Why Falangs Pay Ten Times More Than Thai

[pal78]

I went to Pookradueng national park with a Thai friend about 6 years ago when the prices were 20 baht for Thais and 200 baht for farangs. At the time I didn't think twice about it because it was a small price to pay for me.... I was a tourist at the time.

Anyway the story is that when we were up there we got up really early to go and watch the sunrise. We hiked over to the edge of the cliff in the dark with the hopes of getting a good view, but to our shock and surprise we were probably the last to arrive and there were over a hundred Thais waiting. Just then somebody in front of us beckoned us forward, and two girls sitting right on the edge of the cliff, in the most perfect spot were making their way to their feet and walking towards us smiling, as everyone else made way for us to take their place. My friend is Chinese Thai and was talking to me in English, so they must have assumed he was not Thai. Anyway he told me that they were saying stuff like "Let the farangs have the best spot because."

I felt a little guilty, but I thought it would have been a bit rude if I had refused. My friend felt very guilty, and he should rot in hel_l!

Anyway I might have paid 10 times more, but I got the best seat for a beautiful sunrise. And only the entrance fee was hiked, food, and tent rental was same for farangs as Thais.

[ZZZ]

Another reason for dual pricing, apart from the fact that the Thai people own many of these places via their government, is the spending power discrepancy.

Dual pricing was very common in Europe before EU and the Euro. Places like Spain and Greece very often had different prices for tourists and locals. Nowadays locals and tourists in Europe are more or less on par when it comes to spending power.

Dual pricing still exist at many Tourist locations around the world apart from Thailand. The thing is that locals live there around the year and visit many of these places often so in the end they contribute more than the tourist that only visit the place once.

[undercover]

One of the biggest con's I know about is the double pricing on spectacles, my wife pay's around 700 for hers while they want to charge me 5000 + thats just taking the piss, it wasent till I said to them I want the same as my wife that they finaly charged me the same price for the ones they were going to charge me 5200 for!

[Rainmaker]

Ocerseas student fees everywhere are more than local students pay but I bet when you studied in the west, your bus fare was the same as everyone else, you paid the same as eveyone else to go to a theme park or tourist attraction & wasn't ask to pay to get off the bus?

But when I went to school in the west, all foreign students must pay at least 3 times the local ones pay for tuition fees.

thai Driving lic

This double pricing is one of the reasons I never go to nature reserves or similar places that follow this practice.

I agree, which is a shame, mind you I went to chiang mai night safari and got the thai rate after the missus told them I lived here, they asked to see my thai driving license then they charge me the thai rate.

After picking myself up from the floor and checking my pulse, I realised this was a first? wow there is a god

[Rainmaker]

this old chestnut again. for national parks i have no problem with the policy.they must be maintained and that costs money,do you think it would be fair for a local thai manual worker to be unable to take his family to a beautiful area of HIS COUNTRY because he must pay several hundred baht each? a family of farang turn up in their 4 wheel drives after xmas lunch at the hua hin hilton(what did that cost?)and complain about paying for the upkeep of a beautiful area they wish to visit(5-6 GBP)i do not agree that we are ripped off in this case ,rather we are subsidising locals who perhaps would otherwise not be able to afford to visit.dual pricing is a difficult subject ,but i feel sometimes it is acceptable. my mother always complains that some museums in the uk are free to visitors ,but the locals are paying with their taxes and therefore foreigners should be charged. no easy answers to this old chestnut

In the US, state residents pay less for a fishing or hunting license than non-residents, same with state university tuition. The idea being that state residents pay with their taxes and non-residents don't.

That, I understand. Like I understand charging non-resident tourists a higher price than locals to use govt parks. But 10 times is excessive.

However, the dual pricing that goes on in the private sector has no basis in any kind of reality other than greed and bigotry.

as i have said ,this is a difficult subject.i do agree,SBK ,that it has no place in the private sector,and fortunately i have rarely encountered it there.one case worth mentioning is the grand palace in bangkok,200 baht for foreigners(not only farang),and free for thais.would anybody argue that this was wrong? i certainly would not ,as i think the locals should be able to visit this marvelous place regardless of their financial situation.

it would be sad if the prices were "evened out" and therefore disqualifying the poor.

I think you have a fair point, I dont mind paying more, but sometimes its the amount of increase,

[southerndog]

2 things...

I got my driver's license, and am able to enter things run by gov't at same price as thais. (AFAIK)

In a capitalist system, you make your voice heard by not purchasing that item, not by complaining about the price.

[southerndog]

Oh ya, one more thing, do the farang who work here complain that they get paid more because they are farang?

[barryofthailand]

Thanks for the reply but I think some of are missing the point by bring in university fees etc.

My objection is to the 10X more tariffs for a non Thai citizen.

I do pay may way here in Thailand I have 2 companies, both pay tax. My main company brings in a lot of revenue for Thailand and my personal tax per month is more than a well educated Thai earns a month.

I have two daughters both born here in Thailand and both attend International schools, My wife is Thai and my company employs 18 Thais, all of which had paid ten days holydays over Christmas and New Year.

Even showing my Thai driving licence the well medalled warden still insisted on 400 Bat per adult and 200 Baht for each child even for my Thai kids because his opinion was they looked more FALANG.

You might consider me mean but to pay ten times more in my humble oppinion is a bit of an insult.

Just bring your tax receit with you and you will always pay the local price.

Now agreed, some touristy places, for instance in Chonburi province no matter what you do charge quite a bit more for foreignors no matter if you live here full time or not.

Barry

[pampal]

I went to Chiang Mai over the holidays and visited Doi Suthep National Park. The entrance fee for the Mae Sa waterfalls was 20 baht for thai and 400 baht for OTT or other than thai

I passed on the waterfalls, too extortionate

[jumnien]

Oh ya, one more thing, do the farang who work here complain that they get paid more because they are farang?

Of course not! And you don't here any of us who live here complaining about all the hotel discounts resident farangs are eligible for that tourist farangs are not! The list could go on and on...

[cdnvic]

Dual pricing still exist at many Tourist locations around the world apart from Thailand. The thing is that locals live there around the year and visit many of these places often so in the end they contribute more than the tourist that only visit the place once.

That's not uncommon outside of Thailand. In many resort areas there are unwritten prices for locals in pubs and restraunts. They keep the places going in the off season, so they are treated well when high season hits too.

[kiakaha]

Oh ya, one more thing, do the farang who work here complain that they get paid more because they are farang?

That is a rather inept comparison because the foreigners who work in thailand legally will have a work permit and upon showing this will get the local rates. Therefore the legally working foreigner is not one of those who winges and moans about the pricing situation in the first place.

[t.s]

Oh ya, one more thing, do the farang who work here complain that they get paid more because they are farang?

That is a rather inept comparison because the foreigners who work in thailand legally will have a work permit and upon showing this will get the local rates. Therefore the legally working foreigner is not one of those who winges and moans about the pricing situation in the first place.

i think it is quite an apt comparison, but i agree many "legal" farangs couldn't care less about 2 tier pricing.

i have never been a victim of it, and a litle local knowlege can go a long way to getting you in free or at the same cost.

[Donz]

Donz I have been looking into studying next year at the Uni in KK. I was told that as I was not thai, therefore a foreign student, my fees would be the international student fee i.e. more than local fee. So as I said in an earlier post, foreign students anywhere, pay more than locals. That is a standard practice. But double pricing at toursit attractions isn't.

So if everyone does it then its ok then?????

ALso tourist attractions in australia, EVERYTHING is double the price, food, hats, sunnies etc. Its aimed really only at the tourists as the local usually know and will bring there own food and not really interested in buying a blue mountains hat when they live there.

So in a way its a sneaky way to catch manly tourist. So whats the difference really?

[Boo]

Donz come up with a better argument. The point was that Australia or the UK are not unique in charging foreign students more than local students.

[Donz]

Donz come up with a better argument. The point was that Australia or the UK are not unique in charging foreign students more than local students.

And my point was, what is really the difference?

[jackr]

Over the festive season I took my family from the UK sight seeing here in the Kingdom of Thailand and for the very first time was disappointed and annoyed by the officials with medals who seem to know best.

Having driven down in a convoy from our home in Bangkok with my pregnant wife at the wheel of Fortuner accompanied by my mother, and my two daughters and myself driving our aging 4 door 4x4 Grandis with my friend Ron, his wife and two sons, we arrived at Hua Hin on schedule to have Christmas lunch at the Hilton.

As Boxing day blurred to existence our early start to Prachuap Khiri Khan via Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park was brought to a halt from a well honored Thai national park official with multi-color ribbons displaying his courage in line of duty.

The obviously well decorated gentleman summoned our convoy over as we entered the national park from the Dolphin Bay resort side and demanded a fee of 400 Baht each to enter the National Park.

He smiled and asked us for 400 Baht per adult and 200 Baht per child, when my wife came forward from the following vehicle he told her that the cost for falangs was 400 Baht each but Thais need only to pay 40 Baht.

During his explanation several other vehicles was left to enter the National Park without being challenged which caused me to react with a big “sod you” with a big smile on my face as I jumped back to the vehicle and did a “U” turn back to the main Phetkasame road.

From here we entered the Park from a different route which had no obnoxious medallion man demanding silly money.

Has any of you had this experience and can anyone explain why falangs has to pay ten times more?

http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style...npid=8&lg=2

this old chestnut again. for national parks i have no problem with the policy.they must be maintained and that costs money,do you think it would be fair for a local thai manual worker to be unable to take his family to a beautiful area of HIS COUNTRY because he must pay several hundred baht each? a family of farang turn up in their 4 wheel drives after xmas lunch at the hua hin hilton(what did that cost?)and complain about paying for the upkeep of a beautiful area they wish to visit(5-6 GBP)i do not agree that we are ripped off in this case ,rather we are subsidising locals who perhaps would otherwise not be able to afford to visit.dual pricing is a difficult subject ,but i feel sometimes it is acceptable. my mother always complains that some museums in the uk are free to visitors ,but the locals are paying with their taxes and therefore foreigners should be charged. no easy answers to this old chestnut

If you think all the money goes into the park then think again chap! - being charged 10X the going rate is not subsidizing the locals, it's lining the pockets of the powers that be. To subsidize locals you lower the fee for the locals and not double which is what they have just done.

How about when a filthy rich Thai family turn up from the Hilton in their S class Merc? May be only 5 or 6 GBP but what's that got to do with the price of fish? We're not in the UK, we're in a developing Southeast Asian country where prices should be inline with where we are. Unfortunately over the last 4 or 5 years it has spiralled to them grabbing as much as they can. Of course those of us that have been here for a while can get around this with licenses/work visas and what not but the target is the tourist and they will continue to pay, thus prices will continue to rise.

Solution: kick the junta out of Burma, tourism will be diverted slowly from Muang Thai, Thais will realise their greediness too late when revenue is down 80% and eventually bring national park prices back down to just double what locals pay.

[himalayan]

Twice the local rate is "expected" sometimes. Be polite and pay one time but never go back.

10x the local rate is criminal. Refuse to pay and publish a nasty review on the web, if you can.

[Bruce1]

At Erewan NP near Kanchanaburi last weekend they were charging 400 baht for foreign tourists and 50 baht for locals. The wife and I showed our little brown tax cards to show we were working and paying tax in Thailand and got in for 50 baht. They just assumed our Filipino friend who was with us, and also works here, was Thai and didn't even query her. Same thing last year at Khao Yai.

So its not about foreigners versus locals, it's about foreign tourists versus local taxpayers.

But 10 times is still far too much.

Re. the Aussie comparison at places such as Ularu, the price quoted (generally regarded in Oz as exhorbitant BTW) previously was for all visitors local and foreign, but I think you would find that local residents could buy an annual membership to avoid having to pay that every time. We had a NSW National Parks membership at one stage and got a sticker for the windscreen of our vehicle.

So maybe the answer for Thailand is to introduce an annual membership for all national parks only available to people paying tax in Thailand.

[eljeque]

Over the festive season I took my family from the UK sight seeing here in the Kingdom of Thailand and for the very first time was disappointed and annoyed by the officials with medals who seem to know best.

Having driven down in a convoy from our home in Bangkok with my pregnant wife at the wheel of Fortuner accompanied by my mother, and my two daughters and myself driving our aging 4 door 4x4 Grandis with my friend Ron, his wife and two sons, we arrived at Hua Hin on schedule to have Christmas lunch at the Hilton.

As Boxing day blurred to existence our early start to Prachuap Khiri Khan via Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park was brought to a halt from a well honored Thai national park official with multi-color ribbons displaying his courage in line of duty.

The obviously well decorated gentleman summoned our convoy over as we entered the national park from the Dolphin Bay resort side and demanded a fee of 400 Baht each to enter the National Park.

He smiled and asked us for 400 Baht per adult and 200 Baht per child, when my wife came forward from the following vehicle he told her that the cost for falangs was 400 Baht each but Thais need only to pay 40 Baht.

During his explanation several other vehicles was left to enter the National Park without being challenged which caused me to react with a big “sod you” with a big smile on my face as I jumped back to the vehicle and did a “U” turn back to the main Phetkasame road.

From here we entered the Park from a different route which had no obnoxious medallion man demanding silly money.

Has any of you had this experience and can anyone explain why falangs has to pay ten times more?

http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style...npid=8&lg=2

this old chestnut again. for national parks i have no problem with the policy.they must be maintained and that costs money,do you think it would be fair for a local thai manual worker to be unable to take his family to a beautiful area of HIS COUNTRY because he must pay several hundred baht each? a family of farang turn up in their 4 wheel drives after xmas lunch at the hua hin hilton(what did that cost?)and complain about paying for the upkeep of a beautiful area they wish to visit(5-6 GBP)i do not agree that we are ripped off in this case ,rather we are subsidising locals who perhaps would otherwise not be able to afford to visit.dual pricing is a difficult subject ,but i feel sometimes it is acceptable. my mother always complains that some museums in the uk are free to visitors ,but the locals are paying with their taxes and therefore foreigners should be charged. no easy answers to this old chestnut

"rather we are subsidising locals who perhaps would otherwise not be able to afford to visit"

If one were to look at the total revenue picture of a national park, he would see that the attendance fees make up only one part and that the number of foreigners and their payment of higher fees is simply a drop in the bucket. It does not make the partks available for poor Thais who could otherwise not afford them.

[ZZZ]

But 10 times is still far too much.

Everything is relative, so what are you saying ? :

That 10 times the price is to much to pay for the tourist.

or

That 10 times the price is to much of a discount for the locals.

Most of the tourist entrance prices is very much in line with or, most of the time, much cheaper than in other countries. That makes it look like you are suggesting the second of the two above

[eljeque]

Donz come up with a better argument. The point was that Australia or the UK are not unique in charging foreign students more than local students.

And my point was, what is really the difference?

In the USA, state(province to Aussies) schools charge residents of their state a much lower fee than to rstudents from other states. So, a student from NY will pay the same as a student from Japan when attending a public university in California. Thi is because the California student's family has been paying taxes in that state for many years.

[meemiathai]

Thailand is such a racist country and always rips farangs off!

Why so many farangs are coming is beyond me.

Edited January 6, 2007 by meemiathai

[meemiathai]

Donz I have been looking into studying next year at the Uni in KK. I was told that as I was not thai, therefore a foreign student, my fees would be the international student fee i.e. more than local fee. So as I said in an earlier post, foreign students anywhere, pay more than locals. That is a standard practice. But double pricing at toursit attractions isn't.

So if everyone does it then its ok then?????

ALso tourist attractions in australia, EVERYTHING is double the price, food, hats, sunnies etc. Its aimed really only at the tourists as the local usually know and will bring there own food and not really interested in buying a blue mountains hat when they live there.

So in a way its a sneaky way to catch manly tourist. So whats the difference really?

Can't you see Donz? Boo's point is if farang countries are not doing that, Thailand should not be doing.

Thailand is absolutely on the wrong if she does not follow what the west is doing!

Come up with a better argument Donz!

[bmanly]

Donz I have been looking into studying next year at the Uni in KK. I was told that as I was not thai, therefore a foreign student, my fees would be the international student fee i.e. more than local fee. So as I said in an earlier post, foreign students anywhere, pay more than locals. That is a standard practice. But double pricing at toursit attractions isn't.

So if everyone does it then its ok then?????

ALso tourist attractions in australia, EVERYTHING is double the price, food, hats, sunnies etc. Its aimed really only at the tourists as the local usually know and will bring there own food and not really interested in buying a blue mountains hat when they live there.

So in a way its a sneaky way to catch manly tourist. So whats the difference really?

Well Donz I worked in the tourist industry for 11 years in Sydney and I can categorically say that everybody gets charged the same. Your point is just plain wrong, if I go to buy the sunnies it will cost me the same as the tourist, there is no 10 fold increase anywhere that I know of.

And again, in the 17 years of marriage to my Thai wife she has NEVER EVER been charged 10 X more for anything in my country for ANYTHING. If I was to go with my Thai license, my non O visa and my marriage certificate to the National Park, guess what????? I get charged 10 X more.

Now I want you to answer this from a previous question, why do think it would be terrible for Australia to charge 10 X more for "foreign tourists" (as you said) but you condone the practice in Thailand. Why the double standard?

[Mid]

Now I want you to answer this from a previous question, why do think it would be terrible for Australia to charge 10 X more for "foreign tourists" (as you said) but you condone the practice in Thailand. Why the double standard?

this may help .................

The Donz doesnt do research, I know everything already.

Cite

[Ulysses G.]

Also we make oversea's uni students pay like 6 times more then the local.

That is because they - and their parents - haven't been paying taxes to the government for most of their lives!

Whats your point?

Tourist who go to Thailand dont pay them taxes all there lives either?

The taxes that they have paid for years were helping support the University and the education system- amongst other things - but overseas students have contributed nothing in the past, so they have to pay a higher fee now.

[Grover]

Also we make oversea's uni students pay like 6 times more then the local.

That is because they - and their parents - haven't been paying taxes to the government for most of their lives!

Whats your point?

Tourist who go to Thailand dont pay them taxes all there lives either?

The taxes that they have paid for years were helping support the University and the education system- amongst other things - but overseas students have contributed nothing in the past, so they have to pay a higher fee now.

I understand the point, and it makes sense, but with this principle whats the difference between what you said and the tourist who has to pay double ?

[Rhodo]

I agree it does not make sense that foreigners who are tax payers in Thailand are forced to pay a higher price, and this is the biggest beef I have with the idea.

As for tourists, I agree with sbk - a slightly higher price for tourists (all tourists, not just non-Asians) is acceptable due to them not paying tax. Although I must admit I have never seen Japanese tourists get in for the local price.

What are you smoking ? Tourists who come in Thailand spend a lot of money for accomodation, food, entertainment, shopping etc. Why should they pay double or more for tourist attractions ? Tax paying or not is not the problem, those who pay taxes here are also making money here isn't it ?

Do we have to accept anything from thai people cos we live here ? Ridiculous. It's not because they are stupid that we have to cope with it.

[Rhodo]

Dual pricing was very common in Europe before EU and the Euro. Places like Spain and Greece very often had different prices for tourists and locals. Nowadays locals and tourists in Europe are more or less on par when it comes to spending power.

Bullshit.