Your Thai Planet

Ok, first let me start by saying that I always enjoy my visits to Thailand, but the double pricing really gets on my nerves. Why is it that Thai people try and make farangs pay 2, 3 or 4 times more for something than they do for the Thais?

I do not agree with this at all. I myself have never had too many problems with this because a lot of times I would be traveling alone and acted like I knew how much things cost and/or how to get somewhere (for the taxi drivers how wanted to take the long route) and would be off the beaten path. But the times I did, the Thais were not shy about letting me know that the reason I was getting charged way more for something was simple because I was a farang.

One example of this working for me was when I had arrived at the bus station in Pattaya. So, I hoped on a Baht Bus (20 baht for Thais) and headed into town. A group of 4 farangs got off and the driver changed them 40 baht each. I got off a block away and they only changed me 20 baht, why? Maybe it was because I was traveling alone and they assumed that I wasn’t a tourist, but who really knows.

I never got over charged for motorbike rentals, motorbike taxis, food from street vendors or anything like that.

So again I ask, why is it that Thai people try and make farangs pay 2, 3 or 4 times more for something than they do for Thais?

It’s happening everywhere. Even here in the US (not sure some other Western-countries), you may enjoy "Student-fare" for just being a Student or your "Military gets in free" places.

If you do not like that practise, then just do not patronize the place. I do not understand why many people want to enforce their own "beliefs" and "thinking" and say this is what should be done in Thailand. You forget that Thailand is Thailand for whatever it is. If you want it to change to become more like your home country or whatever, do you think you will still see "Amazing Thailand"?

If you are tourist, especially those Farangs, who come from far away (10+ hours flight), no matter how "poor" you think you are, if you can fly all the way to Thailand and take a vacation, you are still very rich by most Thai people standard. Many of the Thai never have a luxury of such. No vacation for them, not to mention go overseas for vacation.

So before you are complaining so much think before it.If you are "too poor" to pay the foreigner fee, then you may as well stay at home.

I do not like this either, but there is really nothing you can do about it. I don’t have this problem anymore being everyone in our neighborhood knows me, so I get Thai prices.

It is what it is and there isn't much you can do about it. If you don't like it, don't buy it.

Its amazing what people will try to do for money. I understand that most Thai people don't have alot of money and see us as rich. But that shound not matter, if you are selling something at a certain price, than thats what it should be sold for. No more, No less. Who knows? maybe I'll think differently after I visit more.

My English friend has a Thai ID and speaks good Thai. When he produced this at a national park gate. He was rudely told that all "farangs" must pay Bt400 and threw the Thai ID back at him. As a permanent resident I have produced my Thai Alien Book showing my Thai ID number and have almost always have to pay the "farang" price. My Australian friend of Chinese descent told me he is always charged the Thai rate..So, It makes the policy look as if it is completely racist.

I need to add. Yes it is probably wrong to get over charged for things. But believe it or not Thai men can get the same treatment. I went out to some clubs with my brother-in-law (Thai) during the tourist season in Pattaya and almost all the clubs we went to either.

A: Refuse to let him in because he was a Thai man.

or

B: Tried to charge him some ridiculous price to get in when it was free for me.

So in a nutshell, Thais can charge anybody whatever they want for whatever.

Thank you all for your comments and stories, but I feel that know one as of yet as answered my question.

Why is it that Thai people try and make farangs pay 2, 3 or 4 times more for something than they do for Thais?

I would really like to hear from some Thais on this if possible.

They will, like anybody in any country, take advantage of people.

Here is a funny story, my brother-in-law (Thai) and I want out to some Thai bars in BKK and was going to go to an after hours bar that was close by. We didn’t know where it was at, so my brother-in-law talked to a taxi driver and he said he knew where it was. So we got in the cab and off we went. Got to the club, had a kick ass time and left the club when it closed. We walked around looking for another taxi and realized we were in the same area that we had been in all night anyways.

The taxi driver had taken us for a “ride”. The two clubs that we went to were like a 1-minute walk away from each other. We were so drunk that we didn’t even know or care where we were going. What the taxi driver did was drive down the road a few kilometers, did a u-turn and came back and dropped us off a block or so away from where we originally got that taxi to begin with.

We always laugh about that night every time we talk about it…good times!!!

at 01:53PM on Oct 21, 2009

They will, like anybody in any country, take advantage of people.

 

Here is a funny story, my brother-in-law (Thai) and I want out to some Thai bars in BKK and was going to go to an after hours bar that was close by. We didn’t know where it was at, so my brother-in-law talked to a taxi driver and he said he knew where it was. So we got in the cab and off we went. Got to the club, had a kick ass time and left the club when it closed. We walked around looking for another taxi and realized we were in the same area that we had been in all night anyways.

 

The taxi driver had taken us for a “ride”. The two clubs that we went to were like a 1-minute walk away from each other. We were so drunk that we didn’t even know or care where we were going. What the taxi driver did was drive down the road a few kilometers, did a u-turn and came back and dropped us off a block or so away from where we originally got that taxi to begin with.

 

We always laugh about that night every time we talk about it…good times!!!

That's just TOO FUNNY!!!

A lot of good and interesting comments and opinions…Can’t wait to hear more on this subject.

at 01:45PM on Sep 29, 2009

It’s happening everywhere. Even here in the US (not sure some other Western-countries), you may enjoy "Student-fare" for just being a Student or your "Military gets in free" places.

 

If you do not like that practise, then just do not patronize the place. I do not understand why many people want to enforce their own "beliefs" and "thinking" and say this is what should be done in Thailand. You forget that Thailand is Thailand for whatever it is. If you want it to change to become more like your home country or whatever, do you think you will still see "Amazing Thailand"?

 

If you are tourist, especially those Farangs, who come from far away (10+ hours flight), no matter how "poor" you think you are, if you can fly all the way to Thailand and take a vacation, you are still very rich by most Thai people standard. Many of the Thai never have a luxury of such. No vacation for them, not to mention go overseas for vacation.

 

So before you are complaining so much think before it.If you are "too poor" to pay the foreigner fee, then you may as well stay at home.

OH3MTA3 - you make a very good point. I work at a club and we let locals in for free and change the tourist. So I get it, but still don't like it