Surin Islands, 500 baht national park fee - every day?

[1234asdf]

Heading there in a few days but the length of my stay is going to depend on whether they charge you 500 baht daily i.e some park ranger comes around to take money from you, or whether you just pay once at the national park office when you arrive and then after that they forget about you. Interested in knowing not what should happen but what is likely to happen.

p.s. couldn't see a Phang Nga forum so put it in Phuket.

Cheers.

[stevenl]

The 500 baht are a one time entrance fee

[Fairynuff]

The 500 baht are a one time entrance fee

Unless you're thai then it'll be 50 baht.

[stevenl]

The 500 baht are a one time entrance fee

Unless you're thai then it'll be 50 baht.

Incorrect, uninformed post, only meant to troll.

[NamKangMan]

The 500 baht are a one time entrance fee

Unless you're thai then it'll be 50 baht.

Incorrect, uninformed post, only meant to troll.

How much do the Thai's pay?

[theoldgit]

Troll post removed.

[Old Croc]

The fees, are 500 baht for foreign adults and 300 baht for children.

It's 150 baht for Thai adults and 50 baht for children.

[Fairynuff]

The 500 baht are a one time entrance fee

Unless you're thai then it'll be 50 baht.

Incorrect, uninformed post, only meant to troll.

Incorrect. Only meant to point out that foreigners get ripped off. And while we're talking about trolls.....

[KarenBravo]

(sigh) this old chestnut.

Why not look at the entrance fee as a percentage of average weekly salary (Thai vs Westerner).

Or, who pays tax to the Thai government (Thai vs Westerner).

I don't have a position on this, just putting out common reasons explaining the difference in price.

[NamKangMan]

(sigh) this old chestnut.

Why not look at the entrance fee as a percentage of average weekly salary (Thai vs Westerner).

Or, who pays tax to the Thai government (Thai vs Westerner).

I don't have a position on this, just putting out common reasons explaining the difference in price.

I think most tourists have no problem paying more as a foreigner for something that was built with money from the Thai tax payer, however, for a National Park, with very little infrastructure paid for by the Thai tax payer, it can be distasteful for them, especially when the foreigner price is a lot more than the Thai price.

Edited March 28, 2016 by NamKangMan

[Fairynuff]

(sigh) this old chestnut.

Why not look at the entrance fee as a percentage of average weekly salary (Thai vs Westerner).

Or, who pays tax to the Thai government (Thai vs Westerner).

I don't have a position on this, just putting out common reasons explaining the difference in price.

Oh that tired old argument again...

[bodunchar]

I thought with a Thai drivers license you can pay the cheapskate local fee?

Anyone have experience of this?

Last time I visited park in Phuket the Thai staff took the fee "personally" and "waived" the request for a receipt.

Not sure if its better he gets the money or pass it on through the official channel where MAYBE 5% of it goes into fixing that fence or leaky tap?

[stevenl]

I thought with a Thai drivers license you can pay the cheapskate local fee?

Anyone have experience of this?

Last time I visited park in Phuket the Thai staff took the fee "personally" and "waived" the request for a receipt.

Not sure if its better he gets the money or pass it on through the official channel where MAYBE 5% of it goes into fixing that fence or leaky tap?

At similans and during nearly everybody arrives on a group tour.

[ttthailand]

One point that is always overlooked is that when most farang go to the national parks they normally bring their Thai wife or girlfriend or partner. It is mostly the Thai's request but yet we have to pay for the privilege to take them.

I understand charging a higher price just to keep the numbers down or they would be over run with Chinese tours. They could however just charge twice the price and not 5 or 10 times the price.

[LivinginKata]

One point that is always overlooked is that when most farang go to the national parks they normally bring their Thai wife or girlfriend or partner. It is mostly the Thai's request but yet we have to pay for the privilege to take them.

I understand charging a higher price just to keep the numbers down or they would be over run with Chinese tours. They could however just charge twice the price and not 5 or 10 times the price.

Yes ... exactly. Even with a DL (and a WP) it takes my Thai wife to win the entry fee issue.

[Bangkokhatter]

I think the argument that foreigners should pay more because they have more money is poor

What next , separate tills at 7-11 ?

and using your Thai driving licence no longer works at most parks

[Tomtomtom69]

One point that is always overlooked is that when most farang go to the national parks they normally bring their Thai wife or girlfriend or partner. It is mostly the Thai's request but yet we have to pay for the privilege to take them.

I understand charging a higher price just to keep the numbers down or they would be over run with Chinese tours. They could however just charge twice the price and not 5 or 10 times the price.

How about instead of charging more, just limit the number of tourists that can enter daily? For example, 20 tourists a day?

Even 500 Baht is not much of a deterrent - I would rather everybody paid the same price but for me, I'd rather pay 5000 Baht to enter that national park, if it ensures there would be no other tourists except for the small group I came with. Of course that would only apply if all the Thais also paid 5000 Baht, though I wouldn't hold any objections to non-paying children (not too many of course as they would just start crying, throwing up on the boat and ruining the serenity of the place) or monks etc.