Unfair Pricing

[OlRedEyes]

You can argue many angles re double pricing etc., but to try and argue that Thai are not racist is rather ostrich-like. Too much evidence for all to see accross the board. Not even worth pointing out, anyone that cannot see the obvious after spending a little time here must be blind or deaf, or more likely, in denial...

Not a point even worth arguing, IMHO.

Edited May 21, 2006 by OlRedEyes

[cobra]

This isn't a unique convention to the LOS,

Most cities have some sort of bed tax, service fee, or variants of same designed to squeeze just a little more out of out-of-towners, used for services or infrastructure up keep, whatever, and in some sense it's only reasonable.

Thailand just doesn't disguise it.

Whether you look at it as a perk for Thai's or a slam to non-nationals, that's the way it is and I don't see any mechanism to change it in the near future. We pay more because we can, and at a percentage which I think really isn't that much of an impact,

[frodo]

Jdinasia, yes I did omit the last part since they are two different things; "Most of the places with dual pricing are built for the tourists..." vs "As for venues paid for with tax money, like nature reserves..."

I hardly consider a restaurant paid by tax money, yet, some restaurants do have dual pricing. One place actually refused a few of us service since one person had simply asked why the food was double the price for "foreigners." Looking around, the servings were the same for everyone. No problem, we won't go back, and we tell people about the incident and let them decide.

Hotels, clinics, nightclubs, resorts, photo shops, travel agencies, or crocodile farms. Not all of these were built for tourists, nor did they require tax money to build. I'm certainly not cheap, but each incident I view in its own merit. Do I mind paying an extra 20 baht? Usually, no. Again, it depends on what it is for that extra 20 baht. Fresh baked bread from a vendor in Bang Kapi 15baht, for me, 45baht. No thanks. Bang Kapi is not a tourist destination, the vendor did not "build" her business for foreigners and no tax money used. Word of mouth to colleagues and she loses business in the end. That's okay as well.

All of us differ in our views, and that's fine, but personally I disagree with dual pricing. About Dusit Zoo, my bag on that one.

[jdinasia]

Though I would like to agree with you, I cannot. Wat Phra Kaow, Wat Po, Wat Doi Suthep, or Ayuthaya were certainly not built for tourists

these were the other places you mention ...

Major tourist destinations though not built with tourists in mind ... yet maintained by donations and taxes. Ayuthaya is an odd duck in this section as I cannot remember if they charge Thais at all but the max admission to the temples was 30 baht ... and for the museum (which I do kind of remember having dual tier pricing was 100 for non-Thais

I think Wat Po was 20? Free for Thais

The Grand Palace 250?

Ol' Redeyes ... you can make a case for Thai Xenophobia (though they are nowhere near as bad as the Japanese in my opinion .... you really can't make it for racism.

[ZZZ]

On a slightly different topic but still regarding price fairness.

I just read that in Sweden they have a new gender equality law that makes it illegal to charge a different price for a haircut for a man and a woman!!

A five minute trim of of my slightly balding hairdo would cost 40 euro, same as it would cost for a woman spending an hour at the same having a cut!!!

Is that fair pricing ?

[jackr]

Foreigners are never made to pay more, it is Thais that are paying a bit less.

very good post on explaining to cheapskates how this system works.

'kinell, it's like banging yer head against a brick wall. ZZZZZZ, so how do you explain the price for national park entry going up 10-fold for foreigners and Thai price staying the same? Nothing to do with them grabbing what they can?

Mono; not wanting to pay way over the odds has got bugger all to do with being a cheapskate, it's called not enjoying taking one up the ass

[edd]

If you want to see true Thai hospitality try WAT CAW SUKRIM this is about 100 Km south of Pattaya.

It is the most amazing place that you could visit.

It starts with a FREE cable railway ride up the mountain to the wat.

Entrance to the wat is FREE; you will be given a FREE coloured good luck wrist band from a monk at the entrance.

A monk sits just inside and loves to talk to everyone, very pleasant people; also you can have FREE water or Orange juice.

There is a lift to other floors for people with walking problems.

This is as I said a most amazing place to walk around, furniture, jade, huge vases,etc and fantastic views from the upper floors.

I always leave a donation in the bowl near the exit, but there is NO pressure to do so.

Edited May 21, 2006 by edd

[ZZZ]

'kinell, it's like banging yer head against a brick wall. ZZZZZZ, so how do you explain the price for national park entry going up 10-fold for foreigners and Thai price staying the same? Nothing to do with them grabbing what they can?

There has been a large steady increase in the number of foreigners visiting Thailand. This increase in visitors obviousely increase the cost of running the national parks. Also, foreign visitors are usually more demanding and so the cost of running something that will attract foreigners is more costly. The number of Thai visitors and the cost they add have not increased that much, also their tax contributions have also increased over the years.

[meemiathai]

That's absolutely correct. This country should be ashamed of themselves for treating foreignors the way they do. Tourism, and the foreignors that live here helps keep the Thai economy afloat.

Barry

Yes, this country should also be ashamed of letting its own people work 12/13 hours a day. A traditional thai massage girl who has absolutely no holiday at all all year round. Charging 3/400 baht(OH how much is it, FGS??!!!) for 2 hours of hard work pressing on hairy men's legs(of whose sometimes or many times think of themselves as charming and sexy that all girls are going to fall for them by their sweet talks and charms ). And still can't afford to even spend a holiday in Phuket or Chiang Mai which is within her own country. How hard how much do you have to work and how much do you earn in your own countries?

Who of you are willing to fight for their benefits?? Or do you simply think they deserve it?

Yeah! You do-gooders, fight racism! I see how racist this dual-pricing is! I can see the seriousness in it! It's quite one of the first priorities to deal with in life! How bloody unfair can things become!! It's almost comparable to what the Nazis did, what the Americans did to the black people, ain't it?

Until I see farangs fighting for fairness(which I will bow to you) for these poor people, I'll just have to say the same thing again. Piss off back to your paradise!

Tourism, and the foreignors that live here helps keep the Thai economy afloat.

This sentence makes me puke. It's like saying I exist so that women can get shagged.

[Lucifer]

meemiathai...well said.

If you don't like the double pricing....go back to your own country.

[edd]

That's absolutely correct. This country should be ashamed of themselves for treating foreignors the way they do. Tourism, and the foreignors that live here helps keep the Thai economy afloat.

Barry

Yes, this country should also be ashamed of letting its own people work 12/13 hours a day. A traditional thai massage girl who has absolutely no holiday at all all year round. Charging 3/400 baht(OH how much is it, FGS??!!!) for 2 hours of hard work pressing on hairy men's legs(of whose sometimes or many times think of themselves as charming and sexy that all girls are going to fall for them by their sweet talks and charms ). And still can't afford to even spend a holiday in Phuket or Chiang Mai which is within her own country. How hard how much do you have to work and how much do you earn in your own countries?

Who of you are willing to fight for their benefits?? Or do you simply think they deserve it?

Yeah! You do-gooders, fight racism! I see how racist this dual-pricing is! I can see the seriousness in it! It's quite one of the first priorities to deal with in life! How bloody unfair can things become!! It's almost comparable to what the Nazis did, what the Americans did to the black people, ain't it?

Until I see farangs fighting for fairness(which I will bow to you) for these poor people, I'll just have to say the same thing again. Piss off back to your paradise!

Tourism, and the foreignors that live here helps keep the Thai economy afloat.

This sentence makes me puke. It's like saying I exist so that women can get shagged.

I don’t disagree with your sentiment just your language.

There are younger people that read Thai Visas

[meemiathai]

I was in the ski resort in Turin, Italy in January. A night club there gave out a coupon for a free drink to Italians only at the door. <deleted> was that? Honestly, no complains from me.

[GuestHouse]

Nice Rant Meemiathai, but the logic and indeed moral arguments as to why listing a string of injustices negates anyone fighting a single injustice evades me.

[meemiathai]

Report these places on Fairprice-Thailand.org - The Campaign against Dual Pricing in Thailand and then, in the case of hotels/businesses, email them the URL of the report to let them know you are telling the world what they are up to.

A Nobel Prize for peace normination for GH, I suggest.

Edited May 21, 2006 by meemiathai

[GuestHouse]

If you don't like the double pricing....go back to your own country.

Perhaps we should remind ourselves that this post was started by a guy who IS THAI, THAILAND is his country.

[GuestHouse]

Thanks for reposting my web URL Meemia, the more publicity the better.

[meemiathai]

I don't agree with it either, though, as one with a Thai ID card, I guess I may be somewhat biased.

The reverse is also true however (which doesn't make any of it right!). Thai work collegues of mine have been refused accomadation at some plush hotels around the country on the basis of being Thai. Some hotels simply have a 'No Thai' policy. I can't tell you which ones, but I belive my collegues claims.

This is true. It happened to my wife before. And I also can't book a hotel online for my thai wife alone.

Of course this doesn't anyhow make it more right for the dual-pricing itself.

[meemiathai]

Thanks for reposting my web URL Meemia, the more publicity the better.

You are welcomed.

I really couldn't care less about this whole thing. It's too BIG an issue for me.

Edited May 21, 2006 by meemiathai

[meemiathai]

wow ... people actually skip the National Parks in Thailand because they have to pay 200 baht?

They sure do miss alot by being cheap!

I think you got it wrong, jd. It's the National Parks that are missing a lot of money.

[Guest endure]

(which I do kind of remember having dual tier pricing was 100 for non-Thais

I think Wat Po was 20? Free for Thais

The Grand Palace 250?

Both Wat Phra Keow and Wat Prathat Doi Suthep in CM used to be free to everyone.

[meemiathai]

Big jump from paying 100baht more to refugees swimming to Gibraltar and then saying it's the same .

Don't mean that it's the same, just try to bring some relativity into this emotionally charged issue, meaning that there are worse things than double prizing in the treatment of foreigners.

Sorry, didn't meant to sound harsh, but when you are confronted with this day by day it gets tiresome.

DAY BY DAY?

Ever considered a plastic surgery? (pood len)

[Guest endure]

It ought to be pointed out that EVERYONE who spends any money in Thailand is a taxpayer as they'e paying 7% VAT.

[meemiathai]

wow ... people actually skip the National Parks in Thailand because they have to pay 200 baht?

They sure do miss alot by being cheap!

However I DO pass on going to for profit businesses that have pricing differences

Well for me it's that i don't really give a sh*t about national parks; I've seen my fair share around the world where they don't treat foreigners as cows. But you go on and have fun Mr. rich farang..mooooh

And you still have to stay in Thailand? Life must really suck! I feel so sorry for you. (Nong mai gor-hok)

[meemiathai]

Well I for one think it is crap.What next? Seperate queues for black people?Triple pricing for Jews?I suppose I am going to be in for some flack with this post,but I despise this rascist nonsense of double pricing.I tell Thai friends who think they are poor to go to Myanmar then come back and tell me that again.

So I guess you are from Myanmar and know how it is to be poor.

Next time I should tell my sister in law that she should be <removed> grateful coz people in Somalia can't even get food even if they are will to work 14 hours a day like she does.

[Sing_Sling]

Sorry, didn't meant to sound harsh, but when you are confronted with this day by day it gets tiresome.

DAY BY DAY?

Ever considered a plastic surgery? (pood len)

Don't quite follow you, care to explain?

[GuestHouse]

meemiathai, enlighten me as to what it is you find so distasteful about foreigners objecting to being charged more for the same services as Thais?

You clearly do not like injustice, you give examples of other injustices, non petty and all deserving to be challenged.

So why get so upset when a group of people challenge an injustice that affects them personally?

I am genuinely curious of why you feel the need to defend the dual pricing policy and why you are so very keen to abuse those that object to being discriminated against.

It is a curious mix, to object to injustice while at the same time abusing others who do something about injustice.

[KhunMarco]

wow ... people actually skip the National Parks in Thailand because they have to pay 200 baht?

They sure do miss alot by being cheap!

However I DO pass on going to for profit businesses that have pricing differences

Well for me it's that i don't really give a sh*t about national parks; I've seen my fair share around the world where they don't treat foreigners as cows. But you go on and have fun Mr. rich farang..mooooh

And you still have to stay in Thailand? Life must really suck! I feel so sorry for you. (Nong mai gor-hok)

herrrmm, scratch..scratch..mmm ..oh well oky doky, as you say

[meemiathai]

Dual pricing happens all over the world not just in Thailand.

In my own hometown in Michigan, the local residents gets into the city park for free but others have to pay $5.00 to park their vehicle(s). Valid Michigan drivers license is req'd upon entry. So to say it happens only in Thailand is not entirely True.

I was just astonished of how a large hotel such as the Ambassador have such terrible customer service and uncaring mannor for its potential customers. I felt humiliated when the receptionist asked us to leave when we didn't accept the dual pricing price scheme(many foreign visitor were present at that time). Mind you, 2500 baht a night is not expensive, its actually relatively cheap when compared to the hotels in the US, but its the act of superiority by the receptionist that bothered me. We should have been taken aside and explained the situation rather than were asked to leave their premises (Ofcourse we would have stayed anyway regardless).

So everyone take note the name of this Hotel and stay away until they come to their sences.

BTW, are there any Thai organization which we can report this rude act to?

Misplace, I appreciate your politeness and your reasonable way of thinking. I agree that the rudeness was unnecessary and unprofessional. But try to imagine what the receptionist has to deal with daily. All those arrogant customers from all over world making unresonable requests. Getting red and hot arguing. I have seen it a lot in person. In many cases I have found that by showing that one is different and one is polite, their attitudes start to change.

Anyway, sorry for what you've been through.

[meemiathai]

if its a few hundred baht i will pipe up but i can remember reading a stroy from some plum on stickman who moaned at a drink seller on the street that he was being charged 10 baht instead of 5 baht.

that kind of thing makes me sick. he managed to get the drink for 5 baht but so what??? did he think the seller had a BMW parked around the corner or what???? i'll pay more if it helps a genuine working class thai person making a living, but otherwise it's a no no

You don't understand, lc. It's about RACISM. AND THAT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE.

[meemiathai]

Just to let people know its not all bad...when I went to the Phuket aquarium and waterfalls in nationalparks and other attractions of the same nature, being in a wheelchair I was never charged...always made me feel guilty then so made sure to put money into the collection box.

Also at the waterfall they let us drive the car all the way in up the path, everyone else had to leave their car/bike and walk...which was a good 500m or more.

In a similar manner at a view point on Phuket, there was a long walk up a steep road to get to it, but there was a barrier across the road to stop cars...too steep for my folks to push me so we didnt bother...anyway, just happend to pass it again one day and noticed the barrier was up and some military/police man was there...turns out some offical/vip was driving around up there...we went to drive up and we got stopped...explained the chair situation (even tho the guy didnt speak English) and he let us drive on and waited for us then closed the barrier when we left....had a number of good experiences with police/military over there, in fact most Thais...except Taxi drivers...90% of them were c*nts!

Great people!

Shuuuuuu...... keep it quiet before it is going to stir up a whole new topic about people being discriminated because they can walk on their feet. And he11 knows how they are going to be capable of making it into a racist issue.