So no, I don’t mind if his and his wife’s entry is subsidised by the government and they only pay 100 Baht each to get in.
Who would have a problem with that?
Who would have a problem with paying more than someone else because they earn 10x more, if it meant their family could enjoy the same social outing?
I pay more than the average Thai for entry to certain places and for certain goods because I earn more. I am privileged to be able to afford to live here and consistently enjoy myself in nice hotels and swim in the waters of beautiful beaches, and to visit amazing temples and see wonderful landscapes.
The majority of Thais will never be able to take such a holiday in a foreign land. In fact, the majority of Thais have never visited the beautiful islands and wonderful corners of their own country.
So no, I don’t care that I pay 100 Baht more for entry to a museum, or 50 Baht more for a t-shirt in the market by the beach. As a resident (I don’t have official residency) I am privileged to live in a nice apartment, and to be able to afford to eat in lovely restaurants and enjoy all the city has to offer; again, way above and beyond the means of the average Thai person.
When I say the average Thai, I am referring to the 17 million Thais who earn under ten thousand Baht per month, most of whom, according to a recent bank survey, are in debt to the tune of an average of 150,000 Baht; debt that continues to grow at between 6-20% depending on the mood of the debtor’s loan shark.
Even the lowest paid expat jobs in Thailand massively outweigh the average Thai wage; so why oh why do we continue to grumble and begrudge those with low salaries access to museums and local attractions at a discounted rate?
When we complain how unfair it is that a dual economy exists, we should stop in our self-serving tracks and think for a moment; do we want museums and places of cultural interest to solely be accessible to foreigners and middle/upper class Thais by there being one price for all?
Are we happy to stop the kids of an average earning Thai family going to the places we like to visit just because we feel discriminated against?
Or do we want it the other way around, where everyone pays the “Thai price”. That way, we, along with the Thai middle and upper classes, get to clasp even tighter onto our purse strings, a solution which would no doubt contribute to lowering the wages of those working for state-run museums, national parks and other places of interest.
This isn’t about discrimination. This is about sensible economics. Sure, there are many well-off Thai people who get the Thai price when they can clearly afford more than the average foreigner. But we can’t dismiss 17 million other people on that basis. No, we have to get on with it and stop seeing this as some sort of prejudicial war on foreigners.
Things have levelled out somewhat over the past few years, and vendors often make a point of telling customers (Thais included) that its “one price for all”. But with Thailand’s roots in a barter economy, a deal can usually be struck on most things you buy.
So if you want to avoid paying more than the locals, you should learn to speak Thai and enable yourself to engage with sellers in their native language.
By making a little effort to learn the language, you’ll be able to bridge the gap and integrate into the local community. You’ll be able to strike up a conversation and ask for “Laka con Thai” (Thai price). Otherwise you can expect to be perceived as just another foreigner enjoying the fruits of the country but who arrogantly has no interest in bothering to learn the language.
So let’s stop being so sensitive, and instead be compassionate enough to accept that this isn’t discrimination.
ไม่ ฉันไม่ทราบถ้าของเขาและภรรยาของเขารายการเป็นอุดหนุนจากรัฐบาล และต้องชำระราคาชิ้นละ 100 บาท จะได้รับเท่านั้นที่จะมีปัญหากับที่ผู้ที่จะมีปัญหากับการจ่ายเงินมากกว่าคนอื่นเนื่องจากจะหา 10 x มากขึ้น ถ้ามันหมายถึง ครอบครัวของพวกเขาสามารถเพลิดเพลินกับการออกนอกบ้านสังคมเดียวกันฉันจ่ายมากกว่าไทยเฉลี่ยสำหรับรายการบางสถานและบางสินค้าเนื่องจากได้รับข้อมูลเพิ่มเติม ผม:สิทธิ์จะสามารถซื้อได้อยู่ที่นี่ และอย่างสม่ำเสมอการเพลิดเพลินกับตัวเองในโรงแรมดีและว่ายน้ำในทะเลของชายหาดที่สวยงาม เพื่อเยี่ยมชมวัดตื่นตาตื่นใจ และมองเห็นทัศนียภาพที่ดีส่วนใหญ่คนไทยจะไม่สามารถที่จะมีวันหยุดในต่างแดน ในความเป็นจริง ส่วนใหญ่ของคนไทยได้เคยเยี่ยมชมหมู่เกาะและมุมที่ดีของประเทศของตนเองไม่ ฉันไม่สนใจว่า ผมจ่าย 100 บาท เพิ่มเติมสำหรับรายการพิพิธภัณฑ์ ขึ้นไป 50 บาท สำหรับเสื้อยืดในตลาดริมชายหาด ผู้อยู่อาศัย (ไม่มีซี่อย่างเป็นทางการ) ฉัน: privileged อาศัยอยู่ในอพาร์ทเมนท์ดี และจะสามารถซื้อได้จะกินในร้านอาหารที่น่ารัก และสนุกกับทุกเมืองมีให้ อีกครั้ง ทางเหนือกว่าหมายถึงของคนไทยทั่วเมื่อฉันพูดไทยเฉลี่ย ผมหมายถึงคนไทย 17 ล้านที่ได้รับต่ำกว่าหมื่นบาทต่อเดือน สุดคน ตามการสำรวจธนาคารล่า มีหนี้ในการปรับแต่งค่าเฉลี่ย 150,000 บาท หนี้ที่ยังคงเติบโตในระหว่าง 6-20% ขึ้นอยู่กับอารมณ์ของปลาฉลามเงินกู้ของลูกหนี้Even the lowest paid expat jobs in Thailand massively outweigh the average Thai wage; so why oh why do we continue to grumble and begrudge those with low salaries access to museums and local attractions at a discounted rate?When we complain how unfair it is that a dual economy exists, we should stop in our self-serving tracks and think for a moment; do we want museums and places of cultural interest to solely be accessible to foreigners and middle/upper class Thais by there being one price for all?Are we happy to stop the kids of an average earning Thai family going to the places we like to visit just because we feel discriminated against?Or do we want it the other way around, where everyone pays the “Thai price”. That way, we, along with the Thai middle and upper classes, get to clasp even tighter onto our purse strings, a solution which would no doubt contribute to lowering the wages of those working for state-run museums, national parks and other places of interest.This isn’t about discrimination. This is about sensible economics. Sure, there are many well-off Thai people who get the Thai price when they can clearly afford more than the average foreigner. But we can’t dismiss 17 million other people on that basis. No, we have to get on with it and stop seeing this as some sort of prejudicial war on foreigners.Things have levelled out somewhat over the past few years, and vendors often make a point of telling customers (Thais included) that its “one price for all”. But with Thailand’s roots in a barter economy, a deal can usually be struck on most things you buy.So if you want to avoid paying more than the locals, you should learn to speak Thai and enable yourself to engage with sellers in their native language.By making a little effort to learn the language, you’ll be able to bridge the gap and integrate into the local community. You’ll be able to strike up a conversation and ask for “Laka con Thai” (Thai price). Otherwise you can expect to be perceived as just another foreigner enjoying the fruits of the country but who arrogantly has no interest in bothering to learn the language.So let’s stop being so sensitive, and instead be compassionate enough to accept that this isn’t discrimination.
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