Thailand to introduce 500 baht tourist entry fee from Jan 1st

[jippytum]

People think the old airport departure tax was abolished .It was in fact incorporated into the price of your airline ticket. The vast amount of revenue from every passenger goes where ??

Now the want to charge every entrant to Thailand 500 baht  on top of the re entry fee already charged to long stay visa expats. 

Remember when the cost of a visa extension went up from 500 baht to 1900 baht in one jump .

The government are targeting wealthy  expats with not so special offers to live in Thailand .At the same time forcing   existing  expats and tourists to pay the revenue  shortfall caused by  their  greed and incompetence .

[geisha]

It doesn’t bother me, 500B is the price of a snack or drink at the airport. If you come into Thailand on a package tour, then it will be included in taxes / ticket of total-price.  If you are an individual traveler/ tourist, you’ll already have forked out a large sum for your ticket, taxi to hotel and back, then , hotel, food, trips etc.  Obviously, people on a shoestring do not come to Thailand like this. They take the all in package and spend nothing once here. With this pandemic , you’d have to be fairly well off to be coming on a long haul holiday.  Look at the breakdown of your flight ticket, there are extras added on all over the world.  What I would like to see if this 500B is implemented, is a proper fund for helping poor families. ( although that helping should be the government’s job!! ) As for tourists costing the hospitals money, that shouldn’t happen anymore with the insurance obligation. 

[Parsve]

Let TAT collect the money and we will see a big change, " yes MR PM I assure you there was not more than 50 tourists in the first Q".

[Sydebolle]

Look at it form the bright side, in other countries they have only one April Fools Day - here it is EVERY DAY! Amazing what kind of pr1cks are running the show and 70 million underlings stand idly by and watch .......

 

[Uroller]

Wrong time to add another reason to bypass Thailand???????????? I also understand that there is already a tourist tax of approx THB700 including in your ticket(which most people don’t know about). It’s not a lot of money but if Thailand is serious about getting its tourist economy going again it’s the wrong message to send. It’s more like replacing lost “corruption” revenue????????????

[Joules]

Ha, ha, ha!  They make it even harder for tourists to help the tourism operators.  Too funny!

 

Anybody that really investigates the best places for tourism or retirement would never choose this place.  20 years ago, certainly, 15 years ago, probably, 10 years ago, okay, 5 years ago, in the toilet.  Oh, the sex tourists will still come, but no families. 

 

What a joke.

 

Edit:  Years ago, I had a lot of people come to visit me here.  I encouraged it.  Now I tell friends and family, "Don't come here.  It ain't what it used to be.  there are much better places to spend your vacations."  I have not had anybody come since the last coup when it really started downhill for expats.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Joules

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, Kadilo said:

In the grand scheme of things no one is going to worry about an extra 500 baht to travel. Many countries already charge a fee to enter and some also have a tourist tax added to their stay. 

And, if memory is in order, New York (and other US cities?) charge a bed tax at hotels. I stand to be corrected.

[Farangus]

45 minutes ago, Robbkk said:

I'll just say that once upon a time I was undecided between travelling to Thailand or Vietnam and the choice came down to a Visa fee that Vietnam had at the time. I'm still in Thailand today many years later.

I always need a visa to fly to Thailand, but not for Vietnam. But I have always chosen Thailand. If not for personal reasons, next time I would choose a different country. Dozens of paid certificates and permits for visas and entry - in fact, not something that the authorities of any country should require from a tourist who wants to choose this particular country and spend their money there.
I agree to show a wad of cash at the airport to prove that I did not come to live in a tent and eat raw crabs on the beach. But to deal with all this documentary evidence 2 months before the trip is somewhat humiliating in the 21st century.

[johnc925]

oh yeah... THAT'S gonna reel em in! ???? 

[dlclark97]

Actually it is not that unusual for a country to charge entry and exit fees.  I have no issue if the funds received actually end up in the hands of those most needy.  Much of the Thai population needs all the financial help it can get.  I would even support and gladly pay if 1000 THB was added to make up for the shortages at the government hospitals as a means to get rid of the existing insurance scheme that provides very small benefits for large premiums.  An extra 5000 baht every time a foreigner applies for his/her annual extension would be acceptable if it got rid of the ridiculous insurance requirement that must be bought from and is provided by select Thai insurance companies.      

[joecoolfrog]

6 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Yes in a positive way as “The money will be a fund to bail out tourism businesses hit by the pandemic. “

Yes of course it will !

After all haven't we been seeing for the last year , the tremendous amount of financial aid channelled towards the floundering Thai tourist sector........doh !

[4MyEgo]

31 minutes ago, madmen said:

They are copying Phuket sandbox for one island but no onwards travel. Still no long term visas for farang. Horrible for those with family 

I have a family, both the wife and kids have dual passports.

 

Never came here on the notion that I was ever going to get more than the 12 month extensions and that has been fine with me for the past 6 years, more hopefully.

 

If they ever pull the pin, well, we will all just up and go back to where we came from, no big deal when you have plan B which is backed by money, that said, the option plan A which is being here, e.g. more suitable affordability wise, but hey, is the $hit hit the fan, then it hits the fan, no illusions here, but I see others have been here for decades and I can't see them rocking the boat, just leaving the sails as they have been, but would expect an increase in the annual extension fee soon.

[PEE TEE]

Thailand's compulsory go fund it  

[Tracyb]

Now if they could use part of it to cover costs of tourists who skip out on their hospital bills perhaps those folks on OA Extensions could drop their insurance coverage!

 

I know, I know…….  Save your derisive comments……. I’m just saying what a lot of folks might be thinking…..

[Farangus]

Is it so difficult for the Thai authorities to understand that the tourism business will benefit more from increased tourism rather than additional fees? Remove the Certificate of Entry, temporarily make free visas (for those who need them), remove expensive compulsory tests and quarantine hotels. This will attract hundreds of thousands of foreign tourists. Each of which will spend tens of thousands of Thai baht. And this money will indeed go into the pockets of the local population and the tourism business.
Let them take the calculator again and make sure that 30,000 Baht x 2 million tourists is better for the country than 30,000 + 500 Baht x 1 Million

[pjmorton]

Seems to me if the government and not just the press are calling it a "Tourist Entry Fee", then Thai citizens would probably be exempt, but we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

[WEBBYB808]

This, and you can't defend  yourself  if someone  breaks into your home, and attacks you with a gun!  Interesting don't you think?

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

4 hours ago, placeholder said:

I just returned from the USA and food prices are mostly much cheaper here than in America or Europe. Even if your claim was true, ya think most tourists will be shopping for their food in supermarkets and markets? Restaurant prices here are a fraction of what they are in Europe and the USA.

Sure you can get Thai food cheaper here than in Europe or in the states, but in what restaurant can you order a quality bottle of wine and a decent Angus beef steak to a price lower than in Europe? 

[Scott Tracy]

If this is for every man, woman and child, then it's not just a 'tourist ' entry fee. Don't call it that.

[Burma Bill]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

1 million tourists would mean 500 million baht.

Well I never, TAT have their figures right this time!!

[Ty Hareways]

Bit of a blow for people who may fly out for a couple of days in neighbouring countries during their holidays.

Personally i wouldn't mind if small hotels, bars and restaurants got a cheque but only a fool would think that would happen????

[StevieAus]

8 hours ago, Boarn said:

If this was only for tourists I could stomach it, but if long terms expats have to pay as well that would be yet another spit in the face.

Easy to retaliate don’t leave the country

[dkg224]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand's minister for tourism and sports said all the money gained will develop tourism and help businesses affected by Covid. 

I 100% guarantee my tour company that had been closed for 8 months and my restaurant that’s barely scraping by will see any of this money to help rebuild and reopen. Same for the dive school next door. And the restaurant across the street. 
What they mean to say is the Ministers and provincial Governors will get bags full of money so they can go travel around staying in 5 star resorts and having champagne and oyster brunches while saying how great then return of tourists will be and 10 quadrillion baht will be spent by them

[Bezdomny]

Shouldnt be problem for a "wealthy" western tourists, according to the TVF members only they spend loads of money, Chinese, Indians and Russians are "keen yao" and fee will deter them.???? Win win.

[Dont confuse me]

"The cabinet will meet to decide the finer details of who should benefit"

 

Be sure it won't go to the businesses that genuinely need it.

[StevieAus]

7 minutes ago, HiSoLowSoNoSo said:

Sure you can get Thai food cheaper here than in Europe or in the states, but in what restaurant can you order a quality bottle of wine and a decent Angus beef steak to a price lower than in Europe? 

I agree the wine is more expensive because of the tax but not the beef I buy Australia Rib Eye or tenderloin I think they call it it’s on a par or cheaper than Australia and certainly a lot cheaper than any steak bought in the UK

[Robbkk]

41 minutes ago, Farangus said:

I always need a visa to fly to Thailand, but not for Vietnam. But I have always chosen Thailand. If not for personal reasons, next time I would choose a different country. 

Exactly. If you have personal reasons to be in Thailand of course the fees and the paperwork won't stop you from coming. That's why the sandbox scheme is only attracting Thailand residents and long time visitors. But this is a diminishing group of people.

 

For first time tourists who only know Thailand from the photos they see on Instagram, which look very similar to the photos from Bali, Vietnam, etc.., the decision to travel to one country over another will mostly come down to cost and entry requirements.

Edited October 5, 2021 by Robbkk

[Jiggo]

So its slip a nice 500 baht note in side your passport at Airport immigration then.....????

[puck2]

[dallen52]

So only tourists pay?

Right?

 

What about returning expats?