Originally Posted by
mkbkk1
You know...I think I'm pretty logical and then you post something that makes me think your perspective is just a tad bit off which makes me think where did I go wrong in my reasoning??
Let's say $20 is the general public rate. Say you live in Florida, you can get a resident discount at Disney World. In state residents pay $15. Anyone else pays $20. There's no markup/premium price for being a foreigner. Everyone in America and any foreigner pays the general public price. Do you get it? If a Thai goes to the Grand Palace or Safari World they pay nothing or very little. Every non Thai pays a markup. If you're a resident but look foreign hypothetically you get the "resident" Thai rate but not always. I get the whole thing about the difference in economic situation etc in Thailand so then make sure it's done above board. I would more readily dole out money if they said that part of my fee will subsidize tickets for students and families in need or something like that vs subsidizing the pockets of who knows. Anyone can have their perspective and you and I can argue it any which way we want but at the end of the day reality is that there is a dual pricing system in Thailand that benefits locals (fair enough). There shouldn't be price gouging and everything should be stated and above board not at someone's discretion. And by the way...how I'm choosing to view it is reality.
Everything you say is correct, (except that Thai pay just about nothing at Safari World; I was there last weekend with my Thai in-laws) but the only difference I see is that Disney makes the differentiation between local and non-local where in Thailand it's resident and non-resident (or foreigner). So in Florida there is a dual prociding system that benefits locals, too. Just different rules for who gets the discount and who doesn't.
If foreigners were paying a ridiculously high price, I'd agree with your using the word "price gouging". But compare the price at Safari and Marine World in Bangkok with a similar venue in the US. Doesn't strike me as price gouging.
Poorly trained crew make mistakes, no doubt about it. But at the end of the days we're talking about a couple of dollars. Is that really worth boycotting or getting worked up about?
Let me ask you a "perspective question". If you were walking down Ploenchit in front of Siam Paragon and you dropped a 100 baht note and the wind blew completely across the street, would you dodge traffic, risk being hurt or maybe go up the stairs, cross the street, down the stairs, etc. just to fetch that 100 baht note (then re-trace your steps) or would you say to yourself "Dang it!! (or words to that effect)" and go on with your shopping?