National Park Fees To Double Again....

[womble]

Neeranam,

You know your post got me thinking,

If I could give up my present nationality, take on Thai nationality and live here with full rights as a Thai and be treated equally and seen as an equal so long as I was prepared to drop the freedom my current nationality provides, there is absolutley no way I would do it.

I think all the time about how we are treated here, ownership laws, double pricing etc,

When you think if it from an angle that if you could choose to take Thai nationality so long as you dropped your other nationality and passport, you wouldn't even consider it.

We don't have it so bad afterall..........

[bmanly]

I already avoid Koh Samet because I can't understand why my wife pays 20 baht and I pay 200 baht just to get in. Now if it jumps to 400 baht I will always ask my wifes family, is it a National Park? If they say yes then I will not go guarranteed. 400 Baht to enter a National Park is just crazy, just avoid them.

[Neeranam]

I already avoid Koh Samet because I can't understand why my wife pays 20 baht and I pay 200 baht just to get in. Now if it jumps to 400 baht I will always ask my wifes family, is it a National Park? If they say yes then I will not go guarranteed. 400 Baht to enter a National Park is just crazy, just avoid them.

Just walk along the beach from the pier, then no need to pay

[Simbo]

In my experience, Getting the 'Thai Price' is not very hard.

Im no Thai expert but when I am in these situations I speak very kindly in Thai and hand them the amount of the thai price. Sometimes they look at me for a second confused but they almost always accept.**

** I say ALMOST because there was ONE time when it didnt work for me. At the Chaing Mai zoo we went to the panda exhibit once and they insisted that I pay the farang price.

So if you can speak a few words of thai in a nice tone with a smile on your face then you usally wont have a problem. It also helps if you hand them the "correct" amount. Like when I went to Koh Samet with my lady I handed the man 40 baht and said "Song khun krup" with a smile, he looked and me and quickly moved along to the next farang. If I had paid with a 1000 baht bill then he might have charged me the farang price when getting change. I have visited many places and have has the same experience.

I dont understand people saying that they are showing tax papers and id cards and what not. Are you offering this information to the person, trying to justify you getting the thai price? Save your time. Hand them the thai price, smile and say a few kind words and move along.

Is this wrong? Hel| no. Double pricing is wrong.

At least the people who live here should get the Thai price. I am pumping enough cash into this economy that I see nothing wrong with this.

Can you walk on water too ?

[eugengeri]

I already avoid Koh Samet because I can't understand why my wife pays 20 baht and I pay 200 baht just to get in. Now if it jumps to 400 baht I will always ask my wifes family, is it a National Park? If they say yes then I will not go guarranteed. 400 Baht to enter a National Park is just crazy, just avoid them.

Just walk along the beach from the pier, then no need to pay

Correct! ...check in there if you want to stay a night or longer and walk in the National Park without backpack etc. only with an towel & bathingsuit. IMO they'll not ask you about a ticket .

But the most beautiful beaches are inside the National Park and till now valuable for Baht 200 more to check in there. Yes, for a farang family .

[Donz]

Neeranam,

You know your post got me thinking,

If I could give up my present nationality, take on Thai nationality and live here with full rights as a Thai and be treated equally and seen as an equal so long as I was prepared to drop the freedom my current nationality provides, there is absolutley no way I would do it.

I think all the time about how we are treated here, ownership laws, double pricing etc,

When you think if it from an angle that if you could choose to take Thai nationality so long as you dropped your other nationality and passport, you wouldn't even consider it.

We don't have it so bad afterall..........

Words of wisdom

[martinhuahin]

I decided to take some visitors I have from the UK to the National Park near Hua Hin and to visit Pala - U waterfalls. They are quite un-spectacular and I have not been there since the introduction of the 200 baht fee several years ago. However, as these guests staying had not been, and as it is and interesting walk up the stages of the waterfall in to rain-forest and jungle, I thought what the heck we'll pay the 600 Baht for three of us.

I was horrified to then be asked to pay 1,200. (3 X 400)For this series of puddles???!!!!

I told the man on the guest it was a rip of, and did a "u" turn right in front of them, with all the day trippers peering on from their mini -buses, unaware of the rip off going on...

I think that this doubling of the fee to 400 Baht is outrageous.

I urge all ex-pats who have visitors to boycott all National Parks. Why should we as foreigners pay this, when the mercedes/porsche driving Thais from BKK who visit for the weekend get in for 80 (?) Baht?!!

If you have a Thai license, you will also pay 80 Baht, but what about your guests?

This is a blatent rip off, and where is the money being spent? I certainly see no evidence in Pala-U or in Sam Roi Yot parks......

After my U-turn, we did some off-roading around the lakes near the Park, and it was really beautiful. We saw lots of wild-life and even saw some villagers making charcoal in Clay ovens to sell. It turned out to be far more intersting than the waterfalls, and was FREE!

Edited November 15, 2006 by martinhuahin

[wilko]

What about Koh Chang? Is it 400 baht to get into the waterfalls there too?

Edited November 15, 2006 by wilko

[phibunmike]

Good point except you are making assumptions about people you know nothing about.

I, too, have lived here a long time, do not drink (nor hang out in bars) and have visited National Parks in the past but my husband will not go to a place that charges his wife 10 times what he has to pay. He finds the double pricing unfair and offensive. I think he figures that somehow, being his wife, and as he is the one who supports me, I shouldn't have to pay inflated prices simply based on the color of my skin or nationality.

So, you see, for some people, it isn't about the money, but the principle.

Good point sbk, but I find now that the money becomes an issue. I often go to National Parks, take the family (Thai) along - we go at the weekend when the kids are not in school, or mid-week just for a bit of relaxation or a picnic.

I have never objected to the double pricing, as 200 baht seems a fair price to me, but I know that not many locals would be able to afford that. I do believe the National Parks should be accessible to all Thais. I know it is racist, which I don't like, but I see that as just a simple way to implement the rule.

But at 400 baht, if I have a few farang family members with me, it starts to add up.

Those who boycott, fair enough, it is good to stick to your principals. But I like visiting the National Parks and will continue to do so. If it was 800 baht, I would do so less often.

[sriracha john]

I was horrified to then be asked to pay 1,200. (3 X 400)For this series of puddles???!!!!

If you have a Thai license, you will also pay 80 Baht, but what about your guests?

As per other posts,

National Park Fees

many parks are not accepting Thai licenses or any other paper to pay the local price; only Thai National ID Cards will do.

Glad you were able to eventually have a good time with your guests.

What about Koh Chang? Is it 400 baht to get into the waterfalls there too?

Yes, as per above same thread.

Edited November 15, 2006 by sriracha john