Farang price, Thai price. What's going on?

[Cuddlycat]

As I mentioned, prices for everything at tourist spots are higher than local area.

It's a low season. If I think it's too much or believe that if I walked a bit further I can get better deal, I just say thank you and walk away. Then they would offer the price that we are all happy.

Just funny that if the money comes from my husband's wallet it will be more. Funny how they think.

Maybe my writing style gives you guys' impression in a negative way. That's not my intention.


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[DavidOxon]

We went - with friends - down to Anusarn Market (night bazzar) on Friday evening. I wanted a couple of new ties. As we walked through, my well trained wife asked at the the tie stands and got the cheapest price to 120 baht. On the way back, I was offered the same for 100 baht.... so, double pricing does exist"

 

David

[zeichen]

I actually often get a lower price than my wife who is Thai. I also always get a lower price on my own than I would if she was talking for me. Get your husband to actually learn the language and build relationships.

 

When my daughter who is 5 does the bargaining, we get the best price. She is so proper and polite most vendors just melt.

 

It does seem that you have not been in Thailand for a long time. You might have grown up here but your surprise with the situation seems a little naive.

 

I am sorry that you got some bad feedback from some posters.

 

There is no way that you can know more about Thailand or CM than the foreigners that live here. How dare you suggest that you do. LOL

 

 

[Chiengmaijoe]

Sometimes Thais , especially those with 'rich' foreign husbands pay more for something than the husband does because they don't bargain as strongly. The reason for this is that if they bargain it down too much they would lose face. If you are relatively better off than the seller then you show kindness by not bargaining too much. You are showing sympathy , being kind, and being generous, thus earning respect. I do it myself sometimes. There are several benefits; it makes me look good, it helps out the trader that may be scraping a living, it makes me feel good, and it makes cheap Charlie's look....... Cheap. Edited August 3, 2014 by Chiengmaijoe

[spidermike007]

The dual pricing thing is mostly just in the tourist markets and of course places such as national parks and temples requiring an admission fee. For the former, there's not much that can be done except to be aware and to haggle. For the latter, a Thai drivers license works wonders in getting the better price, you're husband may wish to get one - drivers license office is in Hang Dong.

It is amazing how many national parks I have been to where not one person in the park department knew anything about a foreigner, who lives in Thailand and has a drivers license, qualifying for the Thai price, for admission. Not one. It is a national law. But, there is never any education, in terms of admission policy. Kind of like the law that allows all beer produced in all ASEAN nations to be imported into Thailand duty free, without restriction. That has been on the books since Jan. of 2010, after Thailand signed onto the 6th ASEAN charter. How many bottles of Bintang have you seen in your favorite market lately? Selective enforcement of the law, without consequence, is the best way to describe it.


Spidermike
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[true blue]

ridiculous,its your own fault if you look so naive,and nervous,a quick guide line is just half the price they ask for,or less of course its cheap to start with,so why bother haggling,dont no what a thai driving liecence suppose to acheive,may be okay at the zoo,but of course speaking a bit of thai works wonders,even just learning the numbers,paranoid u guys,your in the driving seat your buying,they want your money and profit is not there main consideration,if you only new what it cost them to buy there goods,very very little.

[bristolgeoff]

it has always being that way in the night bazzar or Thailand in general.go to the night safari they want 500 baht of you.thai or carry a 5 year license 5o baht.you have to make a deal with the thais selling things or look around and get the best price

[A1Str8]

What i think? I just think that thais are clearly not all about money and in addition, they happen to love foreigners.

[Eliot Rosewater]

you have about ten times the income of the saleslady. You can afford it. Live with it (up to a point of course). You haven't been in Thailand very long, have you?

So by your logic a Laotian or Cambodian should pay even less than the "Thai" price, right?

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[uptheos]

I actually often get a lower price than my wife who is Thai. I also always get a lower price on my own than I would if she was talking for me. Get your husband to actually learn the language and build relationships.

 

When my daughter who is 5 does the bargaining, we get the best price. She is so proper and polite most vendors just melt.

 

It does seem that you have not been in Thailand for a long time. You might have grown up here but your surprise with the situation seems a little naive.

 

I am sorry that you got some bad feedback from some posters.

 

There is no way that you can know more about Thailand or CM than the foreigners that live here. How dare you suggest that you do. LOL

 

 

 

Whilst learning the language definitely makes communication easier, I don't think it has any effect on bargaining in the NB, though it does have an effect in the local fruit and veg markets.

Night bazaar sellers have a minimum selling price and 'the seller' (usually an employee) will take whatever they can get over and above what the boss wants. I've bargained in Thai and the seller wouldn't shift, changed to English saying, e.g. "OK 550 Baht is my last offer".........deal done. You don't have to speak Thai or any other language for that matter, you can use their calculator, but do it happily and quietly. If you don't meet their bottom 'boss' price you won't get the item even if you speak ten languages!

[cooked]

 

you have about ten times the income of the saleslady. You can afford it. Live with it (up to a point of course). You haven't been in Thailand very long, have you?

So by your logic a Laotian or Cambodian should pay even less than the "Thai" price, right?

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trolling again?

[Cuddlycat]

I actually often get a lower price than my wife who is Thai. I also always get a lower price on my own than I would if she was talking for me. Get your husband to actually learn the language and build relationships.

When my daughter who is 5 does the bargaining, we get the best price. She is so proper and polite most vendors just melt.

It does seem that you have not been in Thailand for a long time. You might have grown up here but your surprise with the situation seems a little naive.

I am sorry that you got some bad feedback from some posters.

There is no way that you can know more about Thailand or CM than the foreigners that live here. How dare you suggest that you do. LOL

I always have some bad feedback. It's okay because it seems to me that I am a few Thais in this forum.

I can easily find anything for myself. But as my husband is not Thai, I just want to find out what life style, places or what you guys think. This is my homeland and we think different. As a wife it's my job to make him feel comfortable here.

I used to live in USA, upper peninsula only for 2 years in total. It's 6 months of snow which will make whoever moves to live in Thailand feel like heaven here.

I am sure that not everyone tell their wives about their frustrations. Things that bother them. Noone would be happy not to be able to control their lives. I just try my best to understand who foreigners are looking for to settle down here. I just want to do my best to help him out. If I want to know something I'll google, I ask around. I don't want to bother my landlord too much with my questions.

The topic may seem naive. But if any of you read carefully I explain that I was surprise when she saw my husband pull out the money from his wallet then she said "if Farang is this price". Then I told her that we are married and my husband loves to buy stuffs for me. Then she understood.

I also found that some of my post lead to argument and it had been closed. Please have your mind open that once you post something on online community, you supply get different feedback. And I am okay with that. If not, I won't post anything here.


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[chiang mai]

I actually often get a lower price than my wife who is Thai. I also always get a lower price on my own than I would if she was talking for me. Get your husband to actually learn the language and build relationships.

 

When my daughter who is 5 does the bargaining, we get the best price. She is so proper and polite most vendors just melt.

 

It does seem that you have not been in Thailand for a long time. You might have grown up here but your surprise with the situation seems a little naive.

 

I am sorry that you got some bad feedback from some posters.

 

There is no way that you can know more about Thailand or CM than the foreigners that live here. How dare you suggest that you do. LOL

 

 

 

Heads up, the lady does know Thailand far better than any foreigner here since she is native. trust me on that point, how dare you suggest differently!

[Eliot Rosewater]

 

 

you have about ten times the income of the saleslady. You can afford it. Live with it (up to a point of course). You haven't been in Thailand very long, have you?

So by your logic a Laotian or Cambodian should pay even less than the "Thai" price, right?

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trolling again?

 

Trolling?

Don't quite get you. If someone says that people with more money should complain less about getting ripped off, then the same logic says that the seller should give a substantial discount to people that are worse off than themselves.

 

Sounds like a slippery slope to me.

[96tehtarp]

If you are experiencing dual pricing in a market, you are in the wrong market.

 

Most markets in Thailand have a fixed no haggle price. Of course you can sometimes get a symbolic 10 baht discount, but not always.

 

Tourist markets = traps.

[true blue]

I actually often get a lower price than my wife who is Thai. I also always get a lower price on my own than I would if she was talking for me. Get your husband to actually learn the language and build relationships.
 
When my daughter who is 5 does the bargaining, we get the best price. She is so proper and polite most vendors just melt.
 
It does seem that you have not been in Thailand for a long time. You might have grown up here but your surprise with the situation seems a little naive.
 
I am sorry that you got some bad feedback from some posters.
 
There is no way that you can know more about Thailand or CM than the foreigners that live here. How dare you suggest that you do. LOL

 
Whilst learning the language definitely makes communication easier, I don't think it has any effect on bargaining in the NB, though it does have an effect in the local fruit and veg markets.
Night bazaar sellers have a minimum selling price and 'the seller' (usually an employee) will take whatever they can get over and above what the boss wants. I've bargained in Thai and the seller wouldn't shift, changed to English saying, e.g. "OK 550 Baht is my last offer".........deal done. You don't have to speak Thai or any other language for that matter, you can use their calculator, but do it happily and quietly. If you don't meet their bottom 'boss' price you won't get the item even if you speak ten languages!

yes they all have a bottom price,its finding it is the secret.

[cardinalblue]

5-year thai license at Night Safari gets one the thai price....

 

CB

[daveAustin]

you have about ten times the income of the saleslady. You can afford it. Live with it (up to a point of course). You haven't been in Thailand very long, have you?

And neither have you by the sounds... allowing oneself to be ripped off because one may earn more, classic newbie error which has the vendor laughing behind your back at the senselessness. Give it a couple/three years, you'll come around, maybe.

[cooked]

 

you have about ten times the income of the saleslady. You can afford it. Live with it (up to a point of course). You haven't been in Thailand very long, have you?

And neither have you by the sounds... allowing oneself to be ripped off because one may earn more, classic newbie error which has the vendor laughing behind your back at the senselessness. Give it a couple/three years, you'll come around, maybe.

 

 

I don't get ripped off, I rarely pay Farang price, thank you for you good and charitable advice. Let's start again: In Switzerland, only locals like me had access to worthwhile travel reductions, museum passes, and a load of other things. I won't be falling into poverty if I occasionally let myself be over charged by a hundred Baht or so. If you are, maybe you shouldn't be here.

I do however shop at Makro because it is generally cheaper than the local market, no longer go to Homepro as I know where to buy stuff cheaper...  but begrudging a vendor a few Baht and getting indignant about being ripped off is ridiculous and petty.
 

[AJackson]

My Thai wife has drawn criticism many times in markets all around Thailand. She negotiates the price, people say that I can afford to pay more, she says we are not rich and that it is our money not just mine. That usually ends the discussion, she is not shy.

 

Common experience for us.  My wife finds it insulting and quickly puts them in their place.