Double Pricing - Fairprice-thailand.org

[GuestHouse]

No longer is it necessary to simply get annoyed when you are charged, 2...3...4... ....10 times the Thai price.

Now you can campaign against this offensive practice and help others as well.

Take a look at www.fairprice-thailand.org

All you have to do is register and you can start adding the names of those establishments that charge yuo more because of your race, nationality or imigration status.

[Boon Mee]

Guesthouse~

Pretty good idea. Maybe someday I won't have to skulk around the corner every time me & the missus are out while she buys the tickets for some function/event or purchase.

But knowing Thailand, it probably won't happen in my lifetime.

Thanks for the "Heads-Up"!

Boon Mee

[Up2U]

The list will be full of whingeing Poms and septics.

[Boon Mee]

The list will be full of whingeing Poms and septics.

Don't know about you, Bud, but this "septic" don't like paying more than any other person in Thailand...

[taxexile]

The list will be full of whingeing Poms and septics.

if you are happy to pay double prices because of the colour of your skin then go ahead sucker. plenty of establishments here will take your money and laugh in your face at the same time. falang sucker. คนโง่.

some of us would rather support businesses that know how to treat their customers fairly.

this is nothing to do with complaining about prices per se, its about misinformation, taking advantage of those who cannot read thai or speak the language and cheating.

[Membrane]

The list will be full of whingeing Poms and septics.

if you are happy to pay double prices because of the colour of your skin then go ahead sucker. plenty of establishments here will take your money and laugh in your face at the same time. falang sucker. คนโง่.

some of us would rather support businesses that know how to treat their customers fairly.

this is nothing to do with complaining about prices per se, its about misinformation, taking advantage of those who cannot read thai or speak the language and cheating.

Right on, TaxExile. I agree with you completely.

[GuestHouse]

Aims and Objectives

To provide a platform from which consumers of goods and services in Thailand can establish which businesses and organizations are operating Dual Pricing policies.

To encourage consumers to support establishments who operate fair pricing polices and in doing so raise market pressures to remove dual pricing in Thailand.

Policy

FairPrice-Thailand is a consumer resource, we are privately funded, we do not act on behalf of any business. We do not receive payment in any kind from any business.

FairPrice-Thailand aims to provide consumers with information regarding a specific issue relating to buying goods and services in Thailand - Dual Pricing. We offer a platform for consumers to help each other and themselves by providing access to information regarding dual pricing practices.

We will hear feedback or complaints from organizations or businesses who appear on our index of establishments operating dual pricing policies and we will move them to our index of establishments operating fair single pricing policies where the complainant demonstrates that the information we hold is inaccurate or where the complainant notifies us that they have discarded the dual pricing policy that got their name on the index.

While we will make occasional checks by contacting establishments that are reported into the index, we will in the first instance always accept the reports made by our consumer members, this for the simple reason:

A large number of establishments in Thailand are operating dual pricing policies, they are not acting in the consumer's best interest; moreover they have forgotten the golden rule

The customer is ALWAYS right.

Dual pricing is almost exclusively aimed at Foreigners in Thailand but we will notify any dual pricing regardless of who is the victim, in this sense we are an open resource for all consumers in Thailand. We will encourage consumers to spend their money where they are not being charged extra on the basis of their place of birth. We will not keep any personal information relating to our contributors, and because we do not keep information we can't pass it on.

[taxexile]

it looks like it could be a great site, it should be given maximum publicity by informing both the english language and the thai press of its existence. tat also.

unfortunately i was unable to log on, receive my confirmatory e-mail or send their webmaster an e-mail.

[Pepe']

It's like Boon Mee said. Basically my wife just wants me to get lost when ANY kind of business is going on. Once on our honey moon in Samui the red truck taxi wanted to charge me 10 bhat instead of five bhat for the ride.

My wife about tore the guy a new "A hole" in front of a huge crowd on the main drag. I finished him of by wagging my finger smiling and said, " bad boy."

Really made his day I'm sure.

I'm glag she's on my side...

What's better though is 10 year wait for a male married to a thai woman to become a citizen and three for a woman married to a Thai guy.

Do I have that right?

[Richard Hall]

The list will be full of whingeing Poms and septics.

if you are happy to pay double prices because of the colour of your skin then go ahead sucker. plenty of establishments here will take your money and laugh in your face at the same time. falang sucker. คนโง่.

some of us would rather support businesses that know how to treat their customers fairly.

this is nothing to do with complaining about prices per se, its about misinformation, taking advantage of those who cannot read thai or speak the language and cheating.

Ain't that motivate to learn the Thai language particularly if you are a long time stayer in Thailand?

It happened to me several times in the past when I (100% foreigner by apperance) ASKED IN THAI for the price to be paid for 2 adults and 2 children that for my person the Thai rate was charged - instantly, no further questions asked. Someone it requried a little humerous moaning about how may hungry mouth to feed or something like that to get the cheaper price. Being able to communicate in the local language appears to have much more value than showing a work permit, Thai drivers license, tax ID or whatever to demonstrate that you are a resident and share the same life and suffer the same problems like many families being 100% Thai.

If you don't want to be considered a farang sucker คนโง่ and treated as such well, don't speak like one. Sometimes just your own ignorance decides in what light you get seen and receive treatment.

Acquiring a decent knowledge of Thai in speaking, reading and writing is indeed a b.... but on the other hand there are situations justifying the effort and just making a difference.

[samran]

Although I agree 100% with Richard, I'll wish you guys good luck nonetheless.

Thats all on this one from me!

[Boon Mee]

If you don't want to be considered a farang sucker คนโง่ and treated as such well, don't speak like one. Sometimes just your own ignorance decides in what light you get seen and receive treatment.

Acquiring a decent knowledge of Thai in speaking, reading and writing is indeed a b.... but on the other hand there are situations justifying the effort and just making a difference.

This is not always the case. Recall once when I made hotel reservations in BKK over the phone (in Thai) and was quoted a guaranteed price. Upon checking in, the manager slams me & the missus w/the farang price. So I ask why and the answer was - they didn't know I was a farang.

No point of arguing - as it's often been said: TIT.

[Dancali]

I remember in Chiang Mai I was riding a motorbike up the mountain to check out the Palace and other attractions. A sign talked about some waterfalls, but the desk at the entrance said it was 200 baht. This was completely out of the range of other attractions in the area. I haven't thought about it until now, but this too sounds like it was the double-pricing. I just went on to the tons of other places I go see on that mountain.

Or there's the alligator zoo price of 300 baht for farang and about 50 baht for Thai.

This kind of stuff sucks but it's not so bad. It's all pretty reasonably priced still so I don't worry about it too much.

But a guy told me about getting over-charged 1000 baht at a fancy restaurant, about twice what he should normally have paid. This is just a scheme and this sort of practice needs to be snuffed out.

[fatter than harry]

So you saved 5 baht on that taxi ride.....thats a bargain.

The Farangs are fighting back!

[Padkapow Guy]

Boon me

It also works the other way, but probably not near as much.

Last october I had to send my wife back to Thailand for her mothers funeral. I booked her a room at Tai Pan Hotel in Bangkok over the internet. The gave me a cheapier price because of my farang name, but when I e-mailed then back with the confirmation in my wife's Thai name they told me unless she has a U.S. passport that she could use to check in with she would have to pay a higher rate.

This did not make any sense to me, so I canceled the room.

[britmaveric]

Farang pricing is common, but I know from experience that if you know than they will charge you the correct price. Knowing a bit of Thai will help. I think they take more advantage of those poor batsards that don't know any better.

If a website can help- why not? Though to be honest doubt the average Thai will notice any difference in their business.

Granted Thais keep telling me I look Thai- must be my lovely brn skin discount. Guess there are advantages to having a Tan.

[markt]

The list will be full of whingeing Poms and septics.

Whingeing Poms & septics to you, but simply Farangs to the Thais.

[mrmnp]

Dancali: I was hit with the acknowledged, government operated, admission price substantially higher for the same waterfall, even with a thai arguieng with them doing no good.

The three farang and one Thai turned the car around and went elsewhere.

When the government, especially the National Park Service, participates in this dual fare policy, it is truly systemic and perfect Thai speaking farang fair no better.

No purpose is getting mad as staff have no choice and must do what their boses tell them to do. Besides, they could care less.

The challenge of getting the best price, whether by bargaining or avoiding farang pricing, is one of the inconveniences of living in Thailand, and gives added meaning to TIT, usually the hind one.

[Pepe']

Harry,

Come on, it was the principle of the thing...

[Nam Kao]

Thais rip off falangs??? say it isnt so

[britmaveric]

Any price is negotiable...maybe I'm a crazy ferang, but part of the beauty of the place is negotiation. I find it quite amusing actually and it does work.

[TizMe]

Whoever designed this site:

Please change the colour of :

Version: 0.4c, 23/03/04, 0, 753

Disclaimer: Fairprice-Thailand has invited consumers of goods and services in Thailand to post information about the pricing policies of the establishments they use, we do not vouch for the veracity of this information. If you feel that your establishment has been unfairly represented please refer to our complaints procedure.

Copyright © 2004 CE FairPrice-Thailand.org

It is unreadable in it's current form.

[Yohan]

It also works the other way, but probably not near as much.

I made several times this experience, especially when renting a bungalow near the beach - We paid clearly less than the Thai.

I got the following explication: You as the foreigner with your wife, are 2 persons, and 2 persons will use the bungalow.

But if we rent to the Thai people, only 1 Thai will show up, rent the room and then up to 15 persons will live there over the weekend and all furniture will be damaged or broken.....

-----

I never found any problems with the hotels (maybe some small difference might exist, but not so much)

The only real difference I found are entrance fees, which are often 6 times more or even higher compared to what the Thai people have to pay..

Government should change this practice by law.

Some Thai people (not so few of them) have more money than some foreign visitors (like students or simple wage-earners)

I do not see any reason why to charge more for services because of different nationality. To say the Thai are poor, and the foreigners are rich, this is not a valid argument.

Johann

[phuketrichard]

Hi;

FYI

Just a quick note concerning "Padkapow Guy" being charged a higher rate. for his thai wife. I worked for an online hotel reservation site and 99% of hotel reservation online sites CANNOT sell the discount online rates to locals, unless they have a difernt country passport. Thats the way it is.

Thai's can not book hotels online for hotels in thailand, Singaporans can not book online for hotels in Singapore hotels. etc.

Not double pricing just something to do with the way hotels operate. This is not true in Europe or the states just Asia.

As far as double pricing. I have lived here for 18 years and when I experince it I just tell them in thai what they are doing is hurting the country. You think they give a shit? Doubt it, but I am not going to add to their wealth by allowing them to cheat me.

Speaking thai allows us to get a little back at them in a language they understand, (also if done in a crowd causes them enormous loss of face :-)

rather then yelling in english, german, sweddish etc.

Plus I will usuualy get the thai price if I tell them I can read what the price is!

[GuestHouse]

Could this be FairPrice-Thailand's first success?!

Thursday's bangkok Post carried an advertisement (Horizons - Hotel Packages) for a special deal at Bangkok's Marriott Resort and Spa.

The advertisement included a statement that there was a Thai price and an extra charge for expats resident in Thailand.

Fairprice-Thailand contacted Marriot International Inc in the US and we have been given an assurance that this 'missunderstanding' will be corrected. The Marriot will not charge on the basis of race, nationality of immigration status.

Let us check Horzon in the future and see if that was or was not a success.

For the sceptical who might add that they will just remove the statement, we shall be checking this promise to apply a single price is put in practice, we have the assurance of Marriott Inc that it will.

[davethailand]

hows this for 2 tier pricing.

a national park in koh chang

thai 10 bht

farang 200 bht

b******s

lucky i have a work permit, but that is disgusting,

[Padkapow Guy]

Phuketrichard

Thanks for the explanation. You are right about learning to read and write Thai will possibliy help in situation like this. I am trying, but living in the U.S. where there are very few Thai people in my neighborhood to practice on makes it hard learn. When I worked in Thailand for 6 months I picked up Thai a little easier.

As for the hotels with there double pricing, it still does not make it right, even if other countries do it.

Jim

[phazey]

I've had this thai/ferrang thing, but in a different situation.

My wife, myself and a few friends spent a weekend in Jomtien, and decided to visit the Naval museum. We were denied entry "because you have ferrangs with you"......I still fail to see why ? anyone ?

./P

[Up2U]

OK - an example from yesterday (Sunday).

Went to the Safari Park at Min Buri. (Myself (farang), wife, daughter, mother-in-law, wife's nong sao, nong sao's friend (all Thai)).

Asking price was 700 baht for me, 350 baht for each Thai, including my six-year-old daughter. Plus 150 baht for car.

Eventual entry price (I think) was 530 baht for me, 230 for each of the adults, 180 for my daughter. But still 150 for the car. So I am still being charged more, but I don't mind. I am also paid more, when I work in Thailand.

And after discussion the overall admission had dropped from 2,600 baht to 1,780, so you could say both the car and I got in for free

But what do the bus-loads f farangs pay, who visit in 'Safari Park' buses? Does anyone know?

[Up2U]

Could this be FairPrice-Thailand's first success?!

Thursday's bangkok Post carried an advertisement (Horizons - Hotel Packages) for a special deal at Bangkok's Marriott Resort and Spa.

The advertisement included a statement that there was a Thai price and an extra charge for expats resident in Thailand.

Fairprice-Thailand contacted Marriot International Inc in the US and we have been given an assurance that this 'missunderstanding' will be corrected. The Marriot will not charge on the basis of race, nationality of immigration status.

Let us check Horzon in the future and see if that was or was not a success.

(Edited by Up2U)

Marriott are usuallly pricey but fair. I have had great stays at several of their hotels. But was this Marriott policy or Horizon (or other booking agency)?

Most Thailand hotel rooms are booked through agencies, rather than directly through the hotel front office. Agencies have a basic mark-up on room rates, plus whatever else they think they can push. This can ruin a hotel's reputation unfairly.

Most larger chains will actively monitor the main agencies that represent them, who have first call on rooms, so on. But you cannot always tell what is in the price build-up.