Thai National Parks ordered to charge foreigners tenfold

[Showbags]

Lucky the country has cute females......nawt else going for it

[binjalin]

Lucky the country has cute females......nawt else going for it

ain't that da truth - take them away and 95% of us are Gooooooooooooooooone - not including those who are 'loved up' ready for the 'financial chop'

[ColdSingha]

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

Got a link to the story with the orignal quote ?

sure:

http://tech.thaivisa.com/internet-freedom-in-thailand-threatened/3190/

it was in the thai media too, try prachathai.com:

full quote:

We cant shut them down. Foreigners dont have the same laws that we do, said Gen. Prayuth. So why dont 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.

[Broeno]

They tried to rip me off several times with a farang price and it became a kind of sport to argue with them saying that they are stealing this from my family. (Have Thai wife and two children). That's always made them nerves, but when they still stick to that i told them that it is discrmination as well. This was enough to let me pay the 'normal' Thai price.

In Europe more and more tourist refuse to visit Thailand for this reathen and thats good. But i don't think Thai wil ever realise that they do a bad thing to their own country with this crazy thing.

[trogers]

They tried to rip me off several times with a farang price and it became a kind of sport to argue with them saying that they are stealing this from my family. (Have Thai wife and two children). That's always made them nerves, but when they still stick to that i told them that it is discrmination as well. This was enough to let me pay the 'normal' Thai price.

In Europe more and more tourist refuse to visit Thailand for this reathen and thats good. But i don't think Thai wil ever realise that they do a bad thing to their own country with this crazy thing.

Not a crazy thing, just an inconsistent thing. I am waiting for them to charge foreigners 10x to use their airports.

If the path is right, go for perfection.

[Gweiloman]

Problem is that most Filipinos, Malaysians, Indonesians, Laotians, Burmese, Cambodians, Chinese and even Japanese and Koreans among other generic Asians get the local price too if they shut their mouths and smile.

Why is that a problem?

[binjalin]

They tried to rip me off several times with a farang price and it became a kind of sport to argue with them saying that they are stealing this from my family. (Have Thai wife and two children). That's always made them nerves, but when they still stick to that i told them that it is discrmination as well. This was enough to let me pay the 'normal' Thai price.

In Europe more and more tourist refuse to visit Thailand for this reathen and thats good. But i don't think Thai wil ever realise that they do a bad thing to their own country with this crazy thing.

u have a Thai wife and two kidz? r u NUTZ??? Jeeze... maybe I'm a tad cynical but... <deleted>

[Thongkorn]

Just another place i will Not be visiting.

[Arkady]

Entrance fees for national parks should indeed be consistent across the country for everyone, regardless of nationality, race or creed.

[Fairynuff]

Instead of whining on Thai Visa. Send your rant to the Department of National Parks.

<e-mail removed as per forum rules>

Great idea cos we know they'll take note and stop the dual pricing...oops I mean ripping off

[Denim]

Where does this leave people who have gone to all the expense and trouble to obtain Thai citizenship but are still lumbered with a white mans face. Will they have to get plastic surgery and a lobotomy just to look at a waterfall for 20 baht ?

Good luck with that.

[rametindallas]

Can't possibly be true they are not that stupid here are they!

"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."

Agree! If fewer than 100 foreigners will be affected, then the increase in revenue from the price hike will be less than Bt. 20,000 per year. That is if the price hike doesn't cause any foreigners to cancel out of protest. Is that Bt. 20,000 per year worth all the negative publicity? NO, they truly are stupid! "Amazing Thailand", indeed.

[bunuel]

Arrogance of a third world country is astounding.

Arrogance has never been the issue. It is stupidity and greed.

"It is stupidity and greed."

Interesting comment on a forum visited by economic refugees many of whom can't afford to live in their own countries because they didn't plan well for their retirement or who are unqualified and/or unable to find employment in those same countries that are collapsing under debt used to pay for things they were unwilling or unable to fund out of pocket.

If something is priced too high for you, don't use it or buy it. Time for some of the economic refugees from Farang Utopia to move on or stay away ... one more reason to raise prices.

As far as arrogance is concerned, there's plenty of that in Farang Land. Why anyone should expect "third world" counties to bend over and spread their legs to cater to Khun Farang being an excellent example of the vestiges of colonial arrogant mentality.

While I would not be so presumptuous as to speak for the thundering TV Herd, I think you are making the classic error of attacking the messenger, rather than listening to the message, which is that many foreigners feel that Thailand has become a xenophobic, if not overtly hostile , environment for foreigners. If Thailand has any ambitions of being a tourist or retirement destination, this hostility is bad for business.

Your post is a classic example of this hostility, since you erroneously presume all retired foreigners living in Thailand are sex-crazed economic refugees from the Western world. While such people certainly exist, I can assure you that many of us are affluent individuals who have chosen to live in Thailand because we love the country and its people. That much said, we also have the economic freedom to leave LOS when the political climate becomes unfriendly, and we get fed uo being insulted by insecure bigots like yourself.

In other words, you are driving away the very people your leader says you want - leaving behind those you say you don't. This is popularly known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. You might also want to consider that people like myself have friends around the world, and word is soreading fast smong the international elite that LOS is not as friendly as it used to be, and that it is time to find alternatives.

Of course, if your goal is to make LOS a Chinese plantation with a few casinos for the nomenklatura, keep uo the good work!

it used to be

[Fairynuff]

I wish people would stop calling Thailand a Third World country. It definitely isn't....only the mentality is Third World.

I went to a travel fair where the aquarium had a booth selling discounted tickets so I thought I'd buy some tickets. They told me only for Thai people. At the same fair I was going to buy some dinner cruise tickets for visiting friends but they were a higher price for foreigners so of the four or five companies operating the cruises I chose the ones who didn't try to rip me off.

[tomacht8]

No one should be discriminated against because of sex, parentage, race, language, national or social origin, creed, religion or political beliefs.

[casindonet]

I must be reading it wrong.....so now the junta is legalizing double pricing?

[Time Traveller]

Arrogance of a third world country is astounding.

Arrogance has never been the issue. It is stupidity and greed.

"It is stupidity and greed."

Interesting comment on a forum visited by economic refugees many of whom can't afford to live in their own countries because they didn't plan well for their retirement or who are unqualified and/or unable to find employment in those same countries that are collapsing under debt used to pay for things they were unwilling or unable to fund out of pocket.

If something is priced too high for you, don't use it or buy it. Time for some of the economic refugees from Farang Utopia to move on or stay away ... one more reason to raise prices.

As far as arrogance is concerned, there's plenty of that in Farang Land. Why anyone should expect "third world" counties to bend over and spread their legs to cater to Khun Farang being an excellent example of the vestiges of colonial arrogant mentality.

On behalf of the arrogant economic refugee community, I think I'm going to stay here a little longer and keep posting comments on how i see things because it seems to upset you so much.

So Suradit69. better get your blood pressure medication ready there's a few more laughs at thailand's expense coming right along.

[tsigane]

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!

Yes, sometimes you can get in with those things but the fact that they have double pricing scheme is bad. It is not so much whether it affects you directly, but whether it's right.

I grew up in a country that had double pricing scheme. I remember people from the "free, democratic" countries crying about it and I genuinely felt embarrassed by that scheme.

Yet people from those same "free" countries find being overcharged 10x in Thailand "oh so cute."

Having foreigners pay more is essential to Thai psyche and culture. It's the official policy of this country.

[tsigane]

"It is stupidity and greed."

Interesting comment on a forum visited by economic refugees many of whom can't afford to live in their own countries because they didn't plan well for their retirement or who are unqualified and/or unable to find employment in those same countries that are collapsing under debt used to pay for things they were unwilling or unable to fund out of pocket.

If something is priced too high for you, don't use it or buy it. Time for some of the economic refugees from Farang Utopia to move on or stay away ... one more reason to raise prices.

As far as arrogance is concerned, there's plenty of that in Farang Land. Why anyone should expect "third world" counties to bend over and spread their legs to cater to Khun Farang being an excellent example of the vestiges of colonial arrogant mentality.

Yes, sex and cheap prices are the main reason for coming here. That's Thailand's claim to fame in the world.

Just don't wonder why Thailand is getting all the "undesirable, low-quality" tourists.

I fully support Thai greed. Crank it up, don't stop at 10x, sky is the limit.

[Dumu Ali]

Siam Square is not third world but out in the bush they are still farming and trading humans, I hear Lao people are the biggest victims followed by Burmese then Cambodian and Indians and Nepalis. Phallus worship, long necked peoples and so then surely first and third can be both in one country, if you speak Thai smile and joke then Thai price for everything otherwise I feel strange coz surely it is not just parks but everywhere that has breadeater prices??

[Docno]

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 ??

I think most Asian countries do it. Even in Singapore, foreigners have to pay to enter the grounds of the presidential palace (the Istana) while it is free for locals. However, in an interesting twist, locals have to pay S$100 to enter the casinos in Singapore while entry is free for foreigners :-) In Canada, native peoples get free entry to museums, etc., while Euro-Canadian citizens have to pay.

[Dumu Ali]

the elephants are hungry and endangered and people are still whinging, I am not a miser and I am happy to chip in and pay my way in life and live it good

[chooka]

So I guess this is in response to the projected record tourist numbers expected this year. An opportunity to grab as much as you can whilst you can before thai tourism falls in a heap.

[Thai at Heart]

Well I hope every farang boycotts it mercilessly so that they end up squeezing some Chinese mainland tourists who are bound to bleat like crazy.

Why do these guys want to pick a fight.

[Thai at Heart]

"It is stupidity and greed."

Interesting comment on a forum visited by economic refugees many of whom can't afford to live in their own countries because they didn't plan well for their retirement or who are unqualified and/or unable to find employment in those same countries that are collapsing under debt used to pay for things they were unwilling or unable to fund out of pocket.

If something is priced too high for you, don't use it or buy it. Time for some of the economic refugees from Farang Utopia to move on or stay away ... one more reason to raise prices.

As far as arrogance is concerned, there's plenty of that in Farang Land. Why anyone should expect "third world" counties to bend over and spread their legs to cater to Khun Farang being an excellent example of the vestiges of colonial arrogant mentality.

Yes, sex and cheap prices are the main reason for coming here. That's Thailand's claim to fame in the world.

Just don't wonder why Thailand is getting all the "undesirable, low-quality" tourists.

I fully support Thai greed. Crank it up, don't stop at 10x, sky is the limit.

Maybe they should charge 10x for Thai ***** as that would obviously be good for business.

[NeverSure]

Does this happen anywhere else in the world? It begs belief.

In some ways, yes.

In the US as a senior citizen I have a lifetime pass to all national parks. It cost me $10. Others would pay $25 per carload per park.

People who live in Anaheim County, California get a discount at Disneyland. This is Disneyland's appreciation for the people who pay for the infrastructure that it takes to surround Disneyland. Of course Disneyland is a huge benefit to the local economy and pays massive taxes itself, so it really is a gesture. But it's there.

[arunsakda]

555. Don't charge more, just offer a 90 percent "local discount".

Edited February 3, 2015 by arunsakda

[uptheos]

Entrance fees for national parks should indeed be consistent across the country for everyone, regardless of nationality, race or creed.

They should be, but you've been here long enough to know that's not going to happen and the writing is on the wall that other things will eventually be affected too.

[chingmai331]

Went to Bhuping Palace, some kind of govt installation and tourist site, above Chiang Mai. Double price for foreigners to 100 baht per head and NO, the Thai driving license in not accepted. All whiteys, darkies and chinese must pay the 100. We paid, and well worth the US$ 3.00 as a marvelous show of flowers, esp innumerable roses of all kinds, colors and fragrances. Very lovely.

[bkkjames]

Won't catch me or my family (who are Thai by birth) visiting any such places, along the way spending any money in the community near where such places exist.