The week that was in Thailand news: Double, double toil and trouble: Two tier pricing moves and a damp squib return

[rooster59]

The week that was in Thailand news: Double, double toil and trouble: Two tier pricing moves and a damp squib return

 

 

Thailand’s continued return to some sort of normality after months of restrictions was the mother of all damp squibs this week.
 
Leading the way was the much vaunted return to action of pubs, bars, clubs and soapy massage on Wednesday July 1st.
 
Most of the drinking establishments decided to remain shut for two principal reasons. There are no tourists and the 22 regulations make going out more of a chore than a pleasure. So rather than invest money to reopen the proprietors will just wait and see.
 
Stories from Bangkok and Pattaya suggested there were a few people in the bars that bothered to open.
 
Rachadaphisek massage parlours were doing better business. A Nation story that said they were “throbbing” was just a little too much information for my liking.
 
Reporters from Thai media of all descriptions were out and about trying to get the stories. There appeared to be more journos than punters. In most cases they went to one place and asked one person. Whatever they reported it was hard to mask that this was not the Thailand we signed up to!
 
Temperature checks, masks, shields, screens, social distancing. I’d sooner go to 7-Eleven and get a bottle and a couple of straws for me and Mrs R to imbibe at home.
 
Even the promise of bikinis as well as masks in Patpong did little to stir the loins.
 
It’s not just that our favorite activities are not fun anymore. There is a genuine concern in many people’s minds that Thailand will suffer a far worse second spike. After my initial skepticism in the early days of the pandemic I am a convert to the dangers. And looking at what is happening around the world it is difficult to have much optimism.
 
The government continued to stir the pot rather like the witches in Macbeth. Adding their “wool of bat and tongue of dog” to the caldron they attempted to make it appear they knew what they were doing. Though it is fair to say that if one points the finger of blame at Thailand one would need several hands’ worth to point at some countries around the world who have flip-flopped and made things up as they go along.
 
On balance Thailand has done a fairly good job.
 
Many of the world’s largest economies have lied and prevaricated creating a situation that will one day need to be resolved with public inquiries and criminal charges. All “wars” have a reckoning and this one will be huge.
 
Tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said he was working on the travel bubble. But it was difficult to pin down which safe countries he was talking about that would lead to a trouble free August. Most of them are having renewed outbreaks.
 
And even if they are not, they may well not trust Thailand despite the figures for new cases being so favorable.
 
Phiphat suggested that tourists would be limited to places like the capital, QUOTES, Chiang Mai, Samui, Krabi and Phuket at first. Just one problem with that is there are no tourists and with Thailand behaving like a watered down North Korea it would be foolish to expect visitors any time soon.
 
Absurd insurance requirements and need for documentation from embassies abroad added to the confusion. That’s if you could work out exactly who was being allowed back or allowed in. Frankly, you’d have to be barmy to consider international travel at this time unless it is absolutely necessary.
 
The director of Chiang Mai airport reported it was now much busier. But it was all domestic travel and I doubt few tourism operators in the north or anywhere else believe the corner has been turned in rescuing their devastated businesses.
 
The Thai schools also opened on Wednesday after being shut for four months. Seeing our seven year old off to start P2 was a high-five moment for Mr and Mrs R. Then we saw how many days off there are in July, especially after one for Songkran was added on the 27th making yet another very long weekend.
 
The argument that the civil service needs the days off is nonsense. Most of them have been twiddling their thumbs on full pay for months while their private sector compatriots have been in increasingly dire straits. It’s time for Thailand to get back to work, not take more breaks.
 
Some brighter news was on the horizon concerning the issue of state sponsored duplicity in the two-tier pricing system for Thais and foreigners at places like national parks.
 
A TAT marketing man speaking in response to a question from blogger Richard Barrow at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club said that TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn was making waves behind the scenes. It was suggested that the TAT dual pricing policy had been wrong all along.
 
This is good to hear but against the backdrop of there being few foreigners around to enjoy any changes, it added to the damp squib feel of the week. Likewise, an announcement from the private sector, namely Nong Nooch gardens in Pattaya that they intend to stop the practice, was aimed only at expats with ID. Posters went online to say this was always the case.
 
The two-tier pricing thread, inevitably given the contentious nature of the issue, was one of the longest of the week. In my view everybody living in Thailand should pay the same price irrespective of whether they have paid tax. Tourists should pay more, perhaps, as they do in many countries, but not ten times more.
 
During the height of the pandemic – especially in Rooster’s home town of Bangkok – one of the most noticeable changes to the city landscape was the prevalence of home delivery motorbike companies and all their trash. Trips to McDonald’s turned out to be a 20 minute wait for “fast food” as Grab came first.
 
Now the Thai authorities are attempting to regulate the industry. This is welcome news. Companies like Uber and Grab are opportunistic charlatans whose duty is not to their employees or the customer. It is to their investors. They will put up prices at the drop of a hat and need to be regulated by the government to keep them remotely fair and in line.
 
It has become almost a crime to side with the old taxi drivers, but I do. The taxi situation in Bangkok needed tweaking, not reinventing. Refusing passengers and refusing to turn on the meter remain the big issues. Solve those and you have an economical "Taxi Heaven". No need for Uber and Co.
 
My own emergence from lockdown was continued last Sunday at Dreamworld. Bangkok’s go-to theme park had finally opened the previous day. I billed the visit as a “thank you” to my children for being so good during our isolation at home. Despite the masks it was a fun day out at 500 baht a head for all the rides. Everyone except me and a couple of other farangs were Thai. It always used to be Chinese tour groups.
 
Numbers of visitors were low but the social distancing measures ensured that the queues for each ride were slower to clear than normal.
 
Worldwide there was confusion everywhere. In England a U-turn was done on quarantining tourists from 75 countries. Scotland made it mandatory to wear face masks in shops. Hearing that in Thailand made me think: Come on Ms. Sturgeon, get with the program!
 
In Florida there were ten thousand new cases. In Texas the easing of restrictions was reversed as people were told to wear masks outside. It was reported that the virus was on the rise in 37 States. Trump intimated that he might wear a mask. He is one of the leaders that hopefully will face criminal charges in the future. Health expert Anthony Fauci warned of 100,000 cases a day.
 
In Hong Kong the Chinese masters introduced legislation to stop independence talk. Now people can be jailed for life for daring to talk back. The toothless UK government rattled their own cage and suggested that 3 million Hong Kong-ers could be allowed into the country. The Brexiteers will love that though few would really want to go there.
 
Jeffrey Epstein’s girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell – daughter of Robert – was arrested for procuring minors for the now dead pedophile. Her arrest will have many people squirming not least of all a certain prince from the House of Windsor.
 
Back in Thailand the more parochial news continued to amuse and shock in equal measure.
 
Stories that I noted in the last seven days included one about a woman in a pick-up (hardly Hi-So!) who looked down her nose at a construction worker she had just knocked off a motorcycle. He was in fact the Burmese guys’ foreman and she had broken his leg.
 
This didn’t stop her from claiming that he was writhing in agony in an attempt to extract compensation from her. She said he deserved an Oscar. 
 
Well, she deserves a Raspberry.
 
A 73 year old US man in Chiang Mai was upset when his 50 abused Thai Ridgeback dogs were carted off to a sanctuary by Watchdog Thailand following complaints. He said he only asked for help in feeding them and countersued for theft after they denied his request to keep five dogs that weren’t starving and mistreated.
 
There are an awful lot of dodgy characters in Thailand who make it appear they are animal loving owners of sanctuaries. They are more like chancers and scammers who con the public and are only interested in money. Most of them need to be shut down while the authorities need to redouble their efforts in culling the soi dog menace on the streets of the kingdom.
 
Off Koh Larn a dive boat was partially destroyed after the captain admitted playing on his phone forgetting about his curry that was cooking on a gas stove upstairs. On the mainland, there was a big conflagration in Baan Sukhawadee, the garish Chinese tourist attraction near Pattaya. Owner of the facility Dr Panya of Saha chicken farm fame was nowhere to be found.
 
A study by the parasite department of a university found that more than a third of Thai market vegetables eaten raw contained tapeworm. Celery had a whopping 60%. Consumers were advised to soak the veg in vinegar and wear gloves when handling it. 
 
One of the reasons I generally open a tin of Campbell's soup if I get peckish. 
 
Finally, one of my favorite comments of the week came from the wag at the Pattaya Mail who spotted that some of the neon lights were out during their investigations into the opening of the bars.
 
As the rain poured on Wednesday and Walking Street was as miserable as ever the sign should have read: “Show Every Night Except Sunday”.
 
Instead it said:
 
“Show..ery ….Except Sunday”.
 
Now that was a real damp squib.
 
Rooster

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-07-05

 

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[worgeordie]

Double pricing, scamming, are a Thai way of life,

no way is it going to change anytime soon,if ever.

regards worgeordie

[ThailandRyan]

Nice piece of writing for the week in review Rooster.  As usual, nothing to see here as earth shattering as what may or may not come as "the future shall reveal all".

[Samui Bodoh]

An interesting read as always.

 

I have refrained from criticizing the government over their handling of Covid-19 because I think it is a unique challenge and I can't really point to other jurisdictions where they have certified, better results. Yes, perhaps NZ, but even there we don't yet know the ramifications of their policy; perhaps in the end the lack of immunity in a closed country will be more harmful than its current success; I simply do not know.

 

No one does.

 

There is one element to the Thai response that causes deep discomfort; decisions in Thailand are being made by people who do not really have 'skin in the game'. The people making decisions in Thailand fall under two broad categories (with a few exceptions; don't yell at me); military personnel and bureaucrats. What commonalities do these two groups share? Since the time when they were either enlisted in the military or received their acceptance into the civil service, both groups have had quality health insurance, have never missed a paycheck, have had an air conditioned office to go to everyday, have job security in the extreme and have a guaranteed pension, etc, etc, etc, etc. Put another way; they always get paid, have complete financial security and health care, and will get paid until they day they die.

 

Are these the right people to be making decisions for people who do not have the same guarantees? Where are the voices of people who do not have a guaranteed existence? Where are the 'civilians' without full government support? This morning as I was cycling, a woman that I know with small a restaurant waved me over and asked for a bit of money; who is thinking of her? Who represents her when decisions are made?

 

I still don't have any answers and thus still will refrain from too much criticism. That said, I would feel a lot more comfortable if there were voices in the decision-making loop that were directly affected by the outcome(s).

 

PS

 

39 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Now the Thai authorities are attempting to regulate the industry. This is welcome news. Companies like Uber and Grab are opportunistic charlatans whose duty is not to their employees or the customer. It is to their investors. They will put up prices at the drop of a hat and need to be regulated by the government to keep them remotely fair and in line.

Respectfully, why do you think the government/government regulation will improve the business? The government's past record of honesty and good business sense? I think that there is at least a 50/50 chance that some dude in an office will be able to finally purchase that Mercedes he always wanted. Period.

 

If they jack up their prices, don't use them.

 

 

[johnray]

I double price people all the time.  One family is a young girl that had 3 babies so I charge them 100 per lesson.  Another family are middle class and go to international schools so I charge them 200.  It should 1000+ but I am desperate for money.

 

You have to offer different prices or you will loose the low end market and gain the high or lose the low end and become upscale.  When he rich people leave you have no local customers.

 

Rich tourists will flock to an expensive venue.  If you put a low price they will think the service is poor.

 

If an iphone was 300 baht no one woud buy it.

Edited July 5, 2020 by johnray

[Fairynuff]

39 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Double pricing, scamming, are a Thai way of life,

no way is it going to change anytime soon,if ever.

regards worgeordie

Quite right, but a good place to end this would be government run places I.e. national parks and the larger venues that operate these discriminatory policies such aquariums and theme parks. 
 Until then all we can do is not visit these places, not really a hardship.

[Matzzon]

The only thing that put a damp feeling on things is reading the garbage in the OP.

No problem, I have been out eating and drinking. Sure, it´s a little bit different and some changes as well as some tests to go through. However, it was a good time and a nice dinner. I just don´t get all the need to make things much worse than they really are, and the need for constant complaining.

Well, if everything is wrong. Just stay home then!

[Don Mega]

2 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

No problem, I have been out eating and drinking. Sure, it´s a little bit different and some changes as well as some tests to go through. However, it was a good time and a nice dinner.

What tests did you have to go through ?

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

The only thing that put a damp feeling on things is reading the garbage in the OP.

No problem, I have been out eating and drinking. Sure, it´s a little bit different and some changes as well as some tests to go through. However, it was a good time and a nice dinner. I just don´t get all the need to make things much worse than they really are, and the need for constant complaining.

Well, if everything is wrong. Just stay home then!

Never a positive in a response, but its to be expected as nothing can reach the standards you would like to see.  I however always see through the mundane BS and seem to find a ray of light in what I have no skin in the game for.

[Matzzon]

15 minutes ago, Don Mega said:

What tests did you have to go through ?

Nah, tests and tests. Just the temp check and that the hands got disinfected. Just choosed to name it tests and thought you would understand. Sorry for that, I should have known better. ???? 

[Matzzon]

11 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Never a positive in a response, but its to be expected as nothing can reach the standards you would like to see.  I however always see through the mundane BS and seem to find a ray of light in what I have no skin in the game for.

The standards I would like to see is not at all high. Only to minimise the ever complaining about everything. First complain about the alcohol ban, after that the bars and pubs are closed. Now they are open, but we still complain. Maybe better to understand the situation and be happy over whats possible at the moment. Also be happy over that Thailand has handled the pandemic in a superior way, and that is just because they have taken strict measures.

After that you can put whatever skin in the game you want. My post was not all negative either. It was actually pointing out the positives with going out drinking and eating, but I guess you missed that high up in you top flat apartment. ???? 

[Don Mega]

2 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

The standards I would like to see is not at all high. Only to minimise the ever complaining about everything. First complain about the alcohol ban, after that the bars and pubs are closed. Now they are open, but we still complain. Maybe better to understand the situation and be happy over whats possible at the moment. Also be happy over that Thailand has handled the pandemic in a superior way, and that is just because they have taken strict measures.

 

In another thread a poster claimed the majority on TV are from the UK, Explains all the moaning/complaining/whinging !!

[nahkit]

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

The argument that the civil service needs the days off is nonsense. Most of them have been twiddling their thumbs on full pay for months

A month or so ago, the son-in-law went to the local office to get a damaged id card replaced. Nobody else in the place except for the staff. Went up to the lady at her desk, who was on her phone, and she told him that they were only dealing with "emergencies". 

[Bundooman]

Interesting that this week, I have seen two topics on this site about Epstein's shagga -procurer, the odious Maxwell, and in each article, slurs abound about, as Rooster puts it, "a certain prince from the House of Windsor", it seems that this kind of indirect insinuation and slur is acceptable, particularly as the USA is pushing for answers from this least likeable member of my royal family. I don't have a problem with him being brought to the table to explain his connection to Epstein and if he's guilty then he should face the consequences.

 

However, on the occasion of the first article, I posted six pictures of a "certain president of the land of the free: in the company of such creatures, obviously having a wonderful time - who was also a friend and visitor to Epstein's establishments. I didn't mention the name of this repugnant individual no more than Rooster did and only stated that the American swamp should be emptied first - one of President Trump's own slogans in his journey to the White House.

 

Yet my pictures were disallowed, but not pictures of a member of the British Royal family.

 

So it appears to be, let's all have a go at the Brit link, despite the fact there is a deafening silence over the worldwide, public knowledge that at least TWO Presidents of the US were also associates of Epstein.

 

One has to wonder why there is this double standard, don't you think?

 

 

[Fairynuff]

1 hour ago, Matzzon said:

Nah, tests and tests. Just the temp check and that the hands got disinfected. Just choosed to name it tests and thought you would understand. Sorry for that, I should have known better. ???? 

You should have....but rarely do

[Colabamumbai]

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Double pricing, scamming, are a Thai way of life,

no way is it going to change anytime soon,if ever.

regards worgeordie

2 tier pricing exists in almost every country in the world. One price for adults, another for children, seniors etc. Don't bash Thais, look at your own country. 

[Fairynuff]

11 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

One has to wonder why there is this double standard, don't you think?

On the unrelated aspect of double standards, they want him to answer questions, preferably in America, but refuse to extradite the killer claiming diplomatic immunity.

[Matzzon]

2 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

You should have....but rarely do

I sincerely hope you understand how totally useless your comment was.

 

Anyway, Thanks for your extreme devotion to my posts. I hope is not take up too much of your precious time to collect such important knowledge.

[Fairynuff]

14 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

I sincerely hope you understand how totally useless your comment was.

 

Anyway, Thanks for your extreme devotion to my posts. I hope is not take up too much of your precious time to collect such important knowledge.

Was mental stability one of the tests that bothered you.?

[Fairynuff]

20 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

2 tier pricing exists in almost every country in the world. One price for adults, another for children, seniors etc. Don't bash Thais, look at your own country. 

Perhaps you should better understand what two tier pricing is before you post something that makes you look so.......

[TPUBON]

Speaking of regulating food deliverers, the Grab guys in Ubon drive crazier then the normal crazy drivers. The more food they deliver the more money they make so they take more chances then normal. We all know how bad bikers drive but Grab drivers are far worse.

[Mark mark]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Double pricing, scamming, are a Thai way of life,

no way is it going to change anytime soon,if ever.

regards worgeordie

I do not mind then doing it for historic things, as well the Tourists SHOULD pay more, as maintaining these things must be just such a HUGE problem, most top people liking to use the country's money for other things (Like Buying Votes) ... But I feel that Entertainment should always be on a Level Playing Field, like in that area ... we ALL ARE equal I think. ?

[Mark mark]

Yes, I think that Dream World would be a Great Crack, I always was going to take the kids there ... but well, we never made it ... and now I am stuck in Australia !(G'd Dam it) .... Still I am healthy now, and eve better ... so if I ever DO make it back in ! Yes Rooster .... Dream World it will be .... And for ME !!!

 

I have been to some of the other places Like Viking Park ? When I was much MUCH younger, is that still around ? ...  Like back in the 80's ... and well YES Thais do have a REALLY good way of doing these sort of .... "Sanook" (Fun) Things !!! .... like walking through the Ghost Train, with 3 girls from Cowboy, for a laugh with an old cassette player in my Hand ... and well the Thai guys in the control room in the center of it all ... could obviously see the Tape Player quite clearly even in the 80% dark ! ... and they had what were rubber things, about the size of a pair of Thongs, on strings that they could make fly around the place in the dark, ... and hit people !!! .... So well, The Big White light house, with 3 very nice girls from Cowboy, .... And a cassette player in his hand !!!   .... It pretty obviously quickly became a pretty Major Target for them !!! ... Like I think it only just made it back out in one Piece again I think ! in one piece !  ... God Bless the good Thais and ..."Sanook" ...

 

Thanks Rooster ! .. Another Good one. ...

[drbeach]

4 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Double pricing, scamming, are a Thai way of life,

no way is it going to change anytime soon,if ever.

regards worgeordie

Scamming, that may be here to stay for a while. Whereas dual pricing may very well go the way of the dodo. After all, with zero tourism income, if the Thais don't play this card correctly it will cost them big time. Already a couple of privately operated tourist sites have confirmed they will officially grant expats the local price. Not tourists though, but it's a step in the right direction.

[Bundooman]

2 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

On the unrelated aspect of double standards, they want him to answer questions, preferably in America, but refuse to extradite the killer claiming diplomatic immunity.

Absolutely!

And on the unrelated aspect of double standards, the USA is not prepared to ask their own leaders awkward questions, so why do they think that they should question ours. Furthermore, the US always pushes for foreigners to visit "America" to be questioned, but don't extradite their own garbage to do the same. 

[maxcorrigan]

3 hours ago, Don Mega said:

In another thread a poster claimed the majority on TV are from the UK, Explains all the moaning/complaining/whinging !!

Thank god someones managed to get a Brit bash in, only 12 posts too, even though the opener had nothing to do with Brits, i and others i'm sure were beginning to feel badly neglected!

[Jack P]

“They will put up prices at the drop of a hat and need to be regulated by the government to keep them remotely fair and in line.”

I’ll pass on journalists giving economic advice.

 

Prices can’t rise more than people are prepared to pay. Setting price caps pretty much ensures a shortage and creates resistance to new actors entering the market to compete prices back down. Take a look at Venezuela to see the widespread disaster this kind of state meddling creates.

 

[sawadee1947]

7 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Double pricing, scamming, are a Thai way of life,

no way is it going to change anytime soon,if ever.

regards worgeordie

And Thai bashing seems to be your way of life ????

[worgeordie]

1 hour ago, sawadee1947 said:

And Thai bashing seems to be your way of life ????

just saying it the way it is,especially in tourist areas,but i suppose you have never paid

double price or been cheated or scammed in some way ???

 

You believe anytime soon double pricing is going to disappear,if so you are very nieve.

regards worgeordie

 

 

[Morty T]

9 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thailand one would need several hands’ worth to point at some countries around the world who have flip-flopped and made things up as they go along.

Is it that difficult just to say....CHINA