Boat Ticket Prices Irk Some

A Cambodian accountant for an NGO said she was re­cently shock­ed when she bought boat tickets for some foreign coworkers who wanted to visit Siem Reap.

Although Cambodians and foreigners sit in the same seats, they don’t pay the same price. A foreigner pays $25 one way, while a Cam­bodian pays $12.82.

“It costs [the boat company] the same” to transport Cambo­dians as foreigners, the accountant said. “Why does the price have to be different?”

Tourism officials say that while it may not be fair, two-tier pricing is a way of life in Southeast Asia.

Thong Khon, secretary of state for the Ministry of Tourism, said the system would not be so bad if foreigners received better services for the extra money.

“Then they would not complain,” he said.

But at least two tourist agencies say the service seems the same.

Chompoonut Chompoont, senior marketing manager of East-West Travel of Thailand, and Sucipto of Goodhill Enter­prise of Singapore, said they are routinely charged top dollar by Cambodian vendors when they book for foreigners.

“It’s not fair, because the services are about the same,” Chom­poonut said. “Foreigners often complain…they ask why they are charged higher and given the same treatment?”

Boat company officials say they charge dual rates be­cause neighboring countries do. They, along with ministry officials, say the dual-pricing system will be eliminated when the country develops more. They said they don’t want tourists to feel that they are being discriminated against.

Thong Khon said the Ministry of Tourism is working with the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation on a uniform pricing system.

Right now, he said, “I am concerned for the safety of the foreign tourist rather than the price,” he said. “The price we can fix later, but now we want to make them happy and come to visit.”

An official of the Khem­ara boating company said she hopes foreign tourists will understand. “We do not cheat foreigners. We do not rob them. We love and respect them, but we want them to pay [more] in order to help our poor country and its poor people.”