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

[Kwasaki]

6 hours ago, tracker1 said:

Well 1 thing Minister you won't be getting 400 baht from this little black duck or any foreign tourists that visit me !

Me too  

[kjhbigv]

These types from other threads have gone a bit quiet.....

 

"OP,

Sorry, I am late to this "discussion."

My contribution: "So what!" Get used to different fees at different places here and in other countries. "

[elgordo38]

4 minutes ago, sugarcane24 said:

"..are we not supposedly all equal?" 

Yes, but as George Orwell put it, some are more equal than others. 

If your religious ask the big guy in the sky. Supposedly we are all equal but in practice no.

[kunfish]

3 hours ago, Naam said:

correct! when our son visited us he got a Florida driver's license  and saved a big bundle visiting Disney, MGM, Seaworld and some other attractions.

Ok, this assumes you are resident, pay taxes, live there, so a discount. 

 

In the US, of course, you pay $25 to get into a national park. And so on. A state park in WA is $10 a day. I don't understand why people are getting so upset.

 

Okay:

 

1. Thais makes a lot less. Fine. I'm happy to pay $7 to get into TanTon Waterfall in Chaiyaphum or whatever. 

2. Most westerners / "First world" people make a lot more money and $7 to $11.50 is not too bad.

3. Most Thai people only make that much a day, holy cow. My wife's friend is a hard working women at at government office, not a "professional" (like accountant), only brings in 10-15 a day).

 

People need to relax.

 

Extra pricing on food? Take it easy, people. Easy to get upset, easy to forget.

[johnno2]

don't mind paying a bit extra. DO mind paying 10 times extra what thais pay. They won't be getting anything from me either.

[SpeakeasyThai]

2 hours ago, chivo said:

I'd love to open a restaurant in America and if a hi-so visitor from Thailand came in, I'd surprise them with a bill that was double the menu prices. When they called it out I'd explain that they're rich enough to travel overseas, therefore richer than the average American, so they should pay. 

;-)

Why only double? They charge farangs  10 times more. You're too forgiving!

[kunfish]

1 minute ago, johnno2 said:

don't mind paying a bit extra. DO mind paying 10 times extra what thais pay. They won't be getting anything from me either.

I don't kinda paying more. Esp. since most non-Thailand people make far more money than Thais.

[Gandtee]

When I first came here many years ago I had the pleasure with my new Thai wife of taking my half dozen small nieces and nephews to the various National Parks, during their school holidays. At that time the entrance fees were a pittance, but still more for me than the Thais. Over the years the fees went up and the 'farang' fees higher still. Sometimes I could get in for the Thai fee by showing my Thai driving license. It began to annoy me to think I was having to pay for the privilege of paying and giving pleasure to the Thai family, even though it was a pleasure for myself. We stopped doing National Parks and found our pleasures elsewhere. Perhaps that is the only answer. They are all adults and educated now and I've never thought to ask their opinion of two tier pricing. Perhaps I'm too apprehensive?

[spidermike007]

Just another example of the extraordinary level of ignorance, and the astonishing lack of talent that Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul possesses, and continues to demonstrate. It is a law that all foreigners who possess either a drivers license, or a Thai ID card, can get into the parks at the same price as the locals. The lawmakers who wrote that law were considering what foreigners contribute to the local economy and the common decency within that right. Now, this ignorant woman is tearing all that asunder, with her continued rampage, dumb, thoughtless proclamations, and her destruction of the tourism industry. She is single handedly (with alot of help from Little P.) causing a real decline in an industry that millions of Thai people depend on. Sure, the numbers are still up there. But, over 10 million of those people are Chinese, and most of those tourists do not spend much money here. I said most. There are some middle class, and some Chinese with money that visit. But, not alot. Not like back in the days, when many wealthy Western tourists used to come here and spend $250 to $2,000 per day. Those days are long gone. Thanks to Kobkarn and her ilk, and the general lack of talent within the industry. 

 

I for one refuse to pay this amount. When I visit, and they do not accept my ID, I get back in my car, and turn around.

[chickenrunCM]

4 minutes ago, kunfish said:

Ok, this assumes you are resident, pay taxes, live there, so a discount. 

 

In the US, of course, you pay $25 to get into a national park. And so on. A state park in WA is $10 a day. I don't understand why people are getting so upset.

 

Okay:

 

1. Thais makes a lot less. Fine. I'm happy to pay $7 to get into TanTon Waterfall in Chaiyaphum or whatever. 

2. Most westerners / "First world" people make a lot more money and $7 to $11.50 is not too bad.

3. Most Thai people only make that much a day, holy cow. My wife's friend is a hard working women at at government office, not a "professional" (like accountant), only brings in 10-15 a day).

 

People need to relax.

 

Extra pricing on food? Take it easy, people. Easy to get upset, easy to forget.

you don´t understand the main point, it is about nationality, not about who can pay what and how much people earn money, the thai millionair pays 40baht and the foreign student pays 400 Baht an the foreign family who save money for years to be able to travel 

to Asia, pay 10 times more than a thai family who can just drive some km to see the park. 

National parks are for the people who live in the country not for tourists. And having differen prices is discrimination, what is a crime in developed countrys. There is no difference in selling a product 10 time higher to you as a thai pays and the national park entrance. Why you not pay 10 times more for hotel, gas, food, telefon, cinema, flights aso? By your logic it is the same

 

[Dogmatix]

The good lady may not be aware of what she has done by agreeing to this but her enlightened decision should boost the construction sector by facilitating the construction of many new mansions, the retail sector through the purchase of many new luxury cars and the coffers of exclusive foreign schools and universities by facilitating overseas education for spoiled brats of low paid civil servants. The decision should have impact on the cleanliness and effectiveness of the organisation of national parks.

[SpeakeasyThai]

47 minutes ago, Covenant said:

Cannot believe people are complaining about this.

A little over $10 for a day out, and it's not as if you are compelled to go.

There has to be a charge to provide basic maintenance for the parks, nobody can dispute that, and would need to be higher to fund the nice toilets and facilities that some on this site moan about.

The balance has to be there to make it affordable for Thai's to go to these places, and for some to quibble over $10+ for a once or twice a year experience is very poor

Maybe YOU should pay 4,000 bt to improve the toilets when you feel 'compelled to go'.

[evadgib]

Just a thought, but are all tickets identical or is there a star of David on any flogged to the long-noses?

 

Can a Thai wife buy a family pass @the Thai/local rate if fatty remains unseen at time of purchase? If tickets are identical there's little chance of being rumbled once in!

 

Has anyone checked the small print to see if there is an exception for retd/DL or work permits?

 

(Yeah I know-Fat chance!)

 

Just curious as I won't be going either way.

[yogi100]

2 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

I completely agree with everything you say except that the cheap strumpets for hire are not so cheap any more, even they whack up their short time for Farlang. Many can be compared to the prices they charge in main land Europe and the States,. I have known Farlangs that have been literally cleaned out after the so called cheap strumpets have finished with them.

 

I`ve lived here a long time, have Thai wife although not officially married, dogs and everything, have firmly laid my roots here. But over the last couple of years I have seriously been considering chucking all in, in Thailand, a country where the natives will never let you call your home. And if I do go it will be to western country, never to an Asian country again.

 

It's very stressful moving house, let alone moving to another country and it gets more so as you get older. But I would not like to grow old in the LOS nor would I advise anyone to even consider doing so. It can change from paradise to hell overnight, I've seen it happen! Our embassy won't want to know, you'll mean nothing to them.

 

I've had some old pals fall ill in Thailand and the looks of fear and despair on their faces when I've visited them in hospital has given me the willies. I've also had chums die out there. It's bad enough back home among your own people however when someone is seriously ill and seeing them being put under pressure by scowling people in white coats to keep coughing up money was the final straw for me.

 

It really makes worrying about paying 400 baht to visit a national park fade into insignificance.

[recom273]

I don't know why everyone's getting so wound up - look, there's going to be a new system to bring order to the tourist industry, controls on visitor numbers, transpancy of accounting by local government and flying pigs.

 

Some of you guys are never happy.

[kunfish]

3 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Just another example of the extraordinary level of ignorance, and the astonishing lack of talent that Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul possesses, and continues to demonstrate. It is a law that all foreigners who possess either a drivers license, or a Thai ID card, can get into the parks at the same price as the locals. The lawmakers who wrote that law were considering what foreigners contribute to the local economy and the common decency within that right. Now, this ignorant woman is tearing all that asunder, with her continued rampage, dumb, thoughtless proclamations, and her destruction of the tourism industry. She is single handedly (with alot of help from Little P.) causing a real decline in an industry that millions of Thai people depend on. Sure, the numbers are still up there. But, over 10 million of those people are Chinese, and most of those tourists do not spend much money here. I said most. There are some middle class, and some Chinese with money that visit. But, not alot. Not like back in the days, when many wealthy Western tourists used to come here and spend $250 to $2,000 per day. Those days are long gone. Thanks to Kobkarn and her ilk, and the general lack of talent within the industry. 

Seems she stated she wants to shut down brothels? A lot of work ahead of her.

 

She studied in America, so she's seemingly be fairly liberal.

[chickenrunCM]

7 minutes ago, kunfish said:

I don't kinda paying more. Esp. since most non-Thailand people make far more money than Thais.

so pay 10 times more for your food, rent, cinema, drinks, flight as you make more money than Thais do, good luck

[kunfish]

2 minutes ago, Dogmatix said:

The good lady may not be aware of what she has done by agreeing to this but her enlightened decision should boost the construction sector by facilitating the construction of many new mansions, the retail sector through the purchase of many new luxury cars and the coffers of exclusive foreign schools and universities by facilitating overseas education for spoiled brats of low paid civil servants. The decision should have impact on the cleanliness and effectiveness of the organisation of national parks.

She studied in the American NE, the land of Tax and Spend liberals. There you go.

[kunfish]

2 minutes ago, recom273 said:

I don't know why everyone's getting so wound up - look, there's going to be a new system to bring order to the tourist industry, controls on visitor numbers, transpancy of accounting by local government and flying pigs.

 

Some of you guys are never happy.

She is smart. Tourists will pay it without thinking. Easy money. 

[kamahele]

While I am neither rich, nor a fan of discriminatory pricing (especially since I pay taxes in Thailand), it's only $12.  The minimum wage in Thailand is only something like $9 per day and I expect the minimum wage in the countries from which most foreigners visiting National Parks in Thailand is much higher than 300 baht per day. 

[the guest]

16 minutes ago, kunfish said:

Ok, this assumes you are resident, pay taxes, live there, so a discount. 

 

In the US, of course, you pay $25 to get into a national park. And so on. A state park in WA is $10 a day. I don't understand why people are getting so upset.

 

Okay:

 

1. Thais makes a lot less. Fine. I'm happy to pay $7 to get into TanTon Waterfall in Chaiyaphum or whatever. 

2. Most westerners / "First world" people make a lot more money and $7 to $11.50 is not too bad.

3. Most Thai people only make that much a day, holy cow. My wife's friend is a hard working women at at government office, not a "professional" (like accountant), only brings in 10-15 a day).

 

People need to relax.

 

Extra pricing on food? Take it easy, people. Easy to get upset, easy to forget.

So American citizens are getting conned by their own country, despite having to pay tax. In Europe we are a little bit more civilized, and recognize the value of our citizens. Hence we have good schools and hospitals (free of course), and parks which are free which is paid by our tax into the system. Seems that the US and Thailand have something in common.

 

 

[hotchilli]

Vote with your feet & see how quickly it gets dropped... as for visiting farangs... send this across the world on social media & all the travel blogs.. boycott national parks for blatant racism, price fixing discrimination... whatever you want to call it
Plus to drive the message home, in foreign countries entrance to all national parks will be 10X the normal rate for Thai citizens

hope they enjoy the view!!!

[binjalin]

and she has that smirk, xenophobic 'let's cash in' look on her face

 

disgraceful!  

[kunfish]

15 minutes ago, chickenrunCM said:

you don´t understand the main point, it is about nationality, not about who can pay what and how much people earn money, the thai millionair pays 40baht and the foreign student pays 400 Baht an the foreign family who save money for years to be able to travel 

to Asia, pay 10 times more than a thai family who can just drive some km to see the park. 

National parks are for the people who live in the country not for tourists. And having differen prices is discrimination, what is a crime in developed countrys. There is no difference in selling a product 10 time higher to you as a thai pays and the national park entrance. Why you not pay 10 times more for hotel, gas, food, telefon, cinema, flights aso? By your logic it is the same

 

Ok, yeah, agreed. Someone should tell gov't to exclude permanent residents and teachers.

[Covenant]

I think for 400 baht it gives one some moaning rights. Nice toilets etc. should not be an option. Personally I have not set a foot  in a park and have no intention of doing so. To make it affordable for the Thai's sounds like some kind of subsidy are we not supposedly all equal. Cancel 1 submarines and spend it on the parks. Get your priorities straight. 

I love your statement about not going to the parks, nor intend to...

Why do you even have an opinion then, you should not even be writing on this topic.

[Retiredandhappyhere]

About 4 years ago, I visited a "tourist attraction" up in Mae Wong, which consisted of a small river flowing over large boulders, which was a very pleasant setting for kids and toddlers to swim and paddle in.  However, the three trash bins provided were overflowing onto the ground and stank like hell.  Wedged between the boulders next to the river were all the remnants of the last visitors' meals and containers and plastic bags and, worst of all, a lot of broken glass, which was extremely dangerous for all the kids playing on the rocks.

 

The "restaurants" consisted of wooden shanty-town shacks with rusty tin roofs totally lacking in hygiene and I will not attempt to describe the squat toilets.  All these delights were described on the huge notice board on the main road as "TOURIST ATTRACTION".  It should be obligatory for these attractions to be accompanied by an adjacent hospital.

[jesimps]

At a guess, I'd say about 99% of posters think that charging foreigners more than Thais is discriminatory and immoral. I've stopped saying racist because that word has been hijacked by the anarcos and they now have copywrite on it. They tend to get slightly pear-shaped (if that's not being racist towards pears) with anyone who tries to nick it.

The 1% I guess are the Thai-bashing policemen, the "Two wrongs make a right" crowd and those sick herberts commonly known as WUMs.
 

[Kasset Tak]

I went with 5 Thai friends to one national park bosting its waterfalls, the park ranger said totally 600 Baht (400+5*40=600) and restaurant closed so my friends told them that then we can go somewhere else. So we went to another place that's free of charge, payed 300 Baht for lunch and ate it sitting 3m from a waterfall.

[neilyboy]

6 hours ago, tracker1 said:

Well 1 thing Minister you won't be getting 400 baht from this little black duck or any foreign tourists that visit me !

Won't get mine either, in my country are encouraged not robbed.

[Psimbo]

6 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.

Its not double pricing- its DUAL pricing. 400 baht is not exactly extortionate. Considering the income of most foreign visitors is at least ten times that of Thais what's the issue so long as it is clearly publicised. I get the feeling its the 7/11 drinkers who take exception to this.

 

Just to annoy you even more I can get into Doi Inthanon without paying and its perfectly legal.

 

UK National parks are free but expensive to park in, Canadian National parks have free entry but slap on all sorts of fees and a person visiting Yellowstone Park pays 15 bucks (35 for a car) as a comparison.