Have National Park Fees been Reduced?

ray23

0
Oct 14, 2005
1,985
0
36
Has anyone seem the folow up to this story have the fees be reduced for foriegners? Before it comes up i understand about driver licenses. I don't remeber seeing a thing

Cabinet nod for four measures
By Suchat Sritama
The Nation
Published on January 21, 2009

The Cabinet yesterday approved only four measures out of 13 proposed to restore tourism in the near term.

Visa fees will be waived for three months. This applies to all nationalities, but is targeted at China, one of the top markets. Entrance charges at all national parks will be reduced, mainly to boost domestic tourism. The private sector can claim meeting and conference tax rebates at double the original rate.

Lastly, aircraft landing and parking fees will be discounted at major airports in the country.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the tourism industry needed to be revived through these schemes.

He earlier said tourist arrivals were returning close to pre-crisis levels.

The failed measures include cutting hotel room rates and air fares for Thai Airways International, reducing the value-added tax on hotel rooms for one year, waiving the annual fee of Bt80 per room and an urgent plan to promote the major destinations of Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga for local tourism.

Abhisit did not mention the risk of increased job losses in the tourism industry or the extra budget of Bt15 billion requested by the Tourism Ministry to help smaller operators affected by the recent crisis.

However, the Cabinet approved Bt1 billion to help tourism and related businesses, but more funding is needed to support the recovery effort.

Prakit Chinamour-phong, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said three- and four-star hotels planned to discount room rates by 50 per cent for people visiting the country in February and March.

Among the main target markets are China, India, the Middle East, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan.

Most hotels in Bangkok and other major tourist cities are running at lower-than-usual occupancy rates following the recent airport closures.
 

ray23

0
Oct 14, 2005
1,985
0
36
Came up in a conversation the other day I knew I had read this article but didn't remember anything past that. I will write TAT and see what they have to say.

The deal was he showed his Thai License and he was still charged 400 baht his wife was charged 40 baht. Funny thing she is a U.S. citizen.
 

KenYam

0
Nov 2, 2007
352
1
0
Dan I dont have work permit just a Thai drivers license and I always get charged Thai rates every time.

Cheers Ken F
 
Oct 1, 2005
201
2
0
Yes..... The logic is that if you have a work permit, then you pay tax. A driving license won't do it.

With the exchange rates to the UK pound as they are it costs about 4 quid (plus money for the vehicle) just to go and see a waterfall (on the farang rate)....... That would be prohibtively expensive if it was the UK.........

One could say the same about a pint of beer in one of those English/Irish pubs on Sukhumvit....... London prices if not more.
 
Sep 19, 2006
2,393
374
83
62
www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
I went Through Khao Yai National Park with West on the Way to Pattaya. Showed Our Thai Drivers License and Paid 50 Baht Each for Ourselves and Our Bike and Away we went. No Questions? I have been Told Thai License is sufficient? 8)
 
Aug 29, 2007
27
0
0
I've found that it depends on who's at the gate. Taking people to the various Khmer ruins around Buri Ram, about half the time I can get the Thai price by showing my licence. I am charged the foreigners rate the remainder. No logic other than who's collecting the fee.
 

KenYam

0
Nov 2, 2007
352
1
0
I use my Thai drivers license every time telling them I live here fulltime, thats about 10 times without fail but my Thai wife is always with me, thats a 100% success rate. I hope this helps you.
 

ray23

0
Oct 14, 2005
1,985
0
36
Black cats answer is what prompted the conversation:

The answer from TAT. Now I will send them a copy of the article reminding them of the 15 billion baht they were given and why have they not changed the fees?

Hey what else I have to do not to mention I have a trip planned, for next month

Dear Sir,

According with your e-mail, we would like to inform you that admission
fee to National Parks in Thailand varies from 200 - 600 bahts depending on
types of National Park, you can visit www.dnp.go.th

Best regards,
Saitip J.S
Information section
E-mail: [email [email protected]][email protected][/email]
Tourism Authority of Thailand (www.tourismthailand.org)
 
Oct 1, 2005
201
2
0
Hi Ken Yam..... Sorry, I misunderstood your post first time..... You are saying a Thai driving license does work?

That's interesting.

Anyway as others have said..... The system is pernicious.

Don't even get me started on Ko Samet!
 

ray23

0
Oct 14, 2005
1,985
0
36
well it was approaved by the cabinet as noted in the newspaper post. I sent them a copy and asked why they are not action taken on it. Well time for reality check that was month ago. No government is going move that fast.

I just wanted to remind them we are here and have been reading the news.

Personally I have never had to pay more the 60 baht farang price, but I haven' t been to great places and so many areas are free in the Udon area. Not really a big issue to me. But at 600 Baht it would be.

I have had great response from TAT everytime the answer on this one within 24 hiours. But I really don't expect response from a guy sitting at a key board on this one. He doesn't have any authority but to answer what sits in front of him

If you have contacts above that maybe showing him that the Cabinet and the Prime miinster have already rulled on this he might be able to get someones attention who knows. Not going to happen from my level.

Not helping the countries image one bit at a time when they hurting for foriegn money. Persoanlly there is nothing in Thailand after six years here that I would pay 600 baht to see. So much that you can just ride up to free.

I think what we all have to remember this is the not the land of Smiles but of smoke and mirrors. That's Ok just another part of the Magic in living here. So the vote could have actually been done with no intent wahtsoever then to get it announced and no intention to carry through. Thats just life here. not complaining just recognizing it for what it is. So many good things put the bad ones so far down on the list to really worry about them.

Letter writing campaign who you going to write? Tha might actually read it.

I don't know it is what it is they want to honor the drivers license fine, if not vote with your feet, is my policy.

I honestly believe the prejudice in Thai's is based on the darkness of the skin. With us they simply believe we generelly have more and therefore should pay more as our part.

Thai's are very natioanlistic from what I has seen it can be harmful under certain circumstances, you want more tourist to come this is one of those circumstances.

But I don't think it is prejudice as we understand it. Thai's simple do not think a westerners do, but that' not an all bad thing :lol:
 

ray23

0
Oct 14, 2005
1,985
0
36
Ya Know what you mean but those Khmer ruins I'm pretty sure I will paying in the Surin area next month. But hat wha Im goign to see, so bettre get the wallet out :lol:

Toll collector National Park

100_1114.jpg
 

GTNZ

0
Mar 14, 2006
55
0
0
Sooner or later they may get the message. It stinks I know. Just imagine the stink it would create of we charged an Australian say 2 dollars to enter an National Park in OZ and a Thai 20 dollars. I'm sure it would cause a fair bit of drama. And yet it goes on blatantly here every day. You get sick and tired of it after a while.
 
Jan 17, 2009
5
0
0
Captain_Slash wrote: I personally myself wont pay a higher price, I show them my Thai Drivers licence and offer the Thai price, if they say no then I leave. If the opportunity arises at these places I come back later on or another day and just ride under the barrier thereby getting in for free, my attitude is they have been offered the Thai price and if they wont accept that then they get nothing
Some parks in the US have non-resident rates. Are you guys saying that they just charge different rates to farangs, even if they are residents? That's messed up for sure--I'd call it racism if that is the case.

If the farang price is 200 THB what is the "Thai" price usually?

600 THB sounds like a heck of like a lot of money to enter a park. The Grand Canyon doesn't even cost that much. Hell 200 is even more than they charge.

Wow.
 

Franz

0
Jun 28, 2007
1,658
3
0
For me very simple as I pay quite a lot of Personal Income Tax every month and this since years: If I don't get local rates using driving license-work permit or 'but dang dao' I walk away and also tell them guards very politely why (in Thai) so that there's no misunderstanding, trough this was always called back and asked friendly to pay the local entrance fee. I wouldn't make any loud or rude comments, won't get you anywhere but usually the Government owned will be helpful. Different to private places such as for example Alcazar, Underwaterworld, Mandalay or Tony's, I don't go there and recommend to everyone of my friends to do the same. Cheers, Franz
 

GTNZ

0
Mar 14, 2006
55
0
0
Yes it's because we are farang and we are walking ATM's and all very rich according to Thais.

I used to have a mechanics business in Australia and had a few Thai customers. Most of the Thais were freinds and when I gave them the bill for work done on their vehicles I used to say, ok here is farang price, say it was $125 then I'd say, for you because you are Thai it's $495. They understood what I was on about and didn't like it either.

This has been going on throughout Thailand for years and years and the only way this will change is if we refuse to pay and there is a change in the law making it a crime to over charge us. But then again even though there are laws here no one seems to take any notice anyway. Take driving for example, how many Thai's take any notice at all of the road rules?

So it's going to take a mighty effort to change the way things are here especially where money's concerned. I think you're wasting your time if you think this will change any time soon.

Here's a classic for you. One day I got caught out down the night Bazzar and it rained. So I go looking to buy a plastic poncho. I couldn't find one and finally asked a Thai lady were I can buy one. She says, moment please, and runs down the side of the building and lifts the seat on her bike and comes back with poncho. 200 baht. I told here no thanks you are trying to rip me off. The bloody thing was secondhand and still wet.

A little while later about 2 blocks along I found a shop with heaps of new ones. The cost, 80 baht. I went back past the ripoff merchant and held it up, 80 baht. She just smiled and carried on.
 

ray23

0
Oct 14, 2005
1,985
0
36
Hmm!!!

Not sure I meant to get this going like this didn't get an answer fom TAT didn't expect one from that questions.

The problem that I see is a lot of us are not tourist. Ok a guy comes here get charged $15.00 ot get into a National park that is what they are used to. Actually probably more then that.

If you have an annual visa you are already paying more to be here then a tourist visa.

Your not getting a drivers license with a tourist visa. Maybe the approach would be to get us recognized for that. Since we contribute to Thai society all year long.

In some ways it bothers me to be treated like a tourist in my home country.

I don't know the answer accept to walk away, if the won't accept your licenese.

I will say that at the moment I don't beleive the current approach is helping the tourist industry. Wont be getting my baht like that I got lots of other places to go.

Gets weird ride the loop :lol:
 
Mar 15, 2003
1,527
16
38
www.daveearly.com
The most irritating to me, and I have seen it a number of places such as the Chiang Mai Night Safari, is when they post the Thai price in Thai Script including the numerals. This way, the tourist/foreigner has no idea of how much he is being overcharged in comparison to a Thai unless someone tells him. :twisted:
 

Marco

0
Oct 15, 2006
1,691
6
38
57
Khuang Nai
Silverhawk

That is so true, thais uses that tecnique in quite many places.

My experience is from Phuket, Laem Thom thep,,most southen part in phuket island and nice place for sun set watching.

there was sign in thai script said: hong naam saam baht(in thai)
and same in Enlish
Toilet 5 baht :wink:
 

GTNZ

0
Mar 14, 2006
55
0
0
Marco

There's an entertainment venue here in Chiangmai where they charge you 5 baht for using the toilet. I never pay it. I wouldn't mind paying if they cleaned and maintained the toilets. But they're in a disgusting state. None of that money goes towards cleaning or upgrades. They don't even put any of those purfume disc's in the mens urinals.
 

Marco

0
Oct 15, 2006
1,691
6
38
57
Khuang Nai
GTNZ

I would wonder if any of them would ever goes where it ment to be.

but different in phuket was, that there is actuall person who is collecting that money, or was,, havent been there in many yrs..
 

GTNZ

0
Mar 14, 2006
55
0
0
Normally there's a person sitting there to relieve you of 5 baht. But I just refuse, if they get cranky I go elsewhere.
 

GTNZ

0
Mar 14, 2006
55
0
0
That's very strange, how would the ticket vending machines know if you're Thai or Farang? :?