What is truly "Amazing" about Thailand is that the Government is constantly lamenting the the falling number of tourists coming to Thailand, but does absolutely nothing whatsoever to outlaw dual pricing or clamp down on the many scams which drive tourists away.
It is as though they approve of such.

I noticed this as well and sent them this email last month:

Dear Sir / Madam,

Please can you confirm the entry price? On your website it says in Thai: puu yai 450 baht and dek 280 baht. But then in English below it says Adult 850 baht and Child 650 baht.

Which is the real price? Why are you using Thai numbers with a different price? Do you think all foreigners cannot read Thai language?

If you are unable to help me with my enquiry, please give me a contact with your management.

Best regards,

***

...not surprisingly I haven't had a reply yet. I wanted to cc the owning company in Australia but couldn't find an email address for them.

I agree here 100% I fell in love with Thailand when I came here last year with my family. However, one thing I didn't like is the greed of some people who just saw us like walking ATMs. Restaurants charged us more. Tourist attractions charged us more. We rented a jet ski in Pattaya and they tried to charge us 50,000 for damage we didn't do. It was like all Thai people just wanted our money. We would like to come again as we did have some good experiences. But, we will not go to places like Siam Ocean World who are just too greedy. As a family, we cannot afford to pay that much money. I think much better to go snorkelling in Phuket. If you have your own gear it is free and one hundred times better.

From Their Website:

ENTRANCE FEES

ผู้ใหญ่ ๔๕๐ บาท
เด็ก (๘๐ - ๑๒๐ ซม.) ๒๘๐ บาท

Big Bonus Package

Adult


850 Baht

Child (80-120 cm) 650 Baht

Shame on them. We should all send them an email - siamoceanworld.co.th - and also one to the parent company in Australia - oceanis@oceanis.com.au

I will not go there again and I will tell all my friends.

Thanks Richard for the information.

It's interesting to note some attempts at Thailand's upper levels to turn Thailand into the new Monaco, or some other playground for the rich. Those who remember the days of the ridiculous "Elite Card" will have seen the zenith of stupid line of thinking.

What most of these people fail to recognize is that such moves actually cripple a tourist economy that is held up by people coming here on more limited means, such as your sister. These people come, take a holiday up North for example, and are an essential support to the small guesthouses, restaurants, tour companies, etc. They come in droves and the livelihood of many is dependent on them. What they lack in individual wealth, they more then make up for in numbers and also the word of mouth effect -- they go back to their home countries, tell their friends about what a friendly and CHEAP place Thailand is, and there is an idea planted in someone else's mind about the perfect holiday spot.

Then you have a hugely high profile company like Siam Ocean World essentially spitting in their faces with an insulting two-tier pricing policy.

Siam Ocean World cannot sustain itself on ignorant tourists willing to pay anything just to kill an afternoon in an aquarium. This points to ignorant, greedy management and, as always, the market itself will have the last word.

I agree with the poster. Let's send an email to the Australian management company. Guess it doesn't hurt to CC the Thai contingent, but I think the former at least stands a minor chance of not being binned without a second look.

Great article. I agree, this is a 'scam' if I ever saw one. O.K., I understand the Siam Paragon is more 'high class' than other places, but to raise the admission for foreigners by 50% for no good reason is just ridiculous.

I too agree that this concept that tourists/foreigners have indefinite amounts of disposable money to spend is unfair. My trips to Thailand have been financed by credit cards and as stated above by saving money. So really I am in debt visiting Thailand, and my expenses here in the states more than make up for any income inequality with the average Thai person.

By comparison what they are charging at Siam Ocean World is the same price as admission to enter the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. No one can ever convince me that Siam World, while nice enough for what it is, is on the same level as the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a world class site.

I can tolerate dual pricing if it is done fairly and within reason, but this is ridiculous, and I for sure will never patronize this place again. The more I think about this the more it annoys me.

Plain and simple...JUST DON'T GO!
If the tourist just don't go, they
can't sustain them self on just locals.
Maybe they can, However, don't spend your hard earned money in their establishment. That's a vote that you're not happy with it's pricing system. Get this in as many visitor blogs as you can and boycott, visit a temple or thai establishments instead.

It makes you wonder if the parent company, Oceanis, can be prosecuted in Australia for racial discrimination. There is no clear sign that says foreigners are one price and Thais another. They just hide the real price using Thai script. In essence, there are two prices displayed.

I think we should all vote with our feet and boycott not only Siam Ocean World, but all places associated with Oceanis. It is shameful that a foreign company with Thai management has such sneaky business practices.

I understand your concern about additional charges made to foreigners, but how is that different than the 10-20% surcharges that most US cities (and some states) charge on rental cars and hotel rooms?

It's not exactly welcoming, but not shocking either.

Also, in the city where I live, most museums are free or reduced price for local residents.

I am curious about one thing, though: What does the aquarium do if one tries to pay the price listed in Thai? I presume that the Thai price is for all people who can read Thai, no?

I don't really want to get into the big debate of the two price system. Siam Ocean World opened a few years ago with same price for Thai and foreigners. Now the price has gone up for foreigners by a whopping 100%. The price for Thai people stayed the same. What happened? Did inflation just hit the roof?

I think my main objection is that they are doing this in an underhand way. Normally, prices in shops are always displayed with the Arabic numerals known the world over. Even Thai people are more familiar with these. However, Siam Ocean World decided to hide the price for Thai people by using Thai numerals. Other places that have two prices use Arabic prices for both Thai and foreigner. So it is clear that we are paying more. We then have the choice to pay 100% more or walk away. That right is given to us by the Constitution of Thailand. It protects us against unfair treatment and allows us to be treated the same no matter our skin colour or religion. It is also against the law for restaurants to have two different menus with different prices. They have been prosecuted in the past.

I am a tax payer here in Thailand. I employ Thai people. I contribute greatly to the Thai economy. I am no means rich. I know many Thai people who have far more money and wealth than me. However, many places try to charge me the tourist rate just because of the colour of my skin. "You are farang. You pay tourist price." I know white faced people who were born here or even have a Thai i.d. They too often face the same problems. I know 2nd generation Indians in Thailand who also face this problem. However, if you look a little Thai, maybe from Malaysia, Singapore or The Phillipines, and have a Thai friend to buy the ticket, then you can often get in at Thai price.

Some people say that Disney World in Florida have a two price system. Even american universities. Well, that is not quite true as it isn't based on the colour of skin but more your residency. If you reside in Florida then some tourist attractions will give you a discount. The rest of America and foreign tourists have to then pay the full price. To get this reduction you don't have to be an American. You just have to live in that State for a year and can show proof such as a utility bill. With the same proof, you can also get the cheaper price at university.

But, to be clear here. I don't get angry with the ticket seller. I just take a look at the different prices ask politely in Thai if I can have the local price. sometimes they say yes and sometimes they say no. Then it is up to me whether I pay the inflated price or not. What we are fighting for here is the "right to choose". We want them to clearly show the two prices so that we can decide if it is good value for money.

As far as Siam Ocean World goes, it is certainly not worth 850 baht. This is the price you pay for world class aquariums in Australia and America. This one is in the basement of a shopping mall! It is not worth that much money. The same goes for other places that charge 200-300% more for foreigners. Don't think just because you are paying more that you will get better treatment than the Thais. If you are going to see a show, you willprobably find it is mainly in Thai. At zoos the exhibit boards are also mainly or all in Thai.

You hit the nail on the head Richard. Australia has all the natural beauty and much more, such as the Great Barrier Reef, magnificent pristine beaches and great aquariums in Sydney, the Gold Coast and live on the Barrier Reef it self, why would I want to go to that one in Thailand if it was not substantially cheaper than in Australia considering the superior quality of the Australian marine exhibits. Tourists go to Thailand for one main reason, when you have paid for the huge cost of the airfare, it is cheaper when you get there.

The last time I looked, Ripley's Amazing world at Pattaya had dual pricing with the Thai price in Thai script.
What I'd like to do at these places is organise a group of protesters outside so that everyone who was being overcharged because of pure and simple greed and racism knew it.
But of course I'm absolutely cerain that the businesses would soon have a bunch of thugs or paid police nearby to persuade you of the errors of your ways.

"So, why do people come to a place like Thailand for a holiday? The answer is, because it is cheap."

Right on. Thai smile and hospitality? Give me a break. Throw me 100 baht tips, I'll give you the Thainiest Thai smile you ever seen. Hell, I even bring you around for free on my tuk tuk... but first you must help me visit this gem shop and tailor shop first ok? They give me free petrol coupons...... lol

I can't disagree that Thailand's increasing prices are ridiculous, but what is a third world country to do with its crippling economy?
For those of you on this blog that has been to Thailand know that almost half or even more of the population is poor, Thailand is a struggling country
I know its a horrible thing for them to rip foreigners off but so do other countries in Asia and in South America
So give Thailand a break and if you honestly think it is some bullshit place to come then don't waste your damn money on the flight to begin with.

I went to a restaurant in a remote part of Thailand, with my girlfriend and her family. I paid for the food and her papa looked in disgust, I had to pay twice as much for my meal than the Thais did for theirs,I was even given the look , if you dont like it, dont come here again.

Sara you seem to misunderstand the nature of this blog. Siam Paragon is an upmarket shopping mall. Trust me, there are no "poor" people shopping there. It was on the news this morning that Thailand ranks 14 in the world for importers of expensive watches. In Switzerland, they are number 5 in the world of the top consumers buying expensive watches while on holiday there. I am not talking swatch watches here. There are a lot of Thai people buying watches worth 200,000 baht or more. How many foreign tourists going to Siam Paragon can afford that? Siam Ocean World is deceiving the foreign public by secretly having two prices on display. The foreign company is from Australia. It is against the law there. And according to Steve in his blog yesterday, it is also againet the law here in Thailand.

Like Richard says, people should have the right to choose. If they want two prices then that is fine. But at least have the guts to show it at the ticket office.

Lets be frank about this - double pricing is considered acceptable throughout Thailand. I believe this is because the example has been set by the government which has OFFICIAL double pricing policies for tourists. Visit any National park, Forest Park, Thailand Invitation location and its there to be seen, visit their websites and its there to be seen.

Thats why it is also used by private companies and enterprises because the bad example has already been set.

Dual price is a way of life in Thailand.

Is not fair, is illegal, in fact is a kind of mafia!

I'm a bit late to the party here, but add me to the list of people who are bothered by the sneaky tactic of putting the Thai price in Thai numerals. Plenty of tourist attractions use this.

I also agree with you, Richard, that Siam Ocean World is no longer worth the price of admission. I went there last year some time with my wife and niece. The only reason we went then was we had two 50%-off coupons.

I was underwhelmed. We watched the diver show. The announcer's English was all but incomprehensible. The kind of bad that is made worse by the speaker's overconfidence. So they don't even bother enunciating, they just barrel through at high speeds, so that I had to listen attentively to decipher it. And I'm used to the Thai accent.

The "best" aquarium I've personally been to (although I'm not exactly an aquarium connoisseur) is the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

The National Aquarium blows this shopping-mall wanna-be out of the water. It's upwards of 300,000 square feet. Siam Ocean World is roughly 100,000 square feet.

I just checked the National Aquarium's website, and it turns out Siam Ocean World's prices are now roughly the same: the National Aquarium charges $28.95 ($17.95 for kids), and that includes the full aquarium, dolphin show, and its "4D Immersion Theater".

Now compare that to what you get for your 850 baht at Paragon. Waste of money.

The Seattle Aquarium (which I went to a lot as a kid) is a decent aquarium, and it charges $15 for adults, $10 for kids. For $28 bucks, you get a cruise in the Puget Sound harbor with admission. I'd like to see them try that at Paragon.

What are the really good aquariums in Australia and elsewhere? I wonder how their prices compare..

i totally agree with this story and the rising prices for foreingers is well, raceist and people will turn to other countries.personally the only reason i went to thailand was because it was so cheap and maked it a stop off point on my way back from india,( another incredibly cheap place)and had budgeted it to be that way. but i was surprised at the cost of ativities here for foreigners compared to thais. the point of them needing the money more because they are are 3rd world country would be a fair comment if the money actually went to the people who need it! but it doesnt, it goes to the rich making them richer.

There is a vast conspiracy to defraud every tourist that enters the Country.
It starts at the Airport at the baggage pickup. (AOT LIMO SCAM - They plastered signs all over the baggage claims, stating that all taxis other than AOT limos are illegal)!! They charge 900thb when in fact, the taxi price to downtown is about 270thb, including tolls. The AOT has 'agents' in uniform, misleading/lying to arrivals in the secure area!
In the arrival hall, hundreds of Tourist Mafia Touts have free reign. They harass arrivals! Thing is about touts at the new airport, most unsuspecting tourists wouldn’t even think they were touts as they operate in such a position that they seem official - right outside arrivals, in uniforms!. Fake ID tags
Fake Customs officers, transport officials (in uniform) scamming travelers as the exit.

If you visit the Grand Palace, it is very likely, that near the entrance you will be approached by someone wearing a uniform and looking very official who will tell you that The Palace is closed for a couple of hours except to local people. He will then offer to arrange a tuc-tuc to take you to some other places of interest in the area,whilst you wait for the palace to re-open.!

Did you know that the taxies 'parked' by the hotels are almost all scammers?
Yes. They pay the Police to park there. Good money in scamming new arrivals. Honest drivers are not allowed to park adjacent to the hotels.
Every expat knows to never take a 'parked' taxi. In fact, most won't give expats rides. They are only driving taxies to scam novice tourists.
What about the Tuk Tuks on my Soi?
All they do is lie to tourists. Do you actually think they are there to give tourists rides to the Temples etc?
Every one of them in the Tourist Zone is a scammer these days.

How about the Fake Students and their Fake Survey.
They even have the nerve to wear the TATs AMAZING THAILAND logo! How many tourists do they harass every day?...and why are they allowed to continue?..year after year? Somethings wrong.

Let's discuss the FAKE MONKS/NUNS working over tourists all over town.
How can they be tolerated?

I won't mention the FAKE BEGGAR team diverting all the donations to the poor.
They have turned a stroll down Sukhumvit/Silom into a Museum of Horrors; The (imported Cambodian)beggars are working for a street gang, diverting donation for the poor into the pockets of street mafia.
The proceeds go to the punks that own the sidewalks.

How about the recent escalation of the 'LITTERING POLICE' harassing tourists all day long. That is a huge problem, I'm sure the Thais are not aware of this.
I estimate each officer takes in about $200usd per hour..and there are dozens of them. Representatives from Embassies have been asking for this to stop.

Did you know the Thong Lor Police have been doing random searches of foreigners?
Yes, they are pulling them out of taxies and searching/intimidating them. Especially near Soi22.

What happens when a tourist walks into Hualumphong Station looking to buy a train ticket? Scammers approaching every tourist that enter the Station, displaying what is a bogus ID card saying they are with the TAT. YES, inside the Station, in front of security/management.

Look at the Sala Daeng MRT/BTS Dusit Thani Hotel area. The Tourist Mafia has representatives there too, all day, every day.
Yes full time scammers positioned on the MRT and BTS platforms too. I see them talking with the guards all the time.

Look at the BTS platform/Skywalk near MBK, Central World Trade, Erawan, Gaysorn Plaza. Yes they are there too.
I notice they chat with the Security Guards when not approaching a map toting tourist.

The Tourist Mafia has agents at the intersection of Sukhumvit Soi 18 & 20 & 22 & 24 trolling for tourists that stay at the hotels there.

I have had them approach me near the Biyoke, Indra Hotel also.

Visit the Central World Shrine and witness them at work there.

Walk down Silom and you will meet the Tourist Mafia at all the major intersections and near the hotels.
They usually are very well dressed and have some scamming Tuk Tuk driver close by to take you to the next stage of the con game.

Should I get into the Baht Bus Scams on the Islands?
Getting charged 10x more than an air-con taxi would in Bangkok! How many tourists are going home, disgusted with the way they are treated by the Islands overcharging drivers?
Why not have real taxies?
What forces are preventing this?

What about double pricing? Even at places like Ocean World where they sneakily put the local price in Thai Script only! I'm guessing the reason they put the Thai price in Thai scipt is so that no tourists would ever spot the different price.

My letter was in the Nation today about this ripoff

----------------------

Yesterday my family and I discovered one of the more unpleasant sides of Thai tourism. We decided to go to Siam Ocean World in Siam Paragon.

My children were looking forward to the visit. On arrival at the premises we learned that it is Bt1,500 for family entry.

That is, if you are a Thai family.

For farangs the entry fee is double that, Bt3,000.

I have never seen a more flagrantly racist policy, which is an insult to all foreigners and should not be allowed.

How would Thai people feel if they visited Disneyland or Ocean Park in Hong Kong and there was one price for locals and a double price for overseas visitors?

The Thai tourism authority needs to stop this travesty, and I hope foreign visitors stop going to Siam Ocean World until entrance-fee parity is achieved for locals and visitors alike.

----------------------

Here is the reply from bipolar World
From: Geoffrey Olson [mailto:golson@siamoceanworld.com]
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 5:51 PM
To: @netvigator.com
Cc: info@tat.or.th; Jittanan Chaiprasart
Subject: FW: : racist policy at Ocean World

Dear Mr Noacceptdaripoff,

I have been forwarded your email by TAT and would like to reply on behalf of Siam Ocean World (SOW).

You are correct in your assertion that SOW operates a dual pricing, however we offer a Thai resident rate and many expatriates living in Thailand also avail themselves of the reduced rate. All other attractions, both government and privately operated, use this system and often the rates differ tenfold or in some instances Thais are free and foreigners charged.

It is also my experience that offering 'locals' rates is prevalent around the world in tourist attractions and indeed hotels although I readily acknowledge that generally the variance is not as great as in Thailand.

I am distressed at the 'racist' tag as this cannot be further from the truth in how our company operates. In fact our family passes use an age based assessment on children to make it more affordable for foreign families. Our regular pricing uses height based assessment of under 120cm for children which is appropriate for Thais but which penalised foreigners whose children tend to be taller.

We are proud of the feedback we get from tourists who visit our aquarium and hope that your family enjoyed your visit.

Yours sincerely,
Geoff Olson
General Manager
Siam Ocean World

I am from Singapore, definately a foreigner in your country. I have just sent the following thoughts to Siam Ocean World and their Australia office, Siam Paragon.


Hi,
Am real disappointed with what’s happening with your pricing policy regardless for local or foreigner at the Siam underwater world. I was at Siam Paragon few years ago during opening; never visit your place due to the price then. Now intend to bring my family, but when checking online info for the prices, there seem to be SO MUCH bad issues with the way your organization is handling the problem. Going thru them and understanding them is killing me; now I have decided NOT TO VISIT Siam Paragon or your Siam ocean world at all. AM PLANNING FOR A HOLIDAY AND THERE ARE THOUSAND PLACES IN BANGKOK THAT DON”T HAVE THIS PRICING ISSUES ESPECIALLY TARGETING AT FOREIGNER.

Sir, take a step back and reflect on the entire issues. With all this negative happening, you are losing potential visitors and customers to your business on the long run.
From statistics, there are 14.46 millions foreigner visitors in 2007; do you think I am the only one that bothers with your prices?

I think I might be wasting time and effort in sending this email, but that’s not the worst.
The worst part: Teaching you how to run your international business….

I agree the dual pricing is not fair. However, as farang but living here, I can get local price. So stating than foreigners are double charged is not completely true... non-residents are.

This issue can be encountered in many other locations... Florida residents also get discounts in Florida's theme park, national parks in Kenya also applies double pricing, seen that before.

About the ripping off in Thailand, of course it does exist... as anywhere in the world when mass tourism is involved. Go off the touristic trail... I was never overcharged.

Again I agree there is something wrong, but no need to vilify Thailand.

I went to Siam Ocean World today for the first time and I loved it! I was able to get the residents rate + a discount from buying lunch at McDonald's.

From reading this article I thought that I wouldn't get a discount, but the cashier offered it to me. Too bad for tourists though. They should be up front with the pricing + discounts.

Get away from the touristy areas. Avoid the tuk tuks.