Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

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Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

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Expats Facebook Group Keeps Tabs on ‘Dual Pricing’ Venues

By Khaosod English

July 9, 2020

BANGKOK — The days of showing up at a pristine national park only to be told you’d be charged 10 times what a local would pay is over, thanks to a Facebook community naming and shaming venues that continue to apply “farang prices” on foreign visitors. Now you can avoid them like the coronavirus.

In 2PriceThailand Facebook group (see: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2pricethailand/ ), expats living in Thailand are warning each other about places that demand dual pricing for foreigner regardless of their residence status, a practice openly endorsed by by state and private businesses alike, despite criticism of outright discrimination.

“The intention of this group is to give foreigners the ‘Right to Choose.’ We don’t think it is fair that some tourist attractions disguise the fact that they have a dual price system,” the group’s About page says.

“Our opinion is that if they want to overcharge foreign tourists by as much as 200% then that is their decision. But, don’t do it in a way that is both sneaky and insulting.”

The group also says they hope to see the abolishment of the dual-pricing system in Thailand.

“Thai people are internationally known for their kind and generous hospitality,” the bio section says. “The actions of a few tourist attractions are damaging that reputation.”

The group’s admin is popular British blogger Richard Barrow, who regularly writes about Thailand’s tourist attractions and scams on his websites.

One of the posts in the group is a warning by user Aisha Moller Pedersen that the foreigner admission fee for Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park is 150 for foreigners and 20 baht for Thais.

Just to step on the beach at Nangyuan Island Dive Resort, foreigners pay 200 baht (doubled up from 100 baht due to COVID-19), while Thais pay 30 baht, group memberTrevor Cardozo posted on Monday.

Another user, Nosha Assareh, wrote that at Koh Chang Waterfall, the entrance fee was 200 baht for foreigners, while adult Thais only pay 20 baht.

“I was there during the weekend and brought my work permit as well but no luck and worst of all the ticket-seller was very rude,” Assareh wrote Tuesday. “So, we decided to leave. This is a widespread and systematic racism which should be stopped immediately.”

User Adrian Mira Leon wrote Wednesday that adult foreigners pay 100 price to enter the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden in Chiang Mai, while Thai adults pay 40 baht.

But it’s not all negativity – members also post about places that offer the same prices for Thais and foreigners. “Sukhothai Historical Park offering same prices for Thai and farang,” wrote user Philippa Boyd in a Sunday post.

“Doi Tung Tourist Attraction – no duel [sic] pricing, and the nicest gardens I’ve seen in Thailand,” posted Breandan O Donnghaile on Monday, referring to the Mae Fah Luang Botanical Garden in Chiang Rai.

A tourist attraction in Nakhon Pathom province charges 150-300 baht for Thais, and 650 baht for foreigners.

Dual pricing – known derisively among the expat community as “farang price” – is a long-established practice in Thailand, where tourists are often treated as golden geese by certain business operators.

The practice is justified by an argument that Thais pay taxes to maintain the public venues like national parks, even though expats in Thailand also contribute their income tax money – sometimes more than their Thai counterparts.

Dual pricing existed even during the coronavirus pandemic, as seen in some hospitals charging “farang price” for virus testing. A number of temples and national parks also banned expats from their sites, citing a vague claim of coronavirus concern.

Story, photos, and graphics: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/culture/ ... ng-venues/
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Re: Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

Post by gerefan »

Strange that article doesn’t mention the worst offender...The Royal Palace!
Last time I went it was 500 baht for me and FREE for Thais.
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Re: Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

Post by Gaybutton »

gerefan wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:59 pm Last time I went it was 500 baht for me and FREE for Thais.
When farang prices are unreasonably much higher than Thai prices, does anyone besides me wonder into whose pocket that money is going?
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Re: Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

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Someone else will have to post a link to the Twitter account. I don't use Twitter at all - because Trump does, and they tolerate his bullshit.
______________________________

Foreigners take aim at dual pricing

Facebook group and Twitter account call for fairness and transparency

11 Jul 2020

An online movement is gathering momentum to publicise the widespread practice of charging foreigners as much as 10 times what Thais pay at local tourist attractions.

The timing is particularly appropriate since the country is still closed to foreign travellers. Consequently, the tourism industry is relying on domestic travellers for survival. That includes tens of thousands of expatriates who live in the country year-round and pay taxes.

Foreigners who pay 300 baht to enter a national park while Thais pay 30 baht are now sharing their experiences and posting photographic evidence on the Facebook page 2PriceThailand (see: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2pricethailand ), which has attracted 6,800 members since it was created on June 16. A companion Twitter account, Two Price Thailand, is also online with 2,100 followers.

The Facebook group is the brainchild of Richard Barrow, a longtime British expat and well-known travel blogger with more than 160,000 followers on Twitter.

“We don’t think it is fair that some tourist attractions disguise the fact that they have a dual-price system,” writes Mr Barrow, who is the administrator of the Facebook page.

The reference is to venues that post the prices for Thai visitors in Thai numerals, which most foreigners cannot read. Consequently, they may not realise a Thai is paying far less.

“Our opinion is that if they want to overcharge foreign tourists by as much as 200% then that is their decision. But, don’t do it in a way that is both sneaky and insulting,” said Mr Barrow.

“Many Thais and foreigners agree that the dual pricing system is hurting the image of both the tourism industry and Thailand itself. Thai people are internationally known for their kind and generous hospitality. The actions of a few tourist attractions are damaging that reputation.

“We respectfully request a transparent pricing system in Thailand as the first step. But, ultimately we would like to see the #2PriceThailand policy abolished.”

Many of the contributors to the Facebook page contend that as year-round residents and taxpayers, they should be treated the same as Thais when it comes to traveling in the country.

“They weren’t interested that we worked in Thailand and had Thai spouses,” wrote Katherine Salmon of her experience at Sa Morakot (Emerald Pool), a popular attraction in Krabi, where Thais are charged 20 baht and foreigners 200 baht.

At Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, which straddles Loei, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun, admission for Thai adults is 40 baht but foreigners pay 500 baht.

At Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai, the Thai and foreign prices are 50 and 300 baht respectively. Christoph Ladisch posted a picture of a sign in English which notes that discounts used to be available for foreigners who held a work permit and driver’s licence, but that policy was cancelled in February 2015.

Not all the news is bad, and there are also numerous posts about destinations that are easier on foreigners’ wallets.

Corina Martin wrote: “Just been to the Phuket Thai Hua Museum in Phuket old town and they gave us a reduced price as we are work permit holders. We paid 100 baht, not quite the Thai price of 50 but at least better than the foreign visitor price of 200 baht.

“Would be nice if they just changed their fees to include Thais and expats as resident rates. We all pay taxes here after all,” she wrote.

The two-price issue was raised at a recent panel discussion on the tourism outlook at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand.

Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor for marketing communications for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said he was not happy about foreigners being subject to dual pricing. He said he had already raised the issue with officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment about the situation in the parks.

“We’d better treat them as equal. … This would be a very good time to reform tourism and make it right,” he said.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... al-pricing
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Re: Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

Post by Bangkokian »

i have an opinion on this that many will disagree with.

I look on double pricing as a discount for Thai citizens and farang tax payers who have already contributed in their taxes. Of course, it should not be a big difference between the two. This of course is only for state owned attractions.

On the other hand, private vendors and establishments have absolutely NO right to double charge. I will never patronise them. One problem is having travelled for hours to an attraction it's hard to turn around just to make a point.

Please no comments about how many Thais actually pay taxes - I've heard this all before.

One nice point is that I travelled to the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden with a farang friend -- the cashier peered at us and said "you two go in for free -- you are so old".
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Re: Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

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Bangkokian wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 4:16 pm i have an opinion on this that many will disagree with.
I don't like the "Farang Price", but I don't have a big problem with it either. Mainly because how often would I visit these places no matter what the price is? For me, usually once and that's it.

I'm with you on privately owned businesses charging the "Farang Price", especially when they're sneaky or dishonest about it. I don't mind paying a little extra, but 5x or 10x the price Thais pay? No thanks. I'm not here to line the pockets of some greedy asshole.

Here we are in a country largely dependent on tourism, and yet many venues seem to be out to rip-off the very same tourists they want to attract. What's wrong with this picture?
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Re: Fighting the "Farang Price" system in Thailand

Post by christianpfc »

I disapprove of double pricing, but if the place is of interest to me, I will go there nonetheless.
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