Someone recently complained about dual pricing

From my own extensive Thailand experience I know this happened rarely. Not only Western foreigners are targets of dual pricing methods but sometimes Thai people too. Dual pricing is officially not allowed.

If you are not willing to accept dual pricing methods, you can complain about this practice here:

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board in Bangkok (Hotline: 1166; or Tel: 02-6297048-50 or 02-6297061-3, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday). Email: consummer@ocpb.go.th; website: www.ocpb.go.th (http://www.ocpb.go.th)

Some English speaking staff is available. It makes sense to use easy and polite words. Best is to report your complaint in detailed writing.

Be aware that some claims are difficult to investigate if the customer was notified of the fee in advance.

There are no price control regulations governing medical practitioners.

Please note:
1. There are also no control regulations regarding "off fees", massage services or payments to moneyboys
2. There are also no control regulations regarding "special offers", "happy hours" and others

... or otherwise the practice is widespread - you have only to do a Search in ThaiVisa's boards to find countless examples. I believe that entry to national parks in Thailand (a government-run operation) is based on dual pricing, with entry prices clearly posted for all to see

Even if a government agency is not handling this matter correcty, just feel free mailing your pricise complaint to Consumer Protection Office, maybe together with some pictures.

The Alcazaar Pattaya is notorious for dual pricing. And there are a couple of others.

[travelerjim]

Even if a government agency is not handling this matter correcty, just feel free mailing your pricise complaint to Consumer Protection Office, maybe together with some pictures.

The Alcazaar Pattaya is notorious for dual pricing. And there are a couple of others.

Ttom,

Yes, Alcazar Pattaya has Dual Pricing...

Normal Seat : Farang 500 baht ; Thai 250 baht

VIP Seat: Farang 600 baht; Thai 300 baht

and Tiffany's does likewise...but are even more expensive.

My bf and I stopped by Alcazar last evening to inquire about the price for a Normal Seat...
they quoted as above...500/250 baht.

and soooooo....we left Alcazar to go see the new King Naresuan Part 2 Movie...
for a second time - and glad we did ...it is a great movie!
100 baht each seat - same-same price for both of us :-)

TJ

[TrongpaiExpat]

Dual pricing is officially not allowed.

Really? All the national parks have signs with a farang price sometimes 5x that of the Thai price. Sometimes showing a Thai DL gets you the Thai price, other times not. Forget showing the DL at places like Simon, Alcazar and all the rest, don't work there.

Funny thing about this duel pricing model, I have seen Asian Americans get the Thai price and it's not a case of mistaken nationality.

It takes place everywhere I can think of in the undeveloped and developing world.

[TrongpaiExpat]

It takes place everywhere I can think of in the undeveloped and developing world.

When I lived in Florida, I could get a 10% discount at Disney by showing my Florida DL. They did not have a sign telling everyone that either.

In Thailand I have seen signs in Thai script using the Thai script numbers for the Thai price and English for the farang price.

The train to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok is 35B for Thai and 235 for Farang. They had a sign in the window that says, "Now everybody pays 235 Baht" then below that in Thai, 200 Baht discount for Thai.

My bf and I were at a US resort recently. Standing in line I noticed that the person in front of me was given a 10% discount. When I asked what that was all about, they told me that "locals" were given a 10% discount while "tourists" paid full whack. This is in AMERICA!

If you are not willing to accept dual pricing methods, you can complain about this practice here:

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board in Bangkok (Hotline: 1166; or Tel: 02-6297048-50 or 02-6297061-3, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday). Email: consummer@ocpb.go.th; website: www.ocpb.go.th (http://www.ocpb.go.th)


If you have too much time, go ahead and complain. And good luck with that!!
try go to a zoo. Farang and Thais have two different entrance prices. So please complain and let us know how far you get.

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board is a pretty good institution and often effective.

Of course they cannot reimburse anyone who is being overcharged or mislead but thy will tip-off people in charge regarding rules and regulations.

If people near the fringe of losing face, they sometimes change policies.

The Consumer Protection Board is also useful in case of any other dubious business practice, regardless where and when it happened in Thailand. Just inform them politely and remind after two or three weeks nicely about the progress they have made.

For me they did a few times a pretty good job.

Many other Thai people don’t know about this, don’t trust this service, or don’t want create any problems to some people – it’s all about losing face again.

As soon as my lovely Supervisor learned more about this Office, he issued several reasonable complains in a very polite form. It worked with Big C nicely (they apologised and gave him a free shopping bonus of 1000 TBT), he got a present from his bank (a very nice leather business map with good pens and calculator which I am using now) and he got once a free bus ticket to Bangkok once. Responses are always different.

Supervisor decided that he wants proper services as long as he is paying good money. Value for money is always a topic (he loves Swiss made goods). As a hard working farmer he always provides for his customers the best of his products only; otherwise he would loose customers or money – and maybe face ….

As a foreigner living in Thailand - I don't like dual pricing either, but I wonder if we demand for equal pricing scale, would the farang living and work here in Thailand be demanding for an equal salary pay as well???

As a foreigner living in Thailand - I don't like dual pricing either, but I wonder if we demand for equal pricing scale, would the farang living and work here in Thailand be demanding for an equal salary pay as well???What about the tourists? Work has to do with productivity and skills - when I find a Thai who can do my job as well as I can, I'll move on to something more interesting than managing an import-export empire. In the meantime I'll pay them what their productivity and skills are worth compared to mine

- when I find a Thai who can do my job as well as I can, I'll move on to something more interesting than managing an import-export empire. In the meantime I'll pay them what their productivity and skills are worth compared to mine

Hmmm I don't know where you've been... but I got news for you - YES there are many Thais who can do your job as well or even better than you. Import/export you said :-) - Time to find something interesting huh?

[bao-bao]

Why would any tourist or visitor have a problem with dual pricing? If by comparison they were making the same wages as the locals they'd need the lower prices, also.

It happens many other places besides Thailand, and for a variety of reasons. For example - in Hawaii locals often get what's called the "kamaaina" price; sometimes requiring your ID or driver's license to show you actually live there.

We're paying Bt30,000 and up to fly to LOS. Take a look at some of these monthly wages as reported by "National Statistical Office, first quarter, 2005" in a blog I was reading the other day:

Agriculture, hunting and forestry (3,019 baht)
Fishing (2,968 baht)
Mining and quarrying (7,646 baht)
Manufacturing (6,420 baht)
Electricity, gas and water supply (17,841 baht)
Construction (4,706 baht)
Wholesale and retail trade, repair business (6,760 baht)
Hotels and restaurant (5,680 baht)
Transport, storage and communication (11,752 baht)
Financial inter-mediation (19,325 baht)
Real estate, renting and business activities (9,571 baht)
Public administration and defense (11,375 baht)
Education (14,883 baht)
Health and social work (10,804 baht)
Other community and social work (6,311 baht)
Private households with employed persons (4,068 baht)
Plant manager 73,396 baht (US$1,847)
Personnel/HRD director 71,222 baht (US$1,792)
Office manager 47,994 baht (US$1,208)
Executive Secretary 32,296 baht (US$813)
Engineering 26,051 baht (US$656)
Researcher (Thai) 24,722 baht (US$622)
Sales/marketing staff 23,785 baht (US$599)
Public relations staff 16,635 baht (US$419)
Office staff 15,222 baht (US$383)
Driver 8,528 baht (US$215)
Housekeeper 6,532 baht (US$164)
IT Manager 90,000-150,000 baht (US$2,265-3,774)
Webmaster 45,000-60,000 baht (US$1,132-1,510)
Web Designer 25,000-35,000 baht (US$629-881)
PC Programmer 22,000-35,000 baht (US$554-881)
System Analyst 40,000-45,000 baht (US$1,006-1,132)
Network Administrator 45,000-55,000 baht (US$1,132-1,384)
LAN Manager 60,000-80,000 baht (US$1,510-2,013)

... and these wages may be a bit on the high side. A Thai friend of mine who does computer work there says a Network Administrator with 5 years of experience where he works would only command Bt35,000, not 45K - and a Web Designer closer to 10K.

You can see the rest of this guy's post at http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blo ... &tb=1&pb=1 (http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?blog=5&p=498&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) and take it with as many grains of salt as you wish.

So quit your bitching and just pony up! :blackeye:

I have seen Asian Americans get the Thai price and it's not a case of mistaken nationality.

Absolute twaddle. My HK and Singapore friends can't even make it past the eagle-eyed ticket vendors. There is no way they would give Thai price to someone they knew not to be Thai. Period, end of story.

In any case, to refute your feeble little attempt to play the skin-color card, you should be pleased to know that farangs with Thai citizenship are given the Thai price -- with a huge smile and very high wai along with it.

I'm struggling to think of where I've been where dual pricing is the norm for distinguishing between tourists and locals. Was it San Francisco? No. London? No. Sydney? No. New York? Don't think so. Singapore, perhaps? Kuala Lumpur? I don't think it was any of those cities. I know that local pensioners can get discounts on public transport in many places, but that's because they're old and local, not because they're not tourists. And the rule in Thailand isn't even between tourists and locals - it's race-based. I'm sure that the assiduous can find the exceptions that prove the rule in some other countries, but generally I'd have to say Thailand is one of the few places where differential pricing is the rule. I guess those who are in favour of it also believe that Western tourists should pay Thai boys the equivalent of what they'd pay a hooker back home ... because they can

YES there are many Thais who can do your job as well or even better than youDo remind me - when was it we met and you studied my productivity and abilities?

it's race-based.

Colonel, I'm surprised that you'd make such a silly mistake. It's not race-based. It's nationality based.

I'm struggling to think of where I've been where dual pricing is the norm for distinguishing between tourists and locals. Was it San Francisco? No. London? No. Sydney? No. New York? Don't think so. Singapore, perhaps? Kuala Lumpur?

Try a little bit lower down the development scale: like, every one of Thailand's neighbors with the exception of Malaysia, for example.

Western tourists should pay Thai boys the equivalent of what they'd pay a hooker back home ... because they can

Good, we can start with you, since you said they deserve equal pay if their productivity level and skills are worth comparing to yours (or people in your country). Unless you really believe hookers back home are really better than the ones here...... Hmmm I doubt that?


Do remind me - when was it we met and you studied my productivity and abilities?

No we've never met and after reading all your postings.... Productivity and abilities?? Hmmm......

It takes place everywhere I can think of in the undeveloped and developing world.


I'm struggling to think of where I've been where dual pricing is the norm for distinguishing between tourists and locals. Was it San Francisco? No. London? No. Sydney? No. New York? Don't think so. Singapore, perhaps? Kuala Lumpur?

Try a little bit lower down the development scale: like, every one of Thailand's neighbors with the exception of Malaysia, for example.

No we've never met and after reading all your postings.... Productivity and abilities?? Hmmm......Bali and Pattaya, eh? I think that pretty much sums you up. The context of the discussion was the formal, educated labour market - hookers, drug pushers, entertainers generally and almost all English language teachers in Thailand don't really fall into that category (the latter's quality is reflected in their price)

[allieb]

I look at this in a different light. The entrance fee to most facilities is cheap enough for us anyway. The Thai discount gives Thais who would normally not be able to afford it a chance to do it.

If we all got the Thai price then the business might go out of business. I think we pay the right price and if we have a Thai BF then we should think ourselves lucky we got him in cheaper.

I went to Sanphan with bf I think I paid 350 baht while bf was 135 there were plenty of Thais there but they were made to sit on the extreme right for the show which had a bad view. I had to pay bf full farang price to sit with me. I felt like a shit sitting in the best seats while the Thais got the bad ones.

I have no problem with dual pricing if it subsidizes the Thais who earn a fraction of what we do, By the way the entrance fee to London zoo is 12.50 pounds

[TrongpaiExpat]

it's race-based.

Colonel, I'm surprised that you'd make such a silly mistake. It's not race-based. It's nationality based.

But, not in application. Independent Chinese tourists often pay Thai price. As, I said before, I have seen an American born Chinese get the Thai price and it was not a case of mistaken identity, he spoke English to the driver of a songtow in ko Samui and the driver said 50B, I was paying 100B for twice the distance. I spoke to this guy and he told me that happens all over Thailand even when they know he is not Thai.

I have had two American born Chinese and one Indonesian Chinese friend visit me in Thailand and in our travels more often than not, they get the Thai price. At Wat Po, one wanted to pay the 20B entrance fee but the man at the counter refused to accept his money, he wanted 20B from me only. Again not a case of mistaken nationality, these friends spoke English to the person giving them the Thai price.

It takes place everywhere I can think of in the undeveloped and developing world.


I'm struggling to think of where I've been where dual pricing is the norm for distinguishing between tourists and locals. Was it San Francisco? No. London? No. Sydney? No. New York? Don't think so. Singapore, perhaps? Kuala Lumpur? Try a little bit lower down the development scale: like, every one of Thailand's neighbors with the exception of Malaysia, for example.Fascinating, isn't it? Mention the Third World and Thailand in the same sentence and The Lad usually has an attack of the hoity-toities. Now he wants to compare Thailand with the dregs of SE Asia - Laos, Cambodia and Burma. They're not exactly the three countries Thailand itself thinks of in comparison. Oh no, the Thais you see think of themselves as leaders in ASEAN, not followers. But for the sake of boygeenyus' argument Singapore and Malaysia are now convenient exceptions. Consistency never was one of The Lad's strong points. Of course - to admit otherwise would be a criticism of Thailand - and that would never do!

It takes place everywhere I can think of in the undeveloped and developing world.


I'm struggling to think of where I've been where dual pricing is the norm for distinguishing between tourists and locals. Was it San Francisco? No. London? No. Sydney? No. New York? Don't think so. Singapore, perhaps? Kuala Lumpur? Try a little bit lower down the development scale: like, every one of Thailand's neighbors with the exception of Malaysia, for example.Fascinating, isn't it? Mention the Third World and Thailand in the same sentence and The Lad usually has an attack of the hoity-toities. Now he wants to compare Thailand with the dregs of SE Asia - Laos, Cambodia and Burma. They're not exactly the three countries Thailand itself thinks of in comparison. Oh no, the Thais you see think of themselves as leaders in ASEAN, not followers. But for the sake of boygeenyus' argument Singapore and Malaysia are now convenient exceptions. Consistency never was one of The Lad's strong points. Of course - to admit otherwise would be a criticism of Thailand - and that would never do!

Well, if anyone is consistent, it's you, dear: consistently boorish, stubborn, boring, and wrong.

If you weren't pretending to have me on ignore, you'd see that I made a scathing attack on the practice of dual pricing. Now, if I were the Siamist / Thailand apologist that you make me out to be, wouldn't I be jumping through hoops to defend it?

And, my only comparison between Thailand and surrounding countries was to say that they are "developing" (Thailand) and "undeveloped" (Laos, Burma, and Cambodia). As opposed with the examples you came up with, which are all "developed". Dual pricing is universal in countries of Thailand's level of development or less -- i.e., developing and undeveloped -- around the world. By the time a country becomes developed, it seems rather silly to make a policy of charging foreigners more than locals.

it's race-based.

Colonel, I'm surprised that you'd make such a silly mistake. It's not race-based. It's nationality based.

But, not in application. Independent Chinese tourists often pay Thai price. As, I said before, I have seen an American born Chinese get the Thai price and it was not a case of mistaken identity, he spoke English to the driver of a songtow in ko Samui and the driver said 50B, I was paying 100B for twice the distance. I spoke to this guy and he told me that happens all over Thailand even when they know he is not Thai.

I have had two American born Chinese and one Indonesian Chinese friend visit me in Thailand and in our travels more often than not, they get the Thai price. At Wat Po, one wanted to pay the 20B entrance fee but the man at the counter refused to accept his money, he wanted 20B from me only. Again not a case of mistaken nationality, these friends spoke English to the person giving them the Thai price.

You may have witnessed some isolated exceptions where people with Asian features were given the "Thai" price, but I can assure it was either a mistake or the fact that the ticket seller was too lazy to argue. You can bet your bottom dollar that when a Japanese group rolls up, they do NOT get the "Thai" price.

I can tell you 100%, though, that individuals with Thai citizenship who do not look Thai -- i.e., look khreungs, Indian-Thais, and farangs who have taken Thai citizenship -- most certainly DO get the Thai price as soon as it is confirmed that they hold a Thai ID card. If it were based on race, these people would certainly be forced to pay the "farang" price, don't you think?

I have no problem with dual pricing if it subsidizes the Thais who earn a fraction of what we do, By the way the entrance fee to London zoo is 12.50 pounds

How do you feel about subsidizing the prices of Thais who drive up in Mercedes-Benz 500 sedans, and all pile out with their Gucci and LV bags? While, at the same time, a student backpacker from Europe pays twice, three, or four times the entrance price?