Thai National Parks ordered to charge foreigners tenfold

4jasmin · February 4, 2015

I am not sure - and I can not proove it now -

but if I would be able to find and read an english version of the democratic laws in thailand, such

practize is against the common law

anybody can post an excerpt of the law, so we all would be able read and understand,

how it is possible to promote such an "fairly insurance for foreign guests " ...

this is purely arbitrary

kieran2698 · February 4, 2015

The best way to look at it is not as foreigners pay more but that locals are discounted.

It is not discounted if it is what the majority pay.

There is no logic in your argument.

A lot more logic than your argument.

Sorry, but my logic is the one shared by the tourist authorities in countries which have dual pricing whereas yours is just based on a poor understanding of the given lexis.

cumgranosalum · February 4, 2015

Here's a list of NP - emails if you wish to enquire about pricings....

Just cut and paste into your email recipient box...

Edited February 4, 2015 by cumgranosalum

kieran2698 · February 4, 2015

Once I visited a park with my car full of Thai.

They were totally embarrassed by me paying 400 baht.

Just as my Thai friends were when I turned the car around and nobody got to go in. My car, my rules.

Do you take them out for power trips?

No, do you?

Who?

Toknarok · February 4, 2015

I would imagine that the majority of members of this forum apart from bird watchers don't visit Thai national parks all that often. If Thailand had a system like the British National Trust then this may alleviate the problem for frequent park visitors and for tourists that intend to visit National Parks, palaces and other places of interest where there are Government entry fees.

These 'season tickets' can be bought from the National Trust and then allow free entry into venues. There is for example one specifically for London which gets onto things like the "London Eye'. I'm sure the powers that be in this Country could devise a set up whereby these could be bought online from overseas if needs be thereby generating foreign exchange.

All of these tickets bought online would be one price.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Toknarok

soalbundy · February 4, 2015

The increase there and at other parks was made in response to an announcement from the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department that admission fees for foreigners should be made consistent throughout the country as of Sunday.. should read as.. admission fees for people should be made consistent throughout the country. Seriously is there any other country in the world where foreigners are required to pay more to visit an attraction than residents ??

In answer to your closing question, yes there is. Egypt has similar charging rules.

Egypt has parks ????

kieran2698 · February 4, 2015

I am not sure - and I can not proove it now -

but if I would be able to find and read an english version of the democratic laws in thailand, such

practize is against the common law

anybody can post an excerpt of the law, so we all would be able read and understand,

how it is possible to promote such an "fairly insurance for foreign guests " ...

this is purely arbitrary

Thailand is currently under Martial Law.

watcharacters · February 4, 2015

I wonder if the Grand Palace is considered a National park? If it is, at it's current admission price of 400 THB for falangs, a 4,000 THB entrance price would surely drastically lower the number of foreign visitors to the attraction. Also, since Thai citizens are allowed in free it would effectively cut the income down to ZERO.

Having seen it three times I doubt I'll be back at any price until the closed to the public areas are opened for viewing.

Ducking and · February 4, 2015

"Ten times" is not double, or twice as much. Rubbish news report. Left you not knowing what to believe after only a few lines. How many mistakes could they get into a full-length story. Obviously a source not to be trusted. Perhaps a Thai woman. I had one for a long time and it took me ages to realise it was unlikely that anything she said was wholly true, but perhaps a percentage of it was, or it had a reference in it to something which WAS true. Much the same as this, really.

sean in udon · February 4, 2015

This is a really great idea.

It works hand in hand with Thailand attracting quality tourists, the kind who would like to visit these parks, and enjoy Thailand's natural scenery.

It also helps foreigners wishing to come here, in the sense that they will know that their trip will be vastly more expensive than it ever was.

Great work everyone!

Now, what's next?

I know, I know!

How about a beach entrance fee? Say 200THB per kid and 400THB per adult?

Blanket rule across Thailand's beaches.

Oh - and don't forget to inflate the cost of temple admissions too - tenfold would be best.

It's important to make the distinction between foreign visitors and Thai visitors as wide as possible - as this fosters a good feeling, and also will go a long way to ensure that Thais selling any other product and service don't inflate their prices too, using these new measures as a starting block.

Have to agree that this engenders/encourages a 'farang/foreigner pay more' mindset. Edited February 4, 2015 by sean in udon

maidee · February 4, 2015

this xenophobic practice should made be aware by all tourist agencies

did thai people who make up the rules in the trend : if a farang comes here, for the hookers and takes one from the bar, he pays a barfine

do thai people pay barfine 10x less ?

Edited February 4, 2015 by maidee

mosquitobill · February 4, 2015

They could not arrange a piss up in a brewery

BlackJack · February 4, 2015

its called discrimination

realenglish1 · February 4, 2015

No question this is a bad move In no other country around the world do they have a double standard like this

And it filters down to other areas

Thais see this so they do the same in their business Charge Farang more What a poor attitude

Lovekorat · February 4, 2015

It is just staggering how the incompetence is accelerating.

It just seems that one department is trying to outdo another with it's stupidity.

So if only 100 foreigners ( do they include Chinese, Japanese and other Asian countries in that list or is it just westerners) visited these places putting up the prices is going to make them a bucket load if cash isn't it.

Some of the most beautiful natural parks and places in the world are free. Do they not know that? It's called providing a good experience for tourists and visitors.

Will they ever join the rest of us in the 'real world'?

So charges go up, people stop going, and the people who make their living selling food etc in these places suffer through a downturn in income due to low attendances.

Wake up someone!

fullcave · February 4, 2015

Thank you 10 times...

ddavidovsky · February 4, 2015

It might imply that the government thinks foreigners are ten times better than Thais. Perhaps foreigners should be honoured.

Joking aside, a two-tier price sceme is justified. The differential reflects the idea of local privilege. It's their land after all. For a foreigner, a visit is naturally something more special. The differential should be something reasonable though. 2x would be fine.

thurien · February 4, 2015

Hope we still get Thai prices with our Thai driving licences, btw......

I think that this regulation is void, too, in the meantime. I remember them cranking their head out of the booth and yelling at me "DL no good, you work permit or nothing"

harada · February 4, 2015

Simple, don't go to Nat parks.

bushwacker · February 4, 2015

I have been asked to visit places many times with Thai friends and they cannot believe my refusal to go. I explain, why would I support

a place that smiles and charges me more than everybody else. They shake their heads with no understanding and think that all farang

are complicated people.

Besides the places are not that interesting ... really!

thurien · February 4, 2015

the people who make their living selling food etc in these places suffer through a downturn in income due to low attendances

but not for too long then they turn into thieves, burglars, pick-pockets, extortionists, black- mailers and the like ... the Phuket beach mafias (widely "unemployed" by now...) are a fine example

cumgranosalum · February 4, 2015

I would imagine that the majority of members of this forum apart from bird watchers don't visit Thai national parks all that often. If Thailand had a system like the British National Trust then this may alleviate the problem for frequent park visitors and for tourists that intend to visit National Parks, palaces and other places of interest where there are Government entry fees.

These 'season tickets' can be bought from the National Trust and then allow free entry into venues. There is for example one specifically for London which gets onto things like the "London Eye'. I'm sure the powers that be in this Country could devise a set up whereby these could be bought online from overseas if needs be thereby generating foreign exchange.

All of these tickets bought online would be one price.

" I would imagine that the majority of members of this forum apart from bird watchers don't visit Thai national parks all that often." - why would you imagine that?

I visit NPs all year round and all over the country - Thailand is famous for bird watching and people spend a LOT of time in the parks - on top of that, they also perform a valuable function in recording species and reporting them to the NP authorities.

It seems that last time this stupid measure was introduced it resulted in dramatic drops i numbers at some NPs so why they think it will be different this time is beyond me.

cumgranosalum · February 4, 2015

It might imply that the government thinks foreigners are ten times better than Thais. Perhaps foreigners should be honoured.

Joking aside, a two-tier price sceme is justified. The differential reflects the idea of local privilege. It's their land after all. For a foreigner, a visit is naturally something more special. The differential should be something reasonable though. 2x would be fine.

IOt isn't the 2 tier that is the issue, it is the whole idea of BLANKET pricing for NPs that is so ridiculous. I think many people will be getting a nasty shock when they find they have to pay 400 baht to see some little waterfall or access somewhere like Koh Samet.

Sakeopete · February 4, 2015

I don't disagree with the pricing considering Thais generally have low income compared to visitors. However as for value for money it certainly isn't worth going to Thai national parks. In my early years in Thailand I went to a few it was disappointing to say the least I'm sure the entrance fees are in Somchai's bank account because they are certainly not reinvested into the park. To me going to parks is the same a visiting a temple, nothing interesting they are same same all over the country you seen one you've seen them all.

pacovl46 · February 4, 2015

Khao Yai and Doi Inthanon have been charging 400 already for at least 12 years.

ColdSingha · February 4, 2015

"Ferangs are different, they eat bread"..Prayut

Please tell me you're joking.

"Foreigners don't have the same laws that we do, said Gen. Prayuth. So why don't we make our country peaceful and safe? Our country is not like their countries. Thai people are not like farangs. We eat rice. They eat bread. Its totally different."

different indeed.

DM07 · February 4, 2015

Since I'm not sure I'm allowed to post a link to The Phuket News on here, this may give an answer to some :-

Google "Tax-paying foreigners not entitled to local price at National Parks" - Whilst mentioned in the above it applies nationally according to the spokesman.

(PS. Siam Paragon's Aquarium charged 900Baht for me (the foreigner) and about 400Baht for the Thai woman I was with. If anything the Thai price was about all it was worth to see.)

I liked the Aquarium- but that's another story!

Here is my problem with it: I can -if I am very drunk, half asleep and not paying attention- understand the strange logic behind some of the arguments for a higher farang- price at NP's. (Although I paid more taxes in my 8 year here, than many Thais).

But Siam Ocean World is a PRIVATE organisation, <deleted>!

Why can they charge differently for locals and foreigners?

cumgranosalum · February 4, 2015

Khao Yai and Doi Inthanon have been charging 400 already for at least 12 years.

you see to have missed the point - a blanket charge of 400 baht was introduced several years ago - less than 12 though. this covers even the smallest attractions within NPs.

after a short time this was found not to work as numbers dropped in many places, so the NPs were (tacitly??) allowed to drop their price to 200 baht and some began allowing foreigners living in Thailand to get in at local rates.

however if the current dictum is obeyed or enforced it looks as if we are back to square one ad tourists will stay away in droves.

in truth, with one or two excptions the National Parks of Thailand a grossly underused by foreigners ans my guess is that this is due at least in part to the ridiculous 2-tier pricing system.

Many countries in the west do not discriminate against foreigners when pricing National Resources, in fact they seem happy to benefit from the concomitant income derived from the visitors. It also gives the country a good image. I UK not only is dual pricing not practiced, many of the national treasures are in fact FREE.

(and before any smart-arse pipes up - YES! I'm fully aware that nearby locals often get free/cheap access to their local attractions - do the math - it's no big deal!)

bdenner · February 4, 2015

Most of the parks have mom and pop vendors outside the gates. That's where I will be parking my arse the next time the Thai fraternity wants to visit one of these places. Enjoying a cold beer while they do their thing.

cumgranosalum · February 4, 2015

"Ferangs are different, they eat bread"..Prayut

Please tell me you're joking.

"Foreigners don't have the same laws that we do, said Gen. Prayuth. So why don't we make our country peaceful and safe? Our country is not like their countries. Thai people are not like farangs. We eat rice. They eat bread. Its totally different."

different indeed.

Do yuo have a reference for this - I'm building up a collection of quotes from the Leader and his acolytes.

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