Dual pricing of Tourist Attractions in Thailand - Discriminatory or Acceptable? - Dual pricing of Tourist Attractions in Thailand - Discriminatory or Acceptable? - Network - Tourist

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Dual pricing of Tourist Attractions in Thailand - Discriminatory or Acceptable?

There is currently a social media campaign to highlight the common practice in Thailand  (FB #2pricethailand)... and https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1949692/foreigners-take-aim-at-dual-pricing

The arguments range from ...its OK for attractions subsidised by tax payers (natioanl parks, publci cultural attrations etc) to it's downright racist and discriminatory... for e.g national parks charge anywhere betwwen 500 to 1000% more to tourists than Thai's.

Common compliants are around the fact that the dual-pricing is done in a underhand way (Prices for Thai's written with Thai numerals anf foreigners in English).

Also, is there justification is there for a private profit-making attraction to charge more for tourists?

Personally, as a long-time resident, I feel that as I pay tax so should be able to pay local prices but as a tourist, I don't see an issue with being charged a resonable mark-up.

What happens in your country?

Dear Mike, thanks for this important post. Actually, a colleague of mine has published a paper about legal measures to fight over-tourism (unfortunately in German). In Europe, It is simply not possible to differentiate between national tourists and international tourists as this would violate the European right of equality of allEuropean citizens. But there are other instruments, such as e.g. subsidies or refunds for local. Certainly, this would mean some administrative efforts but would help to solve challenges of unfair discriminations.

I abolutely agree with you that the simple passport is not a sufficiant criteria. The problem is that politicians tend to present quick and dirty solutions instead of developing well balanced and well reflected long-term solution...

 

 

Ceterum censeo mutationem climae esse vincendem.

(Incidentally, I think that global warming must be defeated) 

 

Prof. (FH) Mag. Mag. Dr. Harald A. Friedl
Assoc. Professor for Sustainability and Ethics in Tourism
Institute for  Health and Tourism Management
FH JOANNEUM - University of Applied Sciences
Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Straße 24
8344 Bad Gleichenberg, Austria
Phone office +43-316/5453-6725
Phone mobil: +43-699/191.44.250
eMail: harald.friedl@fh-joanneum.at
Web: www.fh-joanneum.at/GMT