Double standards

A major irritant for foreign expats, residents and pensioners is the double pricing system. We find it unacceptable that we typically have to pay 10 times the Thai price for national parks, do not get the 65% discount on the Skytrain, plus all the other instances where we pay double or more while we are paying taxes and investing large amounts of money in Thailand.

I for one have ceased visiting any national park and I know many feel the same way. This is the main reason why resident expats get so irritated over the years that many in the end decide to leave the country for good.

This cannot be to the advantage of Thailand.

The main justification given is that it is difficult to instantly differentiate between tourists and legitimate residents. Now there is finally a solution that is effective.

For a while now foreign residents can get a pink ID card at the amphur (district office) as long as they can fulfil certain criteria, such as a work permit, permanent residency or registration on a tabien ban (yellow book), all of which show residency in Thailand.

I would respectfully ask our PM, Gen Prayut, to invoke Section 44 to decree that any carrier of the pink ID card shall be charged Thai prices. Section 44 empowers the NCPO leader to issue any order “for the sake of the reforms in any field, the promotion of love and harmony amongst the people in the nation”.

I know that the entire foreign resident population of the kingdom will be eternally grateful to him for such an action.

SIR BOGDIVER