Thailand vows to tackle dual pricing after tourist complaints
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has committed to addressing concerns voiced by foreign tourists, mainly regarding widespread dual pricing, following a surge of complaints on social media platforms.
Sorawong Thienthong, the minister, made this commitment after a meeting held on April 26 with tourism industry executives and representatives from various agencies to discuss these issues.
The meeting was spurred by a social media article titled “Where Have Foreign Tourists Gone?” published on April 24, which translates the opinions of foreign tourists and expatriates following an article from the Bangkok Post.
Comments raised concerns about safety, assault, overcharging, threats from transnational criminal groups in tourist areas, and extortion. These factors are believed to contribute to the decline in international visitors to Thailand. Sorawong stated that cases involving foreign tourists will now be directly reported from the police to him.
Tourists can request assistance through the Thailand Tourist Police application, and a tourist assistance centre has been set up in every province to help visitors.
Addressing complaints regarding costly accommodation, Sorawong noted that prices often fluctuate seasonally, while rising airfare costs are a global issue linked to a shortage of aircraft.
The ministry is committed to addressing tourism scams and ensuring fair pricing for both Thai and foreign tourists, aiming to eliminate the dual pricing system, Sorawong added.
In the past four months, foreign tourist arrivals in Thailand have declined by 0.2%, yet tourism receipts have increased by 5% year-on-year, according to the ministry.
Responding to the Airlines Association of Thailand’s call for more government support, the ministry will request the Ministry of Transport to allocate slots for more flights, including chartered ones, at major airports.
Officials expect the new Thailand Digital Arrival Card, effective May 1, to aid in tracking foreign tourists’ journeys and preventing any misconduct.
The new online form, available via the TDAC website (and soon as an app for Android and iOS), will officially replace the TM6 paper card, which had already been suspended since last year.
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