Amazing Thailand’s two tier pricing

Dear Editor;

While it is common for the private sector in Thailand to patronise two tier pricing I am considerably more irritated when the government follows suit. My Thai wife and I have made 9 or 10 trips to the Northern part of Thailand over the last 16 years, usually starting in Chiang Mai. We have always had a great time visiting the various temples, caves, waterfalls, etc., from Chiang Mai up to the Myanmar border and surrounding areas by motorcycle.

This year’s trip was spoiled by the unexpected surprise when we learned National Parks, which on past trips had been free or only charged us 20 baht for the motorcycle entry, are now expecting a 200 baht entrance fee for foreigners (100 baht for children) but only 20 baht for Thai’s! In what National Parks in what country are Thai’s treated with this sort of blatant discrimination? Personally, I refuse to pay this 1000% increase over the locals.

I see numerous mentions of the Thailand Tourist Authority making efforts to get more foreign families to come to Thailand. Well, with this sort of discrimination continuing here I cannot see how this will ever happen. A couple with only two children would be forking over 600 baht each time they visit a National Park.

I also have a problem understanding what constitutes a National Park in Thailand? Many of these places offer plenty of wide open spaces but the so called waterfall may be little more than a small stream (depending on what time of the year one enters the park). Koh Samet, one of many Thai islands, also is designated a National Park and a foreigner is expected to pay 200 baht just to lie on the beach here! A National Park full of bungalows?!

With this sort of logic, why stop here? The government could make even more short term baht by designating other beaches such as Patong Beach, Jomtien Beach, and the various other beaches in Thailand National Parks and drive off the foreigners even quicker!

Disgusted,

Scott Benson

Pattaya, Chonburi

Dear Editor;

I would first like to complement Pattaya Mail for the service you provide this community and, via your web site, those living elsewhere who are interested in the news and happenings around the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand. I have been a faithful reader, both while in Pattaya and on-line when traveling, and have never felt that your editorial and reporting management was biased regarding nationalities or cultures. I also feel that you are especially in-tune with the multi-national cultural aspects of the populace visiting or resident in this beautiful region. However, I feel compelled to express my disappointment in your acceptance and publication of Khun Khai Khem’s “Social Commentary” contribution to your 13 April 2001 edition entitled “America’s Murderous Children”.

My concern is centered on the philosophy of the Pattaya Mail’s goals and objectives with regard to your editorial comments. It appears that Khun Khai’s article is aimed at discrediting a specific country and its people. Not only is the article full of obvious erroneous information and slander, it is also insulting to all people who have a common desire to get along with each other and treat each other fairly. It also appears that Khun Khai’s comments are intended to negatively portray a society that he apparently has never visited. He even strays from his subject in order to further cast his malice. All societies and cultures have problems and America is no different.

The article is littered with vague/false innuendos, stereotype information, sarcastic comments and exaggerations. I have been a regular reader of “Social Commentary” and have found it to be interesting and informative. But after reading this erroneous article the integrity and usefulness of the past and future Khun Khai articles are left in doubt. I have listed below just a few of the many comments in Khun Khai’s “Commentary” that are judgmental, contradictory, negative and erroneous. My comments follow in parenthesis.

“There are American’s who make a quarter of a million dollars a year who cannot afford a house, and insurance for their car is more expensive than their home mortgage payment.” (If they cannot afford a house (wrong), there is no mortgage payment. In addition, his comment stating that car insurance in America is more expensive than a home mortgage payment is untrue except in rare cases involving a very low cost home and an extremely poor driving record.)

“Most young couples don’t bother to marry legally anymore” and ... “the divorce rate now for American couples is about 65%.” (These erroneous comments imply that over 50% of American couples now live their life, raise their families, work, pay taxes, and contribute to their communities as non-married “friends and lovers” and of the remaining minority, 65% get divorced. Nowhere in my research could I even come close to these figures.)

“Don’t forget, in this country (USA, my note), the family dog probably has a therapist.” (This ridiculous comment does not deserve or require a response).

“Americans appear to know more about where their coffee beans come from, Sumatran or Colombian, than what their kids are doing when they are out of sight.” (Although there may be small minority who may have this type of priority, it certainly does not apply to all Americans as Khun Khai states.)

“A simple lifestyle in the USA is not admired, it is scorned.” (This comment is absurd. The vast majority of Americans do lead a simple lifestyle, are happy and contented with their lives, are respected within their communities, and lead a “simple lifestyle”. Internal scorn for a simple lifestyle is far from the truth in the American culture.)

While some of Khun Khai’s comments might be true in some of America’s large cities, for example, they are not indicative of the entire country, just as observations about the life and scene in Pattaya are not indicative of Thailand as a whole.

Don

Pattaya

Khai Khem responds: Reader Don’s comments on “America’s Murderous Children” (PM 13 April) deserve a sincere and thoughtful reply. Firstly, I thank him for his previous good opinion of my columns up until now. I would like to quote a great American writer, teacher and humanist, Saul Bellow once wrote: “Openness-and the great relativism that makes it the only plausible stance in the face of various claims to truth and various ways of life and kinds of human beings, is the great insight of our times”. The views on which America was founded were that; by recognising and accepting man’s natural rights, men found a fundamental basis of unity. Class, race, religion, national origin or culture need not be a reason for division. Fortunately, today those great ideas have nurtured multi-culturism throughout the world.

A writer frequently assumes an intimacy with readers that in fact does not always exist. In print, there is often only once chance to get it right. Lampooning is a tricky art. For Reader Don, I apparently need to improve that craft. Instead of wit, he interpreted my jokes as racist and ethnocentric misinformation. However narrow the margin between making a reader smile, and giving offence, I am ultimately responsible for making my point clear. Either I do, or I do not. Feedback from my readers is always welcome. Without them, I have no reason to put pen to paper. With that in mind, I do thank Don for his letter to our editor.