Hi folks, just another rant about prices for farangs v Thais.

I spent the New Year with the inlaws and apart from nursing a severe sangsom, chang induced hangover had a great few days there, also managing to get my visa run in at Chong Chom to thanks Thad

On the way home decided to stay a few nights in Khao Yai, and do the night time spotlighting in the game park ( has to be said that i have seen more wildlife on a month old yoghurt than we saw that night ) anyway, pulled up at the checkpoint and was told the price:

Car=50 baht
Thai visitor=20 baht
foreign visitor=200 baht

Eh? a 1000% Difference in price! The price for the safari was set by the size of vehicle you were in so no overpricing there, but had i of known that i was goin to see naff all i would not have bothered but thats a chance you take, but as this is supposed to be such a popular place to come to i really would like to know how they spend there money?

The vistors center had nobody in it ( staff )
The toilets were foul and the worst i have been to in Thailand.
No guide books or anything in English considering the overpricing and the fact that 45% of there business comes from foreign tourists.

I Am beginning to get really ****ed off with this now in this country, we dont do it to tourists in the Uk but its common practice here

Yeah It gets my goat aswell the only place it did'nt happen was a waterfall near where my missus lived and the family kicked up a stink about me paying and they dont and they eventually let me in for free which is a first for me

Mark,

I think you are wrong on this one! Khao Yai is one of the best national parks in the world, and is worth 200 Baht of anyone's money. It is also grossly under funded, and needs every Baht it can get.

So, there is no question of reducing the tourist rate below 200 Baht. The alternative would be to raise the rate for Thais above 50 Baht. But for many Thais, 50 Baht is several hours pay. I think it vital that Thais are encouraged to visit the park and better understand their beautiful country. Pricing Thais out of the park by raising prices to make it an exclusive zone for the rich or for farangs would be unacceptable.

I honestly would not dream of complaining about 200 Baht to enter such a wonderful place, and I would be happy to pay considerably more.

In my trips there I have always found the visitor centre to be staffed, and the staff helpful. As for the toilets, well, its a jungle out there!

I hope that, despite the 200 Baht, you enjoyed your visit?

Ian

why dont u just not go to thailand then and stop moaning

you choose to visit the country

stop moaning about it

they need to survive and earn money...leave them alone

I have to say, it would have been nice to hear from Mark about the beautiful forests, wonderful grassland, sights of elephants and deer, the cave with two million bats, the spectacular waterfalls, incredible birdlife, noisy and very easy to see gibons (two kinds!), and the fascinating hornbills (best place in the world to see them!).

Also, all credit to the Thai government for clearing the hotel and golf course from the centre of the park (although I did enjoy staying there!), and encouraging green tourism through the development of resorts around the edge of the park.

Ian

PS Yes, I love the place and wish I could go back there soon.

quote:

Originally posted by markymarc:
I Am beginning to get really ****ed off with this now in this country, we dont do it to tourists in the Uk but its common practice here

We do do it here.

Suppose you'd like a look around one of the colleges here in Cambridge; could be a few quid if you're on holiday, or totally free if you're a resident of the city and have a driving licence or something to prove it.

Right or wrong, I don't know. But I do smile when I can get in for free!

Naturally in London no one would dream of ripping off tourists!

Ian

If you are a resident of York, and can prove it, there is no payment needed to enter any of the museums

I got to admit it gets my goat also when I gotta pay so much more than a Thai. I understand the economics behind it & their way of thinking yet still it's hard to smile when I'm paying considerably more than the guy in front of me to see the same thing. Like it or not it's one of those things that you either do or don't do. Do you go to see something or do you miss out on something...after travelling over 6000 miles to be there in the first place? It makes it easier if you convert it into £'s & then you see how little it really is...that's what I try to do. At the end of the day, it's their country & they can charge what they want .... which they often do. I'd rather pay the extra couple of quid myself & have a good holiday than save £20/30 & have missed out on a few things.

quote:

Originally posted by Bryn&Mot:
If you are a resident of York, and can prove it, there is no payment needed to enter any of the museums

I thought all state owned museums where free now. Certainly York Railway museum is free for anybody....

We like trains

markymarc....
Ive been to the place three times now and payed extra on all visits and will probably carry on doing so until it changes...
as others have said its such a great place to visit you cant really not go....

On our second visit we were in a minibus and my sister in law had recently had a baby and at the time he was about 3 months old...when we got to the gates we had to pull off the road as the staff at the gate though the baby was my kid and there was a chance of us having to pay more...
It was just crazy, my missus was fuming...we didnt have to pay when the sister in laws fella started throwing a fit

i posted some more about it here....good debate

quote:

Originally posted by James and Neng:
why dont u just not go to thailand then and stop moaning

you choose to visit the country

stop moaning about it

they need to survive and earn money...leave them alone

Well now, I live here and I will still have a moan about it.... you know why?

Because it isn't just limited to Thais over westerners.... if you look slightly asian, you get the Thai price. Countless times I have been in a queue with Japanese, Koreans, Chinese and me, and I was the only one that had to pay the inflated cost..... and no, none of them could speak a word of Thai.

Also, please justify why a wealthy Thai can turn up at Kao Phanom Rung in a new Merc and only pay 10 Baht while I pull up on a 125cc two wheeler and have to pay 30...... based on those two examples it can only be one thing...it's racist

Ray

quote:

We like trains

Doth thou wear an anorak lad ?

Thaddeus,

I agree that it is racist if it isn't applied to all non Thais. However, I still feel it is entirely justifiable to have one price for Thais and another for visitors, simply to reflect the huge mismatch in incomes, and to make sure that Thailand really does benefit from tourism.

The alternative, is a khao san road type of culture, where tourists vie with each other to spend as little as possible - and as a result contribute little to Thailand, and effectively live in their own little enclaves.

Green tourism is the only hope for places like Khao Yai, but it will not work on 50 Baht a visit.

Ian

quote:

I thought all state owned museums where free now. Certainly York Railway museum is free for anybody....

Maybe the Railway is free,( I wonder why )

I worked in York for many a year, and it is a fact that the Museums are free to York residents, check out the bottom of thispage of the castle museum at York, Go to visiting page and scroll down


regards
Bryn

I'm suprised that no one has mentioned the price difference when booking accommodation. I came across This recently which clearly states For OVERSEAS MARKET ONLY.

Or how about this one which states EXCEPT MIDDLE EAST MARKET.

Conrad

Ray...I wouldn't have passed you at around 5am one Saturday morning would I as you stand on the end of platform 3 at Stafford with all your mates in the anorak brigade? If so I'll blow the horn next time!
Question....& I'm being serious here Ray. Why is it that when I/a train comes through a station & you all get your note pads & pencils out & run to the platform edge...that once you've taken the number down you all turn away? I thought it was the train folk were spotting but it seems more like number spotting to me.
IanB...I was down the Khao San road last week looking at buying a Zippo for a friend. I'd recentley purchased one in MBK two days previous for 199 baht. I was quoted 550 baht for the same one at Khao san! A small Beer Chang cost 70 baht in a road side cafe. I couldn't belive how expensive that place has become. I still make an effort to go there every trip for the odd bargain ( got a good price on a watch this time around ) but overall I think it's very much a rip off place to buy from....mind you...accomodation looked cheap...if you're backpacking it.

Most sane people like trains. Does not make us all anoraks though!

Hang on a second! There's a Class 37 going past my window right now! In central London. Aah, what a sound!

Ian

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:
I agree that it is racist if it isn't applied to all non Thais. However, I still feel it is entirely justifiable to have one price for Thais and another for visitors, simply to reflect the huge mismatch in incomes, and to make sure that Thailand really does benefit from tourism.

Agree

When Noi's son came for a visit we did all the usual tourist stuff, and the first place we visited that charged a fee was the Tower. As I got in line to pay behind a large group of Japanese he asked how much it was. When I told him (and it's a lot!) he asked how much for me, and was amazed when I said it was the same. He could see that as a tourist he had to pay more, but simply couldn't get his head around the idea that a native had to pay as much as a tourist. He accepted it, because it was the same everywhere we went that charged an entrance fee, but couldn't understand it.

BTW, whilst many museums are free (now) most tourist places aren't; the Tower, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge etc. all charge. Although many offer discounts to students, the unemployed and pensioners. Do people who object to Thais paying less than tourists in Thailand object to this practice in the UK, I wonder?

quote:

Originally posted by IanB:
Most sane people like trains. Does not make us all anoraks though!

Hang on a second! There's a Class 37 going past my window right now! In central London. Aah, what a sound!

Ian

Our flat overlooks Woking station, and on many Sundays in the summer we are treated to steam trains stopping, in the morning going one way and again in the evening going home.

Should I charge an entrance fee? No discounts for T-UK members, as many would see such blatent dual pricing as unfair!

quote:

Although many offer discounts to students, the unemployed and pensioners. Do people who object to Thais paying less than tourists in Thailand object to this practice in the UK, I wonder?

Nick
Slightly different as this practice is not restricted to just English people students of all nationalities get discounts, and I certainly know American oldies get discount

quote:

Originally posted by James and Neng:
why dont u just not go to thailand then and stop moaning

you choose to visit the country

stop moaning about it

they need to survive and earn money...leave them alone

I assume this is Neng speaking, and I gather Neng is Thai as I read it on the other thread about dual-pricing.
Can I ask you one question? Do you ever complain about ANYTHING in the UK?
If so, then I would like to politely ask you to pack your bags and go back to where you come from.

Not nice is it? The point about foreigners paying more is a good debate and everyone is entitled to an opinion, and it's just this sort of narrow-minded, racist drivel that can ruin a good discussion.

quote:

students of all nationalities get discounts

******! Pick was a student at the time!

quote:

******! Pick was a student at the time

Sorry but I have been into places with foreign students (we had quite a few stay on exchange visits to UK) where discount is allowed for students and so long as proof is given no problem - did you actualy ask for discount ?

Some interesting comments here. Well done jonny c for saying that.

The point still stands though, whether or not a western economic situation is greater than a Thai one, it wont take long for regular visitors to realise that most of the big tourist attractions like Khao Yai, the temples, the ancient Khmer Ruins etc,etc do charge more and in some cases a hell of alot more for foreign tourists than Thais. So catch 22 time really, i guess they are damned if you do and damned if you dont.

I would love to tell you how beautiful Khao Yai is, and it truly is, but it does not take away my original point and it ruined my visit there coupled with poor attention given to us by the hotel too.

This is a debate that will go on for ever, but it is just very frustrating that Thais percive Faramgs as wealthy when most of us are not.