Dual pricing - Anti Rant

[nontabury]

Why do do many faring think they are targeted? Dont ALL foreigners pay more?

True,yesterday my wife hired a couple of Thai costumes for Loy Krathung, she being Thai was charged

300 bht a costume. The lady shop owner then bragged to her that she had charged Koreans 850 bht per costume. At home later, my wife said some Thai people are bad, she is ashamed of this practice.

[thanchart]

I do not think this is Racist at all. It is about whether u are a Thai or not. Dual pricing for citizens vs non-citizen exists in many places, including where I came from- Singapore. If u are Caucasian but has Thai citizenship, I am sure u also pay Thai prices. How can this be Racists?

[nontabury]

Most Thai people who work for a living pay taxes that financially support the government provided services, like maintainance of parks and other attractions

Most farangs living in Thailand that I know pay no taxes to support the Thai government at all.

Is it really discrimination to be expected to pay for the services you use?

I know many farangs are here to TAKE ADVANTAGE of Thailand and the lower cost of living in Thailannd...but please, be reasonable

seriously, some farangs have really earned the nick name " Cheap Charlie"!

Rubbish, most Thais including the very high earners pay little or no income tax. What taxes they do pay, is when they purchase a service or product, exactly the same for foreigners.

[nontabury]

I used to be a regular visitor to Ko Samet national park. There foreigners pay, I believe, 10 times what Thais pay

It was always best to avoid weekends, but sometimes that was not possible. It was packed at weekends.

Come Monday morning the amount of rubbish everywhere was more than an eyesore. It was Thai rubbish. Foreigners always disposed of their rubbish corrctly

Why then should foreigners pay for Thais mess?.

On Koh Samet, foreigners pay 5 times what Thais pay.

I've explained the logic behind differential pricing on so many of these threads. You can't educate some people it seems.

Well you've obviously failed in your case.

[Jip99]

I'm not a visitor here, I'm not a guest here. I'm a person who has chosen to make a home and a life here. I contribute to the community and economy in all sorts of ways. Where I live people know me, are nice to me and never overcharge me. In fact my local noodle shop don't charge for the ice and tea that I see other local customers paying for. I save 2 baht by this which means nothing more than it makes me feel valued.

It is NEVER about the "couple of quid", it could be 1 baht or 1m baht, I'd feel the same. It is ALWAYS about right and wrong. If you feel you're a guest here, fine but I don't. I feel like I live here and with that I feel like I should be seen as just another person, not special, just a person.

I don't know why so many posters here don't get it.

You are an "alien". Official.

Get over it, get on with it.

[tom21]

there should be only one price not two prices and then try to hide it by writing the price in thai. there should also be discounts for students and thai adults should be able to apply for discounts.

[nontabury]

It is just casual racism. If I charged a black person 10 times as much for an ice cream as a white person people would call me all sorts of things.

If you saw a farang beggar on the street would you give him a thousand baht rather than 20 'cause he will need more to buy his food etc etc ?

I've never been charged more for an ice cream. I don't believe this for a minute.

Actually in London about 35yrs ago, some ice cream sellers at tourist attractions were charging foreigners 10 times more, it was brought to the attention of the English Tourist Board, for whom I worked, and they made sure that this pricing stopped. Will TAT take a similar stance,I don't think so.

[big carl]

I had a job maintaining campgrounds for the U.S. Forest Service in California.

It was very common to hear complaints about the daily fees for using the facilities...many would try to get away without paying at all.***

The fact is, the fees charged only pay for a small percentage of the operation of the campgrounds..

They lose mony, not make it.

** the funny thing was that the poor family with a tent and an old car would always pay, it was the people with RVs worth more than some houses who would try to cheat!

I am pleased that hd provides as so many parks and places of interest as they do.

The higher price we pay as foreiners is still a pretty low price.

If 200 baht, or $5 usd is going to break you...you should probably stay home and think about why you are so poor, and living in a foreign country!

Probably been mentioned several times but I am going to mention it again. Thai minimum wage less than $10 American a day. You could not even afford to cross the street much less come to Thailand if that was all you were making back home.

[nontabury]

I had a job maintaining campgrounds for the U.S. Forest Service in California.

It was very common to hear complaints about the daily fees for using the facilities...many would try to get away without paying at all.***

The fact is, the fees charged only pay for a small percentage of the operation of the campgrounds..

They lose mony, not make it.

** the funny thing was that the poor family with a tent and an old car would always pay, it was the people with RVs worth more than some houses who would try to cheat!

I am pleased that hd provides as so many parks and places of interest as they do.

The higher price we pay as foreiners is still a pretty low price.

If 200 baht, or $5 usd is going to break you...you should probably stay home and think about why you are so poor, and living in a foreign country!

Probably been mentioned several times but I am going to mention it again. Thai minimum wage less than $10 American a day. You could not even afford to cross the street much less come to Thailand if that was all you were making back home.

True, yet approximately 10-12% of Thai make more money than most Farangs. That % of the population is about the same as the population of ether Sweden,Austria or Switzerland. Not all earn as much as Danhin Chearavanont (worth 24billion US dollars) but their are many big hitters out there.

[pgrahmm]

Just got back home from buying something....Looked at the label → said 250B....Paid them as they bagged it amd I said thank you.....They took the money and put it away & and said thank you.....I looked at the bag and it was transparent BUT noticed I had misread the price and it was actually 290B.....

Because I was farang they didn't question what they must have thought I was doing.....

I immediately gave them the 40B difference and apologized.....

My guess is for as many times as dual pricing is brought up here there are a good many times a vendor takes a beating too.....Aside from parks -there are very few times I've had the feeling I've been farang priced....

[willyumiii]

Most Thai people who work for a living pay taxes that financially support the government provided services, like maintainance of parks and other attractions

Most farangs living in Thailand that I know pay no taxes to support the Thai government at all.

Is it really discrimination to be expected to pay for the services you use?

I know many farangs are here to TAKE ADVANTAGE of Thailand and the lower cost of living in Thailannd...but please, be reasonable!

seriously, some farangs have really earned the nick name " Cheap Charlie"!

Actually all tourists and ex-pats pay taxes on the booze, cigarettes, gasoline and everything else

they buy. I spend about a million baht a year here helping drive the Thai economy. Some spend

less, most spend a lot more than me. We don't get any of the benefits from the Thai government

for the taxes we contribute, but that is fine. The Thai government makes it difficult with 90 day

reports, border runs and the like that could be made drastically simpler, but that is just not the

way they do things here. The funny thing is on my last trip I was just in transit through Thailand on

my way to visit a buddy in the Philippines. I did have to clear customs in Thailand and re-check my

bags. When I was at immigration and they asked what the length of my stay was going to be and I

told them 3 hours as I was in transit to the Philippines. The response I got was quite amusing. The

hard sell that I should stay in Thailand, there were many beautiful women here looking for

boyfriends and husbands. I would have a much, much better time here that the Philippines. The

guy even called another immigration officer over. They both talked for about 3-4 minutes. I did tell

them not to worry I was just visiting a friend and I would be back. And I am. The only time a Thai

official has made me feel wanted. Now when I walk down LK Metro or the beer bars on Soi 7-8 I

always feel wanted and welcome, (often even hansum) Besides, from reading various articles

much of the gate receipts of National Parks are siphoned off by those in charge, so I say NO to

two entrance pricing to Thailand's parks .

Excuse me for not being more specific.

By "taxes" I ment tax on your income, not sales tax.

[Fairynuff]

I'm not a visitor here, I'm not a guest here. I'm a person who has chosen to make a home and a life here. I contribute to the community and economy in all sorts of ways. Where I live people know me, are nice to me and never overcharge me. In fact my local noodle shop don't charge for the ice and tea that I see other local customers paying for. I save 2 baht by this which means nothing more than it makes me feel valued.

It is NEVER about the "couple of quid", it could be 1 baht or 1m baht, I'd feel the same. It is ALWAYS about right and wrong. If you feel you're a guest here, fine but I don't. I feel like I live here and with that I feel like I should be seen as just another person, not special, just a person.

I don't know why so many posters here don't get it.

You are an "alien". Official.

Get over it, get on with it.

NO

[willyumiii]

there should be only one price not two prices and then try to hide it by writing the price in thai. there should also be discounts for students and thai adults should be able to apply for discounts.

First, you state that there should be only one price, not two.

Thenyou state thet there should be three prices!

Please, make up your mind and get back to us.

[willyumiii]

I had a job maintaining campgrounds for the U.S. Forest Service in California.

It was very common to hear complaints about the daily fees for using the facilities...many would try to get away without paying at all.***

The fact is, the fees charged only pay for a small percentage of the operation of the campgrounds..

They lose mony, not make it.

** the funny thing was that the poor family with a tent and an old car would always pay, it was the people with RVs worth more than some houses who would try to cheat!

I am pleased that hd provides as so many parks and places of interest as they do.

The higher price we pay as foreiners is still a pretty low price.

If 200 baht, or $5 usd is going to break you...you should probably stay home and think about why you are so poor, and living in a foreign country!

Probably been mentioned several times but I am going to mention it again. Thai minimum wage less than $10 American a day. You could not even afford to cross the street much less come to Thailand if that was all you were making back home.

True, yet approximately 10-12% of Thai make more money than most Farangs. That % of the population is about the same as the population of ether Sweden,Austria or Switzerland. Not all earn as much as Danhin Chearavanont (worth 24billion US dollars) but their are many big hitters out there.

and how much of their lesure time do you think the wealthiest Thais spend in places like national parks, zoos and other tourist attractions?

[Fairynuff]

Why do do many faring think they are targeted? Dont ALL foreigners pay more?

No they don't except when they get caught out

[willyumiii]

Duel pricing can and sometimes goes both ways.

I noticed at my local market that I was being charged a couple of baht less for each quart of beer than Thais and my ice was free..not 5 baht per bag.

I asked why and was tolt" Farang good customer and buys a lot. Can buy at many markets, we want you to buy here.

I know other farangs who get the same discount.

It helps to be a regular customer and to get to know the shop owners.

[Don Mega]

Most Thai people who work for a living pay taxes that financially support the government provided services, like maintainance of parks and other attractions

Most farangs living in Thailand that I know pay no taxes to support the Thai government at all.

Is it really discrimination to be expected to pay for the services you use?

I know many farangs are here to TAKE ADVANTAGE of Thailand and the lower cost of living in Thailannd...but please, be reasonable!

seriously, some farangs have really earned the nick name " Cheap Charlie"!

Somchai is paying taxes on his 300 baht a day salary, I pay on every baht I spend. I spend 3000 baht and more each day, service charge, vat, etc... I bet I pay more Thai taxes than the average Somchai.

Actually @ 300b per day Somchai would not be paying any income tax as he falls into the 0-150,000 tax bracket which is exempt. Not sure what the relevance is to you paying VAT and other government mandated taxes as he too would be paying them, just like you.

[phuketruski]

thais dual price in the west too.

[crazygreg44]

Actually tourism (direct and indirect) accounts for 16-18% of Thai GDP

. . .any link to support these numbers ? The largest figure I can remember was 8%, many years ago before the 1997 crash.

16-18% is utter <deleted>.

and don't forget, none of the money spent by group tours and hotel chains goes into the pockets of poor and the middle class

[duanebigsby]

On day to day items? Hopefully we can agree that is wrong.

Other than the nanny states (where the price is always clearly marked and everyone pays the same price, by God), there are always 2 prices for everyday items.

There's the price for people who know how to negotiate and the price for people who don't. Has very little to do with anything but negotiating skills, which most of us from the nanny states are sadly lacking because the government protects us from ever having to learn. Of course the locals know we generally stink at negotiating, and very few of us prove them wrong.

After being raised in the west, we get our clocks cleaned until we adapt to the market customs of the rest of the world where the price isn't marked at all, and negotiating is part of every transaction (and relationship building). Turns some people off completely and that's sad because it can be a favorable experience and at the very least- an education about the people we've chosen to live among. I used to hate it myself until one day the switch flipped and I started enjoying it, if only for the sport.

Whenever I go to the market, there is a a price per kilo sign or clothes clearly marked, don't know where you go but I always pay that price.

Not a helluvalot of unmarked items where I live in Chiang Rai unless it's tourist trinkets.

You actually pay the marked price? What a rube. They saw you coming from a mile away.

(Apologies for taking liberties to make my point- I always pay the marked price, too. My Chinese GF? If it's not in 7/11 or the malls, she always asks for a price cut. Embarrasses me, but in spite of not speaking a word of Thai, she often gets a discount. It's her culture.)

point taken, but when there's a sign saying the bananas are 30 baht, I pay it.

[duanebigsby]

I had a job maintaining campgrounds for the U.S. Forest Service in California.

It was very common to hear complaints about the daily fees for using the facilities...many would try to get away without paying at all.***

The fact is, the fees charged only pay for a small percentage of the operation of the campgrounds..

They lose mony, not make it.

** the funny thing was that the poor family with a tent and an old car would always pay, it was the people with RVs worth more than some houses who would try to cheat!

I am pleased that hd provides as so many parks and places of interest as they do.

The higher price we pay as foreiners is still a pretty low price.

If 200 baht, or $5 usd is going to break you...you should probably stay home and think about why you are so poor, and living in a foreign country!

Probably been mentioned several times but I am going to mention it again. Thai minimum wage less than $10 American a day. You could not even afford to cross the street much less come to Thailand if that was all you were making back home.

True, yet approximately 10-12% of Thai make more money than most Farangs. That % of the population is about the same as the population of ether Sweden,Austria or Switzerland. Not all earn as much as Danhin Chearavanont (worth 24billion US dollars) but their are many big hitters out there.

Don't understand your point unless you are suggesting everyone show their bank balance to determine entrance fee.

Perhaps admission based on car you drive?

[MaeJoMTB]

By "taxes" I ment tax on your income, not sales tax.

Why pick income tax?

You aren't in your home country now, and Thailand doesn't bother to raise money through income tax.

One of the big mistakes so many foreigners make, it's a different country, and it has different rules.

Edited November 26, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[KittenKong]

Actually tourism (direct and indirect) accounts for 16-18% of Thai GDP

. . .any link to support these numbers ? The largest figure I can remember was 8%, many years ago before the 1997 crash.

16-18% is utter <deleted>.

It's a complex subject but you will find it on page 7 of this: https://www.wttc.org/-/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/countries%202015/thailand2015.pdf

I dont think that this even includes things like property purchases and payments to support families etc.

and don't forget, none of the money spent by group tours and hotel chains goes into the pockets of poor and the middle class

Right. So only rich people work in hotels and restaurants, and bars and cabarets and shops, and drive tour buses and act as guides etc?

Besides which it's more important for the economy that the money comes from abroad than exactly what it is spent on. This is what you fail to grasp.

[willyumiii]

By "taxes" I ment tax on your income, not sales tax.

Why pick income tax?

You aren't in your home country now, and Thailand doesn't bother to raise money through income tax.

One of the big mistakes so many foreigners make, it's a different country, and it has different rules.

Not true.

I have worked in Thailand in the past.

Every year when I signed a new work contract, I was required to pay a tax on my projected income for the next year,

befor I earned one baht of that income!

Edited November 26, 2015 by willyumiii

[SoiBiker]

By "taxes" I ment tax on your income, not sales tax.

Why pick income tax?

You aren't in your home country now, and Thailand doesn't bother to raise money through income tax.

One of the big mistakes so many foreigners make, it's a different country, and it has different rules.

Most of the foreigners I know here pay income tax.

[bimmerbob]

I like when I go to a restaurant and order the same food as another table and get charged double what they are charged. Because I am rich and I love Thai people and it's always good to be complimented and to be thought of as upper class and to be respected.

My biggest complaint is that chain restaurants do not have a dual pricing system. I almost had a heartache at KFC when they insisted I pay the same prices as the rest of the customers.

Look at it another way - tourist attractions which charge, should generally subsidize locals by way of free or reduced rates........simple!! The 'dual' pricing is really for the benefit of locals, and is not only confined to Thailand.

There are establishments in Las Vegas that charge entrance fees to tourists, unless you can prove local residency by way of driver's licence, etc.

KFC hardly qualifies as a tourist attraction......

I'll put my coat on.......

[big carl]

there should be only one price not two prices and then try to hide it by writing the price in thai. there should also be discounts for students and thai adults should be able to apply for discounts.

First, you state that there should be only one price, not two.

Thenyou state thet there should be three prices!

Please, make up your mind and get back to us.

I was curious about how you write 250 in Thai. I thought it was written the same as in English, French, Spanish and Australian. 250

[SoiBiker]

there should be only one price not two prices and then try to hide it by writing the price in thai. there should also be discounts for students and thai adults should be able to apply for discounts.

First, you state that there should be only one price, not two.

Thenyou state thet there should be three prices!

Please, make up your mind and get back to us.

I was curious about how you write 250 in Thai. I thought it was written the same as in English, French, Spanish and Australian. 250

By using Thai numerals.

[sirineou]

The price for Public venues run by the government is low, so that all, rich and poor can enjoy it,The cost of the venues is subsidized by Thai taxpayers, foreigners who do not pay taxes should pay the higher unsubsidised price.

Dual price in private for profit business do not have the same right, they should not be allowed to pad their profit margins by charging some more than others , in the based arbitrarily on race.

and any found to be doing that should be prosecuted.

Edited November 26, 2015 by sirineou

[big carl]

Actually tourism (direct and indirect) accounts for 16-18% of Thai GDP

. . .any link to support these numbers ? The largest figure I can remember was 8%, many years ago before the 1997 crash.

16-18% is utter <deleted>.

and don't forget, none of the money spent by group tours and hotel chains goes into the pockets of poor and the middle class

Well you obviously are wrong and know it about all the money going into the pocket of the rich. I how ever have often wondered what percent of the economy depends on tourism. Many air flights have tourist on them also the people in the tourist areas with there sidewalk stands or the people involved in the transportation of the goods. Let us not forget the manufacture of some of them. Like products coming from the Mountain tribes. Also as you full well know many of the staff in hotels and restaurants depend on the tourists.

Just what do they include in the percentage factor?