Dual-pricing in Thailand: Is it time to do away with the ‘farang tax’?
A tourist walks past a street vendor in Bangkok, Thailand. Pic: AP.
Government must review two-tiered pricing policy, writes James Austin Farrell
By Saksith Saiyasombut & Siam Voices Oct 09, 2015
It is, arguably, taken for granted by most Western visitors, and even expatriates in Thailand, that they will be overcharged at various points of their trip or stay. Thailand has this reputation, and this is why you might see some foreigners arguing over 10 baht (30 cents) for a tuk-tuk journey, or shamefully bargaining at times on fixed-price goods such as eggs. Theseasoned tourist fears he’s being made a fool of, while the expat may feel he is already contributing enough to the Thai economy and shouldn’t be taken advantage of. Foreigners are mostly all well aware of the skullduggery that sometimes exists in Thai pricing strategies. Some people accept it, others resent it. It exists, arguably, because when Westerners started visiting Thailand in droves they were seen as rich, and perhaps because of that were deemed eligible for a little extra taxation.
