Thai National Parks ordered to charge foreigners tenfold

[outboard]

pointless even replying more than once ho ho .....nice boxes mind x

after editing the quote so it is not breaking the rules , I can only agree with you, it is no point you posting again

[Jai Dee]

One derogatory post has been removed from this topic.

Members are reminded of the following from the Forum Rules:

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[Shadychris]

@shadychris

Yeah, Slim- Shady

....now you are just making up excrement.

By that measure, a backpacker in flip- flops will pay an intermediate price?

Because he clearly is not rich...but a tourist!

And you know, that this is not the fact, this decission is based on!

He is WHITE, he is farang!

And that is the only reason he pays more!

It is NOT about who is rich and who is not...and you know that quiet well!

Yes I do know that this is not about who is rich and who is not.

It is about NP's currently charging 200BHT raising their prices to match the others who currently charge 400BHT, as reported in the usual sensationalist manner to instil outrageous indignation and generate clicks.

The reality of this is that non-resident visitors regardless of whether their skin is white, black, yellow or green will have to cough up another 200BHT at some of these NP's - big deal... Those who can prove 'residency' ie have a residency permit\blue book\red book, again regardless of skin colour will be able to gain admission at the lower rate.

By your deluded version of the reason this decision is based on, albino Thais would also have to pay the upper rate because their skin is white too..

[DM07]

@shadychris

Yeah, Slim- Shady

....now you are just making up excrement.

By that measure, a backpacker in flip- flops will pay an intermediate price?

Because he clearly is not rich...but a tourist!

And you know, that this is not the fact, this decission is based on!

He is WHITE, he is farang!

And that is the only reason he pays more!

It is NOT about who is rich and who is not...and you know that quiet well!

Yes I do know that this is not about who is rich and who is not.

It is about NP's currently charging 200BHT raising their prices to match the others who currently charge 400BHT, as reported in the usual sensationalist manner to instil outrageous indignation and generate clicks.

The reality of this is that non-resident visitors regardless of whether their skin is white, black, yellow or green will have to cough up another 200BHT at some of these NP's - big deal... Those who can prove 'residency' ie have a residency permit\blue book\red book, again regardless of skin colour will be able to gain admission at the lower rate.

By your deluded version of the reason this decision is based on, albino Thais would also have to pay the upper rate because their skin is white too..

...as would 3- legged aliens from Planet Zorph...

I make it simple for you:

a Fhilipino/ Vietnamese- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

a German/ Dutch- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

Which tourist will be asked to present a birth-certificate, stool- sample, red book, work- permit, before he is allowed to enter at the "residence" - fare?

I know, that it actually SHOULD be both, right?!

But let's follow me to the reality for a second...

Edit: sorry...I don't want to create a whole here, for you to slip through: a WHITE German/ Dutch- tourist etc....because we both know, that there are Asian- looking people in both these countries...which by the way, hits my point even harder, because THEY would not be asked, although the are tourists, right?!

Edited February 6, 2015 by DM07

[outboard]

@shadychris

Yeah, Slim- Shady

....now you are just making up excrement.

By that measure, a backpacker in flip- flops will pay an intermediate price?

Because he clearly is not rich...but a tourist!

And you know, that this is not the fact, this decission is based on!

He is WHITE, he is farang!

And that is the only reason he pays more!

It is NOT about who is rich and who is not...and you know that quiet well!

Yes I do know that this is not about who is rich and who is not.

It is about NP's currently charging 200BHT raising their prices to match the others who currently charge 400BHT, as reported in the usual sensationalist manner to instil outrageous indignation and generate clicks.

The reality of this is that non-resident visitors regardless of whether their skin is white, black, yellow or green will have to cough up another 200BHT at some of these NP's - big deal... Those who can prove 'residency' ie have a residency permit\blue book\red book, again regardless of skin colour will be able to gain admission at the lower rate.

By your deluded version of the reason this decision is based on, albino Thais would also have to pay the upper rate because their skin is white too..

...as would 3- legged aliens from Planet Zorph...

I make it simple for you:

a Fhilipino/ Vietnamese- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

a German/ Dutch- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

Which tourist will be asked to present a birth-certificate, stool- sample, red book, work- permit, before he is allowed to enter at the "residence" - fare?

I know, that it actually SHOULD be both, right?!

But let's follow me to the reality for a second...

Edit: sorry...I don't want to create a whole here, for you to slip through: a WHITE German/ Dutch- tourist etc....because we both know, that there are Asian- looking people in both these countries...which by the way, hits my point even harder, because THEY would not be asked, although the are tourists, right?!

this thread is about the passing of the law not speculation on how it is enforced

please don't resort to straw-man arguments , just accept you have argued your point as far as it could be argued, you fought the good fight and now all that is left is for you to admit you were wrong so you can start being right

[SABloke]

I think some members just need to get a room already

[Bluespunk]

@shadychris

Yeah, Slim- Shady

....now you are just making up excrement.

By that measure, a backpacker in flip- flops will pay an intermediate price?

Because he clearly is not rich...but a tourist!

And you know, that this is not the fact, this decission is based on!

He is WHITE, he is farang!

And that is the only reason he pays more!

It is NOT about who is rich and who is not...and you know that quiet well!

Yes I do know that this is not about who is rich and who is not.

It is about NP's currently charging 200BHT raising their prices to match the others who currently charge 400BHT, as reported in the usual sensationalist manner to instil outrageous indignation and generate clicks.

The reality of this is that non-resident visitors regardless of whether their skin is white, black, yellow or green will have to cough up another 200BHT at some of these NP's - big deal... Those who can prove 'residency' ie have a residency permit\blue book\red book, again regardless of skin colour will be able to gain admission at the lower rate.

By your deluded version of the reason this decision is based on, albino Thais would also have to pay the upper rate because their skin is white too..

...as would 3- legged aliens from Planet Zorph...

I make it simple for you:

a Fhilipino/ Vietnamese- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

a German/ Dutch- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

Which tourist will be asked to present a birth-certificate, stool- sample, red book, work- permit, before he is allowed to enter at the "residence" - fare?

I know, that it actually SHOULD be both, right?!

But let's follow me to the reality for a second...

Edit: sorry...I don't want to create a whole here, for you to slip through: a WHITE German/ Dutch- tourist etc....because we both know, that there are Asian- looking people in both these countries...which by the way, hits my point even harder, because THEY would not be asked, although the are tourists, right?!

this thread is about the passing of the law not speculation on how it is enforced

please don't resort to straw-man arguments , just accept you have argued your point as far as it could be argued, you fought the good fight and now all that is left is for you to admit you were wrong so you can start being right

Ah, the irony of it all.

[sambum]

I went with my friends as tourists to a national park as some of their friends working in BKK had a few day off last week. The park "had" a nice waterfall that they wanted to go to after we had been to a temple. I forgot my WP at work so full farang price 200 Baht compared with 40 for my friends.

The problem was this "had", as I have been there before and then it has been really nice... Now there were no water! So basically they charged us totally 600 Baht to see a waterfall with no water.... Even my friends where angry and argued with the park workers wanting a refund which they refused!

No refund? Now there's a surprise! (Not!)

[outboard]

Ah, the irony of it all.

I fail to see why you are calling my post ironic, the facts are that it is accepted world wide that to treat a disadvantaged group the same as a non disadvantaged group is discrimination.

and that is the crux of this discussion, we have the relatively well off farangs arguing they should be charged the same as the obviously not so well off Thais because to do otherwise is discrimination, yet their own home country's laws disagree with them and in fact say to charge the same would be discrimination.

Apparently the UN says the same thing.

so just to clarify , this affects 2 groups of people

1. Thai nationals ( majority earn less then 20,000 Baht a month)

2. foreign no residents ( by law have to have either a heck of a lot more then 20,000 Baht or be earning significantly more then 20,000 Baht a month)

are these 2 groups equal?

no, one has far greater earnings and capacity to earn

so to charge them both the same price (400 Baht) would be disadvantaging one of them

[Shadychris]

@shadychris

Yeah, Slim- Shady

....now you are just making up excrement.

By that measure, a backpacker in flip- flops will pay an intermediate price?

Because he clearly is not rich...but a tourist!

And you know, that this is not the fact, this decission is based on!

He is WHITE, he is farang!

And that is the only reason he pays more!

It is NOT about who is rich and who is not...and you know that quiet well!

Yes I do know that this is not about who is rich and who is not.

It is about NP's currently charging 200BHT raising their prices to match the others who currently charge 400BHT, as reported in the usual sensationalist manner to instil outrageous indignation and generate clicks.

The reality of this is that non-resident visitors regardless of whether their skin is white, black, yellow or green will have to cough up another 200BHT at some of these NP's - big deal... Those who can prove 'residency' ie have a residency permit\blue book\red book, again regardless of skin colour will be able to gain admission at the lower rate.

By your deluded version of the reason this decision is based on, albino Thais would also have to pay the upper rate because their skin is white too..

...as would 3- legged aliens from Planet Zorph...

I make it simple for you:

a Fhilipino/ Vietnamese- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

a German/ Dutch- tourist etc. is travelling with a bunch of Thais and wants to enter a NP...

Which tourist will be asked to present a birth-certificate, stool- sample, red book, work- permit, before he is allowed to enter at the "residence" - fare?

I know, that it actually SHOULD be both, right?!

But let's follow me to the reality for a second...

Edit: sorry...I don't want to create a whole here, for you to slip through: a WHITE German/ Dutch- tourist etc....because we both know, that there are Asian- looking people in both these countries...which by the way, hits my point even harder, because THEY would not be asked, although the are tourists, right?!

Hmmn let's see... A Philipino would likely be asked to show ID whereas a Vietnamese just might be able to blag it. I have found Thais to be much better at distinguishing the subtle differences of Asian nationalities by sight than Westerners are - even to the point of being able to distinguish locals of different regions of Thailand. The language and accent of the person, even if speaking Thai will also be a good indicator as to whether they really are Thai. You are possibly one of those that thinks "all Asians look and sound the same"..

A German or Dutch tourist, well unless both his parents were of Thai ethnicity, would almost certainly have to show ID to get the lower rate.

You are probably right that to be 100% politically correct everyone should show their ID's, but the reality is, just like going into a bar to buy a drink, the person behind the bar will often use their judgement as to whether you look old enough or not.

And as someone has already stated - your new argument is more about how the person in the kiosk, who likely earns less than 400BHT\day chooses to enforce the policy, nothing whatsoever to do with the reasons behind making the policy.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Shadychris

[sambum]

In reply to Shadychris post # 587 on 06 Feb - utter garbage! By that premise you are saying that whatever you buy - from an airplane ticket to a bottle of beer, the price you pay depends on how rich or poor you are?

[sambum]

It had cost me a few hundred pounds to visit a few tourist attractions when I was in the UK last summer. Now THAT is a rip of!

But not discrimination!

[Shadychris]

In reply to Shadychris post # 587 on 06 Feb - utter garbage! By that premise you are saying that whatever you buy - from an airplane ticket to a bottle of beer, the price you pay depends on how rich or poor you are?

Well I didn't actually go that far...... but wouldn't it be good if it could actually work like that!

[sambum]

In reply to Shadychris post # 587 on 06 Feb - utter garbage! By that premise you are saying that whatever you buy - from an airplane ticket to a bottle of beer, the price you pay depends on how rich or poor you are?

Well I didn't actually go that far...... but wouldn't it be good if it could actually work like that!

I'd probably become an alcoholic very quickly!

[cumgranosalum]

Ah, the irony of it all.

I fail to see why you are calling my post ironic, the facts are that it is accepted world wide that to treat a disadvantaged group the same as a non disadvantaged group is discrimination.

and that is the crux of this discussion, we have the relatively well off farangs arguing they should be charged the same as the obviously not so well off Thais because to do otherwise is discrimination, yet their own home country's laws disagree with them and in fact say to charge the same would be discrimination.

Apparently the UN says the same thing.

so just to clarify , this affects 2 groups of people

1. Thai nationals ( majority earn less then 20,000 Baht a month)

2. foreign no residents ( by law have to have either a heck of a lot more then 20,000 Baht or be earning significantly more then 20,000 Baht a month)

are these 2 groups equal?

no, one has far greater earnings and capacity to earn

so to charge them both the same price (400 Baht) would be disadvantaging one of them

you STILL don't get it - you're now advocating a means test to justify pricing ????

[Shadychris]

It had cost me a few hundred pounds to visit a few tourist attractions when I was in the UK last summer. Now THAT is a rip of!

But not discrimination!

Stealthy discrimination. Because whilst all the locals are getting 20 - 30 % less admission fee with there discount coupons that were printed in local newspapers or posted through their letterboxes before Summer began, something that tourists would not have access to, those same tourists are all paying the full price.

I used to live in Cornwall in the UK for a good few years, and at the beginning of every Summer the prices in the cafes, pasty and ice cream shops would all go up ready for the arrival of the 'emmets', but regular local customers would still be discreetly charged at 'off season prices' It may well be illegal to have 2 tier pricing and discriminatory practices in the UK, but businesses will find ways around it to maximise profit.

[cumgranosalum]

Actually i've done the tourist thing with Thai people in Uk a few times now - and in reality it's CHEAP!

firstly many major attractions are free - parks and wildlife included.

also museums etc.

...and of course there's no discrimination. There are discounts and passes for "special" or deserving cases but no blanket X10 surcharge against foreigners -

The other thing I found was that is I used the internet to book in advance or bought cards (e.g. Oyster) many things become much, much cheaper.

(have you EVER tried to contact a Thai national park by email?????)

Edited February 6, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[cumgranosalum]

Thailand has a huge tourist industry, but it is totally lacking in "welcome" or "customer service" - and then they wonder why their customers are the world's dregs

[Shadychris]

Thailand has a huge tourist industry, but it is totally lacking in "welcome" or "customer service" - and then they wonder why their customers are the world's dregs

I wouldn't say that it is totally lacking in welcome or customer service, when I used to come as a tourist I was always very impressed with those aspects. Maybe that was because i used to stay in 4 \ 5 star hotels, (for the same price as a very average 3 star back home) Or maybe the low paid staff on the front line delivering these services are just getting sick and tired of dealing with rude, offensive and often drunk foreign visitors, constantly moaning that "things aren't done like this where I come from"

I suspect that the main reason Thailand attracts the dregs of humanity is, ironically given the theme of this thread, is that even taking into the extra travel cost, you can still have a verrry cheap holiday. And of course the infamous reputation of it being great for sex tourism. Thank God for the time being at least that football is confined to TV screens in bars...

[Bluespunk]

Ah, the irony of it all.

I fail to see why you are calling my post ironic, the facts are that it is accepted world wide that to treat a disadvantaged group the same as a non disadvantaged group is discrimination.

and that is the crux of this discussion, we have the relatively well off farangs arguing they should be charged the same as the obviously not so well off Thais because to do otherwise is discrimination, yet their own home country's laws disagree with them and in fact say to charge the same would be discrimination.

Apparently the UN says the same thing.

so just to clarify , this affects 2 groups of people

1. Thai nationals ( majority earn less then 20,000 Baht a month)

2. foreign no residents ( by law have to have either a heck of a lot more then 20,000 Baht or be earning significantly more then 20,000 Baht a month)

are these 2 groups equal?

no, one has far greater earnings and capacity to earn

so to charge them both the same price (400 Baht) would be disadvantaging one of them

Yes so you've said and I've replied. I won't do so again as its hard to concentrate while still laughing at your previous post.

[kieran2698]

But your examples don't prove your point, Siam Ocean World does not discriminate based on nationality but residency, expats get the local rate, so it is quite a different case and clearly nothing to do with what you claim, farangs = more money, or they would also charge the expats more.

Okay, I'll bite: define Expat, please.

And while you are on it: what am I and why did I pay the farang price- 5 times by now?

And friends, who I have and who live here for even longer than me.

Farang= money= higher price, is not what I claim!

It is people like you, saying "oh clearly...the Thais live here it is their heritage (nature is not anyone's heritage exclusively, might I ad!) so of course, it is okay to charge visitors from abroad more...because they are richer and they are...well...from abroad!"

An expat is an immigrant who does not intend to stay permanently. I use the term loosely in this case as that is the term that Siam Ocean World also use.

I guess the reason you paid more is because you have not visited so recently to benefit from the new expat discount.

And that is not my quote. I have never given that reasoning and I have never referred to heritage in any of my arguments. My opinion is that locals are given a further discount from an already heavily subsidized fee, that tourists can pay more without any real inconvenience to them and that residents here, regardless of nationality, should pay the same as Thai's. Why are you putting words into my mouth and even having the audacity to put them in quotation marks?

"It is people like you"...not "it is you, who I exactly quote..."

Audacity? Overreacting, much?!

And by the way: when you argue, it is okay for tourists to pay more, without any real inconvenience (quote!)...how is that different, from saying "it is okay to charge more, because they are rich"?

The almost non- existing "inconvenience" (as you call it) is ...what exactly?

I lived in Germany some time.

If one case would be known, where anything in Germany would state: "Entrance for Germans 5 Euro/ Entrance for non- Germans 20 Euro", the internet would explode with comments like "Ah...there you have it! Germans! They never liked foreigners", followed by some WW2 (+1) references and some Nazi- comparison.

No one would give a digestive end-product about "inconvenience" or anything.

People would simply call it, what it is!

Starts with an R...ends with an ism!

Why is the internet not exploding over the countries in Europe who do have dual price?

[AyG]

Now you are just showing your ignorance.

The swastika is an ancient Asian symbol of prosperity, very important in Bhuddism, and a symbol that well pre-dates Hitler.

Thais are not particularly renowned for having allegiance to Nazism.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/652474-thai-buddhist-swastika-why-the-confusion/?p=6595418

Putting that particular image in context:

http://motosai.com/thai-student-nazi/

And on the grounds of being accurate, it's not a symbol of prosperity, and it is of minor significance in Buddhism - it's much more closely associated with Hinduism and even more so with Jainism.

[AyG]

I perhaps should have posted from the Chiang Rai Times report of that event:

"The smiling pupils arrived at the school dressed in full Nazi regalia and carrying large Swastika flags, leaving foreign parents and teachers open-mouthed.

Leading the march into the sports ground was a girl dressed as Adolf Hitler complete with toothbrush moustache seemingly unaware of the offence she had caused.

She was followed by a procession of pupils dressed as SS guards brandishing plastic machine guns."

So yeah, it probably was a celebration involving "an ancient Asian symbol of prosperity".

http://www.chiangraitimes.com/thai-student-nazi-dress-up-day-causes-outrage.html

[Bluespunk]

@Shadychris

You said

Yes I'm well aware of the story behind that photo, and that there are other cases of a small number of Thais using Nazi memorablia. Sadly this is also true of many other countries, in particular some of the Eastern European areas, and even France and England too.

However to post such a picture in response to a comment that discrimination on the basis of nationality is wrong, and inferring that the improper use of a swastika in that photo is nationally typical of 'wrong being Thai right' is disingenuous and inflammatory.

Me

Ok. There we do agree.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

[Shadychris]

Now you are just showing your ignorance.

The swastika is an ancient Asian symbol of prosperity, very important in Bhuddism, and a symbol that well pre-dates Hitler.

Thais are not particularly renowned for having allegiance to Nazism.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/652474-thai-buddhist-swastika-why-the-confusion/?p=6595418

Putting that particular image in context:

http://motosai.com/thai-student-nazi/

And on the grounds of being accurate, it's not a symbol of prosperity, and it is of minor significance in Buddhism - it's much more closely associated with Hinduism and even more so with Jainism.

And on the grounds of being accurate I did not feel the need to list the many different symbolisms that different peoples have associated with the swastika over the centuries, but prosperity\good fortune is one of them.

Neither did I feel the need to give a religious lesson about Hinduism being the parent religion of Buddhism and Jainism.

regarding your post #626 I have already stated the reasons why I take exception to that photo being used in this thread in a previous reply above.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Shadychris

[Thian]

We also should charge Thai who come to make a pic of the eiffel tower 500 baht.

I sure won't go to any national park in Thailand, and if i don't go then my family/guests also won't go. We will go to Malaysia or Singapore where they also can speak english and don't extort us for being white.

[cumgranosalum]

It had cost me a few hundred pounds to visit a few tourist attractions when I was in the UK last summer. Now THAT is a rip of!

But not discrimination!

Stealthy discrimination. Because whilst all the locals are getting 20 - 30 % less admission fee with there discount coupons that were printed in local newspapers or posted through their letterboxes before Summer began, something that tourists would not have access to, those same tourists are all paying the full price.

I used to live in Cornwall in the UK for a good few years, and at the beginning of every Summer the prices in the cafes, pasty and ice cream shops would all go up ready for the arrival of the 'emmets', but regular local customers would still be discreetly charged at 'off season prices' It may well be illegal to have 2 tier pricing and discriminatory practices in the UK, but businesses will find ways around it to maximise profit.

Firstly it wasn't 1000%, secondly it was illegal and thirdly it hardly EVER happened. If you really think that shopkeepers and sales staff couldbe bothered with working out discounts on a pasty for a local when the've got 30 customers waiting at the counter, you've got know idea of what happens in the West country in the summer - however, you personally might have been charges extra with an attitude like that!

[cumgranosalum]

Thailand has a huge tourist industry, but it is totally lacking in "welcome" or "customer service" - and then they wonder why their customers are the world's dregs

I wouldn't say that it is totally lacking in welcome or customer service, when I used to come as a tourist I was always very impressed with those aspects. Maybe that was because i used to stay in 4 \ 5 star hotels, (for the same price as a very average 3 star back home) Or maybe the low paid staff on the front line delivering these services are just getting sick and tired of dealing with rude, offensive and often drunk foreign visitors, constantly moaning that "things aren't done like this where I come from"

I suspect that the main reason Thailand attracts the dregs of humanity is, ironically given the theme of this thread, is that even taking into the extra travel cost, you can still have a verrry cheap holiday. And of course the infamous reputation of it being great for sex tourism. Thank God for the time being at least that football is confined to TV screens in bars...

People seem to think that customer service is something you PAY for - it makes me think they don't fully understand the concept of customer service...A towel twisted to look like an elephant is NOT CS, neither is someone parking your car....or running up to your room with a lass of champagne. CS is the ability to empathise with your customer and solve any problems arising. like fixing the air conditioner when it fails, not having building work around the site without informing customers before they arrive, offering discounts or better rooms when they have let down a customer - a proper lost property system all these things relate to honesty and straightforward dealing - the Thai philosophy so often stops once they've sprinkled leelawaddee petals on your pillow and the cheques gone through - the number of stars doesn't seem to affect this attitude.

As for "where I come from" - that doesn't enter into it - Thailand is offering a product - tourism - to the world and there are generally accepted standards - people aren't comparing "home' - they are comparing other countries they've stayed in and time and again Thailand displays a truly dismaying lack of concern in this area.

I felt that compared to 10 years ago CS in Thailand is actually very slowly being dragged into the 21st century, but since the junta, they seem to have turned the clock back, which seems to be confirmed by tis outrageous pricing policy.

[Shadychris]

It had cost me a few hundred pounds to visit a few tourist attractions when I was in the UK last summer. Now THAT is a rip of!

But not discrimination!

Stealthy discrimination. Because whilst all the locals are getting 20 - 30 % less admission fee with there discount coupons that were printed in local newspapers or posted through their letterboxes before Summer began, something that tourists would not have access to, those same tourists are all paying the full price.

I used to live in Cornwall in the UK for a good few years, and at the beginning of every Summer the prices in the cafes, pasty and ice cream shops would all go up ready for the arrival of the 'emmets', but regular local customers would still be discreetly charged at 'off season prices' It may well be illegal to have 2 tier pricing and discriminatory practices in the UK, but businesses will find ways around it to maximise profit.

Firstly it wasn't 1000%, secondly it was illegal and thirdly it hardly EVER happened. If you really think that shopkeepers and sales staff couldbe bothered with working out discounts on a pasty for a local when the've got 30 customers waiting at the counter, you've got know idea of what happens in the West country in the summer - however, you personally might have been charges extra with an attitude like that!

Well I lived in Cornwall for 28 years, so it's not what I think - it's what I know...

No need to work out discounts - its not high finance. Obviously it didn't happen in large stores like Tesco, but a regular local customer that goes into his small family run bakery every day and buys a pasty for say £2.00 still got charged £2.00 in the Summer when the marked price was hiked up to £2.25 for the tourist season. I'm not sure it is actually 'illegal' to knock something off the marked price anyway - just only illegal to try and charge more than the marked price.

But you believe what you want.

[Shadychris]

Thailand has a huge tourist industry, but it is totally lacking in "welcome" or "customer service" - and then they wonder why their customers are the world's dregs

I wouldn't say that it is totally lacking in welcome or customer service, when I used to come as a tourist I was always very impressed with those aspects. Maybe that was because i used to stay in 4 \ 5 star hotels, (for the same price as a very average 3 star back home) Or maybe the low paid staff on the front line delivering these services are just getting sick and tired of dealing with rude, offensive and often drunk foreign visitors, constantly moaning that "things aren't done like this where I come from"

I suspect that the main reason Thailand attracts the dregs of humanity is, ironically given the theme of this thread, is that even taking into the extra travel cost, you can still have a verrry cheap holiday. And of course the infamous reputation of it being great for sex tourism. Thank God for the time being at least that football is confined to TV screens in bars...

People seem to think that customer service is something you PAY for - it makes me think they don't fully understand the concept of customer service...A towel twisted to look like an elephant is NOT CS, neither is someone parking your car....or running up to your room with a lass of champagne. CS is the ability to empathise with your customer and solve any problems arising. like fixing the air conditioner when it fails, not having building work around the site without informing customers before they arrive, offering discounts or better rooms when they have let down a customer - a proper lost property system all these things relate to honesty and straightforward dealing - the Thai philosophy so often stops once they've sprinkled leelawaddee petals on your pillow and the cheques gone through - the number of stars doesn't seem to affect this attitude.

As for "where I come from" - that doesn't enter into it - Thailand is offering a product - tourism - to the world and there are generally accepted standards - people aren't comparing "home' - they are comparing other countries they've stayed in and time and again Thailand displays a truly dismaying lack of concern in this area.

I felt that compared to 10 years ago CS in Thailand is actually very slowly being dragged into the 21st century, but since the junta, they seem to have turned the clock back, which seems to be confirmed by tis outrageous pricing policy.

Dear oh dear, what a catalogue of misfortunes you seem to have encountered along the way, and none of them effectively dealt with for you. The few similar problems I've encountered were dealt with very well - a non-existent safe in room, new one supplied within 5 minutes of reporting it, and on another occasion a pair of reading glasses left in room after check out, posted on to my next address at no cost to me.

You must either be the unluckiest person in the world, or perhaps just have a bad attitude when trying to get problems sorted...

Edited February 6, 2015 by Shadychris