Dual-pricing is scaring tourists away: Thai editorial

[Geordie59]

I have missed out on a few attractions due to dual pricing in the past. The problem is that not enough people will refuse to pay and so the places make more income with dual pricing. Until that changes or the law changes then nothing will change.

[monspencer]

I have always refused to go into 'dual pricing' establishments/attractions here in Thailand out of principle.

I recall a few years ago going to enter a National Park when my Thai wife pointed out the difference to me (the Thai price being written in Thai, and it was 10 times less than the price for non-Thais). This was before I had a Thai driving licence.

So I did a u-turn and left, having noticed the car in front of me with a Thai family in it. It was a new Mercedes and I remember thinking that they were no doubt a heck of a lot richer than me. Not all of us expats/visitors are rich.

[bangkokheat]

ummm, dont bite the hand that feeds you

[thaimlord]

They didn't mention the most glaring example of all: the aquarium at Centralworld. I guess they don't want to offend their advertisers.

A lot of tourist attractions offer discounts to locals. Disney World offers discounts to Florida residents.

In this case, Siam Ocean World (in Paragon, not Central World) offers discounts to foreign residents as well.

I am with you on this. Outside Thailand, in the two other countries where I spend my time, tourist attractions and activities regularly have a local price and a tourist price. They know locals don't go to tourist attractions more than once or twice (if at all) unless there is a good incentive for them to do so. But they also know that locals can bring in the tourists and any revenue is better than none, so they make an incentive for the local people to come too.

The difference here is that the Thai venues often advertise the lower local price, so it can be a bit of shock for the tourists who aren't aware this is commonplace the world over. It's all in the way that it's presented and can seem unfair as a result. You can always vote with your feet guys. Whining in a forum isn't going to change anything.

TL

[slipperylobster]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

The numbers of Thai people on tour compared to the number in all the other countries combined touring Thailand would not make this viable...

I suppose it is just sarcasm, anyways.

[jonclark]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

Could you perhaps use a map to explain where exactly falangland is located and if it has a seat at the UN?

But i do agreed in part with you - I wish I could buy wine at the same price it is in Falangland (sic) Thai price mush more expensive!!! Why not cheap Thai price Suriya4? Even Mercedes not have cheap Thai price. Falangland price much cheaper, why can't falang pay falangland price for Mercedes in Thailand.Why not have cheap Thai Price Suriya4?

You're argument is flawed.

Edited September 4, 2014 by jonclark

[ebean001]

I want the article rewritten as - Tourist pay regular price and Thais get a discount - and it it good for the country. In reality it is us tourist that caused the prices to go up. The prices have gone up so much just how many Thais do you see at the bar and other places. They cannot afford it any more. The country needs to find a way for a person who makes $10/day can also have some enjoyment.

The USA does the same. In Orlando you can get a hotel room for $100/night but by the time they add the 'tourist' tax - yes they have a tourist tax - it can be as much as $150 (I am high with this number but the tax is huge - like 35% then the regular sales tax, etc). Heck, it might be more than $150 by now.

Why? Americans think $100 is enough but Europeans think the price is very low. They joke at how low it is. So - Orland for many years have this tax.

The whole world does it to balance things out but they know how to hide it. Go to an historial site in Virginia and show your Virginia driver's license. ooops, big discount. Go to the national parks in USA and show your USA driver's liense and buy a life time pass for $10. I believe in some leveling.

[GeckosDiving]

But someone has to pay for the upkeep of these ostentatious temples and kickback revenue at national parks. Why should Thais have to pay?

And there you go the most stupidest post EVER !!

[GAZZPA]

Nice to see some recognition of this problem.

Members of my family just flew back to the UK yesterday. One of the issues they didn't like about Thailand was the dual pricing, also they moaned about how high some of the prices were (particularly Siam Ocean World in Siam Paragon which was about 75usd entry for 2 adults and a child,, a lot of money for a small aquarium underneath a shopping centre).

After leaving Siam Paragon we queued for a taxi. We were going about 30km away so a fair distance and it was very difficult to get a taxi to accept us, we were probably rejected about a dozen times. Then when we finally got someone to agree, we got in, he drove out onto the road and said "700 baht plus highway". The fair is about 250 baht plus highway,, I complained and he just said the usual rubbish of "many traffic". So, what do you do? Get him to drop you off, walk back down the road and rejoin the queue or stay in the taxi?

As we had a young child with us and he was tired we decided to stay in the taxi, bite our tongues and pay.

This left a bitter taste in the mouth of my family members. They liked some aspects of Thailand but they complained a lot about the dual pricing, difficulty of getting taxis and generally getting around,, and finally a general rip off culture. In short, they won't be rushing back and they will very likely tell their friends about their experience on return.

This really is a big problem and it needs to be addressed. I do not think Thailand is really known as the land of smiles anymore, I think it is know for it's sex trade and rip off culture. Hope that it is tackled soon,, I won't hold my breath.

[harrry]

My first double charging was 40 years ago when I went to a Crocodile sanctuary in India supported by the Word Wildlife Federation. They did not get the money on that day and the WWF has not had any from me since, (At that time I was able to and did contribute to the WWF). Double charging was lower then. In India they had one day (I think Tuesday at all museums etc that was free for all) the charge on the other days was the same for all, they stated that although they knew it would be more crowded on those days anyone regardless of income (or race) could visit, the other days subsidized this.

At that time the only overcharging on the base of race in Thailand was the 50 Satang that the BahMee sellers added to their noodles for foreigners they did not charge it for the Thai with them. Their rational was at that time foreigners put more peanuts and things in and they were expensive.

I do not like Double Charging on the basis of Nationality. I try not to go to places that do and only do so if I have a real need to do so or it would be more rude to my Thai companions to not go with them.

It was not always like this and the Thai Smile did not always have a price tag attached.

While attitudes like this continue some will still come but many will decide to return elsewhere.

[zig]

This is pretty common world wide. In Switzerland you have the local rates and the tourist rates. The only difference maybe that the prices are set & not based on how gullible a Thai thinks you look.

There are a number of countries, as well as states in US, where they have special discounts for tax residents for activities that are subsidized from taxes. The difference is that in Thailand such different pricing seems to be based on race rather than tax residency. I recall that a while ago one of the newspapers published an official explanation from some high ranking national park official that Thai pricing is meant only for Thais and has nothing to do with residency, work permits or driver licenses.

[masuk]

Maybe this could be corrected to read "White farangs". On one occasion, taking visitors to the Botanical Gardens in Chiang Mai, a group of Indian ladies, nicely dressed in traditional saris, paid the Thai price to enter.

Being a resident here, I showed my Thai Driver's licence, but that didn't help. I had to pay the "white farang" price.

Yes, In Australia there is cheap or free admission for residents of the city they're in, but for all others, Aussies and tourists, they pay the standard admission fee. It would be totally illegal to discriminate on grounds of race or nationality.

[Mot Dang]

I have been to Wat Phra Kaew one time, it was during a field trip with 200 students and I still had to pay the B500 entrance fee! The other teachers, vicedirector and even students tried to talk to them but the only answer was "Farang pen farang" not even work permit, teacher license, the fact that I'm a Thai civil scout and not even that the school had sent a letter asking permission to visit Wat Phra Kaew before with all teachers names and got it granted could change their minds...

I have never ever after this payed different for being foreigner and I know that the schools in that ampoe have stopped going to Wat Phra Kaew and that even the director of the school district did send a letter to Wat Phra Kaew to complain!

So there are at least some Thais that don't like the fact of the double standard!

And yes some other countries have double pricing too, at one museum in Hanoi it was free for Vietnamese citizens and I as a foreigner had to pay equal to 30 Baht...

"The authorities have taken several measures in a bid to woo back visitors. These include waiving visa fees for Chinese tourists, who constitute the largest group of visitors to Thailand, and extending the maximum permitted length of stay for tourists from 48 countries. Campaigns have been organised in Asean countries like Singapore and Indonesia in a bid to persuade their nationals to visit Thailand again."

It is only very recent that tourists from mainland China have been the largest group. So why say "woo them back", they never went ? Thailand will very much regret that they have "wooed" them in the first place. I will give it 3 years and every resort area, every center such as Changmai, will be over-run by these rude, noisy, apathetic (towards Thai culture) tourists. They WILL change the face of Thailand.

Over the years I haven't worried very much about the two-tiered pricing system, I accepted it, but now with the deteriorating attitude in Thailand towards falang I can no longer accept it. Can anyone tell me whether Chinese tourists pay the Thai price or the non-Thai price for entering attractions. If they don't pay the higher price, then yes indeed the practice is based on racist principles.

[HUAHIN62]

The tourist is not staying away due to dual pricing and will not return if this practice is stopped. The problem is more complex and needs a proper scientific study to determine the reasons and how to address it. At present most of SEA is suffering a decline in tourism and needs to be addressed as a regional problem. At present a major Chinese travel agency is offering 30% discounts for Thailand tours and is still not making headway, why?

[jpeg]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

Obviously a troll post; no one could possibly be so stupid

Au contraire. This post is consistent with the majority of others by this particular poster. And this is typical of the ignorant mindset being discussed on the topic of charging someone more on the base of ethnicity.

[jakobvarming]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

I hope you are trolling, but I've heard this amongst the more poorly educated Thais. Honestly, this is what's wrong in Thailand; lack of proper education.

A large part of Thais are brainwashed into having this total disdain towards all who are not Thais unfortunately.

[emilymat]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

That is the most absurd post I have ever read on this forum.

I realise the poster might be Thai - unless it's simply a wind up, but, following that logic I ought to get cheaper prices in, say, Switzerland, where the exchange rate makes a Brit have to pay very expensive prices. I'm sure there are other countries like that as well.

The price of an item is a contract between the seller and buyer. It has no bearing on whether he/she is Asian/African/Australian or European.

I'm afraid the poster is simply re-inforcing the cynicism held by most of us..

[MartinL]

From my home state (Texas). Hunting license fees

Resident Hunting $25.00

Senior Resident Hunting $7.00

General Non-Resident Hunting $315.00

source: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/licenses/public/recreational/

Taken from the website you quote:-

Texas Resident Licenses

A RESIDENT is a person who has lived continuously in Texas for more than six months immediately before applying for a license ......

Residency is proven by any three of the following (all documents must reflect the applicant's name and a physical address in Texas). Items marked with a * must have been issued at least six months prior to license or permit application. Except for a valid drivers license or a state issued identification card, documentation is not required at time of purchases or while hunting or fishing:

• a current Texas homestead property tax statement
• the most recent six months of utility bills
• the most recent six months of paycheck receipts
• the person’s most recent tax return from the Internal Revenue Service
• a statement from a parole board or probation officer stating that the person has continuously resided in Texas for the six months immediately preceding the application for a license or permit
• a valid Texas driver's license*
• a current Texas voter registration certificate*
• a current vehicle registration*

If I could provide any 3 of those, as an English bloke who might live locally, they'd say "Thank you, sir. Here's your Residents' Hunting Licence". They WOULDN'T say "You've provided evidence of living locally but you don't LOOK like a local, so no licence".

Note also only 6 months qualifying period. Foreigners living in Thailand don't qualify for Thai price, by right, with acceptable documents even after 5/10/15+ years here.

Edited September 4, 2014 by MartinL

[Toknarok]

Over the years I've traveled a fair bit and whilst I've no doubt been ripped of many, many times because I was a tourist I can only remember one occasion that I had to pay more than a local that was official policy and advertised at the entrance as such on a notice board. That was the Taj Mahal in India.

[Don Aleman]

There are many, many Thais residing in America, single again after their multiple divorces from US dreamers so we should charge all of them double/triple, rescind land ownership papers and have then report to US immigration every 90 days. Ditto for Thai holidayers !

[jpeg]

55555 I have never seen a country like Thailand with so many BMW 700'..Mercedes 500.... Ferrari ... and castles of hundreds of millions whose owners are Thai, so the legend, Thai poor, and farang are rich is stupid..

I was recently on Penang and being Malaysia would certainly fall into the category of wealthier countries, and saw not ONE of these cars. Nearest was a lone SUV.

I was with a Thai friend in Pai where all the wealthy young Bangkok weekenders were busily snapping away with their Nikons, fresh out of their above listed cars. My friend flat out refused to believe they were Thai! You've no idea how deeply entrenched the brainwashing is here re income disparity. Sad.

Edited September 4, 2014 by jpeg

[claffey]

"Overcharging and double-pricing are also a problem for foreign tourists in some other countries."

Is it?

On the same scale as it is in Thailand?

Legally?

I wouldn't be surprised to be honest, just never seem it or noticed I guess.

Most museums, castles tourist attractions in the UK charge very high prices but you can visit the sites as often as you like in a year... A foreign tourist pays the same price but is probably on a short term holiday and won't want to go to, for example, Warwick Castle twice in a week! This, in my opinion, is a subtle type of double pricing. Locals can visit year round if they want but Tourists pay the same price for one visit...

[pisico]

If your not Thai you must pay more

its not the act of doing this that's the problem, its the mindset that says its correct to do so.

I can imagine many Thais honestly saying "Why not ?"

You are spot on !

It's the Third World mentality that rules this land. "Foreigners have more than we do, therefore they have to pay more!"

I asked of an "enlightened" Thai with a university degree:"why we foreigners have to pay such a steep price to visit a tourist venue when a Thai can enter free or charge?" His answer was: To protect that tourist attraction."

To which I retorted: "Then, since the Thai pays nothing, he/she is not compelled to protect HIS/HER national heritage."

No, no! He vehemently said Thais would never do anything wrong!"

Thainess, Thainess uber ales.

[ginjag]

Are you talking about Ocean World @ Siam Paragon?

BTW, if you have a Thai DL you pay local price :-)

They didn't mention the most glaring example of all: the aquarium at Centralworld. I guess they don't want to offend their advertisers.

Thai driving licence ????Thats not the point. The fact is you are here to be ripped off, as in so many cases, it is a sad situation and UNSASTAINABLE -long term.

once you get the bad name it sticks like boiling jam.

[wilcopops]

Unfortunately I believe there is a reality versus perception situation here.

firstly, there is the 2-tier charging sanctioned by the authorities....National Parks, Temples, Monuments museums etc.....

secondly there is an undercurrent of traders who seem to think that because people are foreign they have more money and therefore should pay more.

The perception however is distorted by expats and tourists, some of whom are permanently under the impression that they are being ripped of.

who is to blame for this? Well, to me it seems both sides have a problem. The Thai authorities have created a "monster" - by sanctioning dual charging.....but visitors to Thailand are also over-keen to 2-tier charging even when it doesn't exist.

The solution? - I think that the 2-tier charging on public attractions should be ceased ASAP, as the message it sends abroad about Thailand is wholly negative. I also believe that if this is stopped other businesses will stop too.

As those who perpetually think they are being over-charged for everything? - get some therapy.

[Lupatria]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

I’m sure you traveled many times to Europe the US and Australia just to experience you had to pay three times the price for a meal in a restaurant because you are Thai- didn't you?

[bazmlb]

Go to Uk/London and everyone can go to museums free, masses of foreign tourists, and of course churches and cathedrals are free to go inside.

Compare the taxes people pay in each country and you see why its free, the money to upkeep attractions has to come from somewhere

[manhood]

As friends and family visiting me in "not smiling Thailand" I try to stay away from places they overcharge or double the price such as National Parks (never found out why foreigners should pay 400 bath for what??)

So well try to minimize shopping and visiting tourist places!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Christie Paul]

I can fully understand the logic whereby foreign tourists should pay more. But I suspect this kind of policy will cost more than it earns in revenue.

You want people to hate you from the bottom of their heart and soul and to deeply despise you forever?

Charge or tax them more because of their skin colour or race.

Yep that'll do it.

[Eliot Rosewater]

Thais are poor. Falang rich. When Thais go to Falangland, Thais always get charge expensive Falang price. So when Falang in Thailand, they should also pay expensive Falang price. This is the universal law of same same no change. If falang want to pay thai price in thailand, falang should also charge cheaper thai price to thai people while in falangland.

Obviously a troll post; no one could possibly be so stupid

Au contraire. This post is consistent with the majority of others by this particular poster. And this is typical of the ignorant mindset being discussed on the topic of charging someone more on the base of ethnicity.

That is quite frightening; maybe someone should tell this fool how ridiculous they are both in mindset and ability to write a cohesive sentence.