Thailand to introduce 300 baht ‘tourist fee’ from January

[thasoss]

it's a case of "we are desperate for some money,but not really for you"........it's difficult to understand the mentality.

[thasoss]

58 minutes ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

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.

thai authorities and many thai people just dont like any other nationalities...everything is just about the money.And by extension it is often the same in 'thai foreigner" relationships.

 

[jaygino]

Thai Maths

20,000,000 x 300 = 6,000,000,000 - collection costs = 6,200,000,000

 

[Thomas Hannah]

Already pay a leaving charge.which airlines put on price of ticket.Now want to intruduce arrival charge.Once again .Lets etc the tourest.And we all know were the money will go.To those who are connected in there closed to the public club.

[spidermike007]

1. Thailand is not the center of the known universe. I would have thought Phiphat, and the others would have figured that out by now.

 

2. Tourism is not returning to Thailand anytime soon. Expect no more than 2 million tourists in 2022, if there are NO restrictions. The world is a very different place now. We might see up to 5 million tourists by 2024. Maybe.

 

3. Since only 2 million tourists will be showing up, they likely will not object to a silly and completely unnecessary fee like this. It will simply be regarded as more arrogant and retrograde behavior on the part of officials who have no idea what they are doing.

 

4. They claim this tax will be used to help the tourism industry. That is curious. In the past 15 months little to nothing has been done to "help the tourism industry", and to prevent hundreds of thousands of restaurants, hotels, gift shops, travel agents, massage shops, and countless other types of businesses from failing. So, it is dishonest at best, to say this tax, is intended to help anyone other than a few individuals. 

Edited May 7, 2021 by spidermike007

[nickmondo]

4 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.

the tourist wont even know he is being charged.

it will be added to the air fare

[djayz]

If I remember correctly, when I started coming here almost 20 years ago, we had to pay a ฿300 tourist fee upon departure in cash. Then, they increased the fee, which was incorporated in the price of the ticket. Now, they want to continue charging this fee AND expect an addition fee as well?! Why don't they just ask us for our  bank account details?! 

Are residents going to be subjected to the "tourist fees" as well when they travel in or out of the country? 

[Andrew65]

4 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

 

But it means for just 300 baht we are all insured so thats means no more exhorbitant hospital fees right? 

That might depend on whether one is a 'tourist' or an 'expat'!?????

[Sean60]

Look at the line of people. 20 miljon people will come to Thailand in 2022.

I am glad to see someone sleeping well and nights and having nice dreams.

Daydreaming has become a habit.

Start with the vaccinating people. Once you are done then you can start thinking of having tourists back here.

It will take another 3 years before restaurants and hotels have reopened.  Lets talk about the fact that cities like Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya are dead. 

People are having problem with having food on their table and this guy is telling us about his dream. 

 

[madmitch]

8 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

the tourist wont even know he is being charged.

it will be added to the air fare

Not sure about that. If they add it to the air fare then Thais would be charged as well, as will expats with work permits or visa extensions.

 

Also many people arrive overland or a few by sea.

 

I'm sure that Phiphat and his minions have thoroughly thought through the implications and the implementation of this. ????????????

 

 

[Meat Pie 47]

4 hours ago, pattjock said:

300Baht is nothing for any tourist flying in to Thailand. Brilliant idea as long as the funds are well spent.

what planet you live on?

[Andrew65]

2 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Not sure about that. If they add it to the air fare then Thais would be charged as well, as will expats with work permits or visa extensions.

 

Also many people arrive overland or a few by sea.

 

I'm sure that Phiphat and his minions have thoroughly thought through the implications and the implementation of this. ????????????

 

 

Maybe they will collect it as they did the old airport tax?

(Many wealthy Thais were probably scamming free flights on Thai anyway,  cos they 'know' someone. Part of Thai's problem, giving away their most profitable seats).

[poohy]

So we have a tourist business completely ruined by covid followed by it being further ruined by the inability of a bunch of senile general's with the odd drug dealer thrown in running the country

 

Solution is of course adding a  fee to anyone stupid or desperate to visit which wont be many

Edited May 7, 2021 by poohy

[bangon04]

4 hours ago, zib said:

Of course it will be included in the ticket.

but surely there is already an "Airport" Fee of 500 which we used to pay manually which was included into the ticket some years ago?  

[SW Happy]

Exactly what Thailand needs to encourage more tourism, what next ankle bracelets so they no where the tourists are at any given time.

[BritManToo]

Just now, SW Happy said:

what next ankle bracelets so they no where the tourists are at any given time.

I'd like to suggest 500bht/week rental for the ankle bracelets.

[GregKeo]

4 hours ago, gearbox said:

It is just a money grab. They'll try to do everything to squeeze you, but you can squeeze back. Don't pay any tips in restaurants, massages, etc until the tips withheld reach 600 baht. If someone complains tell them to email Mr Phiphat about their "unforeseen problems or hardships".

 

 

So you want to screw all those small businesses who provide us and tourists with the services you require, whose profit margin is miniscule and the poorly paid staff who rely on tips to get by - simply to seek revenge on the idiotic government decision that seems imminent?

 

<deleted>!  The world is awash with money grabs, however seeking revenge by punishing those with no skin in the game is ludicrous. 

[bimmerbob]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

300 baht fee will go towards creation of a tourism fund that will help the tourism industry deal with other unforeseen problems or hardships in the future.

Brilliant - let's make this work tourists.

[Bendi]

There will always be stupid people walking around. Here in Thailand or back in your own country. Farang and thais are not that much different in their stupidity. Bashing its not the answer. Let it slide and dont comment so much. We all know that tomorow is another day in the big amusement park called Thailand. Have a coffee and just enjoi the show.

[Forza2002]

TAT's budget has probably been halved due to reduced number of arrivals this year. Phiphat must have come up with a novel idea to replenish the war chest (slush fund)...

[Bendi]

My cats was in that sandbox, they didnt like it.

[Chongalulu]

5 hours ago, dinsdale said:

5 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.

This comment cannot be beaten so don't try. 

Let me have a try with this one :

Every time you think you might have been unfairly prejudiced in thinking there is a Thai Thick Gene ???? pervading the country along comes a government official who says something that confirms you were correct in your initial assessment. 
Marks out of 10 ?…

[vandeventer]

2 hours ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

Oh, tourists will still (eventually) come -- they won't know about this "new tax" until they arrive at immigration!

So what about border jumpers they are almost like tourist, will they have to fork over 300 baht before they are kicked out? I guess they will have to think about that one.

[Andrew65]

15 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

So what about border jumpers they are almost like tourist, will they have to fork over 300 baht before they are kicked out? I guess they will have to think about that one.

It has also been suggested that 'transit passengers' are also counted as tourist arrivals. For instance when someone flies from Europe to Australia (usually on Thai AIrways) and just changes planes/flights at Bangkok Airport.

Edited May 7, 2021 by Andrew65

[allyoops]

Why can't leaders get their heads around travel insurance. Here in the UK we have people coming here to scam off the NHS all the time. It's quite simple really, no insurance, no entry. This 300 baht charge is just a scam, no where near enough for any sort of insurance, no where near enough to cover unpaid bills. They could actually sell insurance if you arrive without any, if you don't buy it , out you go.

[Rocking Robert]

I got two shots of the madorna vaccine in the USA taxpayer paid for no problem at all

[kimamey]

6 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Add this to the 300 baht fee already charged to assist with the medical funds that they put in place years ago.  Whose pocket will this now go into....always a grab for money.  Just call it a Visa on Arrival fee and then you can do with it whatever the hell you want....sheesh.  Timing is everything with the Tourism schemes and then Covid.....

 

"Mr Phiphat said there was still a chance the Phuket sandbox could go ahead but cases on the island would likely need to be zero and at least 70% of the island’s population would need to have received the vaccination".

.......So July 1 is out and maybe October, good to know Phipat.....

If it's used for the quoted reasons then fine but as we all know that isn't always the case.

 

As for zero cases that just shows a lack of understanding. That won't happen but getting to a low manageable level is.

[Andrew65]

3 minutes ago, Rocking Robert said:

I got two shots of the madorna vaccine in the USA taxpayer paid for no problem at all

"Communism"????

[connda]

Thailand to introduce 300 baht ‘tourist fee’ from January

That should generate a few thousand THB.  ????

[Sydebolle]

Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn - congratulations are in order. You just finished yet another avalanche of absolute governmental nonsense for this week. 

Give the man a medal, he deserves it. The best head line to generate more tourists in a market which was dying before all that Corona-excuse came along .........