racha Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 I was excited as a scuba diver and lover of the underwater world to hear the new underwater world in Pattaya was ready to open this week, just read on the Nation web site about the pricing structure its double price for foreign visitors though. From the Nation web site, Pattaya dives deep for octopus' garden Published on Jul 2, 2003 More than 2,000 sea creatures are ready to dazzle visitors when Thailand's new underwater aquarium walk-through tunnel, built at a cost of Bt275 million, opens on Friday. Underwater World Pattaya is conservatively expected to attract 600,000 visitors in its first year. Foreign visitors will be charged Bt360 (adults) and Bt180 (children), while Thais will pay Bt180 and Bt120. The owners of Underwater World Pattaya say it is the largest and most modern oceanarium in Asia, boasting a 100-metre-long, 6.4-centimetre-thick acrylic pedestrian tunnel through an underwater environment filled with dozens of marine species. Thailand currently has two smaller walk-through aquarium tunnels in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Suphan Buri provinces. The underwater tunnel at Chawak Lake in Suphan Buri's Song Pinong district, opened on May 23 this year, is the only glass tunnel built through a freshwater aquarium in Thailand. The tunnel in Prachuap Khiri Khan is part of a sea aquarium like the new one in Pattaya. Located at Sukhumvit Kilometre 150 near the Tesco Lotus market at Nongprue, Pattaya, on the way to Jomtien, the 12-rai Underwater World Pattaya is housed in a tension-membrane structure that resembles a huge circus tent. "This enables the place to have natural light that nurtures the algae," said Bruce Mackay, the head curator. "It showcases more than 2,000 marine animals, comprising more than 200 different species that are found in the seas around this region as well as some rare creatures from overseas," enthused David Hong, general manager of the Amari Orchid Hotel, an investor in the tourist attraction. He said one must-see was the rare shovelnose ray, a hybrid between a shark and a sting ray. "There are three of them at the aquarium that we purchased from local fishermen, who normally kill them for consumption. "The major reasons for our investment here in Pattaya are Thailand's political stability and its resilient economy, which has recovered faster from the 1997 crisis than other countries in the region. There is potential growth in the tourism industry because of the relatively lower operating costs and the innate Thai culture and services." The oceanarium is owned by Underwater World Pattaya Ltd and managed by Sovereign Marketing, a subsidiary of Singapore's Haw Par Group. Marinescape took 17 months to construct the 4,200-square-metre centre, the water volume of which exceeds that of the popular Sentosa park in Singapore. "Besides opening visitors' eyes to the brilliance and diversity of undersea life, the Pattaya aquarium will also play an important role in education and marine conservation. School visits will be actively supported, and a number of new educational programmes are being planned for the 12-rai site this year," said Darong Yingchon, a curator and marine biologist with years of experience at public aquariums around the region. Among the more than 50 employees are seven divers, who will feed the marine denizens, and biologists to ensure all are well cared for. A gift shop will welcome visitors before they head for the "touching pool", where they can interact with creatures that inhabit the coastal areas around Thailand, such as sea urchins, starfish, crabs, stingrays and bamboo sharks. Then come the anemone tanks, which reflect balletic symbiosis in motion as species such as the colourful clownfish swim about the tentacled rock clingers. Down a ramp, the cuttlefish display includes squid and giant octopuses, while nearby moray eels leer from their shelters. The underwater walkway itself, more than four metres in height, is alive with eagle rays, stonefish, lionfish, groupers, puffers and different kinds of sharks. Further expansion is on the drawing board, with a good possibility that dolphins, giant octopuses, manta rays and perhaps killer whales will find homes at the park. "Our estimate of 600,000 visitors a year pales when compared to Sentosa, where there are 1.3 million each year. But we expect the Pattaya facility to grow in popularity as time goes by," said Hong. Ken Ywin The Nation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 Hi, "just read on the Nation web site about the pricing structure its double price for foreign visitors though." Wouldn't it be nice if all those foreign visitors boycotted the place. I know, never gonna happen When the fuck will these people stop being so racist? Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALHOLK Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 Hi! Thanks for the information. I will join the boycott immediately. How I wish I could open a business in Sweden with a very large sign saying that all prices are doubled for Thai nationals. regards ALHOLK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidel Posted July 2, 2003 Report Share Posted July 2, 2003 I really hate that shit too! I do believe though, that with my Thai driver's license I can get the Thai rate... or did I read somewhere recently that this is bullshit? Can't remember. A story that was told here by someone else I know which I think deserves being re-told here: My friend owns a guesthouse and has a sign out front saying 'Rooms 150 baht - 500 baht'. In Hua Hin guesthouses get busy on bank holiday weekends with a lot of Thai's coming from BKK. Often a couple of Thais will come in and take a room... soon to be followed by 6 or 7 others. They sometimes bring rice cookers and stoves with them which pisses the owner off cos they don't buy so much as a bottle of water in his guesthouse. One day some Thais walked in and enquired about the availability of rooms. My friend said he had some rooms available starting from 300 baht. The Thais pointed to the sign complaining that it said the rooms started at 150 baht. 'Ahh.. That's the Farang Price.', my friend explained. Priceless! :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brink15 Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 This gets back to that old debate over whether other Asians will get hit or is it just foreigners in general? The bottom line is that Thais are very materialistic without having the chops that the West has vis-a-vis creating new technology and ideas for commerce. Their meal ticket is cheap labor and tourists. They see dollar signs in every foreign passport so it is not really racism just their version of economic opportunism. (Sorry for the lack of proper accent mark for vis-a-vis but the boards current settings prevent it from showing properly.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markle Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Says Brink15: it is not really racism just their version of economic opportunism. An extremely insightful observation and stated so concisely. Thank you. Westerners for some reason are rather quick to call others racist. Yes, Thais will overcharge Asians just ask the Japanese. Shit Thais from Bangkok are constantly ripped off by Chiang Mai operators. It's just that these people have the good grace to ignore this behaviour. Anyhow complianing about the price of things only lowers your status in their eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted July 3, 2003 Report Share Posted July 3, 2003 Hi, "Anyhow complianing about the price of things only lowers your status in their eyes." And that makes this practice okay???? Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markle Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 Says khunsanuk: And that makes this practice okay???? As much as I dislike the practice at the end of the day I have to concede that they can do this kind of thing because you don't have to go to Underwater World. No-one has a gun to your head. You can just walk away.And it goes on elsewhere. Been to London recently? What I was trying to point out that to most Thai's they are confused aboout what you're bitching about. Paying more for something is something that rich Thai's are proud of, it's a display of wealth/power/status. To bitch about is to admit you are not rich, powerful or superior and who wants to be that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 Hi, "Paying more for something is something that rich Thai's are proud of, it's a display of wealth/power/status." Then why aren't they the ones being charged more? "To bitch about is to admit you are not rich, powerful or superior and who wants to be that." In my Western eyes this is a load of bollocks (not meant personally to you of course, I know you are just relating what they think). I do not give a shit about whether or not others think I am rich or poor. Come to think of it, I think I would prefer them to think me poor, less chance of getting scammed / robbed. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedave Posted July 4, 2003 Report Share Posted July 4, 2003 ...and to add to KS comments I COULDN'T CARE LESS WHAT MY STATUS IS IN THEIR EYES F 'em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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