Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

General chat about life in the Land Of Smiles. Discuss expat life, relationship issues and all things generally Thailand and Asia related.
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StevePIraq
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by StevePIraq »

oakdale160 wrote:i think it is foolish to waste time and energy on this matter---- it all part of expat life, same in EVERY country in Asia and even in southern Europe.
Totally agree, we Farangs complain/discuss issues in Thailand that we do not agree with but all of our talk or actions will change nothing. We count for little here
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by oakdale160 »

Now I understand--my Thai lady friend has explained it to me--it is NOT that farang are asked to pay more--they pay the correct price, but Thai people are given a discount.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by keepitfun »

I was pleasantly surprised at the Kolkata zoo a few years ago. 25 Rupee entry fee (less than a dollar) for foreigners and locals alike. Mind you, I think 25 rupees was about the right price for the experience.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by handdrummer »

steveP--- i went to the night market, 3 yrs. ago, and never found a reason to go back. multiple stalls all selling the same junk that i neither needed or wanted. i always shop with my wife and she does the bargaining.

oakdale--- it's even worse in china. i was in the countryside and a man had a stall selling brass gongs. i played a few and chose one, paid his price, it was low and as i was walking away he started chasing after me, yelling and cursing saying i promised to buy 2 gongs. i kept walking and eventually he turned around and left me alone. at least in Mexico and Greece the vendors have a sense of humor and it's a social event. in asia it's rather mean spirited. maybe it's the times we live in. the whole world is in turmoil.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by StevePIraq »

oakdale160 wrote:Now I understand--my Thai lady friend has explained it to me--it is NOT that farang are asked to pay more--they pay the correct price, but Thai people are given a discount.
My wife has told me exactly the opposite, Farang can afford to pay more.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by HHTel »

oakdale160 wrote:Now I understand--my Thai lady friend has explained it to me--it is NOT that farang are asked to pay more--they pay the correct price, but Thai people are given a discount.
Love it! Gave my wife a good laugh.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by RCer »

Would you prefer all government subsidy was stopped? Most places would be shut down without it.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by Spitfire »

I'm way beyond going to such ridiculous places.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by HHTel »

Not ridiculous, just overly expensive.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by Big Boy »

Unfortunately, it's when we're showing visitors around that the problem occurs for those of us who are resident here. Fortunately, my 'pink' ID (and a very persuasive wife) has kicked in for me a couple of times now; but it's hard trying to explain why they have to pay 5 or 10 times what I have to pay.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by Bristolian »

If I'm planning ahead I take my work permit with me and usually there is no issue. Of course there are also unplanned occasions, spur of the moment decisions and if it's a national park or similar I will often pay the Farang price providing it's not stupidly outragious (10x). I somehow get the point that Thai prices are subsidised and parks etc need to gain cash for upkeep.

Where I draw the line is at privately owned attractions where I see dual pricing as pure profiteering.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by oakdale160 »

I was ina market in China witha Chinese friend. I saw something I liked, did not speak but walked away and my Chinese friend bought it for me. She joined me and handed the bag to me. At this point the stall holder came from his stall and shouted abuse at her for cheating him .
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by redzonerocker »

I bet some of you could peel an orange in your back pockets with a boxing glove on. :wink:
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by handdrummer »

maybe some can't afford to keep an orange in their back pockets and that's why they live in Thailand.
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Re: Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the 'farang tax'?

Post by Big Boy »

Totally amazed this evening. My eldest granddaughter is back from Uni for a few days. She wanted to go to the Red Cross Fair at 19 Rai to pick up some student essentials (pillows etc), and it just so happened that there was a band on that she liked.

We did the shopping bit (have I mentioned my feelings on shopping :twisted: ? We then moved into the concert area. We chose a table, and went to sit down (7 of us). 2 Leo girls came running up to us and said we had to pay 520 Baht for a tower of beer before we could sit down. Now I can only drink Guinness, my wife doesn't drink and neither do my 2 granddaughters (not in front of us, anyway :wink: ). I looked around the occupied tables, and most did not have beer towers. My wife went to a concert at 19 Rai last week, and nobody demanded they buy a beer tower. We came home.

We would have bought drinks, and knowing my family, a ton of food to soak it it up, but only 2 of our party would have drank beer. This was obviously a ploy by the Leo girls to sell their quota of beer - make sure Farangs pay to sit down. Sorry, this tight git isn't going to fall for that one - LOL, I wasn't interested in the band either.
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