Welcome to Koh Chang and the Land of Smiles - that will be 320,000 baht please

[craigrosier]

The law on national parks is clear & specific. Privately owned, commercial properties and private dwellings are not allowed on national parks. Therefore, if such are present the territory can not be, by definition a national park. Thus the local authorities, under the oversight of the Government, are in contravention of the law and so cannot expect to charge "landing fees" of visitors forced to visit commercial sites they wish, inaccurately, to promote as pristine, unspoiled assets of the nation (National Parks). Yet again the government fosters, while claiming to eradicate, corruption. For those who naively believe that that the military intervened to stop corruption, think again. The only thing that has changed is the path that the money now takes.  

[Puccini]

1 hour ago, geisha said:

...I'm sure the little shops would welcome more custom, but what else would these tourists do there, lie on the beach ?

 

Make like Pan, stroll around and commune with nature.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, LannaGuy said:

 

another quality post eh? you never paid but they should?

I said if its a national park they should pay, but I have never paid there (been a while since I have been there so things might have changed) Never avoided the entrance fee on purpose just was never charged in the past. I don't moan about having to pay for a national park. If i don't want to pay I just don't go. 

 

Just read more of the topic.... it seems its about koh chang NOI.. .never been there assumed it was the normal Koh Chang

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The more info and posts that pile up here, it seems to increasingly appear that this was simply a greedy or opportunistic scam.

 

If there's no general charge for everyone coming to the island, and if the pier area where they would have landed is not part of the national park there, then no fee should have been charged.

 

[Puccini]

1 hour ago, dluek said:

Opportunistic bologna. Normally the 200 baht national park fee is collected only when visiting waterfalls overseen by the park, not for simply setting foot on the island. Short-sighted officials went for a quick scammy chunk of cash rather than considering that the cruise ship might return many times if the tourists were treated with respect. 

 

Are you talking about Ko Chang Noi, where these tourists went?

[jlwilliamsjr18]

National parks have foreigner fees...so it goes. 

[Puccini]

27 minutes ago, Matty83210 said:

Koh chang pier is not a national park. If the cruise staff paid they are as stupid as the locals !

 

 

The cruise ship reportedly anchored off Ko Chang Noi Bay, therefore the Ko Chang pier does not enter into the discussion.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Please note...Ko Chang is indeed a national park.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_Ko_Chang_National_Park

[Puccini]

16 minutes ago, retarius said:

I was in Koh Chang several weeks ago….no charge to disembark from the ferry.

 

 

The tourists from the cruise ship went to Ko Chang Noi, not Ko Chang.

[Puccini]

20 minutes ago, craigrosier said:

The law on national parks is clear & specific. Privately owned, commercial properties and private dwellings are not allowed on national parks. Therefore, if such are present the territory can not be, by definition a national park. Thus the local authorities, under the oversight of the Government, are in contravention of the law and so cannot expect to charge "landing fees" of visitors forced to visit commercial sites they wish, inaccurately, to promote as pristine, unspoiled assets of the nation (National Parks). Yet again the government fosters, while claiming to eradicate, corruption. For those who naively believe that that the military intervened to stop corruption, think again. The only thing that has changed is the path that the money now takes.  

 

The tourists from the cruise ship who went to Ko Chang Noi were charged the customary national park fee, not a "landing fee"

[Puccini]

22 minutes ago, robblok said:

I said if its a national park they should pay, but I have never paid there (been a while since I have been there so things might have changed) ...

 

Is it Ko Chang Noi where you went and never has to pay a national park fee?

[pacman32]

Pathetic, such high end tourists that 200 baht is a big issue ??really? 

 

And these high rollers spent $40 each ? I spend more than that every day. 

What is it with rich people expecting everything for nothing, every farang pays  200 to visit a national park and even if kc is not a national park it was a beautiful place for the ship to dock and allow them to charge their "quality" passengers thousands of dollars for the privilege of being on their boat. 

 

The owners of the ship are to blame for not doing their homework, and should have swallowed such a small cost per passenger. As for the actual passengers, I cannot imagine them making such a fuss about such a small charge. 

 

 

[Puccini]

24 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

The more info and posts that pile up here, it seems to increasingly appear that this was simply a greedy or opportunistic scam.

 

If there's no general charge for everyone coming to the island, and if the pier area where they would have landed is not part of the national park there, then no fee should have been charged.

 

 

It seems to me that you are not talking about Ko Chang Noi, the island where the tourists from the cruise ship went.

[Puccini]

15 minutes ago, jlwilliamsjr18 said:

National parks have foreigner fees...so it goes. 

 

Thailand's national parks have fees for all visitors, not only for foreigners.

[Puccini]

24 minutes ago, pacman32 said:

... 

The owners of the ship are to blame for not doing their homework, and should have swallowed such a small cost per passenger. As for the actual passengers, I cannot imagine them making such a fuss about such a small charge.

 

I agree. The ship's purser paid the fee in a lump sum to Thailand National Park Office and so far it appears to be only an assumption of the author of the news article that the fee would be passed on to the passengers.

 

 

[sabaii69]

4 hours ago, RBOP said:

The crew didnt do their homework. Entrance fee to Koh Chang National Park as follows:

 

Mu Koh Chang National Park
23/7, Moo 3, Ko Chang, Trat, Thailand

Opening Hours : 08:00 a.m. - 04.30 p.m.
Admission : Child 100 Bath , Adult 200 Bath (Price are subject to change) 
Contact : Tel. 0 3955 5080, 0 3955 5084

The cost to Thais BAHT 100. That is actually the name of the money.

[sabaii69]

4 hours ago, Bcgardener said:

I have visited Koh Chang many times driving my own car and taking it across on the ferry. I have driven the car to all parts of the island both on the tourist side and the non tourist side where there are no beaches. I have never been asked to pay a National Park entry fee unless I choose to enter one of the waterfall areas where there are payment booths. What about all the foreigners that live on Koh Chang. Do they pay an entrance fee each time they return to the island?

Unless the Cruise ship visitors entered the waterfall areas where there are payment booths then they should not have had to pay an entry fee. This is just another money grabbing attempt by the hopelessly corrupt Government officials that run this Country.

 

I got a receipt. Chap had a book with about 25 so how did they issue over 1,000?

[sabaii69]

4 hours ago, jobsworth said:

koh chang is very beautiful. koh means island and chang means elephant, which are all long gone. do not go to koh chang. do not pay 200 THB. never been there myself.

Go there and ride them, feed them and bathe them. I did all three this month.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

32 minutes ago, Puccini said:

 

It seems to me that you are not talking about Ko Chang Noi, the island where the tourists from the cruise ship went.

 

But the question is, is all of Ko Chang Noi, including where the ship's boat would have disembarked, considered a national park, and thus is everyone and anyone visiting there required to pay an entrance fee?

 

[sabaii69]

3 hours ago, lostinisaan said:

 

 

 Polished coconut shells for only 999 baht, perhaps?

 

coconut polishing is B1,000.

[Puccini]

4 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

But the question is, is all of Ko Chang Noi, including where the ship's boat would have disembarked, considered a national park, and thus is everyone and anyone visiting there required to pay an entrance fee?

 

 

Agreed. Let's hear it from people who have visited Chang Noi and know, or perhaps someone can find the information on the web and post it here. Somebody mentioned a list of national parks but I could not find it.

[Alwyn]

7 hours ago, robblok said:

No quite normal every foreigner pays to enter Thai national parks (though I was not aware Koh Chang was one of those as i never paid to enter it)

 

Why would big spenders be exempt from paying the National park fee ?

My Koh Chang is indeed a national park and you're spot on, why should they not pay the same as everybody else?

[Alwyn]

2 minutes ago, Puccini said:

 

Agreed. Let's hear it from people who have visited Chang Noi and know, or perhaps someone can find the information on the web and post it here. Somebody mentioned a list of national parks but I could not find it.

Mu Koh Chang and all the 50 islands are a marine national park

[Thian]

How does it work when you're on a cruise and they make a stop in Thailand? Will they also have to pass immigration ?

 

Then they also should pay the 500 baht like every other tourist does.

 

 

[The manic]

40$ big deal. High end tourists? What a joke. If they are so high end why don't they own their own yachts?  These kind of tourists spend little or nothing on food, drink and accommodation. They do however represent enviromental damage and disturbance. You're average pattya tourists spends closer to a hundred dollars a day or morw plus hotels. The Kao San Rd backpackers spend more then 40 dollars a day and it goes to the people and to small businesses. The whole idea of high end tourists is snobbery writ large. A liner is just a charabang on the water.  The carrier makes the money. If I had paid money for accommodation on an island and a horde got of a boat en masse I would be well pissed off.

 

[seajae]

 Koh Chang Noi

You will see this island, from the ferry as you are heading to Koh Chang.   It is under 100 metres from the northernmost tip of Koh Chang. 

[Puccini]

11 minutes ago, seajae said:

Koh Chang Noi is a tiny island in the Ranong province in Klong Son Bay(it is only 100 metres from the mainland) and is mostly rock and trees, I doubt this is the same one, think you will find they mean Koh Chang as that is in the Trat province plus the pic shows a bit of development, Koh Chang Noi is not that developed and would also be run by the Ranong province not Trat, people Google is your friend, try it

 

To what island would you expect passengers from a ship anchoring I Love Chong Noi Bay to be brought?

 

"...an Australian luxury liner packed with big spending and wealthy tourists from Britain, Australia and New Zealand - was to anchor off Koh Chang Noi Bay..."

[Puccini]

30 minutes ago, Thian said:

How does it work when you're on a cruise and they make a stop in Thailand? Will they also have to pass immigration ?

 

Then they also should pay the 500 baht like every other tourist does.

 

What fee of 500 Baht does every tourist arriving in Thailand pay?

[Alive]

Did they fill out the foreigner information forms and get their magic sim cards on arrival? If those cruise ships are going to be pulling in with 1,400 passengers, it's also time to build some really short time hotels.

[Generalchaos]

High End Tourists? 1400 on the boat, it works out at 228 Baht Each, they must be real classy visitors if they cannot stump up $6.53! Hate to be a maid waiting on a tip from these Quality Tourists!

 

I understand the principle and it sets the wrong president, but really....it isn't exactly going to break the bank is it?

 

Then again, they have the option to stay on the ship! In fact they can jolly well bugger off back home if they don't like the rules, after all, they are merely guests here! If you don't like it just leave......in the spirit of Thai Visa!