National parks up entrance fees

[soalbundy]

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.

whatever

[soalbundy]

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.

It isn't a case of cheap charly it's all about discrimination. They don't even have the courage of their convictions,last time i was in Chiang Mai i went to the zoo, they had the Thai prices written in Thai numbers and farang prices written in our numbers, a little bit of shame creeping in perhaps, nah, that's something Thais have no experience of.

[spidermike007]

The law in Thailand states that foreigners who reside within the kingdom will be granted the same entrance fees to the national parks, as a Thai national. But, getting a park employee to honor that is another story. I have had some real arguments with them over this. You are only supposed to have to show some form of ID, that proves you are a resident, and not a tourist. Apparently the parks department does not want the employees to know about this provision of the law.

[spidermike007]

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.

Not correct. Most economists agree that it is really closer to 13% of the total economy. That is alot of money. And there is some debate about whether or not that figure includes all peripheral areas like airlines (both domestic and international), airports, trains, buses, mini vans, border runs, local restaurants that cater at least partially to tourists and the expat population, guest houses, hotels, apartment rentals, condo sales, villa sales, car sales, motorbike sales, bakeries, department stores, grocery stores, medical insurance and patronage of hospitals, clinics, etc, etc. How do you calculate the amount of money the ex-pat sector alone contributes to the economy?

And if you do not think that all the problems of the past few years have effected tourism, you might want to have a chat with some local hotel GMs. It has. For certain. To what extent is debatable, but it has had, and continues to have a serious impact on the economy.

Edited October 12, 2014 by spidermike007

[watcharacters]

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]mail-23.jpg

"and it is JUST the BEACH every where in thailand and the world BEACH is free"

Sorry that's just not correct. Lot's of beaches have an entrance fee worldwide.

It'd be nice if everything was free but that's just not the case

[Spaniel]

"to raise the entrance fee to THB500 per day from the current THB400 fee."

Is this "per day" right? Whenever I have gone to Koh Samet I have always paid the entrance fee once on entry (Thai price as have a licence) but never been asked how long I staying for .

My experience has always been per entry.

My experience is once you pay the entrance fee you can stay in the park as long as you want. For instance when we go camping at Khao Yai NP when we pay the entrance fee they don't ask us how many day's we will be staying, they just charge us for the one entrance. We usually stay in the park for 2 or 3 days. Sometimes we will leave the park and drive down to Pak Chang. When we do this we tell them at the gate when we leave that we will be returning, then they don't charge us again when we return later in the day.

Edited October 12, 2014 by Spaniel

[jdinasia]

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.

It isn't a case of cheap charly it's all about discrimination. They don't even have the courage of their convictions,last time i was in Chiang Mai i went to the zoo, they had the Thai prices written in Thai numbers and farang prices written in our numbers, a little bit of shame creeping in perhaps, nah, that's something Thais have no experience of.

Chiang Mai zoo is not a national park

[baboon]

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.

Not correct. Most economists agree that it is really closer to 13% of the total economy. That is alot of money. And there is some debate about whether or not that figure includes all peripheral areas like airlines, airports, all restaurants that cater at least partially to tourists and the expat population, guest houses, apartment rentals, car sales, motorbike sales, bakeries, department stores, grocery stores, medical insurance and patronage of hospitals, clinics, etc, etc. How do you calculate the amount of money the ex-pat sector alone contributes to the economy?

And if you do not think that all the problems of the past few years has effected tourism, you might want to have a chat with some local hotel GMs. It has. For certain. To what extent is debatable, but it has had, and continues to have an effect on the economy.

Exactly. If tourism is so unimportant, why is an assessment of the effect on tourism the first words to come out of the mouths of the authorities when disaster strikes?

[belg]

vote with your feeth in those dubious double, triple pricing scams

just tell yourself this : rich thais, and there are a lot, earning & owning 10 - 100 times of your salary or pension, are getting in for almost free

this country loves to show they are so much better and smarter, by not even giving nationality to husbands married to thais ...

[guzzi850m2]

I also normally gets in at Thai prices when I show them my Thai driver licenses, expect for one park on Phuket (off-course). I turned around and haven't been back since.

I think 500 baht is too much just to visit a National park , double price will be okay for most.

Suspect a large tourist group in a tour bus gets special prices as the tour guide will negotiate the price at the gate or they might have special arrangements.

Many countries have this kind of politicizes in place but not over 5 times more than the locals pays.

Thailand have to be careful which these practices, one day the tourists will say enough is enough and go elsewhere.

I visited Grand Place last week and it was 500 baht for anybody not having a Thai id card (Thais free). We saw a Japanese with a Thai student card and he have to pay as well, so he left fuming.

[soalbundy]

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.

It isn't a case of cheap charly it's all about discrimination. They don't even have the courage of their convictions,last time i was in Chiang Mai i went to the zoo, they had the Thai prices written in Thai numbers and farang prices written in our numbers, a little bit of shame creeping in perhaps, nah, that's something Thais have no experience of.

Chiang Mai zoo is not a national park

I didn't say it was, it is however typical of the double pricing that goes on

[Fairynuff]

Ripping off tourists is immoral, yes it happens in every country but it's still immoral. Not every country however has ripping off tourists enshrined into its laws. If ever my DL doesn't get me in, then I'll just leave.

[jdinasia]

Ripping off tourists is immoral, yes it happens in every country but it's still immoral. Not every country however has ripping off tourists enshrined into its laws. If ever my DL doesn't get me in, then I'll just leave.

It is not ripping a tourist off. What nationality are you?

[jdinasia]

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.

It isn't a case of cheap charly it's all about discrimination. They don't even have the courage of their convictions,last time i was in Chiang Mai i went to the zoo, they had the Thai prices written in Thai numbers and farang prices written in our numbers, a little bit of shame creeping in perhaps, nah, that's something Thais have no experience of.

Chiang Mai zoo is not a national park

I didn't say it was, it is however typical of the double pricing that goes on

Topic is national park admission. If we were discussing two tier pricing in general I would say that any place not using tax money will never get my business if it has 2 tier pricing.

[soalbundy]

Ripping off tourists is immoral, yes it happens in every country but it's still immoral. Not every country however has ripping off tourists enshrined into its laws. If ever my DL doesn't get me in, then I'll just leave.

It is not ripping a tourist off. What nationality are you?

you could be right of course,perhaps they are just giving Thais a rebate, but since scams and dishonesty are so common in Thailand you must allow us to be suspicious.

[jdinasia]

Ripping off tourists is immoral, yes it happens in every country but it's still immoral. Not every country however has ripping off tourists enshrined into its laws. If ever my DL doesn't get me in, then I'll just leave.

It is not ripping a tourist off. What nationality are you?

you could be right of course,perhaps they are just giving Thais a rebate, but since scams and dishonesty are so common in Thailand you must allow us to be suspicious.

Not when discussing National Park admission.

In many other situations I would agree.

I am about to ride to Sarika... Will report back what I paid.

[Fairynuff]

Ripping off tourists is immoral, yes it happens in every country but it's still immoral. Not every country however has ripping off tourists enshrined into its laws. If ever my DL doesn't get me in, then I'll just leave.

It is not ripping a tourist off. What nationality are you?

It most definitely IS ripping off. Charging more based on nationality (or any other reason) IS ripping off and IS immoral. Nationality is irrelevant.

I note that jdinasia doesn't pay the "foreigner" rate

[jdinasia]

Ripping off tourists is immoral, yes it happens in every country but it's still immoral. Not every country however has ripping off tourists enshrined into its laws. If ever my DL doesn't get me in, then I'll just leave.

It is not ripping a tourist off. What nationality are you?

It most definitely IS ripping off. Charging more based on nationality (or any other reason) IS ripping off and IS immoral. Nationality is irrelevant.

I note that jdinasia doesn't pay the "foreigner" rate

I am not a tourist. I pay taxes here.

Last month I was in Maine and paid out of state admission to the state parks there.

During that trip I registered to vote and got a Maine DL and then paid in state admission.

What nationality are you?

Edit

Using CAPS doesn't make your argument stronger.

Edited October 12, 2014 by jdinasia

[Fairynuff]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

[Fairynuff]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality? Dual pricing or overcharging or whatever else you choose to call it, is wrong. End of story.

[chrissables]

The law in Thailand states that foreigners who reside within the kingdom will be granted the same entrance fees to the national parks, as a Thai national. But, getting a park employee to honor that is another story. I have had some real arguments with them over this. You are only supposed to have to show some form of ID, that proves you are a resident, and not a tourist. Apparently the parks department does not want the employees to know about this provision of the law.

Is really the law? Be interesting if when being over charged i could show them a copy of the law!

I use my Thai driving license, and the only place i have been refused is the navy base South of Bang Saray.

[jdinasia]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

[jdinasia]

The law in Thailand states that foreigners who reside within the kingdom will be granted the same entrance fees to the national parks, as a Thai national. But, getting a park employee to honor that is another story. I have had some real arguments with them over this. You are only supposed to have to show some form of ID, that proves you are a resident, and not a tourist. Apparently the parks department does not want the employees to know about this provision of the law.

Is really the law? Be interesting if when being over charged i could show them a copy of the law!

I use my Thai driving license, and the only place i have been refused is the navy base South of Bang Saray.

I would like to see that "law" as well

.

[Fairynuff]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

If you have a Work Permit you should never encounter issues paying the local price at National Parks

Tourists n my country certainly get ripped off but my country doesn't operate a dual pricing system at attractions or parks/places with admission charges.

[soalbundy]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

No, that would be against European law.

[stevenl]

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.

Entrance fee is paid only once.

[stevenl]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

No, that would be against European law.

Many, many places, attractions and institutions in Europe charge foreigners more than residents.

[soalbundy]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

No, that would be against European law.

Many, many places, attractions and institutions in Europe charge foreigners more than residents.

news to me, name me one from the EC.

Edited October 12, 2014 by soalbundy

[MikeN]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

Well in my country that would be illegal ! I've been to a couple of places where locals (ie local district residents) get a reduced price to encourage return visits, but all tourists of whatever nationality pay the same price.

[jdinasia]

I pay tax here too. What relevance is my nationality?

Because it is quite likely that in your home country you charge foreigners/non residents more as well.

Well in my country that would be illegal ! I've been to a couple of places where locals (ie local district residents) get a reduced price to encourage return visits, but all tourists of whatever nationality pay the same price.

LOL

You say locals get one price and tourists another just after saying that is illegal??