Doi Inthanon now 300 THB for Farang

[jobin]

Well, that was a chuckle.  'the Buddhist temple, a place of higher thinking'.  55555555

 

You might say the same of any mosque, cathedral, synagogue, or madrasa; none of which promote 'thinking' of any sort, let alone 'higher'. 

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Wow.  I've had blowjobs for that sort of money.  Clearly the better value over driving up some hill.

 

People really should spend money in Thailand where it makes sense these days.  And skip the silliness.

Edited August 6, 2016 by WinnieTheKhwai

[joejoe777]

Pay 300 baht for what?

[WinnieTheKhwai]

4 minutes ago, joejoe777 said:

Pay 300 baht for what?

 

Seeing a hill and a bunch of waterfalls.  

[arithai12]

We are beating a dead horse. The only way to change this is to refuse to pay and leave, but since the bulk of the visitors will continue to pay reckoning that it's only a few dollars or a few yuan, I have little hope.

 

Saying that most foreigners earn more than the average Thai is not a justification. There are also Thais who earn more than the average foreigner.

 

 

[arithai12]

5 hours ago, WinnieTheKhwai said:

Wow.  I've had blowjobs for that sort of money.

With Thai DL?

[Mousehound]

This topic repeats itself every few weeks.  It is what it is.  Still better value than most places.  True I can drive to the top of the mountain where I lived for years for free but then I also paid nearly 5 000 000 Bht a year tax for the privilege. 

[cmth]

6 hours ago, Mousehound said:

This topic repeats itself every few weeks.  It is what it is.  Still better value than most places.  True I can drive to the top of the mountain where I lived for years for free but then I also paid nearly 5 000 000 Bht a year tax for the privilege. 

If your Thai friend wanted to see this same mountain, how much would they pay?

[cmth]

23 hours ago, Mapguy said:

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!

I have traveled the world extensively as well. In a lot places that have a "tourist" price, they also have a local price that extends to foreigners that are there long term. You may pay more until people get to know you or you have some sort of identification to show you are there long term and then you get the same price as locals. In my experience the differential pricing is not as wide spread as you want us to believe. As far as the Thai Driver's license, I have had one for years and up until last year, I could pay Thai price anywhere. Now it only works at select privately owned venues. It will not work at any National Park. If you are still getting in for Thai price with a DL, you are the exception. The reason the complaints never cease is because the price increases never cease. Double price is one thing but 6X pricing is getting out of control. 300 baht may just be a few baht to you but it's more than just a few to me. 300 baht here and 300 baht there adds up over time. It may not be a concern of yours but some of us don't have an endless supply of baht to keep forking over for not being Thai.

[puukao]

On 8/4/2016 at 9:14 PM, cmth said:

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.

for sarcasm, maybe i should have said, "I never leave home with a million dollars".

 

part of what i meant is NOT only the price per car, but the costs of all items once within the park.  Have you stayed in a hotel near or in a park, or bought a meal, t-shirt, etc....?  Yellowstone is a classic example, or Grand Teton right next door.  Let's not forget traveling expenses, USA is a big place and it's an expense.  Try going from mammoth cave to crater lake (i've been to all four mentioned) in a day.....lol.

 

The military goes FREE, which means it does matter who you are.  They do have "free days" which i'm sure doesn't happen in Thailand.  I'm sure reduced rates for Seniors, kids, etc.....so there is discrimination!!!!!!  

 

so go do a trip, and record all your expenses.......and when your kids go free i will cry foul!!!!!!   lol

[cmth]

4 hours ago, puukao said:

for sarcasm, maybe i should have said, "I never leave home with a million dollars".

 

part of what i meant is NOT only the price per car, but the costs of all items once within the park.  Have you stayed in a hotel near or in a park, or bought a meal, t-shirt, etc....?  Yellowstone is a classic example, or Grand Teton right next door.  Let's not forget traveling expenses, USA is a big place and it's an expense.  Try going from mammoth cave to crater lake (i've been to all four mentioned) in a day.....lol.

 

The military goes FREE, which means it does matter who you are.  They do have "free days" which i'm sure doesn't happen in Thailand.  I'm sure reduced rates for Seniors, kids, etc.....so there is discrimination!!!!!!  

 

so go do a trip, and record all your expenses.......and when your kids go free i will cry foul!!!!!!   lol

I though we were discussing fees to get into the park not other expenses. Any of the other stuff is your choice not a mandated fee by the government. Let's just cut to the point. US National Parks do not charge foreigners any more or less than US citizens. If there is a senior or child discount it has nothing to do with nationality. The US Military does get some perks like free admission but seeing as how they are putting their lives on line daily to protect the land and people (citizen or not) it doesn't seem like discrimination to me. You can volunteer to work in the park for so many hours and get free passes. Is that discrimination as well? You are comparing an apple to an orange and you know it.

[TheSiemReaper]

The irony of cheapskates coming to live in Thailand and then finding that not everything is as cheap as they demand it be is amusing.

 

I don't see the same people lobbying their own governments over tourist visas, for example, for Thais. Visas which cost 10-20 times as much as a Thai tourist visa and which are quite often refused (with no refund). 

 

The AVERAGE Thai is simply much poorer than the AVERAGE farang. Yes, there are exceptions but no sane administrative system can account for exceptions without costing an insane amount of money. So, Thais get in cheap at Thai tourist attractions and foreigners don't - never mind, get over it already. When they can get in to your country easily and stay for as long as they like easily for a reasonable sum of money you can start moaning; until then you can knock it off and count your lucky stars that Thailand is far more reasonable towards foreigners than you give it credit for.

 

You are not obliged to visit a single tourist attraction here. If 300 baht is a lot of money for you - you might consider going home and getting a job and saving money until it's not. 

[puukao]

5 hours ago, cmth said:

I though we were discussing fees to get into the park not other expenses. Any of the other stuff is your choice not a mandated fee by the government. Let's just cut to the point. US National Parks do not charge foreigners any more or less than US citizens. If there is a senior or child discount it has nothing to do with nationality. The US Military does get some perks like free admission but seeing as how they are putting their lives on line daily to protect the land and people (citizen or not) it doesn't seem like discrimination to me. You can volunteer to work in the park for so many hours and get free passes. Is that discrimination as well? You are comparing an apple to an orange and you know it.

 you cannot get to the park without going to the park!!!  lol...and buying stuff in or near the park is part of going to the park!!! you justify the military reduction because of your own bias....

 

so Thais are biased as well.......and sometimes people get discount and sometimes they don't....did you really travel to Thailand and have no idea about this??????  so why complain???

 

you are comparing asteroids to the spotted frog and you know it!!!!  

[arithai12]

1 hour ago, TheSiemReaper said:

Yes, there are exceptions but no sane administrative system can account for exceptions without costing an insane amount of money.

Exactly what would be the insane administrative cost required for a system in which a person living, working, paying taxes in Thailand is admitted at the Thai price? Let me tell you: zero.

 

 

[cmth]

2 hours ago, TheSiemReaper said:

The irony of cheapskates coming to live in Thailand and then finding that not everything is as cheap as they demand it be is amusing.

 

I don't see the same people lobbying their own governments over tourist visas, for example, for Thais. Visas which cost 10-20 times as much as a Thai tourist visa and which are quite often refused (with no refund). 

 

The AVERAGE Thai is simply much poorer than the AVERAGE farang. Yes, there are exceptions but no sane administrative system can account for exceptions without costing an insane amount of money. So, Thais get in cheap at Thai tourist attractions and foreigners don't - never mind, get over it already. When they can get in to your country easily and stay for as long as they like easily for a reasonable sum of money you can start moaning; until then you can knock it off and count your lucky stars that Thailand is far more reasonable towards foreigners than you give it credit for.

 

You are not obliged to visit a single tourist attraction here. If 300 baht is a lot of money for you - you might consider going home and getting a job and saving money until it's not. 

Don't worry about where I am and whether or not I have a job.  I wouldn't be here if I didn't have money. You know nothing about me. What I choose to spend and what I think is a fair amount is my decision to make, not yours."Cheapskate", save your childish name calling for someone else. You people that sit safely behind your keyboard while talking to someone in a manner that you would never do in person make me sick. Since when has it become easy and cheap to stay in Thailand if your're not over 55 or married? I must have missed something. Over the past couple of years it has become much harder and much more expensive to stay in Thailand than any other county in SE Asia. Other countries Visa policies have nothing to do with my comment. If I applied for a Visa to any country and it was denied, I wouldn't expect a refund. It's right there on the Visa application that you sign.

[TheSiemReaper]

8 minutes ago, cmth said:

Don't worry about where I am and whether or not I have a job.  I wouldn't be here if I didn't have money. You know nothing about me. What I choose to spend and what I think is a fair amount is my decision to make, not yours."Cheapskate", save your childish name calling for someone else. You people that sit safely behind your keyboard while talking to someone in a manner that you would never do in person make me sick. Since when has it become easy and cheap to stay in Thailand if your're not over 55 or married? I must have missed something. Over the past couple of years it has become much harder and much more expensive to stay in Thailand than any other county in SE Asia. Other countries Visa policies have nothing to do with my comment. If I applied for a Visa to any country and it was denied, I wouldn't expect a refund. It's right there on the Visa application that you sign.

 

When the cap fits - wear it. I'm under 55, unmarried and staying here is as cheap as chips. 

 

If you want to moan about unfairness; you have to moan about it in both directions. If not, you're simply a hypocrite. Which let's be fair about your post here it is abundantly clear that you are. 

 

I'd happily meet you in a pub to tell you the same thing too. Cheapskates are the people who complain about a minor charge for a public attraction in a country that is not their own. Exercise your right not to visit such attractions and the fee will never concern your empty wallet again.

[cmth]

1 hour ago, puukao said:

 you cannot get to the park without going to the park!!!  lol...and buying stuff in or near the park is part of going to the park!!! you justify the military reduction because of your own bias....

 

so Thais are biased as well.......and sometimes people get discount and sometimes they don't....did you really travel to Thailand and have no idea about this??????  so why complain???

 

you are comparing asteroids to the spotted frog and you know it!!!!  

Based on your reasoning if I want to go to Tarutao National Marine Park, I will need to figure in plane tickets, bus tickets, tuk tuk fees, ferry fees, meals and all related expenses into price of entering the park? Doesn't make sense. These expenses are made by you at your discretion. It has nothing to do with entering the park. That is not the issue here. The issue is entering the park. If you don't think the military deserves a small token for their service, then I feel really sorry for you. I don't know what country you are from but every one from every county owes respect to their military personnel. I've been in Thailand for a long time and I have known about this for many years. The issue is that the prices keep going up and even if you stay here long term you are still paying tourist price. Up until a year or so ago, a Thai DL got you the Thai price. It's only recently that the government has decided that no matter how long you have been here, whether you pay taxes or not, you still get to pay more just because you are not Thai.

[cmth]

9 minutes ago, TheSiemReaper said:

 

When the cap fits - wear it. I'm under 55, unmarried and staying here is as cheap as chips. 

 

If you want to moan about unfairness; you have to moan about it in both directions. If not, you're simply a hypocrite. Which let's be fair about your post here it is abundantly clear that you are. 

 

I'd happily meet you in a pub to tell you the same thing too. Cheapskates are the people who complain about a minor charge for a public attraction in a country that is not their own. Exercise your right not to visit such attractions and the fee will never concern your empty wallet again.

I would very much like to meet you face to face and see if you still want to talk to me in same manner. I'm sure we could settle your issues with lack of respect and rudeness man to man. No pub needed. Cheapskate, hypocrite. Keep them coming. Name calling is best indicator of some one who is to weak minded to have a reasonable response.

[Dante99]

King Edward's Rules or freestyle?  Thicket price?

[jak2002003]

The extra pricing is just not right.  It's not about the money, for me its about making me feel like I am not part of this society and am being discriminated against for my nationality. 

 

At the national park or tourist attractions I can look over it.. because for locals these things should be free.  But when I come across it in restaurants, on street food vendors, and in day to day life with Thai people trying to charge you more money for stuff just because they think they can con a stupid farang this is what really upsets me.

 

Imagine going to a shop / restaurant  in London and seeing and knowing the price of an item.. then going to the cash desk to pay and getting told you have to pay 5 or 6 times as much as everyone else just because you are black, white etc.  It's not right.

 

I am under 55, unmarried and been living here 10 years.  Life in not easy for everyone.  If I had a choice I would return to the UK now, but financially I can not.  I have no home or family left n the UK and am now disabled, so now finding new work over there and coping on my own would be very difficult.  Don't judge everyone just by what you think they earn or their age.  People are all different.... but prices should be the same for everyone. 

[cmth]

10 minutes ago, Dante99 said:

King Edward's Rules or freestyle?  Thicket price?

I don't think any of that would be necessary. If he had to balls to show up (which I highly doubt), I'm sure we could come to a resolution rather quickly.

[JJGreen]

The extra pricing is just not right.  It's not about the money, for me its about making me feel like I am not part of this society and am being discriminated against for my nationality. 

 

At the national park or tourist attractions I can look over it.. because for locals these things should be free.  But when I come across it in restaurants, on street food vendors, and in day to day life with Thai people trying to charge you more money for stuff just because they think they can con a stupid farang this is what really upsets me.

 

Imagine going to a shop / restaurant  in London and seeing and knowing the price of an item.. then going to the cash desk to pay and getting told you have to pay 5 or 6 times as much as everyone else just because you are black, white etc.  It's not right.

 

I am under 55, unmarried and been living here 10 years.  Life in not easy for everyone.  If I had a choice I would return to the UK now, but financially I can not.  I have no home or family left n the UK and am now disabled, so now finding new work over there and coping on my own would be very difficult.  Don't judge everyone just by what you think they earn or their age.  People are all different.... but prices should be the same for everyone. 

You are not part of Thai society and never will be. Why should that matter?

And why should pricing be the same for everyone?

[cmth]

Just now, JJGreen said:

And why should pricing be the same for everyone?

 

Why shouldn't it be?

[JJGreen]

Why shouldn't it be?

You answer a question with a question?

[cmth]

Just now, JJGreen said:

 

You answer a question with a question?

 

It appears that I did, doesn't it?

[jak2002003]

3 minutes ago, JJGreen said:

 

 

You are not part of Thai society and never will be. Why should that matter?

And why should pricing be the same for everyone?

 

You are joking right?

 

You don't want to be part of the society in which you live?  Do you live alone in a cave in the National park by any chance? 

[evadgib]

On 8/4/2016 at 11:21 PM, sappersrest said:

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.

 

I don't know any veteran who would share your view, save perhaps for the the odd STAB from the era when they were little more than a glorified drinking club.

Edited August 7, 2016 by evadgib

[evadgib]

1 hour ago, Dante99 said:

King Edward's Rules or freestyle?  Thicket price?

 

I believe you are referring to the Marquis of Queensbury. King Edwards are potatoes or cigars

[JJGreen]

You are joking right?

 

You don't want to be part of the society in which you live?  Do you live alone in a cave in the National park by any chance? 

The rules are such it is made.obvious a
thai society will tolerate me but not embrace me.
I live in Thai society but I don't consider i will ever be an integral part of it.

[TheSiemReaper]

1 hour ago, cmth said:

I don't think any of that would be necessary. If he had to balls to show up (which I highly doubt), I'm sure we could come to a resolution rather quickly.

 

Yes, I always find that people who make threats on the internet and haven't got a pot to urinate in are the ones to be terrified of. You wouldn't be able to afford your hospital bills any better than the national parks you're too cheap to visit. So save the empty threats for someone who cares. Though in fairness that's probably no-one.