News Forum - Thai government plans Foreigner dual pricing for hotel rooms | GMT

[Thaiger]

Govt plans to charge foreigners more than Thais for hotel rooms. Thailand’s tourism sector is asking for an additional 1 billion baht budget. Phuket will have a tsunami drill on July 20 following multiple small tremors offshore. A Thai officer caught on camera riding carelessly won’t be fined. PM Prayut drives an electric car with the Swiss ambassador. Bangkok authorities remove transformers belonging to a lot that caused a fire. All this and more on today’s Good Morning Thailand.

The story Thai government plans Foreigner dual pricing for hotel rooms | GMT as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[Cabra]

Certain Thais should absolutely get a break on pricing. And it's the the hi-so types. But really, why announce it. It doesn't create much goodwill when someone knows they are not getting the best price. 

[Bluesofa]

 

"Traisuree Taisaranakul, a government spokeswoman said.
“This is to maintain our standards of rates and services for foreign tourists, which affects the perception of country’s tourism brand,” Ms Traisuree said. “Rates that have been reduced during Covid-19 will be maintained for Thais to sustain the momentum of domestic tourism.” "
From the newspaper we can't quote.

I never noticed rates being reduced when we tried to book a hotel during covid.

'which affects the perception of country’s tourism brand' - negatively no doubt, once this is publicised.

 

[DiJoDavO]

Now Thailand has no feet left to shoot in, they'll start shooting the hand that feeds them. 

[HiuMak]

32 minutes ago, Thaiger said:

Govt plans to charge foreigners more than Thais for hotel rooms. Thailand’s tourism sector is asking for an additional 1 billion baht budget.

This is like Vietnam. Good that means Farangs has some form of priority in booking with higher rates

[Bluesofa]

 

On the one hand we have: "Thai government plans Foreigner dual pricing for hotel rooms"

On the other hand: "Government panel now fears negative effect of cannabis on tourism"

The left hand not even aware of the existence of the right hand.

 

[tezzaaa]

Really really good idea... The type of tourists that come here are people looking for a bargain, attracted by cheaper prices. Given the high price of flights at present hotels should actually try to discount to make up the increase in flight costs so that tourists keep on coming .. doing the opposite is a spectacular own goal. I feel sorry for the tourism industry, it seems that all the decisions taken by the government are against them...

[Richard1944]

Wow this will go down like a lead balloon, discrimination is not good at all for encouraging tourism to come back, in the past tourist were not happy to know that they were discriminated  on to get into ancient historical sites.

[ExpatPattaya]

How is dual pricing going to work on Agoda and Booking.com?  Seems unlikely to happen when reserving a hotel online.

 

[Jayce]

Great!! I'll just have to book under my girfriend's name to get the discount then!! Bring it on :D

 

[SCHMEKLE]

Utterly ridiculous!

Consider, charging a hotel tax upon everyone, including Thai’s, as it supposedly supports local municipalities…

An alternative; tax holiday makers, based upon visa status (ie 30 day) NOT a Farang already residing in the Kingdom, working here (ie O-A, O, etc..) based upon verifiable visa status (Thai Driver’s License, Passports, etc…).

But here in lies the real problem; a two tier pricing system is seen as absolutely discriminatory and unacceptable in the West, and isn’t allowed (imagine as a Thai, you visit EU, US, etc… and the same is perpetrated upon you… Would this encourage your return….?).

The two tier pricing system dissuades repeat business. If you want repeat holidayers, do not encourage two tier pricing… There are so many other places in the world to discover and holiday… Don’t give tourists more reasons not to return, as it will ultimately disenfranchise repeat holidayers.

[SCHMEKLE]

1 hour ago, Bluesofa said:

On the other hand: "Government panel now fears negative effect of cannabis on tourism"

Mate, I don’t think the availability of ganja in the Kingdom will dissuade anyone, as it has been a part of Thai (Burmese, Cambodian, Laotian, Vietnamese…) medicinal culture, for ions… Visit any hill tribe, village shaman… If anything, it will actually strongly encourage tourism, and I believe the government is well aware of this. The US government is the one whom originally forced this classification of illicitly upon Thai’s during the Vietnam War. The Thai government just needs, as you put it, decide what the left and right hand think, want and eventually do… Cheers

[Davelee]

Lol this is so ridiculous but I get it. It's irrational but I get it. Mai pen Rai...

[HolyCowCm]

2 hours ago, Bluesofa said:

"Traisuree Taisaranakul, a government spokeswoman said.
“This is to maintain our standards of rates and services for foreign tourists, which affects the perception of country’s tourism brand,” Ms Traisuree said. “Rates that have been reduced during Covid-19 will be maintained for Thais to sustain the momentum of domestic tourism.” "
From the newspaper we can't quote.

I never noticed rates being reduced when we tried to book a hotel during covid.

'which affects the perception of country’s tourism brand' - negatively no doubt, once this is publicised.

Have some really great rates if you keep looking. They change daily on the internet sites. I got a Novotel resort booking for 2 rooms at 850 baht. Actually my daughter found it an I said book it.

[HolyCowCm]

1 hour ago, Jayce said:

Great!! I'll just have to book under my girfriend's name to get the discount then!! Bring it on :D

Until you check in with out her by your side and have no Thaoi ID and a big fat sign saying we refuse the right to change pricing at anytime to all non thai.

[HolyCowCm]

Well, racism and the get rich lucky schemes on foreingers should have many fired from ever holding a position of any sort.

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by KaptainRob
Refer Forum Guidelines re images

[ronnie666]

why does the government not mind their own business, hotels are a business from someone else, has nothing to do with the government that only make differences in RACES and causing problems with their stupid ideas (such as PayPal idea, causing financial problems for many freelancers) do they listen to reverse it? no so why should we listen.... This stupid idea will cause problems too angry tourist, probably some shoot outs like always, in the day the government stop making differences between foreign and thais i give a party for entire Thailand (government not welcome), so much pride, it is just 1 country in a very big world... and it is meaningless with all these stupid ideas, just making fools of themself, causing people to stay away from the 5 decisions they make and they changing things, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, first make sure you do the things correctly for EVERY ONE in your country no matter where they come from... got to go to throw up again......

 

Why is it never published what is the most discriminating country in the world?

#1 --> THAILAND

Edited July 7, 2022 by ronnie666

[Venusianhart]

Propose every country charge Thai hi-so a "special" price. Even China don't carry on like this.

Hopefully this is another hare brained scheme that won't go anywhere.

[BIGGLES]

LMFAO!

Travel Republic are advertising today for example accomodation in Phuket as follows:

Coconut Village £7pppn (300 thb)

Orchid Resort in Kalim £8pppn.

Both these hotels are more than nice for 3* accomodation, I've used both.

Contact the hotel direct by email, can do even better for longer stays.

I'm reminded of what my grandfather told me.

FOOLS AND THEIR MONEY ARE EASILY PARTED!

[Fanta]

Racists.

[Bluesofa]

47 minutes ago, Fanta said:

Racists.

I don't think there's any law in Thailand to prevent racism.

[Jayce]

4 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Until you check in with out her by your side and have no Thaoi ID and a big fat sign saying we refuse the right to change pricing at anytime to all non thai.

Oh she'd be there with me as well of course ;) I wonder how they would react cause technically she has booked it and she's Thai.

Even better if they force Airbnb to follow suit and implement a two tier pricing system or any other villa rental site for that matter. With a hotel, each guest typically has to present their passport, not so with Airbnb. When you rent a villa, you can just book it for one person even though it has capacity for a lot more people. Price is usually the same regardless if you stay in the villa with one or with 3 people so the owner or custodian (or whatever you call the person who takes care of that propoerty for the owner) doesn't care. The first person checks in, waits for the custodian to leave and you come in a little while later. No fuss, no stress and lower prices :D

 

[RonB]

I can’t imagine that Agoda or Bookings.com would (or could) quote dual prices, they might even quit Thailand entirely.

[Marc26]

I knew this would get an uproar  :)

 

It is just a poorly worded press release on something that is fairly common, residents get discounts

And what seems an extension of the domestic travel program Thailand has had for the last 2 years, which was fantastic 

 

A quick google, pick whatever hotel you want in BC, Canada and there is a resident discount

 

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=resident+rates+hotels&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enCA874CA874&oq=resident+discount+hot&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30i457j0i22i30l5j0i15i22i30j0i22i30l2.11447j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Marc26]

8 hours ago, SCHMEKLE said:

Utterly ridiculous!

Consider, charging a hotel tax upon everyone, including Thai’s, as it supposedly supports local municipalities…

An alternative; tax holiday makers, based upon visa status (ie 30 day) NOT a Farang already residing in the Kingdom, working here (ie O-A, O, etc..) based upon verifiable visa status (Thai Driver’s License, Passports, etc…).

But here in lies the real problem; a two tier pricing system is seen as absolutely discriminatory and unacceptable in the West, and isn’t allowed (imagine as a Thai, you visit EU, US, etc… and the same is perpetrated upon you… Would this encourage your return….?).

The two tier pricing system dissuades repeat business. If you want repeat holidayers, do not encourage two tier pricing… There are so many other places in the world to discover and holiday… Don’t give tourists more reasons not to return, as it will ultimately disenfranchise repeat holidayers.

but it's not......

Fairly common to give resident discounts

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=resident+rates+hotels&rlz=1C1GCEJ_enCA874CA874&oq=resident+discount+hot&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30i457j0i22i30l5j0i15i22i30j0i22i30l2.11447j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8