[seawolferr]

I'm sure there have been many discussions about this subject in the past but I haven't found any.

Its the price systems that exists in nearly every tourist site in Thailand.

I had never really noticed it before because in the past I was travelling alone or on one occasion with some Irish friends.

But on a recent visit to Krabi I went to visit the Krabi hotsprings with some Thai friends and kids. I offered to pay the entrance fee.

For Thai people it was 20 baht, for me 50 baht.

Then onto a nearby waterfall.
Thai people 25 baht, me 70 baht.

Then to Sra Morakot the "Emerald Pool",
Thai price 20 baht, Farang price 200 baht.

Although it isn't a huge amount of money, I still feel paying twice, three times and even 100 times more than the locals is ridiculous.
Although I'm sure they knew of this, my friends seemed embarrassed.

There are two ways to look at this and take Sra Morakot as the example. Either 200 baht is the fair entrance fee and a discount of 180 baht applies to Thais only, or 20 baht is the fee and "farangs" are being charged more because we are all obviously filthy rich. (I wish)

I'm sure this happens throughout Thailand and I can only Imagine if tourist sites around Scotland had a similar price system that there would be an outcry and accusations of racism.

Am I alone in thinking this?

[duncanalisstmp]

yes itn has been done many times.

are you alone no.

[dafodilkemmy]

Relative to most Thais, foreigners are well off.
I prefer to think that the pricing makes things more accessible to Thais.

[cefunonge]

I think if most westerners compared their average salary to the average Thai salary - you wouldn't really find it was unfair to have a duel pricing system. As long as there is no deceit to deliberately hide the price, I see nothing wrong with it. Ultimately if the price is too exaggerated the attendance will surely suffer in the end.

[GeorgeEckland]

In India they have no qualms about double pricing, everything is double priced, however they clearly mark every sign in English letting you know what the locals pay.

In China they outlawed the practice because they thought it degraded the country.

In Thailand I get a sneaking feeling they're halfway between the two. They don't quite have the national pride of the Chinese nor the hard headedness of the Indians. They charge double prices, but then feel shame for doing it, so try to hide it.

Personally I just see it as supply and demand economics, the TAT raised and lowered its national park entry fees in response to visitor numbers, Ocean World raised its prices, if they were losing money by this they wouldn't continue to do it.

[feedcomnet]

Ocean World seems to get the brunt of ire in regards to the policy of double pricing in Thailand. The guy in charge of Ocean World was interviewed a few months ago on Thai t.v. but they didn't ask him about the policy.

My belief is that, like the scams that continue to thrive in Thailand, the two tiered pricing system is something that some get very vocal and upset about, but the majority of tourists are either clueless or simply don't care. Indeed I'm sure if Ocean World and the like were actually losing money from lack of foreign tourists, of course they would be insane not to change the policy.

But perhaps their revenue stream doesn't depend solely on foreigners, or more likely I suspect, foreign visitors don't really care about the higher price they have to pay at all. Their thinking is probably that they are on vacation and going to enjoy themselves, what's a few extra bucks to see an aquarium right (or any other place that charges a higher price for foreigners)? So they pay whatever and go on their merry tourist way.

[tefraxKedWere]

This has been discussed in great length on the forums. It usually turns into a big argument with some people saying other countries do the same and also the Thais have a right to charge more as it is their country.

I have stated my case clearly on this before. Local businesses can charge more for foreigners if they like, but they should give us the right to choose. I have never liked it when they sneakily write the real price with the rarely used Thai numerals. They should follow the practice of places like the Vimanmek Teak Mansion that shows in Arabic numerals the different prices. That way we have the right to choose whether we think the admission price is fair. On seeing the 500% markups sometimes I have walked away. Although they charge you more it doesn't mean you will get better value for money. Often the exhibits or commentary are only in Thai language. In some ways we should be the people who get a discount!

According to the 1997 Constitution of Thailand, it is illegal to discriminate against people due to their religion, colour or race.

[aideriimibion]

Personally I have come across very little dual pricing. The only two occasions that come to mind are Safari World and a minibus we took from southern Buriram to Bangkok a few years ago.

The case with the minibus I was quite angry about because we went and booked tickets five days before and two days before we visited the office again to tell them what hotel we wanted to be dropped off at in Bangkok. On the night of the journey the minibus came and picked us up at my sister-in-law's home and then called at the office where the lady who had seen us twice before decided that if we didn't pay a 200% 'Farang' surcharge we would have to get off the minibus. And the surcharge also applied to my wife for being Mia Farang this despite at the time we were not married only engaged.

On my recent trip I went to a barber shop in Sateuk where there was a price list displayed that started off at 45 Baht and went up to the last item on the list which was 'Farang Price 100 Baht'. On finishing cutting my hair the barber told me the charge was only 50 Baht so he got a tip too.

David

[tefraxKedWere]

On my recent trip I went to a barber shop in Sateuk where there was a price list displayed that started off at 45 Baht and went up to the last item on the list which was 'Farang Price 100 Baht'. On finishing cutting my hair the barber told me the charge was only 50 Baht so he got a tip too.

I don't mind paying more for a good service from honest people. The guy in this case deserved to be rewarded and everyone left happy.

[dafodilkemmy]

On my recent trip I went to a barber shop in Sateuk where there was a price list displayed that started off at 45 Baht and went up to the last item on the list which was 'Farang Price 100 Baht'. On finishing cutting my hair the barber told me the charge was only 50 Baht so he got a tip too. In some cases, dealing with foreigners brings to mind a sign I saw in the States.

Labor Rates:
$10 per hour.

If You Help:
$20 per hour!

[seawolferr]

Just curious, does this "farang surcharge" apply to tourists from "poor" neighbouring countries. I.E. Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia e.t.c

[feedcomnet]

Just curious, does this "farang surcharge" apply to tourists from "poor" neighbouring countries. I.E. Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia e.t.c

I think it's not called a 'farang surcharge.' I'm not a farang but I still have to pay the higher price, because I probably don't "look" Thai I suppose. I guess it's "easier" to distinguish caucasians and others not from Thailand, but probably those from neighboring countries would also pay, if they didn't "look" like they are from the area and did not speak Thai.

[majestictwelve]

They usually write in smaller Thai giving information about how much a Thai has to pay in Thai numbers. And then on the bottom of the signs they would write in bigger English saying how much farangs have to pay.

Have you ever encountered something like that?

à´ç¡ ñð ºÒ·
¼ÙéãË*è òð ºÒ·
Foreigners 80 baht

For people who can't read Thai, or even better, Thai numbers, I've seen lots of such signs at ticket booths. Most of them are official and are at government-run tourist attractions even.

[AntonayPina]

my favourite has been when I spotted the massage parlour at Sankamphaeng hot springs having Thai and farang prices (don't remember the difference now, only that they use Thai numerals). it is quite unusual for massage to have two tier pricing. when I asked, they explained quite graphically: khon thai, tua lek. khon farang, tua yai. (Thais are small, foreigners are big.) they were so funny and cute I was just laughing at them.

[NutChusty]

Australia a couple of years ago set up a free trade agreement, between Australia and Thailand, that means we don't charge each other tariffs, to encourage more trade and increased the economic benefit between the two countries. Well if an Australian is getting charged more, than this seems to be a breach of this contract and the Australian government should make a protest against the Thai government and threaten to rip up this free trade agreement, if Thailand does not comply.
It is in Thailand's economic interest to have free trade, and by doing things like this, people may travel elsewhere, because if it's going to cost just as much to see a Thai attraction as an Australian attraction, then maybe people will start saving the cost of the airfare and holiday on the Gold Coast instead. Competition will eventually rule and since China does not have this policy, maybe China will start taking a bigger slice of the south east Asian tourist pie.
The next point is, the largest amount of tourists are return visitors, people who visit Thailand many times, if these people stop coming back due to discrimination, that can be devastating to the Thai economy.
I think it's about time economic experts and politicians in Thailand started reviewing this policy and they will find long term it makes sense to encourage more tourism buy having one price for all.
Not all farangs are rich and not all Thai's are poor.
Thailand is a great country, but it can be better, so by getting rid of corrupt policies, Thailand can be even better.

[JANALA]

Australia a couple of years ago set up a free trade agreement, between Australia and Thailand, that means we don't charge each other tariffs, to encourage more trade and increased the economic benefit between the two countries. Well if an Australian is getting charged more, than this seems to be a breach of this contract and the Australian government should make a protest against the Thai government and threaten to rip up this free trade agreement, if Thailand does not comply.

International trade agreements on tariffs/quotas on goods, between the governments of two countries, are vastly different to foreign tourists being charged more to visit attractions, whether or not they are publicly or privately run. So no luck there I'm afraid Paul!

It is in Thailand's economic interest to have free trade, and by doing things like this, people may travel elsewhere, because if it's going to cost just as much to see a Thai attraction as an Australian attraction, then maybe people will start saving the cost of the airfare and holiday on the Gold Coast instead. Competition will eventually rule and since China does not have this policy, maybe China will start taking a bigger slice of the south east Asian tourist pie.
The next point is, the largest amount of tourists are return visitors, people who visit Thailand many times, if these people stop coming back due to discrimination, that can be devastating to the Thai economy.
I think it's about time economic experts and politicians in Thailand started reviewing this policy and they will find long term it makes sense to encourage more tourism buy having one price for all.
Not all farangs are rich and not all Thai's are poor.
Thailand is a great country, but it can be better, so by getting rid of corrupt policies, Thailand can be even better. These points are accurate though, the rather unpleasant money-grabbing attitude that prevails in SE Asia is quite a turn-off for tourists. It should take the average tourist about 24 hours to realise what the symbol for 'baht' is in Thai (ºÒ·) and having done so it's not too much of a cerebral task to figure out that a sign that says:

¤¹ä·Â XX ºÒ·
Foreigner XXX baht

might be conveying two different prices. I find it very unattractive.

However, there's only one Thailand in the world, so unless its abuse of perceptions of foreign wealth reach much lower depths people are still going to come.

If the government is so eager to increase tourism in these troubled times though, they really ought to clean this up at publicly-run attractions.

[LOVEBoy]

It should take the average tourist about 24 hours to realise what the symbol for 'baht' is in Thai (ºÒ·) and having done so it's not too much of a cerebral task to figure out that a sign that says:

¤¹ä·Â XX ºÒ·
Foreigner XXX baht

might be conveying two different prices. I find it very unattractive.

Usually tho, it's not done in a way that even the smart first-time tourist might figure it out. For example, the Khun Thai price would have a Thai-language number and instead of "Foreigner" it would just say "Price".

[KitRittyTug]

HI

I can understand if thai national parks have a two tier pricing if the government is helping to fund the parks. In the USA we have two tier pricing in our state university depending if you live in state or not can be double the tuition.

when the average Farang probably makes 5 to 10 times the average Thai I can tolerate
a two tier system.

But In reality the Thais do see all farangs as being wealthy. every time my wife and i go shopping and she wants a good deal she tell's me to get lost for a while so the shop keepers don't see me.LOL

[dafodilkemmy]

In the USA we have two tier pricing in our state university depending if you live in state or not can be double the tuition. Actually, that tuition can be ten fold or more!

State parks, hunting and fishing license fees, and some private concessions also have multi-tier pricing. Locals may not even notice.

[ZonaPutaX]

I was at Wat Arun recently. There at the entrance kiosk was a sign stating an entrance fee (can’t remember how much). I walked up spoke in Thai “Khun Thai tong jai ler?” He replied go ahead no need to pay. And so I waltz right in as the other Koreans and Japanese tourist were digging into their wallets for their money.

I am Asian exposed to long hours of sunlight and looks like Thai.