Thailand to collect 400-baht national park entrance fee from foreign visitors

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, maoro2013 said:

So I show my licence or Yellow Book and it proves I am not a tourist, so I should be right?

 

Probably incorrect journalism, probably not 'tourists' but 'foreingers'

Used to be, not any more. Although even if it was, I personally wouldn't participate out of priniciple.

[Dogmatix]

I have seen the tourism minister speak to a roomful of hoteliers. She gives the impression of being very sincere but not very bright. A perfect choice for a civilian minister in a military government. She got her own forecasts wrong in her slides and came up with ridiculous promotions like mountain biking for European over 50s in Prart and Lsmpang. The hoteliers politely warned her that there were no suitable hotels for affluent mountain bikers to stay at in those provinces. She has been chairman of Toyota Thailand but only because her family is the passive Sino-Thai rent collector in a company where the Japanese manage everything.

 

I think we can assume she was just obediently doing as she was told without a second thought.

Edited March 6, 2017 by Dogmatix

[yogi100]

32 minutes ago, retarius said:

It's racist.

 

No it's not. Read the article slowly.

 

According to the article it simply says it applies to foreign visitors. Therefore the visitors could be Chinese, Burmese, Malaysian or Cambodian who are of the same race as the Thais.

 

You're just playing the racist card in a situation where racism does not exist. You probably meant xenophobic or nationalistic. They are not the same thing as being racist.

A Scotsman can hate the English but that does not make him a racist.

 

 

[cyberfarang]

Just now, MartinL said:

Wouldn't it create a real stink among those of Thai nationality if differential pricing was applied to Thai-Chinese, Thai-Vietnamese etc. etc. - those who aren't ethnic Thais.

Good smart answer but Thai-Chinese, Thai-Vietnamese etc. etc are born here and I`m sure that if people`s from around this region who are not Thai but look Thai will be charged the Thai going rates assumed to be Thais by appearances. I have a Filipino friend born in America. He could easily pass himself off as Thai by appearance. When he  is here he visits these many tourist attractions that have installed duel pricing. Each time he only gets charged the Thai going rates by his appearance, no questions asked, whereas when I have accompanied him I get charged the foreigner rates, makes no difference how long I`ve lived here or whether I speak Thai or not. As I said that is discrimination pure and simple.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, maoro2013 said:

So I show my licence or Yellow Book and it proves I am not a tourist, so I should be right?

 

Probably incorrect journalism, probably not 'tourists' but 'foreingers'

you farang, you pay more. 

[jonclark]

6 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

I have seen the tourism minister speak to a roomful of hoteliers. She gives the impression of being very sincere but not very bright. A perfect choice for a civilian minister in a military government. She got her own forecasts wrong in her slides and came up with ridiculous promotions like mountain biking for European over 50s in Prart and Lsmpang. The hoteliers politely warned her that there were no suitable hotels for affluent mountain bikers to stay at in those provinces. She has been chairman of Toyota Thailand but only because her family is the passive Sino-Thai rent collector in a company where the Japanese manage everything.

 

I think we can assume she was just obediently doing as she was told without a second thought.

Mountain biking for the over 50's.

 

Better put some of the hospitals on emergency alert

[jesimps]

30 minutes ago, nuananddon said:

Never thought of it that way, but, you are spot on there!

No he isn't!

[Shawn0000]

13 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

Just for comparison I lifted the following for NSW Aust.

 

Motor vehicle entry fees are charged at 45 of over 850 NSW national parks and reserves.

This fee relates to motor vehicles, not to people, so you only need to pay for each motor vehicle you bring into the park (including motorbikes). If you ride a bike or walk, entry is free.

 

The average price for these 45 parks appears to be 8AUD PER VEHICLE not PER PERSON. So a thai visitor being taken to a park would pay nothing.

 

As I said, just for comparison.

 

Some examples of dual pricing around the world, these are the percentage difference between locals and tourists:

 

Taj Mahal, India - 3500%

Fort Jesus, Kenya - 380%

Machu Picchu, Peru  - 196%

Seashell Museum, Bangkok - 200%

Persopolis, Iran - 2400%

Borobudar, Indonesia - 666%

Victoria falls, Zimbabwe - 428%

Valle de Ma, Seychelles - 2700%

Galapagos NP, Ecuador - 1666

 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Shawn0000

[Bangna Betty]

Doubling the entry price to 400 Baht is so disgraceful. We paid 200 Baht at Koh Samet on the weekend, they took no notice of work permit. The increased fee is supposedly for "efficient administration of all parks etc etc' -  if they couldn't do it properley for 200 Baht per person, how is increasing the fee going to help?  It really upsets me that so much entrance money has gone astray, see stories on Koh Samet, and now we are being used to bring in some extra revenue.  And over the years so many immoral Thais have benefitted but the nationsl parks have been degraded and infrastructure and msintenance have not been put in place. And who loses actually? The Thai people, because this is their country and their environment and heritage has been wrecked. 

[Naam]

19 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

I get no concessions for bringing over my British income, spending and investing my money in Thailand and yet I`m still considered a foreign visitor according to the Government here although in fact I am not a visitor, I am a resident and registered as a resident with immigration.

no concessions? did you ever pay a single Baht Thai income tax on your British income?

[theoldgit]

50 minutes ago, cheapskatesam said:

Somebody should start a thread on TripAdvisor asking all farang to boycott. The average Farang /  Russian family on holiday will pay it thinking its normal.  

I did see a thread on Trip Advisor complaining about the double pricing in a restaurant in Bangkok, and Australian woman visitor defended the policy saying that she didn't mind the higher prices as the Thai people didn't earn very much and she was happy to pay the higher prices so that local Thai people could afford to eat there.
My wife was incensed and told the woman that her attitude was patronising and offensive, she didn't respond. 

[Dogmatix]

Even going to the huge trouble and expense and the long wait to get permanent residence doesn't officially exempt you from this or many other discriminations in Thailand. Getting PR is actually prima facie evidence that you are a filthy rich foreigner ripe for exploitation.

[bbbbooboo]

hmmm.....they won't be collecting 400 baht off me, for sure....

[cyberfarang]

17 minutes ago, Shawn0000 said:

 

I have seen rubbish in some of the most popular parks, but in the evening, after the hordes left, they came and cleaned everything up and they were spotless again by the morning, by in large I would say that they are among the cleanest places in Thailand.  It seems you are opposed to paying, have you actually visited the parks?

So what I am led to understand you are saying is that if foreigners ceased visiting the parks and they received only Thais paying the Thai going rates, then they could not afford to maintain their labour and cleaning expenses. You`re logic is a load of horse manure.

[alant]

So basically she told the chaps with boats who complained they no longer get customers to visit the island parks to shove it and on top of that we are going to give your boats the once over for annoying us???

[Shawn0000]

Just now, cyberfarang said:

So what I am led to understand you are saying is that if foreigners ceased visiting the parks and they received only Thais paying the Thai going rates, then they could not afford to maintain their labour and cleaning expenses. You`re logic is a load of horse manure.

 

How on earth did you read that into what I said?  Your post is horse that needs putting to sleep.

[aslimversgwm]

2 hours ago, onemorechang said:

Great.

Spend around  million Baht here each year.

Retired,  look after Thai citizens ,financially

New money into the Thai economy each year.

This is what they think of us.

 

Very true.

 

Amazing Thailand.

 

 

 

 

Same same me. Treated like <deleted> at CM immigration and now this!

[Shawn0000]

14 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

Good smart answer but Thai-Chinese, Thai-Vietnamese etc. etc are born here and I`m sure that if people`s from around this region who are not Thai but look Thai will be charged the Thai going rates assumed to be Thais by appearances. I have a Filipino friend born in America. He could easily pass himself off as Thai by appearance. When he  is here he visits these many tourist attractions that have installed duel pricing. Each time he only gets charged the Thai going rates by his appearance, no questions asked, whereas when I have accompanied him I get charged the foreigner rates, makes no difference how long I`ve lived here or whether I speak Thai or not. As I said that is discrimination pure and simple.

 

No, that is the ticket collector making a mistake, pure and simple, the Filipino should be charged the higher rate.  And no, living here a long time and speaking Thai makes no difference, you would have to take the step to getting permanent residency to get the Thai price.

[elgenon]

I would pay 40baht more. I hope she does limit the number of ferries etc and the number of people admitted. Letting Thais do whatever they want to make money and leaving behind filth and destruction is not good for the kingdom. Or for foreigners that pay for a happy experience. Charging more for food begs the question "What is their thinking" and it is obviously "Because I can". Any legitimate private business serving a public recreation spot should be forced by the government to treat everyone equally. Especially because the options are limited. The national parks etc I would think are supported by taxes. I could be wrong.

[aslimversgwm]

34 minutes ago, eggers said:

Last week, in Chiang Mai/Rai & given discounts at various parks & other local attractions.

Understand Expat residents get discount by showing Thai drive licence or other proof of residency for entry to National parks & other tourist areas? 

Not any more you don't. I used to show my Thai driving licence and get in for Thai price but that stopped a while  back. Maybe  a pink I'D card obtainable if you have a  house or condo yellow book may do the trick. Anyone know for sure? 

[daveAustin]

She can shove her parks! It is not worth the humiliation. Stopped taking visitors years ago. I think the world should get together and charge Thai people ONLY to enter their national parks.

[George2]

Once again they miss the point that it's supposed to be a TOURIST tax, the people who don't live and pay taxes here. All it ends up being is a white people charge.

 

It's pointless anyway since they just use the revenue for the park rangers netflix subscription instead of actually taking care of the park.

[aslimversgwm]

1 minute ago, aslimversgwm said:

Not any more you don't. I used to show my Thai driving licence and get in for Thai price but that stopped a while  back. Maybe  a pink I'D card obtainable if you have a  house or condo yellow book may do the trick. Anyone know for sure? 

Forgot to say: the op is correct as far as non-national parks are concerned especially if you are over 65 or 60 in some places like Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens and CM Zoo for example 

[cyberfarang]

35 minutes ago, Naam said:

no concessions? did you ever pay a single Baht Thai income tax on your British income?

And here we have another irrelevant smart response that proves you`re another one who knows nothing.

 

I pay income tax on my British pension incomes and interest on my British bank interest. I pay 15% tax on my Thai bank interest and VAT on most of what I spend in Thailand. as a matter of fact I am paying tax on virtually everything I do both in Britain and in Thailand.  Considering all my income comes from Britain and is transferred into a Thai bank and I pay tax on the interest, in theory I am paying Thai income tax on my British income.

Edited March 6, 2017 by cyberfarang

[realenglish1]

400 Baht  Ya RIght 

Well thanks for making my decision I will not be going to a national park any time soon.

This is a slap in the face

I will forward this news to the State Department and see how they feel about American Tourists being gouged 

 

President Trump will take a dim view of this I am sure of that  

 

 

Edited March 6, 2017 by realenglish1

[TPUBON]

What about us expats? We live here, pay taxes, spend our money, purchase homes. Do we fall under tourists?

 

I have gotten into parks for the Thai price by showing my drivers license but not all parks do that.

 

I think back to the ferris wheel where tourists were charged more. Complaints were made. Tourists avoided it and the price came down.

[SpeakeasyThai]

4 hours ago, Jessi said:

More discrimination by the Thai Government. Double pricing standards all over this Country.

The Government does it so all small business think its OK to rip off the tourist.

Yes, setting the standards from the top and making it fair game to play 'Fleece the Farang'. Furthermore, one should always pay to avoid losing Thai face.

[cyberfarang]

22 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

I did see a thread on Trip Advisor complaining about the double pricing in a restaurant in Bangkok, and Australian woman visitor defended the policy saying that she didn't mind the higher prices as the Thai people didn't earn very much and she was happy to pay the higher prices so that local Thai people could afford to eat there.
My wife was incensed and told the woman that her attitude was patronising and offensive, she didn't respond. 

I have visited restaurants in Chiang Mai where they had 2 menus. One in Thai language and another in English language. The English language version added an extra 10 baht for the same bill of fare. The menus had printed photos of the meals and the owner made the mistake of leaving both menus on my table. That is how I discovered the rip off.

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

quality of the tourism industry by controlling the number of tourists

Really you cannot have it both ways Ms. K either you want tourists or you don't. Quality hmm we have seem some doozy examples of that in the last couple weeks. 

[kcpattaya]

Avoid Krabi.
Next.