Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the ‘farang tax’?

[adamcoulson]

When I drive up to the entrance to a park in my crappy Ford and there is two BMWs and a Mercedes in front driven by Thais it is a little annoying having to pay ten times more than them. Especially being married to a thai and having two children together. Mostly the thai driving license works but not always………...

[ebonykap]

It would be a good start. I know alot of friends who wont come back ever because they felt cheated and discriminated against. Nothing right about it and it sets the stage for nations rip of the visitor day....

Serious? What, did the 200 baht national park fee break their budget?

Hope they didn't go to Malaysia, Leos, Cambodia . . .

Never bothered me, more to worry about than a few dollars; as per post above, look at it as a discount to the Thai people

Just to add that I visited Malaysia lats year and as I am over 60, I was offered by staff at the Petronas Tower the senior price, I just showed my passport.

It was the same in the KL transit system, I could buy the senior pass. I saw no place I visited with dual pricing.

In Thailand you have to be Thai citizen to get the senior price in the transit system in Bangkok.

In my opinion it is not a way to attract tourist and tourist is a major cash cow.

If Thailand want a fair system the Park Deppartment can give a discount to Thai citizen with ID card and not based on the ethnicity...Many non-Thai citizen that look Asian manage to pay the Thai price when they enter with Thai friends.

About a year ago I went to purchase a token from the MRT booth. The attendant asked me if I wanted a senior ticket. I gave him a puzzled look and he said I can purchase a senior ticket if over 60 yrs old. Now I go to the booth, say "(station) senior" and......whallah 1/2 price. And they never asked for ID, but I am over 60.

I wish the BTS would consider doing something similar.

[eddie61]

There are several places I have never been to. The emerald Buddha, and Sukhothai spring to mind. Once I took a company outing to Sukhothai and 40 people left without entering the ruins because they sensed my fury at being overcharged.

I have never been to Suan Nongnuch, or the Sanctuary of Truth for similar reasons. I have never accepted double pricing in national parks largely because the "farang allawad" parking his car at the entry gate was blocking traffic. I asked the highest official in the park to explain the law to me which required him to come to the gate, and he let me through, so as not to make a scene. Actually, money has nothing to do with it.

I am certain the Thai businessman driving a BMW right behind me was richer than me, but paid less tax.

I think many will think that I am nuts, but I do have certain values on which I will not compromise.

Please let me know if I am mistaken, aside from Tourists, but regarding Foreigners who live here, do you not pay the Thai price if you show a Thai driving license or yellow book?

It really depends on who is sitting in the ticket office. Some places will let you in at the Thai price and others absolutely refuse.

What is the purpose of charging foreigners more? Pure greed? It certainly isn't because we make more mess.

Is it to provide foreigners with more service? I doubt it.

Recently we were a group of foreigners, together with Thai government officials on a cultural visit to Ayutayha. We wanted to visit one of the museums and despite serious arguments from the Thai officials they refused to let the foreigners in at the Thai rate. We paid the 200 Baht.

The question is What on earth did we pay for? Everything inside was written in Thai and although there were a few electronic playback devices allowing foreigners to listen in English, not one of them worked.

Several of the technical exhibition pieces (slide shows etc.) didn't work either. Even if we had paid 20 baht it would have been a waste of money.

[salim94]

It would be a good start. I know alot of friends who wont come back ever because they felt cheated and discriminated against. Nothing right about it and it sets the stage for nations rip of the visitor day....

best thing to do with thai poeple or any other country its do a same bulls hit

if thai poeple visite our country , we do same thing double price and we will see how they feel , for me thailand isnt poor

and also about work , u cant do some job in our country as foreigner cant do some job in thailand ,

as thai poeple say fair fair

[Berto]

It would be a good start. I know alot of friends who wont come back ever because they felt cheated and discriminated against. Nothing right about it and it sets the stage for nations rip of the visitor day....

Serious? What, did the 200 baht national park fee break their budget?

Hope they didn't go to Malaysia, Leos, Cambodia . . .

Never bothered me, more to worry about than a few dollars; as per post above, look at it as a discount to the Thai people

It's not about the money. It's about being discriminated against.

I do not visit any of the local attractions that have dual pricing. Period.

luudee

Locals expect all white to be rich but is not like that: people have job and work long hours all year in cold and dark country and they really need a break and get some sun. Rich people usually go in places with highers standards. Not-rich people used to go in Thailand because was cheap, although the value-for-money is not great.

[MESmith]

When I drive up to the entrance to a park in my crappy Ford and there is two BMWs and a Mercedes in front driven by Thais it is a little annoying having to pay ten times more than them. Especially being married to a thai and having two children together. Mostly the thai driving license works but not always………...

"Crappy ford"? Have you seen the new Everest? Knocks the spots off the crappy Tuna

[stickylies]

Never had a problem at any national park. Even with family and friends from overseas in the car with me.

Show a driving license. Be polite. Smile - and I have never had to pay 'farang tax'.Not once. But of course I get screwed when shopping..but that's another game altogether Swings and roundabouts 55

Done this recently?

It doesn't work all the time. Last year in Sangklaburi district I was asked to pay inflated entry for just a "View Point" (not a National Park). I showed motorcycle DL, spoke friendly Thai, smiled but nocando was the answer ("foreigner different price"). I went 250 meter further. Different spot, same view. Free of charge. TIT.

[Mudcrab]

Wow, five pages of posts by people who most likely never go to national parks more than once or twice a year, if ever.

Good to see real issues like female circumcision and throwing homosexuals off rooftops in Iran haven't been forgotten about.

[vogie]

It's quite simple. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Would Thais like to be charged more for something simply because they are Thais ? Of course not, no one would like this. What Thais never grasp is that they get bad reputations for persistently doing bad things. Cut the silly stuff out and everyone's happy. As I said, beyond their understanding. They want to have their cake and eat it always at someone elses expense. Thainess.

I think the simple answer to this is that as a previous post mentioned that the average daily wage is 300 baht. Does it make any difference to me paying a little more, of course not, does it make a difference to a Thai getting a little more from us, I would hope so. I hope the little extra we pay gives a Thai a better life.

How about if Thaivisa decided that you, not me, should pay to post on Thaivisa? Would you be happy to pay more at 7-11 than locals on minimum (not average) wage?

Lets stick to reallity.

[Pattaya28]

Dual-Pricing is "milking the foreigner".

Disgraceful !!

And it's good to see in this thread so many "objectors" to this.

[MESmith]

It's quite simple. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Would Thais like to be charged more for something simply because they are Thais ? Of course not, no one would like this. What Thais never grasp is that they get bad reputations for persistently doing bad things. Cut the silly stuff out and everyone's happy. As I said, beyond their understanding. They want to have their cake and eat it always at someone elses expense. Thainess.

I think the simple answer to this is that as a previous post mentioned that the average daily wage is 300 baht. Does it make any difference to me paying a little more, of course not, does it make a difference to a Thai getting a little more from us, I would hope so. I hope the little extra we pay gives a Thai a better life.

How about if Thaivisa decided that you, not me, should pay to post on Thaivisa? Would you be happy to pay more at 7-11 than locals on minimum (not average) wage?

Lets stick to reallity.

Hard to work out what reality is in Thailand. Keep getting ripped off if it keeps you happy & smug

[MaeJoMTB]

Wow, five pages of posts by people who most likely never go to national parks more than once or twice a year, if ever.

I go to the National Park almost every day.

Enter Wat Doi Suthep, never pay the entrance fee.

Visit Huay Tung Tao lake many times free of charge.

Walk into Monthathon Falls from the top.

Hint: Ticket booths are only at the main entrances.

[SymS]

The most annoying thing about this is that it's not really based on your nationality, but rather on your skin complexion. If you look like a Thai, whether you are from Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, China, .. you won't have to pay.

I've never seen them check Thai ID cards at entrances.

I'm fine local people pay a lower price, or nothing at all, but once you are living here (working, married, studying), you would be able to pay the local price, after providing proof like yellow book, 5-year driving license...., regardless of your skin color or appearance.

Having said that I've been surprised a few times. Once I signed up on the entry book, in what I thought was a ticket booth, but I quickly realized it was a checking point when they asked for the ticket. So I went to the ticket office, presented my 5-year thai driving license, and what offered a 50% discount (200 Baht instead of 400 Baht), but I still asked to pay 40 Baht as written in Thai on the counter. They said it was not possible, so I said sorry, but I can't go... Then I went to the checking point to cross my name since I would not go, and the staff, to my amazement, told me it was not fair, and decided to let me go... for free. It was a good day. Not everything is great in Thailand, but people are often extremely kind.

[canarysun]

I think it's totally wrong to have dual pricing! I was almost constantly touring all over Thailand by train for a few years.It was quite frustrating at National Parks that locals were paying 100 baht and a farang had to pay 500 baht ( for example ) why when i was living on only 6,000 baht ( all in ) every month which is lower than a rice field worker do i have to pay so much more to enter a National Park?

I must admit i always carried my passport (with visa) and rent agreement,and 70% of the time by " kicking up a fuss " i normally ended up paying the Thai price.

I guess if you are on holiday then for most people it doesn't matter,but for farangs living here in Thailand it can be quite frustrating.

F.J

[Seastallion]

Pay to shop. Never!

at the floating market Pattaya, Foreigners 200 Baht, Thai free

at another "store" in the same area I forget the name a similar story

National parks surcharging foreigners and yes on principle I will never pay to go where a Thai national can go free its just not on!

I feel a sense of satisfaction in not paying these ridiculous surcharges, as though I am doing something for the interest of those of us who are daily fleeced robbed and pillaged in 75% of any business dealings with either Thai businesses or so called professionals

The list of surcharges for Foreigners is endless, the parks and similar are small fry compared to the massive amount of "Graft" that must be going on in the Country especially the medical world where even the Thai PM has been moved to intervene in attempting to stop them overcharging foreigners.

Then you will not ever visit the Auckland Museum, nor the Maritime Museum. They are funded through local taxes, and thus, quite fairly, locals are not charged but out-of-towners are.

[bermannor]

gandalf12
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang
Farang (Thai: ฝรั่ง [faràŋ]) is a generic Thai word for someone of European ancestry, no matter where they may come from. The Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race".[1]

Nice, so you think you have embarrassedher?

Shouldn't you have been embarrasses about your profound knowledge of Thai after 2 years?

[bazza40]

Whatever I pay, I still think its cheap, try comparing to prices back home. If the UK government started to charge foreigners more than the its own citisens, would we complain?

A lot of the stuff I buy in Thailand is cheaper in UK.

Yes I agree, but I just can't imagine a Thai buying pork pies or John Smiths bitter.

Ah, you've reminded me of Oscar Wilde on fox-hunting - "the unspeakable in pursuit of the inedible". Tried a pork pie once and once only.

[Raybangkok]

Emirates BKK-BHX business class ticket return 147000 baht

Emirates BHX-BKK return business class 110000

Pls go call Emirates and ask them why the Thai price is 37000 more??

Same planes same flight times you just go back on the same plane Johnny English arrived on [/quote

[bazza40]

gandalf12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farang

Farang (Thai: ฝรั่ง [faràŋ]) is a generic Thai word for someone of European ancestry, no matter where they may come from. The Royal Institute Dictionary 1999, the official dictionary of Thai words, defines the word as "a person of white race".[1]

Nice, so you think you have embarrassedher?

Shouldn't you have been embarrasses about your profound knowledge of Thai after 2 years?

Another poster who should get credit has pointed out farang/falang is a Thai joke. The Thai word refers to celery, which is long and white.

[Caitrin]

Most short term tourists do not even know they are being Charged at a Higher Price. Some who do , just don't care, they can afford it they say.

Me, I just do not support any of the venues asking for a higher price, including restaurants and anything that see's a Farang as an extra charge.

Charge me 5 Baht extra, never see another Satang of mine.. Done..

Even the airlines here ( Not all ) have a double standard..

Think Farangs pay heavily, Japanese are the highest charged I have seen.. OH GOODY , JAPANESE, , $$$$$$ KA-CHING

That's because unlike other places in Asia, we have no real sociocultural framework of "haggling." Prices are clearly marked and rarely is there dual pricing. There are some very recent transport discounts for tourists, but that's the opposite of the issue here. Japanese residents and nationals are excluded. When my parents came and visited, they got to use special rail passes, being American tourists.

In addition, Japan is by nature a conflict-adverse society, so not only would it not really dawn on most Japanese to question the price they are being charged, but most would be made extremely uncomfortable if put in a position where they felt the only way to get a fair price was to complain. That doesn't mean they'd repeat the experience, extensively overcharging a Japanese tourist is a good way to ensure that quiet and unassuming foreigner you just fleeced will not only never, ever return, but will most certainly tell his or her friends not to visit. So while Japanese tourists are the least likely to make a scene, they are also the most likely to be deeply offended by being ripped off, and positively outraged (internally) that Thai society officially promotes it and the government is actively involved (since most Japanese view government's purpose as preventing things that would create disharmony, especially amongst guests).

So, sure, ka-ching, but only ka-ching once.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Caitrin

[Raybangkok]

Dual pricing happens all over the world Although I have lived here for nearly 25 years I still own a house in Greenwich London when the Dome was completed all residents had free access many countries in Europe have dual pricing so why does everybody pick on Thailand and call it racist a few Baht extra to help support the venue hardly going to break the bank

[mikiea]

Would be good to see, all tourist tax, taken away from Spain, Italy, Greece as well, high season sting...............

in china it was a law , now it is not , free and open trade . a flea market vendor will try to rip you off but the try to that to everybody , a country that wants dual pricing and wheels on there submarines well.... what can you say ?

[vogie]

It's quite simple. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Would Thais like to be charged more for something simply because they are Thais ? Of course not, no one would like this. What Thais never grasp is that they get bad reputations for persistently doing bad things. Cut the silly stuff out and everyone's happy. As I said, beyond their understanding. They want to have their cake and eat it always at someone elses expense. Thainess.

I think the simple answer to this is that as a previous post mentioned that the average daily wage is 300 baht. Does it make any difference to me paying a little more, of course not, does it make a difference to a Thai getting a little more from us, I would hope so. I hope the little extra we pay gives a Thai a better life.

How about if Thaivisa decided that you, not me, should pay to post on Thaivisa? Would you be happy to pay more at 7-11 than locals on minimum (not average) wage?

Lets stick to reallity.

Hard to work out what reality is in Thailand. Keep getting ripped off if it keeps you happy & smug

If I know the price I am paying, I don't consider that being "ripped off" we all have to make choices in life, if you don't like the price, quite simple, don't pay it. ? And although I may be happy I don't consider myself as "smug" just because I have different views about paying a little extra. Kind regards.

[bermannor]

gandalf12, I just saw, more than 1600 posts, and not a little bit wiser.

[Taffyfromflint]

I remember when (not that long ago) living in North Queensland locals had free entry to the Museum of Tropical Queensland whilst all other visitors paid 300 Bht. Not just foreigners. Justified, not so sure but it did encourage locals to visit and for some to take their visiting friends and relatives.

[MESmith]

Lets stick to reallity.

Hard to work out what reality is in Thailand. Keep getting ripped off if it keeps you happy & smug

If I know the price I am paying, I don't consider that being "ripped off" we all have to make choices in life, if you don't like the price, quite simple, don't pay it. ? And although I may be happy I don't consider myself as "smug" just because I have different views about paying a little extra. Kind regards.

Well, you are getting ripped off, and you do come across as smug. Obviously, you think differently, just a people who drive like don't know it.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

I have not read all the replies but I have a good idea. Starting the first of every month we simply DO NOT buy anything in Thailand. No food, no shopping, no golf, no bar girls, no booze-NOTHING.

I do not know who to contact to suggest they get the message but that would be my solution. Maybe the money they will lose on that day may make them realize the little amount they gain by ripping us off is not worth it.

So let's all start Nov 1 and go from there. Pass it along.

[Caitrin]

Dual pricing happens all over the world Although I have lived here for nearly 25 years I still own a house in Greenwich London when the Dome was completed all residents had free access many countries in Europe have dual pricing so why does everybody pick on Thailand and call it racist a few Baht extra to help support the venue hardly going to break the bank

I've lived in four countries and traveled to about a dozen others. Most dual pricing that happens, in my experience, has been locality based. As in, as a tourist, I am charged more because I am not from that locality. A citizen from the same country but from a different locality would also be charged more.

What people are complaining about in regards to Thailand is that it is based not on locality but nationality, and sometimes not even nationality but on phenotype.

While I personally don't have a strong opinion either way, I am quite capable of seeing the difference between being charged more for not having residency status in a locality and being charged due to nationality, national origin, or phenotype.

[mankondang]

It's a tourist tax. Not a faramg tax

So don't flatter yourself, your not that special. It applies to tourists in many countries. Expats are visitors. Get used to it. Again don't flatter yourself, your not special.

Locals have to work for less than 300 bhat a day. And you kii nok complain?

Edited October 10, 2015 by mankondang

[gomangosteen]

, bra's were now ฿120 instead of ฿100, farang tax.

.

Good grief man, that deserves an entire thread of its own

Nice to see you're treating the good lady right with the high class lingerie, now that's classy !

Shop around, you must be able to economise further