As many of you know, I am a full time travel blogger here in Thailand. It is part of my job to look for new tourist attractions and to help promote them to travellers from around the world. I do this on my network of blogs as well as on social media. I have been promoting Asiatique The Riverfront in Bangkok even before it was opened to the public. I have recommended it to many people. Now it looks like I can no longer help promote Asiatique. Not because I don’t like them any more. It is because they decided to block me from their Facebook Page. Yes, you heard right, Asiatique decided to block one of their most frequent promoters among the foreign community.
Today was the grand opening for Asiatique’s Ferris wheel which has been dubbed Asiatique SKY. If you have been following my blogs you would know that I have been promoting Asiatique’s new 60 meter high Ferris wheel for a while now. I think so far I have been the only person promoting the big wheel in English. I have also tweeted about it and so I am sure that there are quite a few people who were eager to give it a go. So, why did Asiatique decide to block me from their Facebook page? The reason is simple. I questioned the reasoning behind their decision to charge foreigners more than Thais to go on the wheel. After all, the exact same Ferris wheel was also built in Paris and the French don’t charge extra for foreigners.
It all started the other day on their Facebook page when they wrote in Thai: เด็ก 150 บาท, ผู้ใหญ่ 200 บาท, ชาวต่างชาติ 250 บาท. This basically translates as 150 Baht for children, 200 Baht for adults and 250 Baht for foreigners. I know other attractions have dual pricing, but this is now the 21st Century and I was really hoping that Asiatique would lead the way. What is more strange is that we are just talking about an extra 50 Baht. For a measly 50 Baht they decided to risk the displeasure of foreigners? Anyway, I translated the prices into English on their Facebook page and asked why they were charging foreigners more. Next thing I knew, both Thais and foreigners were calling for a boycott. That is when my comments were deleted and I was blocked from their Facebook page.
I will still try and promote new events and attractions at Asiatique as that is my job. But, as I am now blocked from Asiatique, it might not be so easy for me to help them any more.
If you want to voice your opinion about dual pricing at Asiatique, then feel free to do so on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Asiatique.Thailand.
3rd UPDATE: At first Asiatique was proud to promote the big wheel. Then, once people started talking about boycotting Asiatique, they began to distance themselves by saying that the wheel is really owned by a “farang”. (For those who don’t know, that is a white-faced foreigner.) Now they are removing all pictures from their Facebook front page that show images of the big wheel. Isn’t that like burying your head in the sand & hoping that the problem will go away?
2nd UPDATE: There are now 100′s of negative comments all over Asiatique’s Facebook page. Many people calling for a boycott.
1st UPDATE: Since I posted this blog, here are a few comments on their Facebook page:
Sean Snider: Wow, dual pricing from a business that should be leading Thailand into the 21st century. I was considering coming to check out Asiatique, but no more, as long as foreigners are discriminated against. Furthermore, I will discourage others from patronizing your business until your policy changes.
Florian Witulski: ridiculous charging foreigners more, will advise everyone to avoid Asiatique completely
Arend Van Dorp: I hear that you are charging Thai and foreigners different prices. And when they complain on your page you delete and block their comments. That will only get you more bad publicity!!! Learn to treat people equally!!!
Massimo Scozzaro: i agree too…as long as you use double standard we will not visit your center, pls remove the double price
Greg Jorgensen: Complaining about dual pricing usually has very little effect on the small-minded, but agree with the above – best to just actively discourage visiting friends from going, as I’ve always done.
Brian Taff Jenkins: Looks like you have upset a few people with your dual pricing and deleting posts. Unfortunately a lot of the people you have upset have a big voice on the Internet. You have lost my business and that of the people I would normally reccomend to go there too
Got you covered. You would think that a major attraction like this wouldn’t need a dual pricing policy. How do they think they can justify this.
Covered your back and added a post on their FB page.
Thanks for the heads up. I certainly wont be going anytime soon. Maybe its time to go a nice juicy article on dual pricing scams.
Perhaps they are following the example from the Thai Governmet? Take the National Parks pricing policy for example.
Don’t forget to include mention of the way Thai-only prices are given in Thai numerals (๑,๒,๓ etc.) to hide the dual pricing from tourists.
More ‘unfortunately’ publicity www.facebook.com/onestop.thailand
Lots of luck. What they do, here, in the Canary Islands is charge tourists more, not specifically foreigners i.e. if you have a residents’ permit you get one price, if not, another. I suppose the logic is that you will return if you a are a resident and so eventually pay again? Not sure I even agree with that, but it does seem better than banning all foreigners considering how many now live in Thailand!
Me too I am tired if being discriminated against as. Foreigner. How would wealthy Thais like it if when they visited Europe we barged them more. Unfair nod wrong. I will not visit this place
Hey Charlie, I’m doing a master in UK and they’re charging me a lot more than the EU students. What would you say about it?
Hi Pam, why You went UK? Go Finland, study is free there for foreign students, finns have to pay.
Hi Pam, what you write can´t be true because this is against European law, may be some students are in a program and dont have to pay same like you pay, but soembody pay, We have an European constitution where it is clear that everybody is the same with the same rights and it is easy to get the rights. But in thailand you have also a constitution with this artikel 30 beacause otherwise thailand would not be accepted like democracy. But nobody care in Thailand that 90% of companys in thailand make their pricing against thai constitution, In a real democracy with a working law all companies would be charged a high fine within short time, and no european person would accept this breaking lay by companies, every european person who grew up in the EU has a inside feeling what means fair and not fair. And different pricing because u have the wrong passport or color is discrimination and a kind of coruption. So you should read your own constitution first and then may be you will know about the braking law in your country and the discimination what all foreigners see and feel every day in thailand.
read artikel 30 in your constitution!!!
www.nhrc.or.th/2012/wb/img_contentpage_attachment/474_file_name_7532.pdf
The dutch owner said it’s unprofitable by equal fare of 200THB(5€) how it comes SteigerBigWheel(60m) is ok in Europe with 5€?
Looks like it just got a lot more unprofitable for the owner, with “foreigners” refusing to buy a ticket at all due to their race-based dual price gouging. I have already seen several “Boycott Asiatique” pages springing up on the internet, thousands of angry comments on Asiatique’s Facebook page, and two separate threads on TripAdvisor’s Bangkok forum. Public relations nightmare indeed!
So there is karma for practitioners of racism and greed.
What’s the funniest about this is that charging just 50 b more is simply petty and mean. It’s obviously not abt the money
I wouldn’t mind paying more if it was worth it but I’m going to boycott them after they blocked you
u are the best travel blogger in Thailand. Following u since 12mths. And always excited about ur tweet. Keep it up.
I asked my Facebook friends to post the following to Asiatique’s FB page; I recommend you all do the same: When I visit Thailand, I will not spend my money at Asiatique due to your unfair and discriminatory business practices against foreign customers. Please change your policy immediately.
I will certainly not visit any venue that is discriminative and I will always advise others to do the same. There are plenty of other places that show equality amongst races and have benefited a lot from our attendance and recommendations to other tourists. Dual pricers are no better than con and fraud merchants or thieves. They are low society humans in my eye. and….Richard I respect everything you do and agree totally with your views.
in malaysia some attractions started to impose dual pricing system-which is quite new thing here in contrast to Thailand. I see the rationale in it whereby the locals have to pay taxes while the foreigners dont-and most importantly the foreigners do not vote to choose who will lead the country, thus politics do play important role in this dual pricing regime.
A lot of Thais don’t pay taxes. I have a work permit in Thailand, my own company and I do pay taxes, I’m not on a high income but I probably pay more taxes than a big part of the Thai working force.
needless to note in malaysia in order to get the special price you must show your national registration card, thus even if you are malaysian but if you dont bring your IC, you’ll have to pay the normal price.
ive stated also that “maybe” this is part of the privileges given to the locals, being their homeland,and most of them are underpaid compared to you. THB 50 for them means a single meal, while for us it may not matter much.
Dual pricing happens in a lot of places, even in the West, people from the local province pay a different price for instance. I’ve never seen it so blatantly abused and misused as here in Thailand where most of the time it’s covered up by writing pries in the Thai script, so your average tourist doesn’t know what’s going, just as was tried here at the Ferris wheel.
Thais who cannot afford 250 baht to go on the wheel will likely not be able to afford 200 baht either.
But which Thais are being targeted? The wealthy demographic. In other words, the Thais who can afford to go on the wheel in the first place are those who DO earn an adequate income. Yet no matter how wealthy they are, they have to pay 200 baht, while foreigners, no matter how poor they are, must pay 250 baht. The owner of CP would pay 200, while a foreign backpacker staying in a 400-baht room on Khao San would have to pay 250.
THAT is the issue.
well if you think it’s unfair, then dont go..nobody asked you to, just dont understand all this foreigners asking for the same rights as the locals….just accept there is a term of “justified discrimination” in this world.
How patronising to residents of a country to have marketing managers decide that the locals can not afford that which foreigners are expected to pay for from their holiday budget. In this age of The ‘Net, Blogs and “The Global Economic Crisis that is Worst in the West” we all know the unemployment figure in the USA is higher than in Thailand, that the UK is battling a recession with Thailand having close to 5% annual growth. I hope you don’t mind if we leave Greece, Spain & Italy out of this discussion. The Thai suffered financially in ’97 and then battled their way to prosperity only to be told that they are worth less than a tourist. Speaking of which, since most foreigners in Thailand are from China, Singapore and Hong Kong perhaps Mr. Barrow can do them a favour & translate his blog into Mandarin & Cantonese. Let’s find out how they feel about this.
No more Asiatique…thanks for the info
Dual pricing is not unique to Thailand. Go to Hawaii. They have different prices for tourists, locals, seniors, and military. Fair?
Don’t feel too bad about being Facebook blocked. TAT (Amazing Thailand and TAT KhonKaen) both have me blocked.
You misunderstand. I wasn’t upset about the banning. I just thought that it was a mistake as I was only asking about the two price policy.I personally think that dual pricing is bad business and will drive away more than they make from charging higher prices. But, at the end of the day, it is their business and not mine.
welcome to the club.
Many of us have been banned from the facebook pages of the likes of the tourism authority of Thailand and mnay other Thai sites if you do not like them too much or say anything honest that they do not want to read
I left a comment on their facebook page and will not be going to Asiatique until they unblock you, issue an apology and change the dual pricing.
Dual pricing should not be allowed no matter what. I hope this brought some attraction to the issue and hope you get unbanned. Most Thais are not dirt poor as some seem to think
I feel your pain and anger Richard! When I was pricing my THAILAND 180º book I thought about charging Thais 180 baht more to recover some of the extra fees I had to pay while working on it.–Still brings a smile to my face to think about it. Maybe they’d get the idea of what it feels like then!
Nevermind, keep up the good work!
Thanks, but I have no pain or anger. Just amusement at the bungling efforts of the social media manager. The extra 50 Baht is not really an issue for me. Up to them if they want to charge more.
Great to bring up this point,
“this is now the 21st Century and I was really hoping that Asiatique would lead the way. “
im an italian blogger and i agree with you Richard!
www.zingarate.com/network/bangkok/cose-odiose-i-doppi-prezzi.html
Agree totally with you and as a fellow Siam blogger, I will surely abstain from any promotion for those dudes. It is reaching a point with the Thai attitudes of double pricing that should no longer be tolerated!
This should be the begining of something larger. This isnt the first and only place, many people know that double pricing is everywhere in Thailand. Lumpinee stadium is one fo the most disgusting. Farang forced to buy ringside 3000 baht while Thais can choose a 400 baht entrance.
Just joined the Asiatique boycott and wrote an article about it on our website with a link to your site.
A pity as I had plans to go to Asiatique with a Thai friend next week and also planned on writing a series of articles on our site promoting Asiatique.
Will not be going now nor giving Asiatique any free promotion. Not until Asiatique management fixes this situation. In the 21st century, dual pricing is disgusting.
www.bangkokpost.com/learning/easier-stuff/326441/asiatique-public-relations-disaster
Finally this dual-pricing thing is gonna be counterproductive for those companies. Thanks Richard!
The National Museum charges Thais 30 baht entrance fee, while foreigners are charged 200 baht. Siam Ocean World charges foreigners 900 baht and Thais 450 baht, (concealed behind Thai script, of course). I boycott both.
You’re right.. the National Museum should be free for Thai nationals.
I don’t know why you guys keep blaming.. Because, in Europe, Dual-pricing is way bigger… Like double prize for non-euro country people..
Be fair ! you change, we change..
Forget it. Without specific examples, it remains a mere assertion. There is no comparison to the Thai rip off!
Asiatique is nothing BUT a greed-driven tourist trap. My guess is that the targeted class of tourist could easily afford a few nights at the State Tower with great views of the Big Mango included! And every tourist to Thailand knows that it’s not the monetary amount, it’s the principle of dual-standards that offends our sense of fairness – something that has yet to register with the powers to be that set pricing for the Kingdom’s National treasures? But then again in Thailand money always trumps justice and fairness.
Article 30 of the Thailand 2007 Constitution provides for equality of all and prohibits against dicrimination of foreigners.
look guys, just because some other country has dual pricing doesn’t make it okay for us to do the same. Thailand should aim to be better than those countries and stop making the bottom of the barrel our standard.
These clowns at Asiatique… no more farang biz….if it’s really a Dutch owner…then shame on you… your intent was to profiteer from the public regardless of race and nationality. It appears such shameful actions reflect on the sincerity of the owners that is to profiteer. They obviously pay the lowest or no tax at all. They then justify that they will now charge same rates for all.
My take…. let’s boycott all the tourists attractions that have dual pricing. The same with restaurants with dual pricing….. Richard please expose more of these kinds of shannigans by these kind of greedy businessmen.
Kaeng Krachan national park also does the same discrimination… and the same with Dreamworld. These places ought to be shut down by boycotting them. Too bad it is racism that seems to be the order of the day followed by greedy duds….
BOYCOTT… I will pass it on to all the tourist agencies….. its too late even if they have changed the rates…. I will not trust these clowns… and will not waste time spending on them. Better for me to go to the Singapore eye.. which is far more unique and they have one price…
I find this tirade extraordinary. It’s 50 bloody Baht! The principle you say? How many of your whinging farangs would work for what the vast majority of Thais are paid, if they are fortunate enough to be employed. Get a life guys. If you were given a 50 Baht discount for a beer or an MRT ride or, heaven forbid, a ride at a game park, would you take it? And would we expect to see the Thais up in arms about the extraordinary favoritism of a 50 Baht discount for you? Stop whinging. Get a life. Let whomever owns this place make a living and stop trying to sabotage their business coz you think giving Thais a 50 Baht break is worthy of capital (in this case commercial) punishment. Email me your contact details and I’ll send each of you 50 Baht so you can enjoy the ferris wheel. I mean … really!!!
Looks like you didn’t understand whats going on here. This Guys are not discussing about the peanuts of 50 Bahts, they talk about foreign discrimination!
LOL…and to leave no doubt about the nature of the beast, the reasonable folks at Asiatique have now seen the light and rescinded their dual-pricing scheme. Smart choice but you chose the wrong price point – showing your true color! I would suggest not patronizing this place until they reduce the price to 120 baht, a fair price for a ride on a Ferris wheel in any country!
Hi Richard, thank for bringing this up.
I am want to tell you that I too experience the double pricing in Australia.
Educational cost here has two different price. I have to pay almost 10 time more than local. I wish someone like you bring this up on the new and get the price down a bit.
Seriously, there’s something very wrong with the Asiatique management. You’re not the only one. I feel for you. My Thai colleagues were slapped with offensive remarks when they attempted to work with them on a project. And they are Thais. There’s something very ‘hi-so’ about the way they conduct business and manage their property. I wouldn’t bother if I were you. Asiatique is another tourist trap anyway – one devoid of Thai’s rich and strong cultural element. I wouldn’t recommend them, given the abundance of attractions in Bangkok alone.
Agree with Mark, ‘Get a life people’. Also disagree about this being prejudice. Foreign expats living in Thailand and tourists make alot more than your typical local Thai. National minimum wage just got raised to Bt300/day (<US$10/day). So yes, there is an element of cross subsidisation at work with foreigners paying more to provide opportunities for more Thais to enjoy the ride. Isn't that improved access to more social classes of Thais really less prejudicial than limiting this ride or other govt venues to rich Thais and foreigners.
I disagree. The Thais who earn minimum wage wont pay to ride the wheel if it was subsidised or not. The asiatique with its boutiques and attractions is targeting middle class Thais and foreigners. If the owner of a large multimillion dollar Thai corporation only has to pay 200 baht and a family who have scrimped and saved for two years for the holiday of a lifetime have to pay more because they dont have a Thai passpost that’s discrimination.
The only way your cross subsidisation theory actually works is when you consider all the expats who live in Thailand pay far more income tax than the majority of Thais which in turn provides funding for local schooling and healthcare, the majority of which expats wouldnt use anyway. And then they get told they have to pay an extra fee on attractions as well? Thats bullshit, the majority of people disagree with it, they’ve spoken and the company in question has backed down.
Chill out everyone. Happy holidays to all !!
Another place that promotes dual price discrimination www.facebook.com/ripleysworldpattaya?fref=ts
It’s not so much the actual difference in price or the potentially racist undertones that bothers me so much as the underhand way in which the prices are hidden in plain view.
Thais seldom use Thai numerals, you’re most likely to see them in official documents or in historical, religious or just plain decorative contexts. I remember having a stand-up argument with a street vendor when I was trying to find a watch with Thai numerals for its novelty value. the vendor insisted that the Western numerals were in fact Thai numerals and the only alternative were Roman numerals.
Where you do see Thai numerals used however is in double-pricing establishments where there is no other explanation for their use than that the establishment is deliberately concealing the difference in pricing from those customers who cannot read them.
For information, and without further comment, here’s Siam Ocean World’s pricing board from yesterday.
tyfon.info/DSC_2934A.jpg
Feel free to check my maths 8^)
Richard,
I think it is stupid or inefficient of their management to ban you just because you questioned them on a dual pricing issue. If I am handling for them, I can easily explain and please all parties by proving the reason for the dual pricing.
Having said that, I hope all visitors and and foreigners don’t behave with a “narrow” mindset like the Asiatique. We can still visit them, take advantage of the free shuttle ferry in the evening(superb) but just boycott the Ferris Wheel. We don’t have to boycott Asiatique. If anyone wish to boycott Asiatique just because of a government-allowed policy, better boycott the whole country.
Won’t you agree ?
I hope you don’t mind me disagreeing although my name is not Richard. Whether the Government allows this policy is a mute point (See Article 30 of the Unofficial Translation by the Bureau of Technical & International Cooperation of the Secretariat General of the Administrative Court of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2550). I am not a lawyer but do suggest the phrase “not enforced” is more appropriate. Let there be no confusion. The dual pricing issue under discussion did not arise because the Government does not enforce its illegality. It has been brought into the Cyber Open because Asiatique made a decision. The decision to boycott or not is for each individual to make. But for those whom prefer to boycott there is only one option and it certainly is not the entire country. In this time of peace, love, unity and non-discrimination may I wish you Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas.
Win,
So what’s your point and what you disagree with me ?
I mean if the government allow dual pricing and if anyone disagree, criticise the government or just boycott the country, but not Asiatique.
I agree with Richard they should not ban him from facebook because of his question or criticism but i have nothing against dual pricing. I think it is not fair to anyone. It is their country, they have the rights as long as it is not overprpriced. Look at it positively. Just treat it as a benefit to their citizens. We lose nothing and it is fair.
Hello Stanley,
Simply writing this is what I mean and I disagree with everything you say:
1) Dual Pricing (which is a subset of Pricing Discrimination) is not illegal internationally (unless outlawed by a country) and, according to Wikipedia – my Guru of the Cyber World, is practiced not only in Thailand but also in India, Switzerland and Finland. (Okay, for brevity I am excluding WTO & governmental guidelines for certain products like energy and to avoid dumping).
2) The decision to introduce Dual Pricing can not be attributed to a government or country. It can, in the case under discussion, only be attributed either to Asiatique or the entity providing the Ferris Wheel service.
3) The customer retains the privilege not to engage in a transaction. In a Democracy practicing Capitalism I, as the customer, elect to not transact with Asiatique for the same reason that I hold the management of a shop responsible when my neurons fire and I secrete adrenaline rather than the person standing behind the till.
I am now off to buy my Christmas presents on the other side of town.
Tallyho!
Win,
This exactly what I like you to understand about dual pricing. If it is legal and benefits their own people, I don’t see why some people should dislike it. Most importantly, it don’t deprives any foreigner of anything. Having said that, I still give Asiatique some credits for the free shuttle boat ride. Don’t forget we are not forced to pay for the Ferris Wheel or spend a single cents after using the free ferry ride or stepping into their ground.
So folks, it’s time to improve your mindset and enjoy foreign land.
Typing error in my last message. I think it is not “unfair”…..
250 Baht is quite a lot of money for one ride for Thai people. For most of the tourist it is less then in their homecountry.
I even would recommend lower prices for Thais.
If tourist don’t like this 2-price-policy then they just should not buy a ticket….so easy….just let the market give the answer.
How can you compare the price policy in a rich country like France with that in Thailand ? Many fun fair rides also ask a lower price for students or unemployed people…that is just fair and social.
And pls dont take yourself as so important. Asiatique will survive without your recommondations. You just disappointed that they blocked you. This is internet and u should know that the best.
Thanks for your comment. Firstly I never said to people to boycott Asiatique. I never also said that I was angry they blocked me. I was more bemused than anything. If they want two prices then it is up to them.
Secondly, have you ever been to Asiatique? Have you seen the prices in the shops and the Merzedez Benz cars in the car park? This is an upmarket shopping mall. The restaurants are not exactly cheap. I’m sure most of them can afford 200 Baht for the big wheel.
Richard,
I agree anything there is not cheap. More like for the richer tourists and locals. I have been there twice but not bought anything yet other than food and drinks.
Try living as a non-white in America and you will experience real and sometimes hostile discrimination on a daily basis.
The problem with Thai is that they are too stupid about marketing !
If they wouldn’t say that they charge foreigners more but that THEY OFFER DISCOUNT TO THAI, it would be more acceptable ! But nowhere in Thailand I have seen a place where owners had enough brain to say this instead of just showing a higher price to foreigners !
I was in Sri Lanka recently and parks were literally 10 times more expensive for foreigners. I can handle the 50 baht, but still, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
I still don’t understand why sone people cannot accept dual pricing. I think it is fair that locals pay less because it is their country.
So Stanly you would be happy if you walked into a restaurant in Thailand and paid 5 times the amount as a Thai for your food? 5 times the amount for a beer in a bar? Five times the amount everytime you take a taxi? 5 times the amount when you book a hotel room? You honestly think this is acceptable because its their country?
STANLEY i dont know where you come from, but I guess from a country with a constitution. And all constitution have one important article: everybody is the same and hve to be treated equally!
or you want if you aply for aa job get the answer, sorry but you have the wrong nationality, or when you need medical help to hear sorry you are not thai, you can make discounts for kids, old people, but never by bationality or color or religion, same like with corution, if you accept a free drink or dinner as ok, then there will never be an end.
And for sure t is not a good feeling to pay in a national park 5 times more than a thai person. why you not pay more for your rent or for your dinner (lunch/breakfast), drink, cinema, flight, insurance, aso. Would you accept this?
It is not acceptable and especially when it concerns tourism activity.
I totally agrees dual pricing is just plain unfair discrimination. However, the idea behind is that Thailand is being overrun by tourists with much higher spending power than nationals, and dual pricing is way to compensate it. It is encouraged by Thai government (national parks) and in every Thai psyche, it is a compensation for this unwanted foreign invasion. In other words you are fighting a lost cause: Good luck to you you will need it !
Last night I went to Asiatique. Although there is one price posted for the ferris wheel (250B), dual pricing, it seems, although not officially posted, is still in full effect. My Thai friend was charged 200B at the ticket booth.
I think any foreigner who complained of dual pricing on just 20% price difference should be a ashamed !! As I mentioned earlier, it’s their property and I dont see why we as foreigners should feel jealous just because locals are charged cheaper. I wont complain even if it is 20 times more…..after all, we are not forced to pay for it.
I think Asiatique did a great job for providing the free sea shuttle service. Sometimes, I feel some cheap farangs are really giving a bad image. They never praised others for what’s free but can whine for months over a small matter…..Are there any other political reasons hidden ?
Let’s be grateful and move on.
Sorry Stanley,
To me it’s matter of principle. Moreover, they stated that there would be no dual pricing.
Just more reason to avoid this whole Asiatique things.
Hi (again) Stanley,
On 24 December I tried to explain something to you and it really appears you still have not got it. Never one to give up easily allow me to try once more.
Stan old chap — just as they are allowed to publicly charge what they will we are allowed to comment publicly and decide whether we want to visit the business or not. After all – the second most significant thing about being the customer is that one has a choice. (The first, of course, is that we are actually human and quite adept at converting oxygen to carbon dioxide). So rather than seeing it as whining or being jealous (good grief, boy! how in heaven’s name did your neurons reach that conclusion?) maybe you will be closer to reality by thinking of it as ‘market feedback at no charge’. The free shuttle is extremely generous of the market-insensitive owners (except to us who may be prone to bouts of motion sickness) but tyhen, I have not the slightest problem to pay for a taxi (whose meter is switched on, of course). Because that is actually the point which you appear to have difficulty in getting. It is not about the money, my good fellow. Instead, we all feel a bit uncomfortable that, instead of being treated like important customers, we are treated with the same respect normally reserved for a wallet with an incorrect nationality. But no more babbling from me. I have to rush off now in my rented tuxedo for a fabulous dinner at a five star hotel in a limo that my fulltime assistant ordered two days ago. For each of these, I am delighted to inform you, I was charged exactly the same amount as anyone from any country (including Thailand) – in short, the same as any other person. Happy shuttling Stan and hope you got it this time around. (It’s really not about the money, dude. Realy!)
Camille & Win,
Of course it’s not a matter of money but principle. In principle, any establishment(be it private or government-owned)has the right to charge differently; just like every individual has the right to comment(on anywhere or anyone) or choose to patronise or not to patronise. Ultimately, no one individual will have any rights to deprive the locals of their rights or benefits. Having said that, I respect the opinions of any individual to support or not to support Asiatique(on their own personal grounds) but I hope some foreigners don’t tarnish the tourism industry of Thailand. They certainly don’t represent the whole “farangs community”.
dear stanley, wow you must be very old, congradulation for becoem 120 years already, because you must be born in the 19th century already! nobody has the right to charge differently in reason of relegion, of nationality, education, skin color, physical features, gender,
but I guess this kind of support you dont know
lineage or simalar! you can offer special rates based on age, education (students), work, turn over and so on, but then never based on thai nationality. and may be you missunderstood the last 100 years of development in democratic states all over the world. what you make in you house in private it is your thing, but if you start make bussiness, than you have to accept the law and the constitution and thailand has like every democratic country a constitution. you not argue about 50 bath because may be you never will go to this Asiatique same me, but what you would say if the police stop you because you walk on red trafic ligths over the street or you do not wear helmet on bike and instead of 400 bath the will charge you 4000 bath because 400 bath is only for local. i guess you would be the first who would claim this and post your expierence. If somebody want to make bussines then he has to do this under the law and make his calculation on economic base and not by overcharging othe people. And I hope you do not represent the farang comunity in any Asian state. And if you realy have to much money that you not care if you pay all the time overprices there are many social institutions even in thailand which wold be very glad to get your donation.
If anyone is guilty of tarnishing the tourism industry of Thailand it is the Thais themselves.
Jetski scammers allowed to operate with complete immunity from prosecution in Phuket and Pattaya
Taxi ‘mafia’ cartels using thuggish behaviour in Phuket
Rampant and unlicenced building on marine parks etc
Lack of safety measures in place throughout the entire Kingdom, including and not restricted to unlicensed tour operators, speed boat operators who do not follow the correct safety guidelines
Blatant open prostitution in many tourist areas
Tuk Tuk scammers, gem scammers, bogus fortune tellers, Grand Palace scammers etc etc and thats just within a 3 square mile area in Bangkok.
Yep, if anyone is guilty of tarnishing the tourism industry of Thailand its the shortsighted, corrupt, morally unjust, greedy scum that work the industry for all its worth.
Richard,
Isnt Thailand great ? Despite what you think of the Thais or Thailand, you and I can’t live without her
Let’s not think selfish. Think not just for ourselves; but all the Thais and foreigners who will benefit from dual pricing.
Is Thailand great? No, I dont think so. Has some good points, but many bad ones and seems to value money over doing whats right and safety. Just look how hard it is proving at the moment to get Thailand to abolish the cruel and barbaric illegal ivory trade. And they have the nerve to call Elephants their national animal. What a joke.
As for living without her, speak for yourself. I could quite easily never set foot on Thai soil ever again.
But you carry on paying 20 times what everyone else pays for good and services in Thailand. I’m sure that attitude makes you genuinely loved and respected. As for the rest of us, we’ll keep on paying the same as anyone else regardless of their nationality, or boycott establishments that choose to discriminate instead. Their loss.
Richard,
I mean your blog. Even if you dont set foot on Thailand, the fact that you have to carry on your blog meant you needed her more than she needed you.
On the elephant part, I think some people are making a mole hole out of it. Have you ever wonder the elephants are having a better living condition now and if given a choice, they may still opt for the current condition rather than surviving in the wild facing extinction.
Move on, think of the whole community instead of personal. Dual pricing is only fair to the locals. They deserved to pay less; just like others have the rights not to pay at all.
I don’t have a blog Stanley. I think you are getting confused with another Richard.
Which its your choice Stanley. It is only fair that you get confused by a couple of Dicks.
LOL
So according to you Stan, ‘Phajaan’ or breaking in/domesticating young elephants is a good thing? Do you actually know what Phajaan means and is?
Richard & Camille,
I don’t entertain silly messages or get off-topic. According to your last 2 questions, I should reply you by asking, “So according to you cam, I should not be eating chicken or even vegetables ?” Isn’t it silly ? Let’s stick to the dual-pricing topic if you wish.
Ok Stanley, on the topic of dual pricing, would you be happy to pay 20 times the amount that a Thai person does for chicken and vegetables as its their country and they dont earn as much as you?
Hey Stan, I didn’t bring up elephants, you did and my stance on dual pricing is well known.
I didnt bring up elephants either. I reply to someone who brought it up.
Richard (not Barrow)
As I mentioned earlier, I dont wish to answer unnecessary or silly messages but just to satisfy you….
Put it this way, I will not care whether the Thais pay 20 times cheaper than me for chicken or vegetables. I will only care for what I pay, not what the locals pay. Even if the locals get chicken and vegetables free dont give us the same rights to have the same. Just like the Canadians get cheap health and medical care, must they give the same to foreigners ?
So foreigners please dont tarnish the image of other foreigners just because of a small unfair-thinking minoritys. The Thais never force or trick us to visit their country and those who did(visited) never complained of being overcharged for chicken or vegetables, so please dont make up any lies or poor examples over them.
You’ve missed the point again Stanley. I never said that people have complained about being overcharged for chicken or vegetables. I said that you apparantly wouldnt mind being charged 20 times what a Thai person would pay for chicken or vegetables based on this comment you made on the 10th of March
~~~I dont see why we as foreigners should feel jealous just because locals are charged cheaper. I wont complain even if it is 20 times more~~~
So you carry on happily paying 20 times more than people with Thai passports for everything you purchase in Thailand. The rest of us will pay exactly the same or boycott the establishments that openly discriminate.
Got it now? See Stanley old chap, there were no lies, just the confusion in your head.
Richard,
I dont know how old you are but I suspect you are not even 15. How could you missed my point and misquote me ? I mentioned I dont care even if 20 times more on the wheel, not on food; and as long as I am not forced to pay for it. Grow up Richard, and dont tarnish the image of the original blogger here.
Stanley, why would you be ok to pay 20 times the amount a Thai pays to go on the wheel? Thats 5000 baht? Tell, me am I still misquoting you?
Also, while we are on your quotes, why are you happy to pay 5000 baht for the wheel but not prepared to pay more for food? After all if you are ok with dual pricing then you should be ok with it for all goods and services. After all according to you (and please do let me know if I am misquoting you)
~~~I still don’t understand why sone people cannot accept dual pricing. I think it is fair that locals pay less because it is their country.~~~
So by stating this you would be happy to pay dual pricing for chicken and vegetables too. Correct?
I’m not a child and I’m not tarnishing anyone’s image as its only you that got confused by the presence of two people with the same first name.
Having said that, I must clarify I will be happy to pay 20 times more than the locals if for example, they reduce the price of 1.5l water at 7-11 to 0.6 bahts or a bowl of noodles to 2 baht for locals; as long as they dont increase my price. Hope a few foreigners dont let just a little selfishness in their head tarnish the image of all foreigners.
Stan, you are sooooooo missing the point. You’re ok to pay 20 times as much as long as it doesn’t hurt your wallet. LOL!
Stanley’s hilarious. He’ll pay 5000 baht to go on the wheel as long as no one forces him to.
Richard,
Yes u r still misquoting me. I wrote I dont care if they charge 20 times more as long as I am not forced to pay for it. Sorry…I not interested to read the rest of your msg.
Cam,
I think you still dont understand and missed the points on dual pricing. Try to compare with cost of healthcare and medical expenses in Canada between locals and tourists.
Stan, Indirectly you’re saying that you don’t agree with dual pricing in Thailand, since you agree only if it isn’t costing you anything.
Dual pricing in Thailand is the opposite as you stated, not the Thai prices go down, the prices for Westerners go up, something you oppose to, as you stated in earlier message.
Your arguing lacks left and right buddy.
Oh dear, you do realise that Stanley will call you a child and accuse you of misquoting him now?
Richard,
Do you realise your mistake ? Did I said I dont me mind paying 5000 bahts ? Now dont blame me for thinking you are a child if you cant understand my messages. In fact, you actually behaved like one. Btw, you can call me a 80 year old man and I cant call you a child ? Grow up.
Cam,
Why must you think that prices for westerners go up and not prices for locals go down ? I neither meant I agree on dual pricing or not. It depends on situation but one thing is sure, dual pricing provides flexibility. In this sense, I agree with dual pricing if you must force me into one. If you see it positively, it can prevents from too many people going into it if it is cheaper for everyone. Didnt some tourists complain of some places being too touristy ? Dual pricing is a good step. Btw, you have not let me know if you understand or missed to read my “canada healthcare expenses” part. Try to understand and your mind will be broaden.