buying tickets that arrived in Thailand 1 day previous, had no work permit, no driver's license, and could barely manage English (let alone Thai) to get their destination across to the ticket agent and paid the exact same fare as the next person in line, a Thai going to the same destination (Nong Khai).

The State Railway is one of the few entities that DON'T overcharge foreigners, regardless of their attire, appearance, odor, or "Thai-ness."

[New007]

It's for the train to Kanchanaburi which is a third class train only, bought at the train station, and they even ask my wife if she is travelling with foreigners becase we bought tickets their before.

[Florin]

That is very strange, I've been on Thai trains many times (even bought tickets in Saraburi ) and have never been overcharged...same goes for the buses out of Mo Chit and Ekkamai.

Other than the principle of the thing, though, come on, it's still a very cheap way to get to Kanchanaburi...just enjoy your trip

[PREM-R]

Bangkok - Kanchanaburi Distant (Km.) 117 Class 1 NA Class 2 NA Class 3 25baht

Above is the official price (State Railway of Thailand Website) for travel from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi

I often travel on SRT from Khon Kaen to Nong Khai, 35 baht one way. I mostly travel with Thai G/F but even when travelling alone I get the 35 baht price. The ticket is printed by a machine and shows the starting point/destination/ class of travel and price. I can't see how they can make the machine print out a ticket at a higher price for the same jouney just because it is a 'farang' who is paying for it.

All seems a bit strange

[Momenthai]

I'm not saying it would be right but could they be charging more because of the Bridge over the River Kwai....does this train actually go over the bridge?

[ding]

I belive you O/P that you've been living there for 6 years. From a western perspective, 100B is a grab-n-run price!

Is there a way to make train bookings online?

[Florin]

Is there a way to make train bookings online?

Nope, but you can call Hua Lomphong to book in advance and pick your ticket up when you get there.

[ding]

Thanks Florin.

I saw that Thaifocus has a good train booking site/service, but they want $26US to mail it to you. I thought that was kinda funny -I sent a Christmas card from Bangkok in 2005 and it still hasn't arrived.

http://www.thaifocus.com/travel/train/index.htm

I gues it's useful if you plan far in advance.

[PREM-R]

This link should be useful if you are planning a trip by train here in Thailand

State Railway of Thailand website

[jdinasia]

There actually is 2 tier pricing on the route being described. No big deal. The Tourist train for Kan on weekends is 100 baht for Farang and I think is now 30 baht for Thais now.

If that rate is too much then don't do it. Same with the National parks. (Yes your work permit or DL will get you the local price)

[sriracha john]

Same with the National parks. (Yes your work permit or DL will get you the local price)

True at some national parks, but not all.