Thai National Parks ordered to charge foreigners tenfold

[deepcell]

Start a campaing "avoid national parks in Thailand" because they charge you 10x more than a Thai national, then do not be stupid to pay. THe boycott was always the best measure to take against exploitation. LOL

[rickirs]

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

Aye...'tis less effort for Thais who toilet in the bushes.

Edited February 4, 2015 by rickirs

[Strangebrew]

Better scheme have ATM at luggage pickup all farangs must use then skim all there money from account steer them to departure gate total profit without any out put for services.

[SABloke]

Seems like a lot of members secretly supported Apartheid Justify all you want - racist discrimination is racist.

Now before when expats always got in with WP's I used to go to national parks (and we'd split the costs for our friends who had to pay more) - I could understand the point that tax paying residents could receive a discount(albeit that foreign children pay more than Thai adults-proof that tax has nothing to do with it). The first time my work permit was not accepted was at Baan Pa In palace-the bureau that runs it surprisingly has no desire to give non-Thais a discount, regardless of whether we contributed financially to the country. I have since stopped visiting any attractions under the supervision of this bureau.

Now it seems that the government is going the same way as the bureau-so I'll be boycotting its attractions too.

[Expat Brad]

Yes, expats would get upset about paying more but the 2 weeks here tourist would probably think that well Thailand is a poor country, Thai's have little money so paying more would help towards the parks upkeep. Although I don't think that is the logic or reason from the National Parks Bureaucrats.

[Keesters]

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.

[spidermike007]

One thing I learned long ago when I moved here, is to suspend the expectation of common sense and reasoning. This move is beyond unreasonable. It defies the imagination. Foreigners who can prove residency are supposed to be entitled to the same price as a Thai. But, the parks department seems to deliberately keep that information away from the park workers, as I rarely am accorded that right. It would be only right. You are going to increase entrance fees, protect the ex-pats who live here and can prove it. Oh, sorry I am reverting back to common sense and reasoning.

[DKNY77]

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.

Correct,, I think ''foreighners'' was a typo. What they mean is white peolpe.

[empireboy]

Is that racial discrimination?

[Moonlover]

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.

[spermwhale]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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

<e-mail removed as per forum rules>

Here are ALL there email contacts: http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/g_email_np.asp?lg=2

[empireboy]

Rather than moan about it here.. why not send a complaint to all the Heads of national parks in Thailand listed here:

http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/g_email_np.asp?lg=2

http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/general_menu.asp?lg=2

Don't hold back!!

[Keesters]

Regardless of whether you as a non-Thai can enter at Thai price because of work permit, yellow-book, driving license all places that operate two-tier (Thai vs non-Thai) pricing should be boycotted. Enter at Thai price and you are condoning the discrimination.

And if you are the head of your household that boycott should extend to all your family as well regardless of nationality.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Keesters

[wabothai]

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

They were totally embarrassed by me paying 400 baht.

[Time Traveller]

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."

If there are so few foreigners visiting the park then why go to the bother of increasing the price?

As mentioned before, they only record in their books a tiny fraction of the numbers as "non-thais" to make it look insignificant then for the majority of foreign visitors sell the same (thai) tickets at the inflated price allowing the parks officers to pocket the difference.

Remember this is Thailand we are in, the National Parks officers are not models of integrity.

[whaleboneman]

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

Please tell me you're joking.

[MikeOwen]

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.

Be careful what you wish for !

[kieran2698]

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.

[English 1]

It's a stupid idea which will put off Tourists visiting the parks.

I don't know if children pay less?

I shall presume not so a family of 4 would have to pay 1,600 Baht !

Outrageous.

Also, from what I have seen the parks are nothing special.

[Keesters]

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.

[kieran2698]

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 ??

Yes, there are other countries where foreigners are required more to visit attractions, Switzerland and Finland for example. The best way to look at it is not as foreigners pay more but that locals are discounted.

It can also go the other way, in Japan some attractions are discounted for foreigners.

So, just because Switzerland and Finland have double pricing scheme it makes it right?

I did not give an opinion on what I thought was right or wrong so I am not sure how you arrived at that one.

[gandalf12]

And the tourists visiting the parks takes a down turn...........what a surprise. Solve it by increasing the price again

[dennnis]

Does that qualify falang to drop ten times as much litter as a Thai visitor...if only they can carry that much.

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

You can not get Thai prices with only Thai driving license anymore. I was rejected 4-5 times in last 3 months.

[kieran2698]

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?

[Keesters]

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.

[jongunnar]

Not that much to say to this. It's a little tiring to be honest, constantly being seen as as a walking atm to be milked. But it's not up to me to write up the policy for tourists, so I will simply stay away from the parks.

[crazykopite]

Amazing Thailand !! Yet another great idea to decrease tourist visits to the Kingdom !! Keep up the good work and watch the Kingdom sink into the abyss !

[wabothai]

I wonder what the visiting numbers are between expats and foreign tourists.

I bet you most of them are expats on a few days of touring. So the suggestion is to charge the expats (yellow book or DL) the same as a Thai.

After all we live here and are contributing to the economy, Very simple.

[Keesters]

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?

[rabid old goat]

looks like it will be easy for me to maintain my unblemished record. not ever even 1 of these places for me. have considered khao yai but not actually ever done it. a bit too tree hugging fraternity for my liking. oh and someone told me he'd seen a tiger or tigers foot prints there. me i am afraid of tigers and dont have the required fascination to venture. (even more so now that i am a rabid old goat)

Edited February 4, 2015 by rabid old goat