Dual pricing has been a big issue for expats in the kingdom but what if a local is mistakenly identified as a Chinese tourist? This became a viral hit on Facebook after a local Thai woman paid 150THB for a regular portion of Thai food.
On Monday, January 15, Suthaporn Lee said she ordered pad krapaw moo krob (stir-fried pork belly with holy basil) at a pop-up stall at Neon Market but was charged triple the price when in fact it is regularly priced at 35-50THB per serving. It is said that Neon Market in Pratunam is popular among Chinese tourists.
Suthaporn asked the waiter if that was really the Thai price and he said yes. She also exclaimed that the menu shows pictures of the food but prices are not stipulated.
In an interview with Amarin TV to the stall owner, she admitted that the 150THB is the “farang price” and overcharging the Thai woman was a mistake. According to vendor Manee Maitree, her waiter wrote down that price because she “looked Chinese”. Since the complainant is Thai, she should have only paid 80THB and Manee, the stall owner, typically would charge her Chinese tourists and farangs a whopping 120-150THB.
The story drew heavy criticism from Thai netizens urging the stall to simply have one price, whether local or tourist.
The Ministry of Commerce’s attention has now been caught and is making necessary investigation regarding the issue of double pricing. If the vendors are found guilty of overcharging customers, they could face a 7-year imprisonment and/or a fine of 100,000THB.
Source: Coconuts Thailand