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

[bazza40]

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

Thanks a lot, by kicking up a fuss, as you put it, you reinforce the image of falangs as lacking Thai values such as "jai yenn".

You were living on 6000 baht a month, and you wanted to tour National Parks? Constantly touring? Not sure which is smaller, your wallet or your IQ.

Could I point out the following:

There are plenty of Thai attractions which are free of charge - just have to know where to find them.

If you don't like the entrance charge - DON'T GO IN.

[bermannor]

MaeJoeMTB, I wonder why you tell us fees for you 6 years ago but actual fees for Thais.

Be honest, compare actual tourist visa fees and procedures to get a visa.

At the moment, you are total hypocrite for me.

[ozyjon]

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

Every sale in Portugal/Greece automatically incurs 23% goods tax

then add all the rest, you know how to make a small fortune in Thailand?

[vogie]

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.

Some people might think you come across as arrogant.

[bazza40]

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

Interesting the Ford pickups seem to have the drivers with the worst road manners. Perhaps they feel because they are driving crap, their manners should match.

[Caitrin]

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?

Those who live and work in a country legally are residents not tourists. And depending on how immigration procedures are defined, expatriates are more often than not absolutely not visitors. You're conflating a non-national's lack of "right of abode/return" with "just visiting."

When legal residents, especially permanent residents, or naturalised Thais get charged because of nationality, national origin, or phenotype, that has nothing to do with "tourism." The individuals covered by those categories are not tourists.

Compared to temporary visitors, tourists indeed, such individuals absolutely are special.

Edited October 10, 2015 by Caitrin

[SCARLETIBIS1]

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?

If you are a farang with an "O" visa you are not a "tourist" but they still charge us. You are incorrect in stating it is a "tourist tax".

And actually according to the ticket person at the Palace in Doi Suthep when I asked why I had to pay ten times more than Thais he told me, "because you are special". LOL

Edited October 10, 2015 by SCARLETIBIS1

[gerry123]

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

i did try (successfully) once before in the dinosaur museum kalasin province but after going round i would be very disappointed if i had payed the uprated farang price got in via my yellow book

but i think those days are over pay up or go away

[Toany]

A Farang price because of the colour of your skin is simply racial discrimination. Up to you if you accept it. Just part of living in Thailand. I would not even think of living anywhere else, but I reserve the right to complain about something that I think is unfair.

[JRThailand]

I have lived here in Thailand for 10 years and feel I have paid into the Thai economy in many ways. I resent having to pay extra, often far more, than is expected of any other consumer!

[goonnerone]

One way to lessen the outrage is to regard it as a 'Thai subsidy' rather than a 'farang tax'.

How many Thais would go to the parks and zoos and so on if they had to pay the outrageous sums we do?

I totally agree at last someone talking scene I lived in Thailand for 8 years and have always seen the dual pricing a a subsidy to Thais I paying a few hundred bhatt more is so problematic to some people then go somewhere else. its not like you go to these places every day

[MaeJoMTB]

MaeJoeMTB, I wonder why you tell us fees for you 6 years ago but actual fees for Thais.

Be honest, compare actual tourist visa fees and procedures to get a visa.

At the moment, you are total hypocrite for me.

There are no current valid VISA comparisons at this time, as far as I can see.

And I haven't been in the UK for 6 years.

Apparently Thailand will be offering a 6 month tourist VISA soon, suggested price 120GBP.

But who can predict the future.

[stickylies]

Shwedagon Yangon -> Foreigner: 5 USD / Local: free
Bagan archaeological site, Mrauk U archaeological site, etc. Same. Foreigners must pay and all Thais I know who have been there have paid without complaints. They have a different mindset about these things.

Burmese who come in group to Thailand also pay foreigner price for National Park. They also don't care. Different mindset.
Farang no understand.

ps. I'm not talking price of a plate of rice here or a beer in a bar but government sites/prices.

[Caitrin]

One way to lessen the outrage is to regard it as a 'Thai subsidy' rather than a 'farang tax'.

How many Thais would go to the parks and zoos and so on if they had to pay the outrageous sums we do?

I totally agree at last someone talking scene I lived in Thailand for 8 years and have always seen the dual pricing a a subsidy to Thais I paying a few hundred bhatt more is so problematic to some people then go somewhere else. its not like you go to these places every day

I can see how, if you moved to Thailand because of the decreased cost of living, and you don't make substantially more than a middle class Thai, you might be upset. As a tourist, given the low prices in general, I'm fine with dual pricing precisely because of the subsidy argument. I could even see an argument made, possibly, that getting the "Thai" price is a benefit of nationality. Afterall, states have the right to determine which rights, privileges, and indeed, obligations are reserved solely to their nationals. What I will not abide, however, is naturalised, mixed, or non-ethnic Thai nationals being charged more because of their national or ethnic origin. There's no valid excuse for that at all.

[silent]

The unfortunate root of the problem is that many are insular and been conditioned into believing it's normal, they're deserving of more, expected and it's near cultural, if not.

For that, I appreciate the DMC channel apparently more than most here and what they're trying to do about that now, with my wife telling me it's good to watch and learn the difference between right and wrong. She like many others', according to her, weren't particularly taught that while growing up with farming parents having to be the parent most of the time herself to younger brothers and sisters, after and while getting the basic education most of us had.

Hers all the way to a questionable grade 4 and after, fortunately self-taught considering so many teachers coming all the way from America to teach in their spare time, whom I suspect helped build a culture of expectation.

Edited October 10, 2015 by silent

[bmanly]

I have a 5 year Thai license. For Nong Nooch I got the Thai price, for the butterfly farm on Koh Samui I got the Thai price but on Rai Lai Krabi where I wanted to enter a cave the lcense meant nothing and they said I must pay 200 baht, I told them to forget about it.

Considering I have been married to a Thai for 26 years, I think it is nothing but racial disctimination and it is wrong. In my home country my Thai wife has never ever been charged anything different to what I have paid. This dual pricing system is disgusting, the sooner it is abolished the better it will be for everybody.

Edited October 10, 2015 by bmanly

[Nowisee]

Its keeps me out of a few temples and most parks here and I don't care... most are not worth even the 20 baht.

All the double pricing has done is encouraged me to A. NOT Spend 12 months here. B. Start to look for another place to spend my retirement money.

Good job thailand... 5555

[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

Interesting the Ford pickups seem to have the drivers with the worst road manners. Perhaps they feel because they are driving crap, their manners should match.

Good to know what you drive. Tad sensitive methinks....

Must be hard being judged because of the way the majority of tuna drivers drive. Have you checked out the new Everest & compared it with the pos Toyota now offer.

[williamgeorgeallen]

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?

alot of places want to see a work permit. i got into the tiger zoo for about a quarter of the price as my friend who did not have one. double pricing is bad enough but 4 times or even 20 times in some cases is too much. unfortunatly it is pointless even discussing it as it is not going to change. is worth politly showing a thai drivers licence however as it does work sometimes for my other friends as well

[stickylies]

A Farang price because of the colour of your skin is simply racial discrimination. Up to you if you accept it. Just part of living in Thailand. I would not even think of living anywhere else, but I reserve the right to complain about something that I think is unfair.

If you refer to National Parks and stuff it's not based on your skin. They could also ask every visitor to show some ID but that is not needed as in most cases it's obvious the westerner is a foreigner (ie. no Thai citizen) and a fluent-Thai-speaking-asian is (in 99,99% of the cases) a Thai. Asian tourists from Japan, S-Korea, Malaysia, China etc also pay the foreigner price unless they are lucky and can slip in with a bunch of Thais.

ps. Foreigners visiting Shwedagon pay 5$ and get a label/sticker (proof of payment). Non-burmese asians slipping in for free (plenty of backpackers) don't have this sticker and theoretically they can get caught by the checkers. If caught the colour of their skin will not help them. Same for thai National Parks.

[dru2]

if Thailand ever wants to be favorable for the EU or USA they better lose the whole term "farang" to begin with and treat all people the same.

i know what i wrote,is an open door for trolls ,let me reassure all trolls will be dealt with by the dragon

After living here for 12 years the falang thing wore a bit thin years ago.I am fed up up with Thais shouting hey "you falang" and start giggling like a bunch of school girls I just reply" alai moron" .Soon baffles them

After 12 years you can't say "moron" in Thai? No wonder they're baffled.

[bazza40]

When I first visited Thailand about 30 years ago I was highly impressed with the honesty of Thai people,since when it all changed?

You never got past the fake smiles.

Tourists hardly ever see the real Thailand.

The whole culture is based on greed, crime and corruption, and always was.

How much of this greed, crime and corruption has affected you personally? Put a baht value on it.

I seem to see a lot more positives in Thai culture than you do. Have said before, most of the ripoff merchants I've encountered here have been falangs.

[stickylies]

All the double pricing has done is encouraged me to A. NOT Spend 12 months here. B. Start to look for another place to spend my retirement money.

Good job thailand... 5555

prayuth just called together an emergency meeting

[1FinickyOne]

In USA if you use a state golf course you pay a higher price if you come from out of state - if you go to a state university you pay a much higher price if from another state… and all for people of the same country… US Citizens..

The fellow who was, I forget the wording, grossly overpriced in Phuket - well, it was only $5-6 - not that big a deal really… I am sure an out of state round of golf would have cost him more and not even upset him - people pay these fees all the time in other places…

and yet, people seem to feel strongly here that they are being ripped off… ??

[nithisa78]

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....

Good bet it was more than that. They couldn't handle being so far out of their comfort zone.

[stickylies]

if Thailand ever wants to be favorable for the EU or USA they better lose the whole term "farang" to begin with and treat all people the same.

i know what i wrote,is an open door for trolls ,let me reassure all trolls will be dealt with by the dragon

After living here for 12 years the falang thing wore a bit thin years ago.I am fed up up with Thais shouting hey "you falang" and start giggling like a bunch of school girls I just reply" alai moron" .Soon baffles them

After 12 years you can't say "moron" in Thai? No wonder they're baffled.

Happens occasionally yes, the hey-falang-thingy, no big deal. If they are substantially younger than me I stop and ask them: sawasdee kap yang?

I kid you not. They will stop giggling immediately and wai and show respect (exactly as they were "programmed").

ps. do not try on copper or older person, 555.

[Bluespunk]

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?

Yes, I would.

[Caitrin]

In USA if you use a state golf course you pay a higher price if you come from out of state - if you go to a state university you pay a much higher price if from another state… and all for people of the same country… US Citizens..

The fellow who was, I forget the wording, grossly overpriced in Phuket - well, it was only $5-6 - not that big a deal really… I am sure an out of state round of golf would have cost him more and not even upset him - people pay these fees all the time in other places…

and yet, people seem to feel strongly here that they are being ripped off… ??

Again, can we PLEASE stop comparing locality based dual pricing schemes? It is not the same. It's a false comparison. It's not just misleading, it's flat out irrelevant.

It takes six months to establish residency in a U.S. state, typically, assuming you have legal residency in the United States. You will no more be charged extra as a non-national state resident than your national state resident neighbor. That's a local privilege that has nothing to do with nationality (let alone phenotype).

[Dogbarker]

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?

Yes I think you are probably mistaken based on my personal recent trips to National Parks and the various threads in Thai Visa. - It has been sometime since the Driving Licence or Yellow book actually worked and the dual pricing has been enforced.

Earlier this year I was also t disappointed to book a chalet in a national park online paid at the bank, presented the paid receipt at the park gate and was told I still needed to pay the foreigner entrance logic did not dictate taht as i had a booking I needed to get to the chalet and that was not included in the price either. Waving yellow books and driving licences did nothing . Complaints six months ago did nothing ...

I have documented evidence of resident foreigners who now will not take their visitors to National Parks or places of Dual pricing on principle.

I also refuse to take anyone for fear of being accused of being a tour guide without a work permit - even for my family!

[bazza40]

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

Interesting the Ford pickups seem to have the drivers with the worst road manners. Perhaps they feel because they are driving crap, their manners should match.

Good to know what you drive. Tad sensitive methinks....

Must be hard being judged because of the way the majority of tuna drivers drive. Have you checked out the new Everest & compared it with the pos Toyota now offer.

You must have multiple contusions by now jumping to so many conclusions. I don't drive any form of pickup, they have the handling characteristics of a drunken pig. Fat turds that take up too much highway space. No sir, my conveyances of choice are a workhorse Toyota Vios, and a boy's toy Mercedes 300CE coupe.