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Arramsey
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FIRST - an apology.
I am pretty sure that I have seen mention of "price discrimination" in some posts - maybe even in a "Thread" title.
However, after doing an extensive "Search" for the words "price discrimination" in all "Thread" titles as well as all "posts" I came up with only one match - and that too in a "Thread" on Soapies.
Hence this new "Thread".
Whether mentioned on this Forum or not, there are a lot of foreigners who are quite bitter about the apparent "price discrimination" between Thais and foreigners - especially for entry fees into National Parks, etc.
Imagine my suprise, then, when recently I experienced 2 incidents that totally changed my perspective and gave me a very positive out-look.
The first incident happened over the Chinese New Year week-end when I had taken a 3 day trip to Koh Samed with my Chinese Mainlander. When we got to the entrance to the National Park area there was a prominent notice saying that Foreigners have to pay an entrance fee of B200 whereas Thais have to pay an entrance fee of B20. I was taking out the money from my wallet to pay B200 each for the 2 of us when the Park official asked me, "Where you work ?". I replied " In Bangkok", and I took out my drivers licence to prove my statement. But he did not want to look at my licence and just said," You work Thailand, you pay same-same Thai" - and he took just B20 from each of us.
The second incident happened last Sunday ( i.e. yesterday ). I had taken my Chinese Mainlander to Safari World. At the ticket counters there were notices in English ( obviously for foreigners ) that the package price for the Safari Park + the Marine Park was B700 per person & there was a notice in Thai saying that the package price was B390 per person. I went to a ticket counter and said "Sawadee Khrap" to the girl and got ready to pay B1,400 for the 2 of us. But the girl just asked me, "How long you stay Thailand?". I replied"12 years" and was taking out my drivers licence, but she just said,"You pay B390 one person" - and this on a Sunday when the place was practically packed.
Maybe I was just lucky - But those 2 really fantastic experiences started me off on a very positive trend of thinking on the lines of " We non-Thais really have it very good".
"How so?" you ask - OK we foreigners have to pay more ( some may say way, way more than Thais for entrances to some places ) ------------
BUT - any foreigner ( whether a tourist or a long term resident ) who shops at Central or Robinson Department Stores (excluding the Supermarket and already discounted goods ) gets a 5% discount and any foreigner ( whether a tourist or a long term resident ) gets a VAT refund when leaving the country within 2 months of the purchase.
You do the Math - in my case I have gained a hundred times more than what I have supposedly lost by the so called "price discrimination".
Now doesn't that make you feel good ? Well - it sure made me feel very, very good.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 5:35 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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Mel Gibson
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The ONE that got me was entrance to the water fall ( national park) at Koh Chang 300BHT farang, 20 BHT Thai,,, now thats being a bit rich!!! 1500% or 15 times the price???
The taxi was paid to immediately U turn.
But I still love Thailand.
Smiles 
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Bangkok Women : Meet Sensual Bangkok Women
Posted on: 6:10 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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Yurune
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I show Bat Pragan Sang-kom, or if I have it to hand my work permit at all these places, never a problem...dreamworld, Safari World, Crocodile Farm etc....never an issue to get Thai price.
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Thai Girls : Meet Sexy Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:20 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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Arramsey
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Maybe I gave the wrong title to this Thread.
I did not mean to say that there is no price differential - there definitely is.
The point I was trying to make is that the benefits that we foreigners get in terms of the 5% discount at Central and Robinson + the VAT refund far exceeds ( in value) the little bit extra that we are asked to pay for entrance to some places.
NOTE :- The 5% discount and the VAT refund are NOT available to Thais.
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Sexy Bangkok Girls
Posted on: 7:49 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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LocalYokul
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sounds like horse shit to me
I have NEVER had a Thai ask me "how long you work/live in LOS ?" in order to give me a discount
the guys at Samet stared blankly with their hand out when I told them in Thai that I could read their bloody sign in Thai that says 20b/person (adults)
where on Earth did you get the idea you're saving money by shopping at Robinson's or Central ??
ok, VAT back, 7%, if you're a tourist, and those of us who complain about two tier pricing are NOT tourists, so that's out the window for most of us, unless you leave the country often enough to claim the tax back...
I had one case in ELEVEN YEARS where a Thai park official charged me the Thai price, when I showed him my Thai Driver's license
in Pattaya, they could give a f*** if you lived here since the Vietnam war
ok, I'm not being racist/prejudice here, but I'm thinking maybe Aram got this tender care because of his skin color/race
some venues around would give in, like the ones Yurune mentions, but there's heaps that won't, especially around Pattaya, and here in CM too 
here's the evidence, just do a search on Pattaya or CM
http://fairprice-thailand.org/index.php
the math works out for me
you're paying about 5 times more for an item in Robinson's/Central that you can get in Pratoonahm 
but they're charging you sometimes 1000% diff. with the two tier pricing
oh well, think of it any way you like to get your head around it (tum jai), but I still think it's a load of shite !
and I don't know many Thais who actually shop at Robinson's/Central
sure they walk thru on their way to the cinema or KFC, Dairy Queen
or they have an expat husband who will be the one taking the discount
and the VAT refund is available because we shouldn't be paying their taxes, it's THEIR taxes, not ours
but you've a bit of a point, but I don't know ANY expat who takes advantage of that VAT kickback
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 7:50 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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Arramsey
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LY,
If you think my original post was "horse-shit" - you are entitled to your opinion especially since I cannot prove or disprove what actually happened.
However I am not in the habit of lying about my personal experiences.
You may be right - it could be because of my race / skin colour that I was given the Thai rate. BUT I am Indian and from what I gather on this Forum the Thais don't have any great love for Indians - so that theory goes kaput !
I do not know at which Central or Robinson you shop - BUT I can guarantee that on any day of the week you can walk into any Central or Robinson store anywhere in Bangkok or Chiang-Mai and you will see far more Thais than Farangs actually buying things.
And sure you will get things cheaper at Pratunam ( although 5 times cheaper is extremely far-fetched ) - BUT the quality of items at Robinsons is much higher than that at Pratunam and the quality at Central is even higher than that at Robinsons - so you are comparing apples with oranges.
And finally - you may not know any Ex-Pats who have taken advantage of the VAT re-fund - BUT I have so I can personally vouch for that benefit. BUT then again according to you that could be horse-shit.
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Bangkok Women : Meet Beautiful Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:25 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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Yurune
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You've really become quite bitter lately haven't you....
and for the record at Dreamworld, they told me about it.....
and I don't know many Thais who actually shop at Robinson's/Central
Who are all the Thai looking people in the queues?
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:31 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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seajohn
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LY is right, the VAT doesn't help guys who live here really as far as I've seen. Maybe I haven't seen enough. Last year my folks came out for a few months; they stayed in a condo. Real nice trip. They'd been doing some shopping at Lotus once in a while since it's nearby. I forget what they bought but my Pop had the idea he'd get this VAT back--but the paperwork and steps to do it for the great sum of 37 baht eventually put him off. But I may be wrong, I just have never seen anyone take advantage of that.
However I will say that with my But Pragun Songkom I have gotten the Thai price at Safari World, the Crocadile Farm near Nakorn Pratom, and the petting zoo at Pata. I am a Caucasian male with a great smile. 555
Actually at the last two places I felt the officials' decision was almost according to their mood that day--perhaps they had never see a foreigner with a card like that... though there are plenty obviously. Just no air of regulations. I think the pricing system sucks of course but if it wasn't such a huge percent I would just pay it; I don't like to feel I'm scratching for a cheap price in front of people. Maybe that's just me.
But unfortunately the difference is ridiculous. Especially as it applies to all foreigners, as if all foreigners come from exactly the same economy. I imagine how it must be if someone came from a worse economy... Geez, they must really like crocodiles. Or perhaps they are not wanted as much...? Is Thailand in a position to make such as distinction?
(distinction?--though in my experience most even uni educated Thai couldn't even do something such as name the capitals of 15 foreign countries...)
The other place however, Safari World, I actually called them and asked how much. I spoke Thai and the girl said right up front that if I worked here and showed my work permit I'd get the Thai price (even though I didn't ask her that). So go figure, as they say.
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Thai Girls : Meet Active Thai Girls
Posted on: 8:54 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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LocalYokul
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Quote: from Arramsey on 10:13 pm on Feb. 6, 2006
you are entitled to your opinion
yes
I've just NEVER seen a Thai inquire as to ones length of stay/work in the country in reference to giving them a discount. Are you sure you didn't ask them for the Thai price ??
However I am not in the habit of lying about my personal experiences
neither am I
I am Indian
um, I knew that, just didn't wanna repeat it here
from what I gather on this Forum the Thais don't have any great love for Indians - so that theory goes kaput !
no, the theory is just starting...
they feel sorry for you, or at least pretend to
after you leave they say if it wasn't for the discount your... oh well, I'll leave the rest to your imagination
oh, I forgot, you shop at Central/Robinson's, so you must look like a million bucks, Cheerio young chap (or are you old ?)
I do not know at which Central or Robinson you shop
Sriracha, Chiang Mai, BKK
you may not know any Ex-Pats who have taken advantage of the VAT re-fund - BUT I have
ok, so now I know ONE out of the HUNDREDS that I am acquainted with. Remember that line about the Thais feeling sorry for you..?, do you wonder how many other expats actually claim that VAT ?
Quote: from Yurune on 10:19 pm on Feb. 6, 2006
You've really become quite bitter lately haven't you....
why YES, thanks for noticing
for the record at Dreamworld, they told me about it.....
hmm, don't remember, but I got Thai price there too, hence my acknowlegement of some places (very few) not adhering to two-tier
Who are all the Thai looking people in the queues?
rich Thai-Chinese, or Indians who look like Thais (our boy Ramsey ?) and chicks who are married to expats
SeaJohn Said :
"the officials' decision was almost according to their mood that day"
that is a MAJOR factor in many occasions, including Immigration etc., hence our boy Ramsey might have just struck good luck with those two occurances of "how long you work/live here?"
no offence fellas, just ranting, as one does, occasionally
yeah, I know, I rant a LOT lately, LOL
oh, it just came to me, why Ramsey was asked, because who wasn't with a Thai bird
if you're with a TG, they'll expect you to pay in full in order to save her face, not play cheap charlie
but if you've got a TG who helps you out, then in like flynn
I changed TGs recently, so I'm now getting these Thai prices as well, but hadn't in the past, hmm, maybe we should all consider a change, 555
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Thai Women : Meet Matured Thai Women
Posted on: 9:02 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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LocalYokul
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from an "unsaid" member :
I did not take your post very seriously because I could make out that you did not know what you were talking about.
well guess what, I DO know WTF I am talkin' about, because the bastards at any gate I've gone thru, save very few, have charged the "racist" rate. We are not talking about TWO events here good sir, but over 10 YEARS
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD NOT SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF WITHOUT HAVING THE FACTS TO BACK YOU UP
I would suggest the same of you good sir 
my 2 experiences could be true
sure, all TWO of them, 555
You should also desist from bringing in snide racial comments into your posts
please point these out, as I am unaware that I did such
it shows that you have an inferiority complex
seems to me your good self has a pretty serious complex
Keep the discussions to the facts and leave out personal insults
umm, to coin a childhood phrase, YOU TOO !
I don't think that should justify causing further problems by posting the way you did
why not ?, it's my opinion. If they differ, who is wrong ?
We are not children
so why are you crying to me like a child ??
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Bangkok Girls : Meet Attractive Thai Girls
Posted on: 10:20 am on Feb. 6, 2006
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