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GAV

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Posted in the Bangkok Post today.................        National park fees reduced for foreigners APINYA WIPATAYOTIN The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has cut the entrance fees for foreigners to national parks countrywide in a bid to lure more overseas tourists.The reduction came after the department received a number of complaints from foreign visitors that the fees are too high, compared with the poor facilities for tourists at the parks. Effective from Dec 1, entrance fees for adult foreigners have been cut from 400 to 200 baht for the most popular parks, and by 75% for the less popular ones, according to the department. Among the most popular sites where the fees were cut by half for foreigners include the marine national parks of Mu Koh Lanta National in Krabi, Mu Koh Chang in Trat, Mu Koh Angthong in Surat Thani and Mu Koh Tarutao in Satun.  The entrance fees for the top national parks in the North and Northeast such as Doi Suthep-Pui and Doi Inthanont in Chiang Mai, Jae Son in Lampang, Khao Phra Viharn in Si Sa Ket and KhaoYai in Nakhon Ratchasima have also been cut by half. The entrance fee for the famous Mu Koh Surin and Mu Koh Similan in the tsunami-hit Phangnga province is still set at 200 baht for children and 400 baht for adult foreigners. To lure more tourists to lesser-known national parks, such as Khao Lak-Ramru in Phangnga and Tap Lan in Prachin Buri, the rate for foreigners has been cut from 400 to 100 baht for adults and from 200 to 50 baht for children. Department chief Chalermsak Wanichsombat said the fee adjustment was aimed at promoting tourism. While foreigners enjoyed a sharp reduction in national park entrance fees, locals will be charged more at some popular sites. For example, the entrance fee for Thai tourists visiting Doi Suthep-Pui, Huay Nam Dang and Ob Luang in Chiang Mai and Tung Saleang Luang in Phitsanulok has been increased from 20 to 40 baht for adults and from 10 to 20 baht for children. The higher fees give the department a bigger budget to maintain the parks, said Mr Chalermsak. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a leading marine biologist at Kasetsart University, said lowering the entrance fees would only benefit tour operators. Foreign tourists mostly buy a package tour from local operators which includes the park fees. So the new rates are unlikely to lure more foreign tourists to the national parks, he said.
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GAV
Posted in the Bangkok Post today.................        National park fees reduced for foreigners APINYA WIPATAYOTIN The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has cut the entrance fees for foreigners to national parks countrywide in a bid to lure more overseas tourists.The reduction came after the department received a number of complaints from foreign visitors that the fees are too high, compared with the poor facilities for tourists at the parks. Effective from Dec 1, entrance fees for adult foreigners have been cut from 400 to 200 baht for the most popular parks, and by 75% for the less popular ones, according to the department. Among the most popular sites where the fees were cut by half for foreigners include the marine national parks of Mu Koh Lanta National in Krabi, Mu Koh Chang in Trat, Mu Koh Angthong in Surat Thani and Mu Koh Tarutao in Satun.  The entrance fees for the top national parks in the North and Northeast such as Doi Suthep-Pui and Doi Inthanont in Chiang Mai, Jae Son in Lampang, Khao Phra Viharn in Si Sa Ket and KhaoYai in Nakhon Ratchasima have also been cut by half. The entrance fee for the famous Mu Koh Surin and Mu Koh Similan in the tsunami-hit Phangnga province is still set at 200 baht for children and 400 baht for adult foreigners. To lure more tourists to lesser-known national parks, such as Khao Lak-Ramru in Phangnga and Tap Lan in Prachin Buri, the rate for foreigners has been cut from 400 to 100 baht for adults and from 200 to 50 baht for children. Department chief Chalermsak Wanichsombat said the fee adjustment was aimed at promoting tourism. While foreigners enjoyed a sharp reduction in national park entrance fees, locals will be charged more at some popular sites. For example, the entrance fee for Thai tourists visiting Doi Suthep-Pui, Huay Nam Dang and Ob Luang in Chiang Mai and Tung Saleang Luang in Phitsanulok has been increased from 20 to 40 baht for adults and from 10 to 20 baht for children. The higher fees give the department a bigger budget to maintain the parks, said Mr Chalermsak. Thon Thamrongnawasawat, a leading marine biologist at Kasetsart University, said lowering the entrance fees would only benefit tour operators. Foreign tourists mostly buy a package tour from local operators which includes the park fees. So the new rates are unlikely to lure more foreign tourists to the national parks, he said.
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JeeCool

I am very glad that they reduce entrance fees for foreigners but... what a mixed mind by charging back to Thai people...it look seems unfair just think about who have big family :(

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GAV

I agree Jee. I dont know what a Thai national feels, when showing a forigner their country

But as a forigner, I must admit to feeling very second rate and used.

What is wrong with the one price for all or if the Thai Govt feels it needs to

charge double, but to charge 10 to 20 times the rate of a citizen,

does not send a good message or give forigners a warm fuzzy feeling about Thailand

It is a shame because Thailand has so much to offer the Tourists. Its a beautiful country.

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kaunitz

oooiii, obviously I missed some developments! I haven't been to any parks recently, but I still remember the fees back in 2003 and 2004 - and they were 200 Baht for foreigners. When did they double them?

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grezzzy_greer

Yes the whole concept of charging more to foreigners "because they have more money" is flawed. As was mentioned by PiAnt, what about the rich Thais? They can often afford MUCH more than even a relatively well-off tourist, but they are charged the same as the rest of the Thai community.

I totally object to payting extra just because of my nationality and I refuse to do so. As a farang that works overseas and brings a lot of money into the country, I feel that I already contribute plenty to the Thai economy, so I am not happy to be charged an order of magnitude more than a Thai national.

As PiAnt says, in Australia all foreign tourists pay exactly the same as Australians to enter any national park or any other venue for that matter. In fact having stepped pricing based on race or nationality is totally against all human rights and equality legislation anywhere else in the world.

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SweetDream89

my idea is to raise up entrance fee for thais also, maybe 100 baht@ 1 adult and i think it's better now for 200 baht@foreigner; adult... but i know some of you guys still think why you have to pay higher than thai..as if you see 60% of thai population have poor income. For just 100 baht, they think it's very expensive.

What the gov. should do is the improve the services and facilities, so we all will be happy to pay if we get these better!!!!!!

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GAV

I agree with you Ant and said as much

BUT in all honesty old Chap

Do you think it will ever happen

I garentee it wont happen in you or my lifetime

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koratbob

Yes, to be the devil's advocate, I have to say it happens everywhere. When I used to live in Daytona Beach in Florida, if you are a resident (proof by your Driver's License), nearly every venue during events like Bike Week, Car races, etc. Were free, NO Charge for residents, whereas everyone was charged an cover charge of around 2 to 5 dollars. Cheers

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