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

[Bluespunk]

1 hour ago, Mavideol said:

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

By misleading do you mean a lie...

[condo62]

Whatever they can screw out of "The Tourist"....

[bradiston]

The spokesman said they were expecting 15m visitors, generating 1.3 to 1.8 trillion THB, this year. I figured that's between 90 and 120,000 per visitor. That's some pocket money for the 100s of 1000s, maybe millions, of kids accompanying parents. Many returners, long stayers. Is there a standard formula for estimating revenue per head of tourists? Seems like they're using 100k per head, roughly. This comes up lot.

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

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.”

Remind us, how much tax is there currently on a ticket into Heathrow,  or do  you believe international visitors have a one way ticket.

 

This is what it was 5 years ago for Heathrow.

It is a warped mentality that thinks Thailand should be free and other countries charge what they want.

 

Government, authority and airport charges	Per adult
E7AD	THB 35.00
E7AP	THB 35.00
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
Total government, authority and airport charges* > More information	THB 7,205.00

nmenthority and airport charges

 

[michael888]

1 hour ago, calbts2 said:

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.

Agreed.  It's mind-boggling.  Longer than the last month or so though.  Downward spiral since the junta.  

[Captain Monday]

It should be much higher, for tourists, like 100 baht per day with discounts. A thirty day visa exempt 

could be like 2750 baht. I already have to buy insurance for my long-stay visa so should be exempt.

 

To include comprehensive Thai govt backed accident insurance, "covid -19",  and payment for any required quarantines for positive tests after arrival. The large fund developed could be used to improve infrastructure, tourist police, and environmental reparations. Get rid of dodgy travel insurances. Attract quality tourists, deter cheap charlies, no more so-called "unpaid hospital bills".

[chilly07]

Bearing in mind they have already been collecting 500bht per visitor they would need to have 56000 visitors to cover the 45m they claim as unpaid medical bills. Easy peasy - now they can scrap insurance requirements for all visitors!

[charmonman]

So with the cost of required RT-PCR test, quarantine hotel fees, covid-19 insurance fees, they really think this is the right time to bring up a 300 baht tourism fee (or whatever they're calling it)? Nice little slap in the face. What a bunch of clowns.

 

 

[Guderian]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The government said the fund will ... provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits.

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

[Cherrytreeview]

11 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Remind us, how much tax is there currently on a ticket into Heathrow,  or do  you believe international visitors have a one way ticket.

 

This is what it was 5 years ago for Heathrow.

It is a warped mentality that thinks Thailand should be free and other countries charge what they want.

 

Government, authority and airport charges	Per adult
E7AD	THB 35.00
E7AP	THB 35.00
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
Total government, authority and airport charges* > More information	THB 7,205.00

nmenthority and airport charges

 

Simple answer for you, don't come back to the UK.

You'll not be needing those Astra Zeneca jabs that UK taxes help fund either. You know the non-profit ones that where distributed globally and put in your ungrateful arm.

Didn't hear you whingeing then about the UK.

At least the UK uses taxes for things like furlough schemes to ensure record low unemployment.

Thailand just lines the pockets of it's Hi So's and let's UK farangs feed it's citizens.

 

 

[daveAustin]

24 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Remind us, how much tax is there currently on a ticket into Heathrow,  or do  you believe international visitors have a one way ticket.

 

This is what it was 5 years ago for Heathrow.

It is a warped mentality that thinks Thailand should be free and other countries charge what they want.

 

Government, authority and airport charges	Per adult
E7AD	THB 35.00
E7AP	THB 35.00
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
Total government, authority and airport charges* > More information	THB 7,205.00

nmenthority and airport charges

 

[Bearing in mind that tickets into Heathrow are among the cheapest in the world]. On your chart where’s the air passenger duty into Thailand? Every state taxes inbound passengers. This latest extra charge is just a money grab in the guise of an ‘insurance’. 

[sungod]

38 minutes ago, condo62 said:

Whatever they can screw out of "The Tourist"....

Is Thailand the only country in the world that has Passenger Tax?

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, aussiexpat said:

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.”

There is no "tourist departure tax". As at almost every airport in the world, there is a Passenger Service Charge (PSC), which is paid by all departing passengers, including Thais; the money goes to AOT and is (allegedly) used for running and maintaining and improving the airport.

 

Is it excessive compared to airports in other countries, given the quality of the services and facilities provided? Yes, but that's a different issue.

[Don Chance]

In Nepal they have much simpler system, you can get up to 6 months a year visa. Just giving 30 days on arrival is very silly of Thailand.

 

Visa Type	Visa Fee in USD $
1.	Tourist Visa (short)	USD 30
2.	30 Days (Multiple Entry)	USD 50
3.	90 Days (Multiple Entry)	USD 125
4.	Visa Extension (Within Valid Visa Period)	USD 3 per Day

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, sanuk711 said:

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

 

.

If so, I'll have some of that please.

[spidermike007]

This will have little to no effect on arrivals, since tourism is essentially finished here. It is now a dead industry. Too much sabotage, too much fear mongering, not enough manhood from the leaders, and really bad decisions, one after the next. This tax will not matter. 

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, Xonax said:

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?

Is there any Thai who doesn't think all foreigners are rich?

[hotchilli]

2 hours 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.

Or just be swallowed up.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

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

Pay to get in, pay to get out and screwed while your here... welcome to Thailand

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

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

 

.

until you have need for medical insurance, then the fun will begin.

[thaitom]

2 hours ago, jacko45k said:

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

What ? in Chiang mai there is a currency exchange booth at the end of the escalator right after you walk off your plane before you give the "man" your passport and get stamped.  so yes, you can get the money needed.

[BusyB]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

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.

 

Yes but it probably won't replace the $50k / THB400k insurance for long stay visas ... We'll need to pay for that as well ...

[mancub]

Long haul tourists won't notice the increase in air fare.

Budget airlines and their passengers within the Asean Region will certainly be affected,

Article states all international arrivals, but how (or will) it apply to land or sea arrivals ?

[ourmanflint]

Does this mean at land borders as well? That would be quite funny to see

Quote

collect a 300 baht tourism fee from all international visitors arriving in Thailand, a government official said Wednesday.

 

[Oxx]

Why is this being called an "international tourist tax" when it will be collected "from all international visitors arriving in Thailand"?  (Both quotes from original article.)

The reality is that it's a tax on all foreigners coming to or returning to Thailand.

[bristolgeoff]

Allready a tax on the the ticket,I remember when u paid before u left to return home.500 baht in and thru to passport control.now it is raised again.Will be added to your ticket i imagine.Before if you went to Myanmar for passport control and a new 30 day visa,have 10 US in the passport cheaper than 500 baht in what they wanted.They accept the dollars.This gov want tourist but they make it so hard sometimes,test and go finished.They high season is dead again,it goes on and on.

         I can only hope that they will open soon with no problems to enter 

[poohy]

2 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

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

So entry  insurance requirements will be cancelled now......i thought not!

[Jack West Jr]

I am just listening to Randy Newman's brilliant song "It's Money that I Love" . It sums up the attitude of the Thai elite and tinpot general-cum- PM Prayuth to a T . Skip Thailand and teach 'em a lesson !

[sandyf]

26 minutes ago, Cherrytreeview said:

Simple answer for you, don't come back to the UK.

You'll not be needing those Astra Zeneca jabs that UK taxes help fund either. You know the non-profit ones that where distributed globally and put in your ungrateful arm.

Didn't hear you whingeing then about the UK.

At least the UK uses taxes for things like furlough schemes to ensure record low unemployment.

Thailand just lines the pockets of it's Hi So's and let's UK farangs feed it's citizens.

 

 

With such a xenophobic outlook I have to wonder why you feel the necessity to post on this forum, trying to make life difficult for the rest of us?

[aussiexpat]

27 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

There is no "tourist departure tax". As at almost every airport in the world, there is a Passenger Service Charge (PSC), which is paid by all departing passengers, including Thais; the money goes to AOT and is (allegedly) used for running and maintaining and improving the airport

There has been a departure tax for decades, it used to be 500 baht cash you had to pay at the airport. They then added it onto your ticket about 12 years ago and discretely increased it to 700 baht. Semantics whether it's now called a PSC