It's been a while since I've been to the beach, and so a visit to Hat Nang Rong in Sattahip was a pleasant experience for me. After the high rise condominiums, modern shopping complexes and ladyboys of Pattaya, it was a relief to find a beach that was pristine, with clear blue water, white sand and no mushroom umbrellas and 50 baht beach chairs, or even somtam vendors at that.
The reason for this under-development is simply because the area is under the auspices of the Royal Thai Navy, which has been a blessing in disguise for the area.
That's not to say that the public is not allowed in the area; it just means that the area will continue to remain free from 60-storey condominiums, shopping malls and beer bars.
That's not so bad.
The navy has its own little resort here with air-conditioned straw bale bungalows as a design novelty.
What did strike me was that there was a three-tier pricing system in place: priority (and a lower price) for navy personnel, a higher rate for general Thais, and a tad higher even for foreigners.
Though I suppose I understand the special navy rate _ after all, they are essentially the landlords and preferential treatment is to be expected.
But I've never been a fan of the two-tier system for Thais and foreigners. In this case, you might get another 200 baht per night for a room, but you've already lost a lot when it comes to goodwill.
In a country that depends on tourism for its top income earner, don't you think goodwill goes a long way to bring people back again and again?
And on the same subject, it was a great relief to me when I visited the recently opened Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles in the Grand Palace compound, and found that there is only one single pricing system in place there: an affordable 150 baht for a single entry fee to this world-class facility, and special discounts for students, children and senior citizens.
Tourists who pay the 400 baht entry for the Grand Palace will have the museum included in their ticket, as well as the Vimanmek Palace, if I'm not mistaken.
Thais, however, do not have to pay to enter the Grand Palace and the temple complex. It's a heritage of the Thai people, and Thais are Buddhist so they should enjoy access to temples.
Fair enough.
But similar two-tier systems also apply to national parks like Koh Samet where Thais pay 40 baht against 200 baht for foreigners.
Tourists are rich. Foreigners earn more. Thais pay taxes. These are the usual arguments.
But what about foreigners who work here legitimately and also pay taxes?
I would hate to be charged more than a local if I visited the Eiffel Tower in Paris (13 euros for adult entry fee), Statue of Liberty (cost of ferry US$17 plus an additional $3 to climb up to the crown which is currently under renovation anyway), the Tower of London (20.90), or Kensington Palace (14.50).
You might say that the prices are so much higher in comparison to the Thai entrance fees. But as I mentioned earlier, isn't that margin better offset by goodwill? I'm sure there are foreign visitors who go home with a bitter taste in their mouths as a result of this policy, and choose Bali for their next visit even though the beach at Samet might be much nicer.
We are essentially barbecuing the goose that lays the golden egg so we can have one delicious, satisfying meal of Peking duck. But _ you might say _ there are so many more first time visitors to target so it won't matter if we lose a few repeat visitors.
Some taxis won't pick up Thai passengers because they can charge an inflated flat rate for foreigners. Why not? The government does it!
You can argue till you're blue in the face, but it still won't change the fact that I would feel discriminated against if I had to pay more than a local. And I would hate it even more if a little sign in Arabic or hieroglyphs indicated that I had to pay more at the Pyramids of Giza, simply because I was a tourist. I mean, at least have the decency to admit the hypocrisy outright!
And no, we don't have fake Rolexes for sale!
Usnisa Sukhsvasti is the Features Editor of the Bangkok Post.