Doi Inthanon now 300 THB for Farang

[cmth]

Went to Doi Inthanon with the GF today. Farang price is now 300 THB. 50 THB for Thai.

[sappersrest]

So what ,great value at 300 baht.

[cmth]

Just now, sappersrest said:

So what ,great value at 300 baht.

Glad you think so. Paying 6X the Thai price isn't a great value to me. The prices keep going up. Used to be 100, then 200, now 300. Next year it will be 400 or 500. Must be nice to be one of those rich farang I always hear about.

[guzzi850m2]

I agree with cmth, 6X is highway robbery, 2X would be more fair. Eventually they shot themselves in the foot by doing this.

 

Will an expat with Thai drivers license get Thai price?

[sappersrest]

Certainly not rich.

The point is did you think your experience was worth 300 baht,  Ranger stations on the way, rangers there to answer questions as best they can, rangers there to help people who get lost, the wonderful  structures at the the top and the  beautiful gardens.

worth every penny, to me at least,

 Me thinks your gripe is about dual pricing. Not that you were charged 300 baht to see one of Thailands top attractions.

[dru2]

I don't approve of double pricing, but it isn't a "Farang" (Western, Caucasian) price, it's a non-Thai national price.

[KittenKong]

In Europe I lived at the foot of a significantly more impressive mountain. To drive up and over it was free, regardless of the colour of your skin. Parking at the various way stations and viewpoints was also completely free, and in the restaurant at the top no one was ever charged any more or less than anyone else. I've also been up mountains in various other countries and never paid any fees to do so.

 

I dont think that on my deathbed I will have any regrets about not having seen some mountain here, so I will pass on this particular rip-off.

[Cockwomble]

Rip off

[balo]

What if you show them your Thai DL ?  Worth a try . Or maybe just wear a mask .

 

[puukao]

Ankor Wat is like 650 baht!!!  i say make it 20,000 baht for farang and so only the rich foreigners can visit!!!!

 

hotel in rome is 30,000 baht a night!!!!  nice....i tip them another 10,000 

 

in america, national parks aren't cheap!!!  and try buying food inside one of them......expensive!!!

 

so i never keep bills under $100 USD on me.....

[flare]

This always annoys me- it's not the amount, but, rather, it's the fact that despite having lived here 15 years, with proper visas, valid work permits, proper local documentation like driver's licenses and house registrations, whenever I go to certain places with my family, I suddenly become the foreigner who's treated differently from everyone else in the group.

 

True, I'm not Thai and never will be, but I easily meet what should be basic residency requirements after all this time, and it's a constant reminder that im not 'in the band'.

 

That said, I don't let the dual- pricing stop me from going anywhere, but I'd much rather be able to enjoy the same prices as a local (because, while I'm not Thai, I am 'a local').

 

[sticklee]

8 hours ago, dru2 said:

I don't approve of double pricing, but it isn't a "Farang" (Western, Caucasian) price, it's a non-Thai national price.

Oh, really? And you believe that Chinese, Japanese and Koreans  also pay a higher price?

[Trujillo]

Wat Chedi Luang now charges foreigners 40 baht to enter the grounds. Thais are charged 0 baht. 

How's that for a mark-up? 

 

Pathetic racist profiteering. 

[Thailand]

We simply don't go. When we have guests we tell about the dual pricing if they then still want to go to the attraction,Inthanon or wherever,we make arrangements accordingly.

The raising of prices in Thailand for foreigners is usually an indicator that not so many people are going.

 

And yes, Chinese, Japanese etc are charged the foreigner price,first hand experiences.

[cmth]

10 hours ago, guzzi850m2 said:

I agree with cmth, 6X is highway robbery, 2X would be more fair. Eventually they shot themselves in the foot by doing this.

 

Will an expat with Thai drivers license get Thai price?

Driver licence quit working at national parks last year. Even a work permit no longer works with National Parks. So it doesn't matter how long you have lived here or if you are paying taxes here. You still get the luxury of paying 6X the fair price.

[cmth]

7 hours ago, puukao said:

in america, national parks aren't cheap!!!  and try buying food inside one of them......expensive!!!

 

so i never keep bills under $100 USD on me.....

Being from the US I question how many National Parks you have been to. Only about 1/3 of them have any fees at all. The ones that do usually charge by vehicle, not by person and the fee pays for a 7 day pass. If you visit National Parks that do have a fee frequently, you can get an annual pass for $80 US that offers unlimited visits to all parks that do charge a fee. But here's the best part, are you ready..... It doesn't matter what nationality you are, what color you are or if you're a tourist from another planet, the price is the same. If you're dropping $100 US to visit a National Park in the US something doesn't add up. Also nobody carries $100 bills around in the US unless you know you will be making a big purchase. The first thing you do with a $100 bill is break it because nobody wants to make change. Just like a 1,000 baht bill here. I am very curious as to the parks you visited and what you were charged.

[guzzi850m2]

I think the dual price is practiced many places in SEA and other places, I was up in the Protronas twin towers in KL last year, and all non Malaysians was charged 10 times (I think) more than the locals for a guided tour.

 

What I find hard to swallow here in Thailand is that I have a family here, kids in private schools and so on but still I pay this tourist price.

 

I am by no means rich, have a pick-up truck, not a Mercedes Benz.

 

I think many retired expats will say no thanks to pay 300 baht for looking at a temple if they are on a thigh budget, a whole days food money for some.

 

Thankfully a few places still do the Thai price if you show Thai DL, underwater world in BKK and Pattaya as examples, private owned venues. 

[Chiengmaijoe]

2 hours ago, Trujillo said:

Wat Chedi Luang now charges foreigners 40 baht to enter the grounds. Thais are charged 0 baht. 

How's that for a mark-up? 

 

Pathetic racist profiteering. 

 

Most of the popular tourist-visited temples in Yangon charge foreigners to go in, but are free to locals - somewhere between $5 and $8. It didn't bother me or the missus, and I doubt if most tourists in Thailand are that bothered either. They certainly won't be thinking "Pathetic racist profiteering" over such a small amount as 40B. They'd have to live here for a couple of years to become that daft.

 

[MissAndry]

I've been here since May, I'm a tourist and there is nowhere I need to go where they have dual pricing. Racism is wrong in any circumstance. It certainly bothers me.

 

Yes, I understand the morality of many foreigners in Thailand becomes somewhat flexible after being here a while. Bribing police, paying VISA agents, buying women, buying property by proxy, drunk driving, etc ..... it's a slippery slope best avoided IMHO.

[Chiengmaijoe]

1 hour ago, MissAndry said:

I've been here since May, I'm a tourist and there is nowhere I need to go where they have dual pricing. Racism is wrong in any circumstance. It certainly bothers me.

 

Yes, I understand the morality of many foreigners in Thailand becomes somewhat flexible after being here a while. Bribing police, paying VISA agents, buying women, buying property by proxy, drunk driving, etc ..... it's a slippery slope best avoided IMHO.

 

Racism! That's funny. Keep 'em coming.

[jobin]

Been here since May = 90 days, about.  And 900 posts, so 900/90 = 10 posts per day on TV.  Do you really get out of the apartment or only cruise around on the web, Miss Andry?  

 

Frankly i don't think racism is at work regarding the dual pricing affair in SEAsia. I dare say every westerner i've met here is way richer than 99% of the Thais so higher prices for rich folks seems normal.  I mean don't rich folk pay more for cars, food, clothing, booze, etc? 

 

 

[DLang]

And what monthly salary did you have to pay your Western GF to live with you compared to your Thai 'GF'.

 

Dang, dual pricing again.

[MissAndry]

1 hour ago, jobin said:

Been here since May = 90 days, about.  And 900 posts, so 900/90 = 10 posts per day on TV.  Do you really get out of the apartment or only cruise around on the web, Miss Andry?  

 

Frankly i don't think racism is at work regarding the dual pricing affair in SEAsia. I dare say every westerner i've met here is way richer than 99% of the Thais so higher prices for rich folks seems normal.  I mean don't rich folk pay more for cars, food, clothing, booze, etc? 

 

 

 

I'm living in a house, already been out to the local markets, lake and temple today on my bicycle. The rest of the day will be sitting around the house and garden, watching TV, posting on forums, reading a book. I also have internet on my phablet, no need to stay at home to post.

 

It's what retired people with enough money normally do, as far as I can work out.

End of next week off to the Philippines for a little holiday (never been before). Hoping the beach will be nice and clean, but prepared for disappointment.

Next month, or the month after, I'll be off to Vietnam for a week or so (never been there either).

 

If you think I'm missing out on some vital time intensive activity in my Autumn years, please tell me?

Most of the older people I meet don't even bother with the 3-4 hours of slow cycling I manage nearly every day. But quite frankly, I can't see life getting better than my current gentle lifestyle and frequent foreign holidays.

 

 

[Oscar2]

7 hours ago, sticklee said:

Oh, really? And you believe that Chinese, Japanese and Koreans  also pay a higher price?

they sure do... i know a number of people in the Japanese community. they've told me many times what they are charged for things.

[Trujillo]

Quote

 They certainly won't be thinking "Pathetic racist profiteering" over such a small amount as 40B. They'd have to live here for a couple of years to become that daft.

For me, it's not the money, of course (It's just over US$1), but rather the principle. Particularly at a place which is supposed to be a functioning temple -- a house of higher thinking. 

And the amount, while small for foreigners, adds up to a lot of money every day for the monk in charge. 

 

And the fact is that even if you can't come to grips with this, it IS racism. If you were in America or England for example and there was a museum that charged black people nothing to enter but all other races had to pay, what would you call that? I don't think you need a couple of years to figure that out. There is no other term to describe this. 

 

I have to agree with the comments from people like me who have invested in Thailand and contribute to the economy in a meaningful way and yet are treated like this. It's a slap in the face and shows what certain segments of Thai society think of their foreign "friends." 

 

"Here, you grab one ankle and I'll take the other and let's turn the farang upside down and shake him and see how much money will fall out...."

 

Quote

I dare say every westerner i've met here is way richer than 99% of the Thais so higher prices for rich folks seems normal.

What planet are you from? 

1) There are many Thais that are better off than many tourists.

2) Using your "logic," every nationality should be charged according to the size of their incomes and savings. "Oh, you're Thai, that'll be 10 baht. Ah, a Japanese man; for you sir, 100 baht. Look! A fat American; 150 baht for you, thank you very much." 

I dare say you need to rethink things a bit....

[Dante99]

It is really great to be doing this routine again, it only gets done 2 pr 3 times a year and really never changes.  Anybody seen that 85 year old horse?

[kotsak]

In other news.. "Thailand’s tourism boom: it’s over"

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/8a71c4b6-599c-11e6-9f70-badea1b336d4.html#axzz4GSFin1OD

[Mapguy]

This sort of conversation has been going on for MANY years.  All it really adds up to is more "hits" to boost ThaIVisa advertising sales.  You thought TV was free??!!

 

Anyway, if a few bhat is not affordable, don't go.  If you don't know that differential pricing is in effect all over the world, then you haven't traveled very much.  Different places; different policies.  Just for one similar  general policy, if you are older (as so many people are on this site) don't old gits get preferential pricing in many, many places?

 

I am a foreigner on with extended permission to stay in Thailand for many years.  I have a Thai driver's license (a yellow book would do).  I have never been charged higher prices at any site.  Got it?

 

Never mind, this sort of complaint never ceases to be expressed!!

 

Why am I posting this?  Guess I haven't anything better to do tonight!  I really should read more!

[Johpa]

On 8/4/2016 at 8:57 AM, sappersrest said:

So what ,great value at 300 baht.

 

 

Yes, perhaps for the first time visit, but far less value, and ever diminishing value, after that.

[Chiengmaijoe]

6 hours ago, kotsak said:

In other news.. "Thailand’s tourism boom: it’s over"

 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/3/8a71c4b6-599c-11e6-9f70-badea1b336d4.html#axzz4GSFin1OD

 

From the article, it says numbers are still increasing, but at a slower rate. Most people here think numbers are down. A taxi driver said so, apparently.

 

"In the second quarter of 2016, arrivals increased a relatively modest 8.2 per cent year on year (see chart), largely due to a deceleration in growth of arrivals from China.