Some 50 Malaysian tourists refuse to pay park fee at Lipe island

[webfact]

Some 50 Malaysian tourists refuse to pay park fee at Lipe island
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Some 50 Malaysian tourists from Langkawi refused to pay the park fee of Bt200 when they arrived at Koh Lipe in the Tarutao national park Thursday, the chief of the park said Wednesday.

The park charges a Thai tourist Bt20 for the entry fee and a foreign tourist, 10 times higher or Bt200.

But the group of 50 Malaysian tourists refused to pay the fee at all, Panapol Chiwaserichon, chief of the Tarutao park, said.

Panapol said he did not want to get tough with tourists so he would hold a meeting with tourist boast and tourist company operators to discuss how to collect the entry fee from their clients.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Some-50-Malaysian-tourists-refuse-to-pay-park-fee--30272256.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-04

[pinkpanther99]

Good for them.

We should all do more of this when these attractions insist on the outrageous double pricing policy.

[Just1Voice]

Hello! Wake up to your bullsheet, Thailand!

[bluemoon58]

Brilliant... The double pricing policy has gone on far too long.

Just as a point of interest for some of you. Pran Buri Water have now stopped their double pricing policy. This changed whilst I was in the process of changing my water supply to them.

[ehs818]

I am impressed! Kudos to them all! Their strength was in their numbers. I doubt that any single person, or small group of people demanding equal treatment would be as successful as these 50! There are so many simple things that the Tourist Authority of Thailand could do to increase tourism, eliminating double pricing being just one idea. But TAT WILL NEVER will take unsolicited advice from, of all creatures, any Farangs! Pathetic.

[Johnsy]

should be a lot more of this going on.....we should all start organising large farang group visits to local N Parks and demand entry on Thai price

[mogo51]

Yes well done to them. I would like to see a few 'farangs' at the meeting to add a bit of spice to the occasion.

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

I would love to see other countries start a little reciprocity on this and start double charging Thais (or 10 times). Even if just done as a token gesture, the publicity would likely be very embarrassing and effective. with any luck that might be enough to make TAT take some long overdue action on this obscene practise.

[SuwadeeS]

Just do not visit these locations.

Further, if some store does not have proper prices on their goods. Tell them, you can't buy any item,

because you don't know how to make sure they tell you a proper price and do not want to cheat on you.

[casindonet]

Well done....hope more tourist would do the same

[masuk]

Certainly a 1000% mark-up is being hopeful.

A bit more adverse publicity might make those responsible a bit less money-hungry.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Brilliant... The double pricing policy has gone on far too long.

Just as a point of interest for some of you. Pran Buri Water have now stopped their double pricing policy. This changed whilst I was in the process of changing my water supply to them.

So that's the reason municipal water is so expensive in Pranburi area!

In Hua Hin area the property on my Thai wife's name pays around 4 ThB per cubic meter. Her property in Pranburi pays between 15 and 18 ThB per cubic meter dependent on consumption. She is a Thai National but has my Surname so this is/was a blatant rip-off. Off the the water office tomorrow to squeeze them.....

[harrycallahan]

In my country Thais would be paying about 5,000 baht to visit the zoo.

[William C F Pierce]

Just hope the government hears about this. Then perhaps they will realise how offensive this is to tourists. It is this double pricing that is causing and encouraging corruption in Thailand. Even the taxi drivers don't want to turn on there meters and charge the farang 4 times the 50 Baht fare they will charge a local. I have experienced it and refused to pay it by walking the

distance. I have even walked 10 kilometres before now rather than be ripped off. Everyone should do their bit and stand up to this price corruption when ever they can. The more people that do this then the government will hear about it and eventually do something about it, if it cares about its tourist industry. As a final note The San Kamphaeng Hot Springs Park in Northern Thailand charges one price for everyone at 100 Baht. This equals equality and fairness.

[smedly]

so they get on a tour boat and pay for the trip, the boat takes them to the Island and find out they are required to pay another fee of 200 baht on top of what they already paid, good on them I'd have done the same as a matter of princpal, I wonder how that 200baht is divided up if someone is mug enough to pay it

[menzies233]

I would love to see other countries start a little reciprocity on this and start double charging Thais (or 10 times). Even if just done as a token gesture, the publicity would likely be very embarrassing and effective. with any luck that might be enough to make TAT take some long overdue action on this obscene practise.

The spineless politically correct countries of the West wouldn't have the balls! They would be up on charges of racism or human rights violations faster than you could blink.

[onni4me]

I just wonder where all that money goes? The National parks I've seen all have been dirty and filthy with plastic and bottles etc.

Oh...last read an article someone pocketing the money...so there where it goes...

IMHO the National parks should be free. The services and food in them would do the profit. Now they are badly managed and kept places mostly.

I don't know about you guys but I don't feel any need to go any of them after seeing a few of them.

[webcrawler00]

Most of the time I seriously complain and walk away (but obviously can't always walk away). But, the attendant just smiles - "Welcome to Thailand". Enough foreigners and social media to start a strong campaign against this bull.

[HerbalEd]

I actually don't mind paying a little more money for government, not-for-profit parks and such, BUT charging 10X more is absurd. Also, I don't think it's right when privately-owned, for-profit attractions charge foreigners more than the Thais.

[Ralf61]

Hm, well

I earn 10 times the money a skilled Thai worker does. Cancelling double pricing could mean the Thais pay the same as foreigners, meaning a Thai family could never ever afford a visit to a National Park in their own country.

Maybe the reasons the Malays were that upset ist the fact, that their National Parks are freeof charge (visited one on Penang, just registration, so they can go after you in the case you got lst, but no pay booth at all)

[oxo1947]

The spineless politically correct countries of the West wouldn't have the balls! They would be up on charges of racism or human rights violations faster than you could blink.

England is already talking about charging tourist entry fees into places that are free for an English citizen, They will start with the Museums,

"Despite an increase in the number of visitors, a slight fall in government funding has left the senior museum organisers thinking about charging overseas tourists, who make up two thirds of visitors." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3298813/Cash-strapped-British-Museum-plans-new-entry-fee-foreign-tour-groups.html

** The report is from the DM 2 days ago so you will need a VPN to access (if you live in Thailand)

[DaveinAsia]

I'm surprised the locals didn't beat them up, 555. You pay now

[DaveinAsia]

so they get on a tour boat and pay for the trip, the boat takes them to the Island and find out they are required to pay another fee of 200 baht on top of what they already paid, good on them I'd have done the same as a matter of princpal, I wonder how that 200baht is divided up if someone is mug enough to pay it

It all ends up in pockets that are quite full already

[steven23]

it is funny, since malaysia have also dual pricing,

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Oh my, the pot is calling the kettle black I see. For those whom don't know there are a double pricing system alive and well in Langkawi. At attractions like the Geo park and Under water world foreigners pay double that of the Malay citizens.

[DaveinAsia]

Koh Lipe is hardly a National Park anymore. Not even when I visited there in 1999. It's a resort island these days! Lipe has been overdeveloped and still they have the cheek to ask for the National Park fee.

The greed is just appalling. Time to call in the A-team

[David in the north]

GOOD!

[duanebigsby]

I totally understand dual pricing in countries where the median wage is far lower than the tourists visiting.

Museums, art galleries, national parks, and attractions cost a lot of money to run.

If the entrance fees were high enough to pay those costs, locals could never afford to visit their own national treasures. Heavy gov't subsidies would be required as most visitors to these sites are tourists not local.

Could you imagine an Egyptian family not being able to afford to see the pyramids up close or enter the Egyptian Museum to see the artifacts?

By the way, the antiquities admission prices in Egypt average 14 times more for foreigners.

[PETERTHEEATER]

Of course, when ASEAN becomes a reality with free cross border travel each country will require that citizens of other ASEAN nations pay ten times the Thai national admission price? I think not.

[Bangkok Barry]

Good for them.

We should all do more of this when these attractions insist on the outrageous double pricing policy.

Double? Ten times, and imposed by the government to set an an example to all citizens that it is official policy to charge foreigners more so they can feel free do it too.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Bangkok Barry