Racism, anger and why dual pricing makes sense to Thai people

[snoop1130]

Racism, anger and why dual pricing makes sense to Thai people

By Laurel Tuohy

 

Original illustrations: Praew Tansanga

 

If you’ve been living in Thailand for any length of time, chances are you’ve come across dual pricing. This is the practice of charging different groups of people different prices for the same item or service.

 

In Thailand, this presents itself as differing prices for Thais and foreigners. While the issue never crosses most thai people’s minds, it can make foreigners feel angry or taken advantage of.

 

There are even websites devoted to this phenomenon. One popular site, 2PriceThailand, advocates for abolishing the dual price system and teaches foreigners Thai numbers so that they can better know when they are entering a place that employs a dual pricing system, whether overtly or covertly.

 

Full Story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2017/01/13/racism-anger-and-why-dual-pricing-makes-sense-thai-people-0

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2017-1-13

[SneekyPete]

"In fact, it’s best not to get angry at street vendors that use this practice either. The best thing to do is to calmly take your money and spend it elsewhere. "

 

That may be so, but it sure does feel good to vent one's spleen at that moment. And ain't it funny that the ones with the authority to make such changes are rarely, if ever, in the firing line of an angry farang, so as to fully appreciate the upset dual pricing inspires.

Edited January 13, 2017 by SneekyPete

[jaltsc]

“…understanding why it’s done and remembering that it’s not intended as an insult toward you, personally.

It’s quite normal to have an emotional reaction to dual-pricing. Victims report feeling singled out, rejected, judged, stereotyped or even violated by episodes of dual pricing…The professor noted that it’s not worthwhile to get angry with institutional staff that employ a dual price system. They didn’t create the policy and may not even agree with it.”

 

Ah Yes....The same reasoning and use of the "educated" that was used to justify slavery and apartheid in the past and continues to be used to justify their equivalents in the present fishing industry. Racism is racism, exploitation is exploitation, no matter how one tries to spin it for the sake of the profiteers.

 

 

[fruitman]

I buy a LOT from Banggood.com so i get everything for a cheaper price than the Thai vendors....i love that. And they even bring it to my house for free, give excellent service and give me birthdaypresents.

 

 

[fruitman]

Also the westerners who have been in Thailand liked that soooo much that they all go elsewhere now for holidays....

[trogers]

I don't care if it's dual, triple or 100-fold pricing.

 

I would evaluate the product or service with their asking price before deciding to buy it. And most of these places with dual pricing don't get my business... ??

[ezflip]

Anyone who says that foreigner should pay more since they have more money is basically saying that it is ok to scam people.

 

Since when is it ever ok to scam people? Be it 10 baht or 100 baht or 1000baht... a scam is a scam.

 

Better to walk away and give your business to honest people.

[ezrider62]

12 minutes ago, SneekyPete said:

"In fact, it’s best not to get angry at street vendors that use this practice either. The best thing to do is to calmly take your money and spend it elsewhere. "

 

That may be so, but it sure does feel good to vent one's spleen at that moment. And ain't it funny that the ones with the authority to make such changes are rarely, if ever, in the firing line of an angry farang, so as to fully appreciate the upset dual pricing inspires.

 

 

Yes, so true! But I have learned not to get angry and take my business elsewhere and this makes me feel much better than getting worked up. I still complain about it though to my Thai wife and she also never thought good of it(dual pricing) she had lived in America also with me.

[overherebc]

I needed to buy a belt and watched a Thai buy a leather belt in a local market while I was looking at stuff on the stall next to it. He paid 100 baht. After he walked away I picked a belt exactly the same and asked how much? 200 the stall owner said. I handed over 100 and said he only paid 100 so I pay the same and walked off with the belt.

I still use it.

[laislica]

Cuba had an official (but very unpopular) dual pricing system and their new leader is about to remove it.

In 1969 I was working in Penang and I saw several prices offered and it depended who was the seller and who was the buyer.

Best price was Chinese to Chinese, then Chinese to a westerner, then Chinese to Indian and finally Chinese to Malay.

If it was a Malay or Indian seller, then they had their own favorites.

I wonder if it's still the same?

At the end of the day, IMHO, the seller wants to get the best return from a sale.

He has a price that the locals will bear and he has to charge that or less or sell nothing.

He sees the foreigner as someone who is a millionaire for their holiday, has money to burn and even appears to enjoy burning it.

So why not try to get more?

Sure it's pure greed but if there are enough stupid foreigners who just pay up, this becomes a new market value as far as the seller is concerned.

 

When I retired to Spain from the UK in 2000, I gave tips to the bars and restaurants.

That is until Spanish friends pointed out that the Spanish people were not tipping like me.

That I was effectively telling the bar owner that he should change more.......

 

When I came to Thailand about 5 years ago, I met an American.

He said that "You Brits have stuffed it all up for the rest of us"!!

He went on to say that we were happy to buy our g/f or wife a house.

So much so, that it has become the currency of a relationship.

No  house, no relationship and they will keep fishing until they find one.

 

I suppose that this is a kind of dual pricing?

 

[ramrod711]

Normally dual pricing doesn't bother me very much, but recently I went for a haircut, there is no price list so I assumed the usual price of 200 baht was in effect. When I was just about finished the woman asked her boss or coworker 200 or 250 Baht for farang?  I said I always pay 200baht, she said that she had raised the price for the new year, not knowing that I could understand their conversation. I will vote with my wallet as I usually do, they have seen the last of me.

[fruitman]

2 minutes ago, laislica said:

I suppose that this is a kind of dual pricing?

 

 

That's pure stupidity mate.

 

But it's true, the western tourists have ruined it here and now prices are higher than in the West.

 

My wife bought her own house, car and pays her own holidays. She's happy with that and me as well.

[laislica]

2 minutes ago, fruitman said:

6 minutes ago, laislica said:

I suppose that this is a kind of dual pricing?

 

 

That's pure stupidity mate.

 

 

What is?

 

Partial quotes make it hard to follow.....

[Prbkk]

4 minutes ago, ramrod711 said:

Normally dual pricing doesn't bother me very much, but recently I went for a haircut, there is no price list so I assumed the usual price of 200 baht was in effect. When I was just about finished the woman asked her boss or coworker 200 or 250 Baht for farang?  I said I always pay 200baht, she said that she had raised the price for the new year, not knowing that I could understand their conversation. I will vote with my wallet as I usually do, they have seen the last of me.

 

Mine tried that: she doesn't have dual pricing but went for the big increase ( 200 to 300) because business was so slow. Lasted 10 days as her business went from slow to glacial. Now back at 200: loss of face but she might survive.

[NCC1701A]

I am fortunate that I am good looking so I always get quoted the best price at the gogos.

[Shawn0000]

55 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

“…understanding why it’s done and remembering that it’s not intended as an insult toward you, personally.

 

It’s quite normal to have an emotional reaction to dual-pricing. Victims report feeling singled out, rejected, judged, stereotyped or even violated by episodes of dual pricing…The professor noted that it’s not worthwhile to get angry with institutional staff that employ a dual price system. They didn’t create the policy and may not even agree with it.”

 

 

 

Ah Yes....The same reasoning and use of the "educated" that was used to justify slavery and apartheid in the past and continues to be used to justify their equivalents in the present fishing industry. Racism is racism, exploitation is exploitation, no matter how one tries to spin it for the sake of the profiteers.

 

 

 

 

Except this is not racism, Asians also get charged the foreigner rate.  Is it also racism  in your opinion that is the motivation behind Switzerlands and Japans dual pricing offering lower rates for tourists?

[Prbkk]

59 minutes ago, fruitman said:

I buy a LOT from Banggood.com so i get everything for a cheaper price than the Thai vendors....i love that. And they even bring it to my house for free, give excellent service and give me birthdaypresents.

 

 

 

That's the only shopping site I've seen with a huge range of DIY/home tattoo machines.....only in Thailand!

[Oxx]

Of course, the government leads the way with dual pricing for tourist attractions.  The little people (and some not so little people) are only following their government's glorious example.

[jaltsc]

21 minutes ago, Shawn0000 said:

 

Except this is not racism, Asians also get charged the foreigner rate.  Is it also racism  in your opinion that is the motivation behind Switzerlands and Japans dual pricing offering lower rates for tourists?

 

Perhaps you should read the article and not only the responses. The article quoted the source as saying: 

 

“You see, according to the professor, Asian tourists from outside of Thailand, such as Korean, Japanese or Chinese visitors, are charged the local rate based on their appearance despite the fact that they aren’t Thai and can’t speak a word of Thai.”

 

If you are going to present non referenced opinion, you should state that fact before offering it. 

 

As for Japan's and Switzerland's policies....They are in place in order to increase the flow of foreign money into their economy. I am sure that you will find that the Thai policy of price gouging is attractive to those planning vacations. 

Edited January 13, 2017 by jaltsc

[Shawn0000]

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

I buy a LOT from Banggood.com so i get everything for a cheaper price than the Thai vendors....i love that. And they even bring it to my house for free, give excellent service and give me birthdaypresents.

 

 

 

What makes you think that site is cheaper than Thai venders? 

[Shawn0000]

2 minutes ago, jaltsc said:

 

Perhaps you should read the article and not only the responses. The article quoted the source as saying: 

 

“You see, according to the professor, Asian tourists from outside of Thailand, such as Korean, Japanese or Chinese visitors, are charged the local rate based on their appearance despite the fact that they aren’t Thai and can’t speak a word of Thai.”

 

 

If you are going to present non referenced opinion, you should state that fact before offering it. 

 

Its just hearsay, if you have ever been to a tourist attraction where there are Chinese tourists you would know that their claim is entirely false, my wife is often asked to prove she is Thai despite obviously speaking Thai as she is Thai, but she probably does look more like an Indian than most Thai's.

[fruitman]

21 minutes ago, Prbkk said:

 

That's the only shopping site I've seen with a huge range of DIY/home tattoo machines.....only in Thailand!

 

Banggood.com has much more, use their search function...i even don't know what they all have, that much. 

 

And for me it's just 3 clicks and my purchases are underway.

 

It's in Hongkong, not in Thailand...that's why it's such a nice shop. Everything is 2-3 times cheaper than in Thailand and free shipping.

[bokningar]

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

I buy a LOT from Banggood.com so i get everything for a cheaper price than the Thai vendors....i love that. And they even bring it to my house for free, give excellent service and give me birthdaypresents.

 

 

As long as you are happy, but I can't find 1 price there that I cant fine a cheaper option on ebay or even Lazada, when they have smilar stuff.

 

Edited January 13, 2017 by bokningar

[fruitman]

Just now, bokningar said:

As long as you are happy, but I can't find 1 price there that I cant fine a cheaper option on ebay or even Lazada.

 

 

From ebay it won't arrive in Thailand, had that loads of times...but from Banggood it arrives very fast, 8 days or so. It's registered mail, china post directly from mainland china never arrives here...it disappears and than they refund me but i get tired of that.

 

Lazada thinks we are stupid with those 40-50% discounts all the time, i don't need that. But i never bought from them.

[The Man Who Sold the World]

USA: 

 

I take full advantage of my military discount. 

There are resident vs. non-resident fishing and hunting licenses, resident vs. non-resident theme park (Disney/Great Flags/Dorney Park/Sesame Place) pricing schedules, teachers discounts, first responders discounts, police discounts...

 

I see no difference at all...

[sinbin]

I went to a national park with my wife and 3 children. Okay I am asked to pay 10x more than a Thai to get in. I understand Thais are racist but the issuer of tickets asked my wife to prove my children's nationality.

Anyone who says Thais aren't racist are Ting Tong. Seriously.

[laislica]

4 minutes ago, The Man Who Sold the World said:

USA: 

 

I take full advantage of my military discount. 

There are resident vs. non-resident fishing and hunting licenses, resident vs. non-resident theme park (Disney/Great Flags/Dorney Park/Sesame Place) pricing schedules, teachers discounts, first responders discounts, police discounts...

 

I see no difference at all...

 

I feel that is a different but an acceptable thing. Local discounts.

Here I think we are talking about local vendors price gouging and the bad feeling that causes.

 

[onthesoi]

8 minutes ago, sinbin said:

I went to a national park with my wife and 3 children. Okay I am asked to pay 10x more than a Thai to get in. I understand Thais are racist but the issuer of tickets asked my wife to prove my children's nationality.

Anyone who says Thais aren't racist are Ting Tong. Seriously.

 

We've already been over this...

 

 

Edited January 13, 2017 by onthesoi

[laislica]

9 hours ago, sinbin said:

I went to a national park with my wife and 3 children. Okay I am asked to pay 10x more than a Thai to get in. I understand Thais are racist but the issuer of tickets asked my wife to prove my children's nationality.

Anyone who says Thais aren't racist are Ting Tong. Seriously.

 

 

Racist or not, IMHO any Thai family supported be a farang makes them all non Thai as far as price gouging is concerned. They are the lucky lotto winners so have money to burn!  If we are in a market and my wife sees something I like, I continue walking and she makes her purchase.  When we get work done on her house, I stay well out of the way whilst the job is priced and agreed.  Sometimes there is a look on the workman's face that says Sh1t, I'd have charged more if I'd known!

[sinbin]

7 minutes ago, onthesoi said:

 

We've already been over this...

 

 

No we haven't. The thread was cut short by a moderator.