I have just witnessed two occurrences of double pricing policy - Do Thai's know that this hurts?

[spambot]

Just recently I witnessed two occurrences at close hand of the double pricing policy in Bangkok - And It really hurts when I see this is happening.

Occurrence 1:

A few weeks ago I was at the national convention centre in Bangkok and was considering a hotel destination package in the south of Thailand. I was looking at the pictures of the hotel package and the way the brochure was designed it was pretty clear that the offering was accommodation in the featured hotel for three nights at a price of 5,500 Baht. So after a little conversation with the girl at the desk about some of the detail I told her that I would buy the package. However up until this point neither one of us had mentioned the price (since it was very clear what this actually was), So when it came time to pay I was a little surprised when she then asked me for 6,800 Baht. When I began pointing to the price on the brochure she told me without any hint of embarrassment that price for a Farang to stay at the hotel is different. - And she continued to rub salt in the wounds by adding surely you know that is common policy with all things here in Thailand to charge Farangs more?

Occurrence 2:

Also few weeks ago I stood in-line behind a Thai national waiting to buy fruit and when it was my turn the seller smiles wide and welcoming as she recognises me (I had been buying my fruit from her cart every day for about 3 months) she gets my fruit and then asks for 50% more than the Thai national that she had just served with the same fruit moments earlier. Now thinking that I had been paying too much for a long time I pointed to this person next to me still with their change in hand telling her that his was a different price, but she just looks at me and she simply repeats the price again and then smiles (again). It was as if I had said nothing of interest in any way to her. So OK now I'm also thinking that I could have been mistaken in some way about the previous transaction. I am also fearing that I might jeopardize (what I thought was) a rather good relationship by pushing this too much. So I then signal to her I am sorry and obviously I had made wrong judgement and I start to walk away

But then another buyer goes to the cart and so I walk back and I stand and watch the next Thai national pay the same as the first Thai national for the same fruit that I had just bought for 50% more. Then I ask her this same question of why my fruit cost more when I buy it rather that when a Thai is paying for it and without a flicker of guilt she just smiles (again) and also again she offers me no explanation and so I have to just walk away.

Sad to say, but I never went back to her again and never bought anything again because I felt somehow like I had been betrayed (ok a bit dramatic here).

But why is this so widely accepted without any form of Embarrassment that this should be OK?

If a foreigner was to set their behaviour to be discriminatory only when a Thai national was involved what would be the judgement?

Say for example if you were to order some food and watch the vendor prepare it and then you decided to walk away once its ready and tell the Thai seller that you didn't want it any longer unless its 30 Baht cheaper than normal price - And just to make it even worse for them - Tell them you would not have done that to a Farang, but since you're a Thai national - it's OK.

Obviously its not OK to do this - I'm simply making a point of showing that treating any nationality with discrimination has an impact and this should be seen by both nationalities as being wrong. But I do not see any embarrassment in Thai culture when this happens - Why NOT?

Edited December 7, 2013 by spambot

[chuang]

In Vietnam double-pricing is more rampant than Thailand...

[Issangeorge]

As for your hotel example I have seen some places where expats pay less than Thais. As for the fruit example say you want Thai price, if you don't get it walk away. However you are right I hate double pricing. Especially at government attractions. I take the Thai family to one and then I have to pay more. If I wasn't paying for the family they wouldn't be going. I find that I take the family to less attractions, not because I mind paying for them, but because I resent paying more than them.

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[arminbkk]

"surely you know that is common policy with all things here in Thailand to charge Farangs more?"

She actually said these words, in English, to you? I'm impressed

I've never been overcharged (other than Zoo entrance fee at some time), not that I know of anyway (!).

Then again you usually don't know what another person paid before you for some item on the street.

If I would be aware that I am charged more, it depends on how badly I want the item, I would still buy it or not.

But paying 50% more....or even 20% more......don't think so.

[Gsxrnz]

Didn't the fruit cart have some sort of pricing cards displayed?

[thailiketoo]

When you search Thai Visa for, "Double Pricing" it returns 10 pages of results. I wonder how many there are total. A very popular subject.

[tim armstrong]

In Vietnam double-pricing is more rampant than Thailand...

Except that Vietnamese are very open about this policy

[casindonet]

It's very normal in thailand. Normally I get my thai friends to buy the things for me or just buy it online.

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[DocN]

I am not sure, if the 1st thing is actually "double pricing" in the sense, we all understand it.

There are actually different "tiers" in hotel rates. Middle Eastern, German, Thai, etc.

...and with tourism struggling quiet a bit at the moment (unless you believe TAT), there are some special offers for local- buyers out, who usually would pay actually more than most farang.

So....

[meatboy]

never will i pay more than a thai all you do is walk away and make sure you get what you want else-where and walk past the vendor so she or he see's you.

but its not only stitching us up,they will catch us and thais on the weight expecialy someone selling prawns.my mrs.loves it when she catches them out then everyone knows.

[spambot]

Didn't the fruit cart have some sort of pricing cards displayed?

Nope - But I do now look at each vendor and select based upon seeing the card on the cart

I have been quoted (without pricing cards on carts) a variance between 10 - 40 Baht for the same quarter Pineapple (roughly the same size).

Also I now watch to see when a Thai national is buying at fruit stall and follow up with same order and hand the vendor the same money as the Thai has paid - And always the vendor refuses, but since the pineapple is now cut and less valuable to the vendor I tell them if it is not sold as the same price I do not want it - And (So far) I have always got it at the lower

And its not the price per say - Its the fact that its being done against you as a different nationality.

[fabianfred]

It is simply greed and theft.... Even a Thai seller in the market who looks at the wrist and neck to see how much good a person is wearing and then adjusts the price is cheating.... Stealing from the rich is still stealing...

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[noikrit]

I've seen large billboards advertising Condos, top half in English with price , bottom half in Thai with the price in thai numbers cheaper so Falang can't read, ...... TIT

[somchaismith]

They do the same for the go-karts at Dream World. They very much dislike foreigners there.

[BookMan]

OP,

catch up with this thread...currently running

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/678935-outrageous-double-pricing-in-thailand/page-10?hl=%2Boutrageous+%2Bdouble#entry7129980

[Issangeorge]

I find over pricing farang usually happens in tourist areas or government attractions. In Isaan I don't see it very often. Yesterday I bought a belt marked at ฿220 without asking the vendor said ฿200. I quite often have that happen.

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[uptheos]

OP, so you have paid 50% more every day for about 90 days...........boy, what a face loser.

[uptheos]

I've seen large billboards advertising Condos, top half in English with price , bottom half in Thai with the price in thai numbers cheaper so Falang can't read, ...... TIT

What makes you think a foreigner considering a condo purchase can't read Thai numbers, they're dead easy to learn.

[David48]

The OP title ... I have just witnessed two occurrences of double pricing policy - Do Thai's know that this hurts?

A retort ... I have just witnessed two occurrences of almost the same thread about double pricing policy - Do Thai Visa members know that this hurts?

The most recent post in that thread about double pricing was only this morning ... outrageous-double-pricing-in-thailand *

What I can't decipher is what new information the OP is trying to impart?

Is it Thai Culture - NO

Is it a Thai practise - Sometimes

* even if it was a Troll thread.

[kikoman]

Plain and simple, I do not believe your stories, especially the part where she said in clear English "surely you know that it is common policy with all things in Thailand, to charge the Falang more".

Why have I not run into this common practice of double pricing in my 13 years in Thailand with the exception of the Chiang Mai Zoo about 10 years ago, which I refused to pay and our group went on to see the hot springs.instead. If I would have run into the situation you described, I would look for another hotel and I would not have brought the fruit, if in fact you paid, it was by your choice.

Cheers

[LucidLucifer]

I couple of weeks ago I was on a weekend trip to Pattaya with my family and a farang friend. We went into the moo kata restaurant at the southern end of Third Road, sat down, and asked the price because we couldn't see it written anywhere. The waitress replied, 170thb for Thais, and 200thb for farangs. Without even a word said between me, the missus, and my friend, we all instictively got up and walked. We could have argued, which would have got us nowhere, but I am sure our actions spoke louder than any words. It's nothing about the 30thb, it's purely the principle.

I am sure forum rules prevent me from directly naming and shaming this place, but I've already revealed a rough location, and as an extra clue, it is named after a Chinese province. Do what we did, vote with your feet, and don't go to there.

[noikrit]

I've seen large billboards advertising Condos, top half in English with price , bottom half in Thai with the price in thai numbers cheaper so Falang can't read, ...... TIT alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

What makes you think a foreigner considering a condo purchase can't read Thai numbers, they're dead easy to learn.

I agree, but theres many falang who cannot read thai, in fact I've come across a few who never even realised that there are numbers inThai ...

[MichaelJackson]

Mmmmm, well, is it right , of course not, does it happen evetywhere, absolutely not, it is a fact of life here, it does happen, you can only vote with your feet and if you encounter it, walk away. I doubt it will ever changd in our lifetime.

Some Thais, particularly in certain situations will charge as much as they think they can get away with, to Thai or Ferang, its just their nature, and greed.

[uptheos]

I've seen large billboards advertising Condos, top half in English with price , bottom half in Thai with the price in thai numbers cheaper so Falang can't read, ...... TIT alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

What makes you think a foreigner considering a condo purchase can't read Thai numbers, they're dead easy to learn.

I agree, but theres many falang who cannot read thai, in fact I've come across a few who never even realised that there are numbers inThai ...

Then they're not ready to splash out the cash for a condo IMO.

I'd like to see a picture of this condo advert........not that I'm doubting you, but I've never seen a billboard like that and would like to.

[noikrit]

I've seen large billboards advertising Condos, top half in English with price , bottom half in Thai with the price in thai numbers cheaper so Falang can't read, ...... TIT alt=coffee1.gif width=32 height=24>

What makes you think a foreigner considering a condo purchase can't read Thai numbers, they're dead easy to learn.

I agree, but theres many falang who cannot read thai, in fact I've come across a few who never even realised that there are numbers inThai ...

Then they're not ready to splash out the cash for a condo IMO.

I'd like to see a picture of this condo advert........not that I'm doubting you, but I've never seen a billboard like that and would like to.

Well thats up to them !! ... Next time I see A billboard advertising said I'll take a pic, just so you can sleep better !! ....

[uptheos]

Well thats up to them !! ... Next time I see A billboard advertising said I'll take a pic, just so you can sleep better !! ....

Look forward to seeing it, I like very rare things.

[i claudius]

I dont know what it is but i never ever get charged more ,maybe its because i look as if i am a local living here in Pattaya ,at entertainment venues just show my driving licence and get Thai price ,only once been charged farang price and that was on the yellow sumbmarine ,but as it was our sons birthday treat could hardly walk away.

is it because you look like a tourist op?

[David48]

Being a fan of Avatars ... I do like your one ...

But the choice of user name ... not so sure.

A Spambot is an automated computer program designed to assist in the sending of spam. Spambots usually create fake accounts and send spam using them .. Wiki

[uptheos]

I dont know what it is but i never ever get charged more ,maybe its because i look as if i am a local living here in Pattaya ,at entertainment venues just show my driving licence and get Thai price ,only once been charged farang price and that was on the yellow sumbmarine ,but as it was our sons birthday treat could hardly walk away.

is it because you look like a tourist op?

The stall holder must have thought something, in order to do it for 90 consecutive days and get away with it!

[willyumiii]

Unfortunately, this is pretty common in Thailand, but I have a few comments on this topic.

Believe it or not, some small markets have double pricing in favor of farangs they know as good repeat customers.

There are two markets in my area that sell beer to myself and two other farangs I know for 5 baht less than they sell it to Thais for!

When I noticed, I asked why.

I was told " Thai buy one beer maybe in two week, farang like you buy two beer every day. I want you to buy at my store!"

It works for me!

When I find a business is charging more from farangs, I pay and tell them that I will not buy from them again and why.

I also let other frangs in the area that I know ( I know all of them ) when I find over charging of farangs and they avoid them as well.

I am amazed at how many Thais will cheat you for an extra 20 or 30 baht on one purchase and not realize they are losing hundreds, probably thousands of baht from future business they have lost.

Then again, it is not a culture that thinks much beyond today.

A tip for you: Try to only shop at places that mark the price on the merchandise!

Edited December 7, 2013 by willyumiii