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

[big dendrobenaes]

5 hours ago, smedly said:

hope they remember this statement

they WILL NOT !!!!

[thaitom]

3 hours ago, welshissan said:

So where do you fly into Chiang Mai from, China? If from most other countries you fly into Bangkok first and then fly to Chiang Mai !

Actually, yes. maybe if you took a look there might be a currency kiosk in the same area mentioned in the Bangkok airport.

[MrJ2U]

6 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

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

Thanks.

 

Be nice to have an ATM in the arrival hall in any case.

 

I've heard this complaint many times over the years.

 

I assume the reason is authorities can't demand a kickback from a machine.

[Orinoco]

Greedy Land at it again.

[thaitom]

1 hour ago, 2 is 1 said:

If you dont have 300 bth "extra" in your budget i think that kind tourist should only travel hes local park! And drink there hes local Lao Khao if has money enough for that.

You don't get the point ,  it's not the money , everyone has 300.B  I suggest you educate yourself on matter.

[rucus7]

Pittance

[VBF]

3 hours 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

 

That's pretty much the point.

The average tourist buying a flight looks at the bottom line price and either accepts it or not - because (s)he has no choice

The more savvy traveller breaks the price down as you have done but still accepts it or not  - because (s)he has no choice

 

People on forums such as this one dissect it and, rightly discuss it, but we  either accept it or not - because we have no choice!

 

I think what's more relevant would be to compare other countries as well as Thailand and UK paying particular attention to that 

bottom line "Total government, authority and airport charges*
 

I guess you would find that most countries impose taxes such as this however they may describe them. Why? Because they can!

I'm not supporting it, just pointing out that it should be taken in context.

 

[CartagenaWarlock]

It will not have any effect on bride seeking and orgy seeking  tourists (80% thai tourists) but may have some effects on female and group family tourists. 

[Graemej100]

11 hours ago, mikebell said:

Fallen on hard times?  Make an Insurance claim.

What leads you to that conclusion Sherlock?

[arick]

6 hours ago, stigar said:

And there is no ATM before immigration.

Don't worry they will be standing there at the luggage rack to collect it or uou don't get your bag! You understand naaaaa

[Flink]

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

Well, that's a bonus! No more hunting for $100,000 insurance policies that willpay up just because you sat too close tosomeone onthe plan and got sent to a hospital/hospitel. The government will cover it and it will only cost you 300 baht, not 3000! Why, if you have to have X amount ofinsurance cover when coming here, do they think anyone is going to buy this bull? Thailand needs the tourists more than the tourists need all the hoop jumping, changing rules, isolation on a whim. They seem determined not to have anyone comehere at all.

[djayz]

On the one hand, this infuriates me! This is not the right time to up the prices, even if it is "only" ฿ 300. But then, I read that this extra income is to be used to "develop local tourism destinations and provide visitors who fall sick with adequate medical care including insurance benefits." A great idea in principle, but we all know that the money will never be used to develop places or pay visitors medical bills. Even more infuriating! So, where (who?) is this money going to? 

 

[Jimbo53]

7 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

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

 

.

Yes...It is good to see that the previous adverse Government articles regarding foreigners skipping the country with unpaid bills should now cease,as the bills will be covered by this tax....Yes...those pigs are airborne again T.I.T.

[Shocked farang]

Another day, another nail on the coffin of international arrivals in Thailand.

They will be very successful in keeping the dirty foreigners out!

[Genix]

Let's be real... if a person is already paying $500 for a ticket, it's not like paying $510 over $500 is going to change their mind about a trip to Thailand.

[spidermike007]

6 hours ago, charmonman said:

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.

 

 

You are assuming, as any rational person would, that they are sincere about reviving tourism. Some of us are beginning to think this is intentional sabotage. Reduce the entire industry to ashes. Then rebuild it in your own image of purity and sanctity. Get rid of all nightlife and the entire sex industry. Kind of a modern day Neocon agenda. And of course destined for historic failure. But then again, look at who are in charge. Anytime a nation reaches for the bottom of the barrel, destruction and backwards movement happens. It is a natural law. 

 

 

[StayinThailand2much]

8 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

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

 

.

Yeah, right... 

[StayinThailand2much]

5 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

Thailand has got it all wrong again as usual.

They are supposed to be offering more Bang for the Buck to attract more Tourists.

Not More Buck for the Bang

Value added Thailand - Not !

In Thailand: less tourists and less income leads to doubling of prices or inventing new charges, to screw the few remaining tourists...

[StayinThailand2much]

8 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

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

Reportedly, accident insurance and insurance against death, so if you die in Thailand, and the bureaucrats cannot locate your next of kin, they will happily add the money to Thailand's state coffers instead.

 

On a personal note, if foreign tourists need so much insurance now, why bother attracting them in the first place?

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, Jimbo53 said:

Yes...It is good to see that the previous adverse Government articles regarding foreigners skipping the country with unpaid bills should now cease,as the bills will be covered by this tax....Yes...those pigs are airborne again T.I.T.

According to Reuters, part of the money is meant for covering tourists' accident and life insurance. - Seems, the ones who didn't pay their bills had a good reason, or weren't able to do so anymore...

[cnx355]

What about retirees, married people and business foreigners that already have insurance....?

 

We will paiy for this and could not use it ?

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

You are assuming, as any rational person would, that they are sincere about reviving tourism. Some of us are beginning to think this is intentional sabotage. Reduce the entire industry to ashes. Then rebuild it in your own image of purity and sanctity. Get rid of all nightlife and the entire sex industry. Kind of a modern day Neocon agenda. And of course destined for historic failure. But then again, look at who are in charge. Anytime a nation reaches for the bottom of the barrel, destruction and backwards movement happens. It is a natural law. 

 

 

The PM has already stated that he wants to wean Thailand off tourism in favour of industrialisation of the Eastern Seaboard in their Eastern Economic Corridor dream.

 

IMF and World Bank fronting up the money for the biggest boondoggle ever.

 

Their vision of a developed country by 2036, again, the PM's words, does not include foreigners in their warped little minds, even though they still won't be able to do anything without foreign investment or expertise, as their education system is so bad that it would take decades to render significant improvements.

 

This tourist tax is just another way for them to continue to pay for their budgets to enrich themselves through 'commissions'.

 

There will be absolutely nothing in terms of benefits for the people that pay it and things will continue as usual. 

[cheapcanuck]

Wow. This will drive up the tourist numbers. NOT.

[ikke1959]

Maybe tourists will come once and when they notice the scam and greed, they go home and tell people there what a nice country Thailand is, but that the greed is overwhelming and that instead of pay a visit to this country, they better can spend their money somewhere else.. I know it is not so much 300 THB, but it is again extra cost and  who likes to pay all the time more and more for nothing. If you ruin your tourist industry it is very difficult to rebuilt it.. But TAT will say otherwise

[wealthychef]

9 hours 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.”

I think these are exactly the tourists that Thailand wants to discourage.  Despite the delusions of many on this board, for the vast majority of guests visiting Thailand, money is truly the only thing of value we are offering, the rest is all destructive.  To me, it's ludicrous to hear spoiled lazy white people complain about Thailand's extremely friendly policies to foreign visitors.  Pay the $10.  If it means a vagabond or some hyper privileged drunken broke loud idiot backpacker white trash can't get in, that's good by me.  That's what Cambodia is for. ????

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, MrJ2U said:

I assume the reason is authorities can't demand a kickback from a machine.

If one had to pay in cash (equalling 9US$), I'm sure Immigration would also accept 10$ or 10€ banknotes instead. Obviously, they couldn't give change in this case.

[talahtnut]

There will be one cash machine and an enormouse boring que, just to

complete the the assault course of entering an unstable military cockup.

I prefer a holiday in Grimsby this year.

[StayinThailand2much]

33 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

Maybe tourists will come once and when they notice the scam and greed, they go home and tell people there what a nice country Thailand is, but that the greed is overwhelming and that instead of pay a visit to this country, they better can spend their money somewhere else.. 

I know quite a number of people who think like that. They went just once to Thailand, lured by the image, then all disillusioned went home. In conversations I had, I felt that these people had enough negative experiences to not draw them to Thailand again. - And yes, TAT seems to blow into the same horn, not really being interested in repeat visitors, but out to attract only newcomers instead of returning tourists, which is unusual for a country's tourism authority.

[phetphet]

5 hours ago, Mavideol said:

it appears now it's the other way around for the ;produce   555

Government Hopes to Export Fresh Fruit Via Laos-China High-Speed Train

 

Yes. But how much will the Chinese charge them to use the train?

[Soikhaonoiken]

10 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

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

 

.

Hmmmm, does that mean they will drop the current $50,000 compulsory covid insurance required for all tourists at the moment......... I Doubt it,, silly me..