N.Y. Free Entry to National Parks - Thais Only This Year

[Big Boy]

It has become tradition that Thailand grants free entry to National Parks for everybody on New Years Eve and New Years Day. However, it seems it is Thais only this year.

National parks to waive entry fees for Thai tourists on Dec 31-Jan 1

The initiative aims to boost domestic tourism and encourage Thais to spend New Year holidays in the embrace of nature

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) will waive entry fees to all national parks nationwide for Thais on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, a government spokesperson said on Monday.

Sasikarn Watthanachan, deputy government spokesperson, said the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry wants to offer a New Year present to Thai citizens while promoting tourism.

Hence, it has called on the DNP to waive entry fees at all national parks on December 31 and January 1.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/tourism/40044650

So that limits me to where I will go tomorrow. It makes dual pricing even more scandalous.

[buksida]

Thais pay virtually nothing to enter National Parks anyway so it isn't much of a gesture.

Additionally, a National Park would be the last place you'd want to be to celebrate NY. With all the rules and regulations, there would be no chance of any good times.

[Gregjam]

The huge difference in pricing normally in place only serves to dissuade me from visiting any national park unless I really want to go there. What is worse is that many like myself would not take our Thai family to a National Park because of this. I know that I am not alone in feeling that this free entry for Thais only just further demonstrates what those in power think of us.

[PeteC]

I don't know what the highways are like now going to Khao Yai, but several years ago the most direct way to get to the north of Khao Yai from the south coming from the east was to take the road through the park. They charged an entrance fee for that too even if it was just a transit entrance/exit.