Thai National Parks ordered to charge foreigners tenfold

[TerrylSky]

Yeah this is a burn and shortsighted. I have a feeling many Asians are going to "sneak by". Add this legal "scam" to the many other things going on (illegal scams, hijacked taxi/tuk tuk prices, other double prices attractions and the like), Thailand's valuable tourism industry will slowly get flushed down the toilet. What constitutes a farang? Blond hair blue eyes? A tourist? The gold watch on his wrist? The inability to understand Thai writing? What about the ethnic Chinese, Burmese, Malaysians, Cambodians, Laoations, - and everyone else from around the world that enters these parks and museums? Are the gatekeepers at the entrance going to start checking passports or is it only some farang? Or is it only people that don't live in Thailand permanently? What about semi permanently? Some of us live here legally, are residents in good standing, pay village and national taxes, volunteer teach, pick up garbage, and donate to the wat; so nice to know we are valued residents. This is pure discrimination. But hey, this is nothing new. Mai bpehn rai, chai mai?

[Beetlejuice]

These parks should be free to tourists and should be well maintained so tourist bring nice photos and memories back to their home countries. This is a cheap way to promote Thailand.

Now Instead of seeing all the beautiful waterfalls and parks many tourists will only see the dirty streets and beaches and red light areas. Short sided thinking, some one should be fired !

True, but even the crap is becoming more expensive for westerners these days. Pay more for everything is the policy.

[Johnsy]

Well done, another nail in the tourist coffin! I've traveled all over the World but I have never heard of such stupidity in all my life in all the places I've ever been as in Thailand when it comes to these types of decisions.

[Beetlejuice]

I assume locals here wouldn't mind being charged ten times everyone else to go to visit Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks, Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, etc? Well, no need to stop there, just charge them double to go up to the top of the Empire State Building, visit the Statue of Liberty, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and similar sites around the world.

And while we're at it make it illegal for them to own land or the majority share in a company. Both of which should be Thai laws forbidding their citizens from doing overseas the same things that they forbid us in this country.

That wouldn't work! The laws would have to be passed by the countries that the Thais are investing in. Can you imagine Thai judges passing laws that forbid Thais from buying English football clubs, for example?

The law cannot to be made by the country a Thai may invest in as that would be discrimination. The law would have to be a Thai law forbidding Thais to do the same outside their country as we are forbidden to do in theirs. It is called equality. If Thailand deems in wrong for foreigners to own land in Thailand then equally they should deem it wrong for Thais to own land outside of Thailand. Equal rights. Anything else is hypocrisy.

Perhaps in the perfect world, but in reality opening up the flood gates permitting westerners to purchase and own land and real estate here would be a disaster for Thailand. The people to thank for this are those who would abuse the system.

It would be a land grab by those from the wealthier nations, using marriages of convenience to Thais, foreign land speculators taking over the property markets and all kinds of cons and tricks in order to claim their stakes on Thai soil. The Thais would simply be priced out of the market, not able to compete with the wealthier foreigners in their own country. A totally different scenario with Thais owning land and property in the west where the bidders and land prices are on the same levels. Giving westerners strong footholds in Thailand would have the affect of increasing the cost of living for everyone, leaving only the richer Thais able to compete in the real estate markets and the poor destitute.

Thailand is simply not geared up for foreigner investment in the country on the foreigner`s terms, where they can own everything outright, dictate the rules and eventually set the prices.

[soalbundy]

as expected :

most comments are pathetic...

instead of picking up my idea, go through the common lay in thailand

and find out, if this rise is even legal

because legality is so high up on the adgende in Thailamd

[Guest]

What a great idea, apart from all the people I know that may come to Thailand and I tell them about this unbelieveable rip off, this means that I will not have to travel as much as I will not be going to any more national parks and tourist attractions.

How do they come up with ideas like this and who makes the final decision, surely the thai/falang pricing structure is not necessary, how much does it raise for the parks department??

[wwest5829]

I will present my Thai Driver's license as usual. Told the wife, sorry, if they try to charge me this "foreigner" price, I will say no I will pay nothing then and turn around. I live here as my only residence. We still have a choice to say no thank you.

[Shadychris]

So on this basis. if a Thai visits London, for example, and the cost to enter Madam Tassauds is £10 a Brit, should a Thai be charged £100 entry fee ?

Dual pricing is illegal under English law,all foreigners and visitors,pay exactly the same prices,as an English person!

Dual pricing 'per se' may be illegal, but it exists in the UK by using loopholes such as distributing discount entry vouchers to the local communities, and offering return entry on subsequent visits at substantially discounted prices. All things that tourists will not be able to take advantage of...

[LivinLOS]

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 ??

It is done in the US, only it is a local discount although not everywhere. Disneyland gives a discount if you have a driver's licence with an Orange County address, attractions in Guam are more expensive for tourists.

But thats not whats being done is it ??

If a black, white or asian person has a local resident card, they get the local resident price..

Here its purely a 'whitey' tax.. You can live here 20 years, have a local address, speak the language.. And its still 'whitey price'..

Its purely based on race.. Even to the point of local south east asians commonly being given the Thai price. Its racist discriminatory pricing. Call it what it is.

Nothing to do with being white and you know it, it has to do with not having residency, so actually the same.

And yet they gave my Khmer girlfriend here visiting as a tourist the Thai price..

And I a 14 year resident with long stay visa and Thai drivers license pay the fee..

Its racist discriminatory pricing, determined simply on look. Denying that makes you look foolish.

[TomYumpoochai]

I cant be arrsed to read through 1000 posts bleating on about the price hike because i got off my ass and got a thai drivers licence years ago. Strangely enough i needed it so that i could DRIVE to those national parks as there dont seem to be any on soi bua khao.

if any of you whingers have driven to a park then you should know its thai price for thai licence holders.

In the last 5 weeks ive visited 11 where ive paid 120-170 bt for 2 people and my vehicle (2 actually. My bike was in the back) in 7 parks and the other 4 let me in for free. I stayed a couple of nights in some without paying extra and sat drinking beer with the staff in a few too.

I was also the only farang in each park and as such i was probably the only visitor who took all his litter away with him.

[LivinLOS]

I don't know what all the moaning is about. Most of the TV members are either living here on Non B or Non O visas so should get the Thai price in theory.

http://www.thephuketnews.com/tax-paying-foreigners-not-entitled-to-local-price-at-national-parks-50333.php

What part of "Tax-paying foreigners not entitled to local price at National Parks" is unclear ??

[LivinLOS]

So on this basis. if a Thai visits London, for example, and the cost to enter Madam Tassauds is £10 a Brit, should a Thai be charged £100 entry fee ?

Dual pricing is illegal under English law,all foreigners and visitors,pay exactly the same prices,as an English person!

Dual pricing 'per se' may be illegal, but it exists in the UK by using loopholes such as distributing discount entry vouchers to the local communities, and offering return entry on subsequent visits at substantially discounted prices. All things that tourists will not be able to take advantage of...

And when they offer this in the local community.. Do they only offer it to one race ??

Or is it everyone who is resident there ??

Stop trying to make excuses for a policy that is purely about race..

[LivinLOS]

I cant be arrsed to read through 1000 posts bleating on about the price hike because i got off my ass and got a thai drivers licence years ago. Strangely enough i needed it so that i could DRIVE to those national parks as there dont seem to be any on soi bua khao.

if any of you whingers have driven to a park then you should know its thai price for thai licence holders.

Nonsense.. I have been denied Thai price with a Thai license as many times as I have been given it.

I will say at the national parks up north they are more willing (usually) but go try it on Phuket, or the Samui marine parks, or or or..

The Parks dept have clearly stated.. Thai ID, Thai Tax payment, we dont care.. Your not Thai even if you live here decades..

Whitey tax.

Edited February 4, 2015 by LivinLOS

[gavo]

Complain to the UN anti discrimination commission to which thailand is a signatory

[Smart86]

Seriously is there any other country in the world where foreigners are required to pay more to visit an attraction than residents ??

Las Vegas, Nevada.

Loads of double pricing for visitors vs residents.

[LivinLOS]

Seriously is there any other country in the world where foreigners are required to pay more to visit an attraction than residents ??

Las Vegas, Nevada.

Loads of double pricing for visitors vs residents.

And once again.. is that pricing determined purely on skin color ??

Tourists paying to visit tourist attractions is kind of acceptable.. Residents being charged more based entirely on skin color, while at the same time giving non residents the discount, again based on skin color.. Isnt..

[Smart86]

Seriously is there any other country in the world where foreigners are required to pay more to visit an attraction than residents ??

Las Vegas, Nevada.

Loads of double pricing for visitors vs residents.

And once again.. is that pricing determined purely on skin color ??

No, like the original question asked ...... foreigners vs residents.

Tourists paying to visit tourist attractions is kind of acceptable.. Residents being charged more based entirely on skin color, while at the same time giving non residents the discount, again based on skin color.. Isnt..

[chiangmaiexpat]

The sense of fairness of some posters appears to be severely impaired.

Charging foreigners tenfold (= 400 THB entrance) fee is quite simply a brash rip-off and it would be the same every where else in the world. However, many tourist places around the world that charge a premium do at least offer great facilities. Unfortunately, this cannot be said for most Thai national parks.

For example, there is hardly any Thai national park with a usable trail network. Many of them are in an ecologically precarious condition, whereas in some cases you even have to ask yourself whether national park status in Thailand has any conservationist meaning at all, as it doesn't seem to keep people from building resorts, farms, etc. The facilities you may find such as bridges, shelters, trails, boards, etc. are often poorly maintained or broken. Attractions such as waterfalls and viewpoints are often dirty and strewn with picnic remains and vendors. And the people in the ticket booths never seem to know anything about trails, fauna, flora, and habitats in their parks, besides what the ageing brochure says which you get if you are lucky.

You want 400 THB entrance fee? Offer something of value, or go to hell.

Cheers, CM-Expat

[LivinLOS]

besides what the ageing brochure says which you get if you are lucky.

The biggest shock of this thread.. that a national park had an aging brochure !!

[MaiChai]

Show your work permit, residence card etc etc and you'll pay local prices - I even showed my passport at the Rayong Aquarium and they not only gave me local prices but senor citizen local prices!

If i show my Thai driving license i get Thai price. Currently getting dental treatment at 800 baht a tooth because i have a Thai wife and live in Issan ban nok (that covers root canal treatment too ). Its not so bad if you integrate a little?

[rudolfvaselino]

It is understandable.........farangs bigger bodies, farangs more <deleted> when visiting park toilets......have to charge more for cleaning

I don't mind the increase since we need indeed more 'maintenance' but in return I want foreign ladies at the entrance counter, without smart phones glued in their hands and without Line, Facebook and other rubbish. So we go back to CUSTOMER CARE.

[Longstaff]

I don't think charging more to foreign tourists is xenophobic; xenophobia is unreasonable fear or hatred.

Are reduced fees for pensioners on buses and at museums discrimination?

In the USA you pay a higher fee for a fishing licence if you are from out of state; presumably because residents in-state have already contributed through their taxes. I don't have a problem with that.

In New Zealand this has been a much debated topic and I for one as a resident there disliked paying twice for things, once through tax, then again as a user of the facility; whereas tourists paid just the once. A set fee 'conservation tax' on all incoming foreigners was often suggested as a simple way to boost the coffers of the Department of Conservation (caretakers of the Parks), which are otherwise free to enter.

Lots of places in S. America where I've paid a premium. I recall back in 1989 when i went to Machu Piccu it was 500 Intis for the locals on their train (at 3,000 Intis to the $) but $25 for tourists on their train...$25 seemed steep when you were paying $1 for a cheap hotel, but we paid it and enjoyed the visit.

I see logic in keeping prices down for the locals when most of them earn a pittance. It's a sad fact in the UK that many Britons cannot afford to see their own heritage because the entry fees are so high.

[outboard]

Oh for crying out load, this is not racist, this is national pride, just because you come from a "politically correct" country where things are so backwards that everyone is scared to do or say anything for fear of being called a racist does not mean Thailand should be that way, it is $15 full price , if you cant afford it go back to where you came from and live in the culture you like but stop trying to turn Thailand into a western country because that will kill the tourist industry!

Edited February 4, 2015 by outboard

[uptheos]

What in Thailand is worth 10x the price?

[zaZa9]

"Additionally, Suwan predicted the increase would not affect the number of tourists who visit the park as fewer than 100 foreigners visited the park last year."

The reason only a 100 foreigners went to this park is because they are not too keen on pay 5X the Thai rate

Now that it is ten the number will probably drop even more

You can count me out on visiting a national park ever again ... all double pricing rules me out

Another reason;

We were recently offered the choice of paying locals prices in return for a 'tip' of 40 baht each - a good deal for 5 farangs so we took it

that park has probably never 'sold' a farang ticket

[cumgranosalum]

I don't know what all the moaning is about. Most of the TV members are either living here on Non B or Non O visas so should get the Thai price in theory. 400 baht for a tourist isn't much.

Perhaps I've become too jaded over the years, I'm sick of visiting these parks and seeing litter that's rarely cleaned up the park staff.

there is no such "theory"

[Showbags]

What in Thailand is worth 10x the price?

Number 56 in a certain nana bar

...

[BestBitterPhuket]

What a sad way to earn more money. No shame..

[brling]

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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.

More sterling economic advice from people whose home country economies are collapsing or struggling to emerge from recession and whose currencies are plummeting and whose sovereign debt is rated "junk."

I know, I know. I bought a house and have a $250,000 mortgage even though the market value of the house is half that and my salary from McDonald's doesn't even cover my interest payments. But I'm clever and will sell it for $100,000.

I know, I know, Let's wage a war that costs several trillion dollars without funding it.

I know I know. Let's give everyone generous pensions, short work weeks, free medical care and we'll pay for it all by selling bonds and then default on them.

I know I know, we'll unite Europe in a single economic and currency zone. What could go wrong? We'll be the biggest and "bestest" in all the world.

I know, I know. Let's share all our economic wisdom with "developing" economies so they can be just like those in Farang Land.

one can only imagine your face when the 'tiger of sea' faces its inevitable "bust",

you can but only hope it wont be on the scale of the last one.

oh you think it wont happen or you are immune?

it will and about immune as you are from birdflu......

oh my, did i get dragged so off topic by this parochial nutloop, sorry

okay back on topic

i/we (thai nationals too) go into national parks by the back roads on dirtbikes and pay nothing.

Funny how he's posting on a forum specifically targeted at people from Farang Land, even though he hates them and all that they stand for so much.

YUP, "Suradit69" hates the farangs, BUT lives in Sky Beach condo,Pattaya. Why live with people that he hates ? Why not live with the Thais where there are no farangs ?.. What a SAD life it must be to be a Thai apologist.

[HaleySabai]

I have a Thai drivers license so have paid the same as Thai. Rode through perhaps 15 National Parks over the years and would have to say most that I have visited are rubbish.They mostly consist of a view point encircled by mama noodle vendors.

The foreign fee boosted to 400baht makes the increase 20x.