Thailand to introduce 300 baht ‘tourist fee’ from January

[Ty Hareways]

14 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear....

 

"Earth calling all planets, Earth calling all planets, do you by any chance have the man from TAT there? Can't miss him, looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights!"

Cool bracelet though????

[scorecard]

14 hours ago, EricTh said:

 

 

Lol. Do you really believe that 300 baht will cover all medical fees?

 

When it is time, they will say it doesn't cover A, B, C,D etc. meaning you still have to pay.

 

A- surgery

B- professional doctor fees

C- chronic disease

 

The 300 baht will probably only cover minor illness like  food poisoning, sore throat, fever etc.

 

But perhaps there's been a calculation establishing that 300Baht per tourist will build a total revolving fund which covers all situations: A, B, and C.

 

 

[Lucifer999]

Yea this will help the thai tourism industry? not ...

[inThailand]

Isn't all the negative comments on a $10 fee more proof of how few TV members actually reside in Thailand? 

Edited May 7, 2021 by inThailand

[kimamey]

I'm in the UK right now and when I spoke to my wife today I mentioned this to her. I asked if she knew who the Tourism and Sports Minister was and she said no. I told her his name and she'd never heard of him. I showed her the picture and she didn't recognise him. Even I recognise his picture. He certainly seems to be low profile in Thailand.

[Crok]

I am off to Vietnam. Why come to Thailand?

[sabai-dee-man]

17 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

Tomorrows news: Thailand sets up a Tourist Go fund me page. Now tourists can contribute their money without ever having to visit Thailand ....

Just like some of the bars on YouTube! Desperate plonkers falling over themselves to be the big Richard with the most bell rings and donations. I'm sure the same idiots will happily stump up to it! ????

[scorecard]

18 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

 what do you think the 700 baht departure fee gets spent on now?

Perhaps operating and maintaining a very big airport?

[mogandave]

2 hours ago, Crok said:

I am off to Vietnam. Why come to Thailand?

 

See ya

[clivebaxter]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

Perhaps operating and maintaining a very big airport?

That's what landing fees and other charges from airlines are for, Heathrow does not charge people to leave the UK

[elgenon]

Why don't they just take 30 baht from the cost of every visa? With the projected 5 million tourists........

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

 

 

' nuff said.

How much does it cost for the medical bills for Thai tourists in other countries? Or does that not matter?

[Naturesway]

You already pushed the tourism to death but now still thinking how to charge the deaths. 

[placeholder]

23 hours ago, colinneil said:

So they are going to collect 300 baht per tourist, they aint gonna make much money then, tourists will not be coming.

Who ever dreamed up that, is a complete nutter, Thailand is desperate for tourists, yet the nutters keep putting things in place to deter tourists.

If 300 baht, which comes to less than US$10, is going to be a significant factor in somebody's choice of destination, they probably don't have enough funds tot be traveling abroad at all. And if are affluent enough, but are still so miserly as to care about that small sum of cash, they're probably not going to be spending much in the country of their choice anyway.

[NoshowJones]

23 hours ago, dinsdale said:

This comment cannot be beaten so don't try. 

Thailand itself may be desperate for tourists, but the unelected "PM" and his soldiers certainly are not, their offshore accounts will keep on increasing, tourists or not.

[placeholder]

23 hours ago, dinsdale said:

This comment cannot be beaten so don't try. 

But it has been,and can be, stomped on.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, clivebaxter said:

That's what landing fees and other charges from airlines are for, Heathrow does not charge people to leave the UK

 

Is that true for every country? I doubt it.

 

There are 2 scenarios:

 

1.- The airport services airline companies need to operate their aircraft etc.

2.- The airport services a passenger needs to check-in, get through passport, retrieve luggage, and other checks etc.

 

 

[Henryford]

Problem no tourists. Solution charge them more. Amazing Thailand.

[ozz1]

these guys are idiots  i know when you leave bali you pay but introducing this at this time is crazy  its not a lot of money but what are they thinking 

[Pattaya Spotter]

44 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

How much does it cost for the medical bills for Thai tourists in other countries? Or does that not matter?

We're talking about Thailand...not "other countries." They can address the issue of unpaid hospital bills in their own way.

[Stargeezr]

Wow Thailand!  First you have the 500 baht exit fee, and now, Before you get any International travelers

you are adding an new 300 baht entry fee.  I feel so happy that Thailand is showing the world that it is not a corrupt, greedy country 

that only wants the tourists money, and not really the tourist.     As another poster said,  it is off to Vietnam for me, as I have had a 

few friends go there in the last couple of years, and all have have a good experience with their last Vietnam visits.

Good Luck Thailand, maybe try for some desperate Brazilians to come for a most welcome visit to Amazing Thailand.

  Geezer

[Percy P]

On 5/7/2021 at 11:19 AM, colinneil said:

So they are going to collect 300 baht per tourist, they aint gonna make much money then, tourists will not be coming.

Who ever dreamed up that, is a complete nutter, Thailand is desperate for tourists, yet the nutters keep putting things in place to deter tourists.

Correct .I have a multi entrance visa, 90 day stay  so am I required to pay 300B every time I 're enter it so this would amount to 1200B/year. If the 300B covered medical insurance instead of the, $100,000 insurance now, my be ok. But will you have to have both!    More then likly yes.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

Here we go again some brainless official (K. Ratchakitprakarn) wants tourists to pay a "tax". If tourism is to recover in Thailand this is the last thing to encourage new visitors let alone returning tourists who already know about double pricing and scams.

[placeholder]

14 minutes ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

Here we go again some brainless official (K. Ratchakitprakarn) wants tourists to pay a "tax". If tourism is to recover in Thailand this is the last thing to encourage new visitors let alone returning tourists who already know about double pricing and scams.

"Double pricing and scams" existed before Covid.  Yet, oddly enough, 10's of millions of tourists flocked to Thailand every year. But 300 baht is going to make a crucial difference?

[Isaan sailor]

As long as they apply that 300 Baht tourist tax equally to all incoming tourists (including those Chinese hordes)—it seems fair.

[phetphet]

Don't they realise that air fares are already going to be substantially higher in the near future due to restricted numbers of  flights?

In fact the days of cheap long haul tickets might even disappear forever post-Covid. And they are trying to take more money off of any potential tourists before they even get here?  

 

Crazy!

[kynikoi]

On 5/7/2021 at 5:35 PM, popabear said:

After reading all these posts , it makes me wonder why there are still 3 Million expats still living in Thailand ,,,,,  Regards Popa

 

Because I really do love Koh Tao and the Andaman. Bc I can't afford private insurance for 20 years for my wife until she hits 65. I don't want to pay property taxes on a 325k home. Finally, I like my job.

 

But at this point that's about all that's holding me here.

[thailand49]

22 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

The government model in Thailand is to make each ministry more or less self sustaining as tax collection is so poor. For example police, including Immigration, are poorly salaried, their money is made up by a share of the fines collected, it’s all official. That’s perhaps why they are rarely sympathetic to rule breakers. 
 

Other departments like TAT, National Parks etc run on a similar model including dual pricing.

 

But as they say, if you don’t like it …….   

I will not argue with your assessment as to how and why they do want they do to collect many.

 

" but as they say, if you don't like it "  will that solution are for cowards it never solve anything by running.  Thailand has reach out to the world community wants to be part of it unlike North Korea for example when you have you hand out that comes with strings attached one of them you get criticized and that is what is being done here.

 

I have a saying those who speak out not only do it for themselves but for others who can't or won't and usually benefit from those who do!  Suggesting someone goes back to where they came from isn't the solution but the problem.????

[ExpatOilWorker]

The Australians will be saved from paying this cost, until 2023.

 

https://www.godsavethepoints.com/australia-closing-until-2022-tourism-minister/

[sandhurstmolonski]

On 5/7/2021 at 11:34 AM, dcsw53 said:

So we now have the pleasure of queuing for 45 mins for the payment counter and 45 mins to have our passports stamped, sounds good to me.

 

 

18 hours ago, Joe Mama said:

OMG!  14 days quarantined in a government approved holding cell @ $100 plus per day....$100,000 Medical Insurance Policy with proof of Covid-19 coverage...Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination...Negative Covid-19 Test 72 hours before arrival...Cost of Airline Tickets...700 baht departure Fee...& now a 300 baht  entry fee...I can see the flood of tourists already lining up to beat a path to Suvarnabhumi!

 

 

  Spot on ! 

Now is NOT the time , with all you've mentioned , the degree of difficulty .. Scarey stuff .

The people have suffered enough , keep it utterly simple , and really  , please , no ludicrous add ons ,certainly not now ..

It's a long way back to previous , frightening .