Thai Tourism Ministry considers collecting tourism fees

[Kenny202]

8 hours ago, waders123 said:

It's like paying a cover charge to go into an attraction that has all the risks and thrills, however you might not make it back out and possibly become part of the show! Now that should get your adrenaline pumping if anything would!

It just keeps getting worse. Been another Phuket Island speedboat accident. 2 boats collided head on, 2 kids dead and 20 at least injured. Russian tourists. Friend of mine in Russia says already all over the news there.

 

I googled it looking for the video, apparently these kind of collisions down there a near everyday occurrence. 

[JGV]

You couldn't make this up could u I think it is time to change the tourism minister and appoint a chimp at the dusit Zoo

[AndrewMciver]

Put visa fees back on Chinese and Indian tourists. 

[berrec]

It only confirms what has been oblivious for an eternity, Thailand is a basket case, not one creative logical idea amongst the whole corrupt governments in decades.

 

Their pride and self importance will eventually be their downfall.

 

They  always see things for not what they are but for what they desire them to be.

 

Foolish lot they are!

[Steve Vincent]

To clean walking street you would have to knock down and rebuild as for the daft idiot thinking of taxing foreigner’s ( duel pricing ) already incorporated,. It seems to myself as a frequent visitor,that I’m no longer valued as a customer ‘ foreigners already pay hidden tax visiting the zoo as a small example ( Thais 100 baht foreigners 200 baht ) 

[Kenny202]

6 minutes ago, Steve Vincent said:

To clean walking street you would have to knock down and rebuild as for the daft idiot thinking of taxing foreigner’s ( duel pricing ) already incorporated,. It seems to myself as a frequent visitor,that I’m no longer valued as a customer ‘ foreigners already pay hidden tax visiting the zoo as a small example ( Thais 100 baht foreigners 200 baht ) 

Thats nothing. Last National park I went to 30 / 400 baht. Jam that up your jumper. $20 to go to a 3rd rate National Park in Nakhon nowhere. No thanks

[Eindhoven]

It's so ironic. They '"crack down" on any individual they perceive to be damaging the image of Thailand, but the worst culprits are themselves.

 

I cannot imagine anyone doing a worse job of promoting the country. I'm still fuming that they were absolutely no safeguards from transmission of the nova corona virus when I entered the country. Absolutely none. Instead they force you to infect yourself by pressing your fingers on the bio-metric scanner. With absolutely no method of sanitising the glass between each applicant.

 

All they do is utter a load of utterly insulting bilge water.

Insulting and misinforming their own people and the foreigners who helped them to obtain their wealth. Absolutely disgusting.

This is just another utterly moronic idea from an absolutely moronic 'government'.

 

Their disgusting greed knows no bounds. Just yesterday I witnessed a vendor who had her young daughter helping her. A tourist asked her to take a picture of him next to a landmark close to her, on his phone. The mother insisted that he give the girl 20 baht before she had even taken the pictures.

They have no shame. Just greedy money grabbers from the top down. Shaming what is left of the decent people inhabiting the country. So ugly.

[gk10002000]

14 hours ago, smedly said:

Thailands future tourism plan is based on the current package mentality they operate with the Chinese 

 

50+ in a group - Group A, they ship them in - bus them to a single hotel charge them BT2000+ per night - bus them to various expensive venues for eating to shows to parks all over priced - do this for 7-10 days then bus them back to the airport, they are not allowed to stray from the group or go where they like because they simply don't know any better and in bed by 10pm so they are ready for another gouging the next day - who are the people running these groups - a select powerful people making a fortune

 

Not my idea of a holiday - part of the adventure of all my vacations over the years was to plan research and explore, what they are doing with these Chinese is a bit like a Cruise Ship but without the ship - being lead about like lemmings believing that "this is how a holiday is meant to be",

 

but of course I did not come from a communist country - I was pretty much free to travel how - where and when I wanted 

 

Remember were they come from - they are well used to being herded and told what to do and for now Thailand is taking advantage of that

I agree with you. That package mentality is likely to continue, if the Chinese or some other group continues to like such a thing.  I personally hate such things from both a participant or a bystander point of view.  Now a short tour now and then can be OK, especially if one is on a tight schedule, really is not familiar with a place, etc.  But this Chinese hoard thing is pffffft.  

[Chandler]

This will just send tourists to Philippines, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.  

Shame they arent realizing that farang pay alot more for everything then Thai,  and most of the time we are fine with that.  but to then add tourism fees.  I think they are getting to greedy and may see a decline in tourism

 

[CharlieH]

Post in foreign language removed. - English only please

[Canuck1966]

6 hours ago, Isaanbiker said:

How could anybody here on this forum look into her?

Bhumjaithai party-list MP Mrs. Natee Ratchakitprakarn was today handed a one-month prison sentence, suspended for one year, and fined 4,000 baht by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices after she was found guilty of failing to fully declare her assets, as legally required.

Her conviction also means that she loses her status as an MP and she is banished from politics for five years. 

 

The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, is the wealthiest member of cabinet with a net worth of over five billion baht, according to the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) latest disclosures.

 

 2+2 =?

[Eindhoven]

5 minutes ago, Canuck1966 said:

Bhumjaithai party-list MP Mrs. Natee Ratchakitprakarn was today handed a one-month prison sentence, suspended for one year, and fined 4,000 baht by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Offices after she was found guilty of failing to fully declare her assets, as legally required.

Her conviction also means that she loses her status as an MP and she is banished from politics for five years. 

 

The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, is the wealthiest member of cabinet with a net worth of over five billion baht, according to the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) latest disclosures.

 

 2+2 =?

 

Apparently the money came from investments by her husband Phiphat.

 

One such; http://www.ptgenergy.co.th/en/about-board.php

 

Guess who is the second richest? 

 

Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul

 

 

[NeoDinosaw]

16 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

Surely this would be more environmentally friendly, less expensive and more efficient tooperate

Don;t joke.  That's what they will be goi ng for now. What's 10% of the cost of one of those machines ?

[dallen52]

Tourists insurance is a must.

Remove the gouging thai insurance companies and make it more affordable. 

Especially the longer term tourists and retirement stayers. 

[dallen52]

17 hours ago, bendejo said:

 I guess after washing down Walking Street in Pattaya the question came up "now who is going to pay for it?"

Obviously a 10,000,000 baht project, at least, to pay for all those brooms. 

 

 

 

All those suds and bubbles are from the gogo bars lol.

[dallen52]

17 hours ago, Thechook said:

They increased the arrival and departure tax a couple of years ago to provide medical costs if a tourist was injured and tourists already get hit with dual pricing.  Tourism must be bad if they are going to hit the remaining ones even harder.

Plus they have short memories. 

And complain about the billions in unpaid medical expenses by tourists and other farang. 

Where does the above mentioned money go?

[overherebc]

Local hardware shop near me is having a closing down sale.

Everything is 30% plus.

[codebunny]

18 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Thai economics 101; tax everyone else for loss of revenue. Also wouldn't be surprised to see prices go up across the board; i.e. hotels, restaurateurs etc. It'll cost em in the end, though, people will just go next door for value.

It's like a death spiral waiting to happen. Taxing tourism after a killing spree, a pandemic, and strong currency making everything more expensive... and making visas more difficult too... does it not occur to them that they need to increase the number of visitors, treat them well, and sell them more stuff?

What are they going to come up with, when the airports, hotels, buses, and taxis are empty, because everyone's gone to Vietnam instead? Someone should do a cartoon of someone dressed as that bird thing standing on top of a skyscraper waiting to jump, believing they can fly.

 

[White Christmas13]

8 hours ago, Number 6 said:

90% of where tourists go are private. The few that end up in national parks pay 400b for the day.

 

This is just a blind tax and just another nail in the coffin if Thai tourism. Please tell me it will be added to the cost of incoming flights, I will <deleted> myself laughing.

 

Thailand is absolutely desperate for people with education in government.

They have educated Ministers educated in Australian jails

[White Christmas13]

5 hours ago, JGV said:

You couldn't make this up could u I think it is time to change the tourism minister and appoint a chimp at the dusit Zoo

No you can't do that, the chimp will have a higher IQ.

[Soikhaonoiken]

TAT want to charge me an entry fee to come in and spend my money in Thailand, absolutely money mad, then they wonder why they are loosing tourist to neighbouring Countries.... ????

[pegman]

Will the last foreigner leaving Thailand please turn off the lights!

[Blackheart1916]

So in one story we have a proposal to increase fees to improve the tourist experience, and in the next story we have two morons driving high powered boats into an easily avoidable high speed collision that killed two child tourists. Right.....

[balo]

Someone high up will earn good money on this, billions of baht in one mans pocket. 

[PhilAtUbon]

I am sooo seriously knobbed off!!

 

I come to Ubon every few months to see my Mrs and family.

 

I don’t like the so called tourist attractions. I never go to any kind of touristy type places – I avoid them like the plague (!!).

That is unless you can call Big C a “Tourist attraction”.  

 

Why in hell’s name should I have to pay for the upkeep of some hole-in-the-wall tiger sanctuary, pangolin resuscitation centre, tourist waterfall jump-off-point or whatever, just so I can come to Ubon and be with my Mrs for a few weeks at a time?

 

Bah!!! ????

 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by PhilAtUbon

[sydneyjed]

Was drinking with a Aussie mate of mine in the tourism industry..he said bookings into Thailand are some 60% down for the Easter break.Wether it's the virus or a combination of a few factors he said he'd never seen anything like it since the Bali bombings!

 

[joecoolfrog]

19 hours ago, emptypockets said:

Yes I do. I also recognise idiots.

So no mirrors in your abode I assume.

[smedly]

8 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

I agree with you. That package mentality is likely to continue, if the Chinese or some other group continues to like such a thing.  I personally hate such things from both a participant or a bystander point of view.  Now a short tour now and then can be OK, especially if one is on a tight schedule, really is not familiar with a place, etc.  But this Chinese hoard thing is pffffft.  

it is herd mentality and certain Thai are milking it beyond belief - who is complaining the most about lack of Chinese tourists - the herders, they are making huge money off these people on their package tours of Thailand - pity they don't read to much English or they might start to understand they are being ripped off 

 

Western tourists are tuned in - they cannot be manipulated the same way which is why they don't want us here even though we have been the backbone of tourism here for decades

 

Lets see how long it lasts - Chinese tourists are not going to be stupid for ever

 

Time they started to read TVF

[joecoolfrog]

13 hours ago, sandyf said:

As soon as any Thai official says something it is automatically condemned.

These are the charges from a recent return ticket to the UK.

 

Passenger Service Charge (Domestic) - Thailand    THB 700.00
Air Passenger Duty - United Kingdom    THB 3,425.00
Passenger Service Charge - United Kingdom    THB 3,010.00
 

Yet the same return ticket is generally far cheaper bought in the UK rather than Thailand.

[mikebell]

On 2/10/2020 at 4:47 AM, daveAustin said:

Thai economics 101; tax everyone else for loss of revenue. Also wouldn't be surprised to see prices go up across the board; i.e. hotels, restaurateurs etc. It'll cost em in the end, though, people will just go next door for value.

Spot on.  The Ambassador Hotel Pattaya now charges me 25% more than I was paying last week; until I find alternatives.