Thai government pushes ahead with international tourist tax, 300 baht per visitor begins in April

[webfact]

 

By Natcha Patanasophon

 

The Thai government is pushing ahead with a controversial proposal to collect a 300 baht tourism fee from all international visitors arriving in Thailand, a government official said Wednesday.

 

The contentious proposal to go ahead with the scheme was initially approved by the National Tourism Policy Committee in 2020.

 

The government said the fund will develop local tourism destinations and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

 

Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the government spokesman, told reporters that a collection of 300 baht from each international visitor will start in April.

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/36442/thai-government-pushes-ahead-with-international-tourist-tax-300-baht-per-visitor-begins-in-april/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-01-12

 

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[jacko45k]

So now tourists need to find this alien currency prior to immigration?

[aussiexpat]

When you consider there's already a 700 baht tourist departure tax, the last sentence of the article says it all

 

“Collecting an additional fee will increase the travel budget of international visitors. It will affect their decisions to skip Thailand.”

[stigar]

5 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

So now tourists need to find this alien currency prior to immigration?

And there is no ATM before immigration.

[Ralf001]

3 minutes ago, stigar said:

And there is no ATM before immigration.

it will be added to the ticket price just like the departure tax is.

[sanuk711]

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

300 baht will include medical cover--this could be interesting----For however long the tourist stays in Thailand?

 

.

[sungod]

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

it will be added to the ticket price just like the departure tax is.

And no one will notice so it will not affect numbers..........

[BritManToo]

Thought they'd upped it to 500bht?

 

[mtls2005]

So only people entering on a VoA, TVE or TR would pay this surcharge?

 

Those returning with a visa, or re-entry permit, and thais of course, will be exempt?

 

 

 

 

Just joking, this will be embedded in the new PSC of 1,000 baht as a line item on the ticket, and everyone will pay it.

 

 

 

BTW, not so long ago they were considering a 500 baht jump.

 

[calbts2]

In all my years here I don't think I have ever seen a short period(the last month or so)  where an inept government is making one decision after another to dissuade tourists from visiting the country.

[worgeordie]

I am sure it will be put to good use ..........????

regards worgeordie

[Mavideol]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

The government said the fund will develop local tourism destinations and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

should we understand no more insurance is required or is it a misleading quote

[Gandtee]

The mind boggles. Like pork prices. If you're not selling enough to make a profit, put the price up.????

[mtls2005]

Any increase in the PSC is often accompanied by (false) claims that it will:

 

- cover emergency health care delivered to tourists who then manage to leave the country without paying. We're told this is a MASSIVE problem. It isn't.

 

- be used to maintain the natural beauty of thailand. It won't.

 

 

It will be a giant slush fund, picked over by several ministries.

 

 

[stigar]

3 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

The mind boggles. Like pork prices. If you're not selling enough to make a profit, put the price up.????

Rigth.Same beer prices in a pub/bar.

[smedly]

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

The government said the fund will develop local tourism destinations and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

hope they remember this statement

[Enoon]

 

Stand by for the "Thailand Tourist Health Insurance Pass" website.

 

Hub of Dumb.

 

 

 

[kotsak]

15 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I am sure it will be put to good use ..........????

regards worgeordie

Mia nois are getting excited..

[Tarteso]

300 is nothing for the expecting healthy multibilimillionaires ????

[userabcd]

Hope to get a 300 baht voucher which can be used and redeemed at my favourite hospital.

[kcpattaya]

These soldiers have NO IDEA how to run this business called "Thailand"...

[Xonax]

How does an International Tourist Tax make any sense, when the governmant at the same time is trying to help tourism survive by paying half of the bill for Thai nationals?  Do they really think, that foreign tourists are all rich and not equally affectey by Covid 19?

[herfiehandbag]

Of course it is only a few quid/bucks, and it will be added to the ticket price and not noticed by the traveler - except that principle and perception are everything, and this reinforces the perception that, even with tourism on the canvas and being counted over, the principle of screwing the tourist for everything you can get remains firmly in place!

[Kinnock]

37 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

I am sure it will be put to good use ..........????

regards worgeordie

Like paying for the new Chinese fighter jets, the new Chinese submarines and the railroad that will help Chinese produce into Thailand?

[Caldera]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The government said the fund will develop local tourism destinations and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

If the 2nd part is actually true and they're introducing it as a mandatory travel health insurance, I can actually see some benefits, considering all the horror stories over the years. It beats demanding proof of insurance, which would be cumbersome to check at points of entry.

[RichardColeman]

one things for sure, 300 baht from the dribbling in tourists wont do much, 40 million , yes it might, a million coming  in 2022, no chance of anything big getting done or covered

[KhunLA]

About time .... though make it 1000 baht.

[Skeptic7]

56 minutes ago, Gandtee said:

The mind boggles. Like pork prices. If you're not selling enough to make a profit, put the price up.????

Been here a quarter century and they've always done that here. Typically Thailand. 

[michael888]

Medical ?   Aren't tourists already required to have insurance?  

 

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The government said the fund will develop local tourism destinations and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

Lies, lies lies