National parks up entrance fees

[daveAustin]

but at least it does include this one in Narnia:

or is it Oz?

That is a cracking image of the 2 Chedi's atop Doi Inthanon . . . what the article doesn't tell you is that if you want to go here, you pay to get into the Park first . . then another fee (to the RTAF) on top to enter this particular site. (it is worth it though . . lovely place)

It is, or was, nice up there though that image is heavily photoshop'd. I was first there like 15 years ago when there were hardly any tourists and the one or two guesthouses on the road had very few people staying in them. Beautiful then, just too many people now. Note to others, these chedis are not on top of Doi Inthanon (Thailand's highest peak), but are somewhat beneath the peak.

Of the fees, if the money were going to the good upkeep of the parks, then that is something, but I fear they are ripping a bit.

[jdinasia]

Foreigner means Farang, Asian mean all the ASEAN community Thai price for them !

No.

Foreigner means not Thai

Thai means Thai.

[soalbundy]

Easy, don't go

[wabothai]

25% price increases are common place in thailand, while in the west no more than 2%. Can anyone explain?

[KunMatt]

25% price increases are common place in thailand, while in the west no more than 2%. Can anyone explain?

I was looking at international schools last year and I think every one of them increased all of the costs by 10% every single year no matter what.

The answer to this and your question is "because Thailand".

[wabothai]

Normal countries would give discounts in times of depleating tourist visits.

No not here, an increase of 25%. Well done mr/mrs national park! We all love you.

[LuckyLew]

Guess it is the old Thai theory ... tourist numbers are down so we just charge the ones who are here more ...

[jdinasia]

Did anyone read the whole article?

[soalbundy]

Many years ago now they decided that foreigners should pay 30 Baht to get into Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai. They had an office right at the top of two thousand or so steps that you had to climb first and a lady who directed you to the right to go into the office to pay. I brushed past her, pushing her outstretched hand aside saying, i'm not paying that, she shrugged and stopped the next mugs.

[wasanaresort]

they are getting more and more GRAZY... i live in thailand 25 years and here in RANONG they ask for the park in ban bang ben laemson n. p. already 200b. and it is JUST the BEACH every where in thailand and the world BEACH is free .15 years ago the thai going picknik and every body happy NOW no people they [the thai] do not want to pay 40b. to go to the beach. american thai way go now to tesco. mc.donald etc. what a pity. ARMY what about HAPPINESS to the thai nature is free!!!!regards boudewijn b. wasana resort bang ben beach [before the park legal]

[Johnsy]

well that's more national parks I won't be visiting! Why do you discriminate against foreigners, makes absolutely no sense to me or many other foreigners who have also said they won't visit national parks because of the disparity pricing based on skin color!

[jdinasia]

well that's more national parks I won't be visiting! Why do you discriminate against foreigners, makes absolutely no sense to me or many other foreigners who have also said they won't visit national parks because of the disparity pricing based on skin color!

Based on nationality.. Not skin color.

[haveaniceday]

Whats the price with a Thai DL ?

[outsider]

One day, when I come around to running a business, I will make sure that Thais are charged more than what average customers pay. Just thinking out loud...

[jdinasia]

One day, when I come around to running a business, I will make sure that Thais are charged more than what average customers pay. Just thinking out loud...

Guess that won't be in Thailand, where Thai people would be your average customers.

In over a decade here I have only been asked for the foreign price twice when I had my DL or WP or work ID with me.

[slipperx]

Just carry on Thailand - fleece all those foreigners that made you and when you all sit at the table ordering the food you thought some foreigner would pay don't be surprised when that foreigner doesn't turn up. Then enjoy your old rice for that is all that is left - and well deserved

[haveaniceday]

And the neighboring countries, plus Vietnam are rubbing their hands together at annoyed whities.

[Torrens54]

Is the price the same for Locals as it is for Foreigners?

Some years ago the Chiang Mai Zoo attempted to charge EXTRA for the FARANG when I went there with my wife and our daughter.

They did however back-down rather rapidly when they were hit with a few rather Frosty words from my wife who could make the Polar Ice Pack Melt when she feels the need.

[jdinasia]

Just carry on Thailand - fleece all those foreigners that made you and when you all sit at the table ordering the food you thought some foreigner would pay don't be surprised when that foreigner doesn't turn up. Then enjoy your old rice for that is all that is left - and well deserved

Do you think even 1 tourist will choose not to visit Thailand because a visit to a national park costs £10?

[jdinasia]

Is the price the same for Locals as it is for Foreigners?

Some years ago the Chiang Mai Zoo attempted to charge EXTRA for the FARANG when I went there with my wife and our daughter.

They did however back-down rather rapidly when they were hit with a few rather Frosty words from my wife who could make the Polar Ice Pack Melt when she feels the need.

Did you read the article?

Thai nationals pay less than tourists to enter national parks.

[slipperx]

Just carry on Thailand - fleece all those foreigners that made you and when you all sit at the table ordering the food you thought some foreigner would pay don't be surprised when that foreigner doesn't turn up. Then enjoy your old rice for that is all that is left - and well deserved

Do you think even 1 tourist will choose not to visit Thailand because a visit to a national park costs £10?

Of course not - it is not as simple as one change drives people away but rather a culmination of many small things.

[jdinasia]

And the neighboring countries, plus Vietnam are rubbing their hands together at annoyed whities.

Really? Cambodians enter Angkor Wat free.. Tourists pay more than Park admission here.

[jdinasia]

Just carry on Thailand - fleece all those foreigners that made you and when you all sit at the table ordering the food you thought some foreigner would pay don't be surprised when that foreigner doesn't turn up. Then enjoy your old rice for that is all that is left - and well deserved

Do you think even 1 tourist will choose not to visit Thailand because a visit to a national park costs £10?

Of course not - it is not as simple as one change drives people away but rather a culmination of many small things.

Like national park admission.. Most tourists will be totally clueless. (they won't care about any of these issues.)

[ericthai]

a good way to discourage tourists who want to go diving for a few days ......500bht a day now multiply that by the number of days and would become rather expensive ...say your here for a 2 weeks diving trip maybe go diving 10 days ...na way too expensive

Really? So another 1000B total for 10 days would cause someone to change their mind.. Dont think so. That is only about $31 USD that's nothing.

Some of you guys that live here get to be such cheap charlies and think everyone else is one too.

[ericthai]

Just carry on Thailand - fleece all those foreigners that made you and when you all sit at the table ordering the food you thought some foreigner would pay don't be surprised when that foreigner doesn't turn up. Then enjoy your old rice for that is all that is left - and well deserved

Some of you guys have no idea about Thailand. You think Thailand would close up and fail if there was no Tourism? No it will not, tourism is only about 7% of it's GDP. Thailand is heavily industrialized. Exports is about 75% of it's GDP. Also Thailand will still have tourism for a long long time. All the problems in the last few years with protests coups etc and they has not scared away tourists anything less than a full out war will stop them. China has opened up and sending plane loads of tourists to Thailand.

[MikeN]

Just carry on Thailand - fleece all those foreigners that made you and when you all sit at the table ordering the food you thought some foreigner would pay don't be surprised when that foreigner doesn't turn up. Then enjoy your old rice for that is all that is left - and well deserved

Do you think even 1 tourist will choose not to visit Thailand because a visit to a national park costs £10?

No, but they may change their mind about how many parks they visit ...ie the 3 national parks around Kanchanaburi have put their farang prices up by 50% for adults and 100% for kids so after paying around 1000 baht to visit Erawan National Park a family might think twice about going to another one. I've got no qualms about paying 500 baht next time I go to the Similans, but no way is Erawan worth 300 baht.

Khao Phra Wihan National Park in Si Saket will also increase for foreigners from THB100 to THB200 for children and from THB200 to THB400 for adults

400 baht ? you gotta be kidding ! To get into the car park for Preah Vihar so you can cross over into Cambodia (if/when it is ever open) ?

[NightRider70]

Thai national parks are crap and not worth the money.

True in most cases.

[chooka]

Took my Thai wife and her friends to the Melbourne zoo yesterday and they didn't charge them extra simply because they are tourists, we all paid exactly the same price. No discrimination all treated equally as human beings I wasn't considered superior to them or got a discount for being Australian. The cashier didn't even look twice at them or turn her nose up.

Edited October 11, 2014 by chooka

[chooka]

well that's more national parks I won't be visiting! Why do you discriminate against foreigners, makes absolutely no sense to me or many other foreigners who have also said they won't visit national parks because of the disparity pricing based on skin color!

Based on nationality.. Not skin color.

if it is based on nationality then that is racism. My Nationality is Australian (Aboriginal decent) and they charge me more so that is blatantly racist because of my ancestry.

[Farang99]

Do what I do and refuse to pay it. Speak a little Thai point to the sign and tell him the price for Thais then give that amount. Works best when you have a Thai with you! End of the day the money is only trousered, After paying 80Bahts for 2 (should have been 240 if I paid the 200Bahts) what did we get? 1 ticket, so 4 bahts was erm trousered!

Still hats off the boys at Doi Inthanon, who let me in for free and free mini van up the last bit of hill since I turned up with crutches (genuinely needed). Reward, nice tip one good turn deserves another.

We have tried this. I speak pretty reasonable Thai, and my wife is Thai, but we still got stung with the high charge at Bang Pae waterfall, Phuket. In fact we did not, as we refused to pay , turned round and went to Nai Yang beach instead!