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

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, medina21 said:

The tax will start at 300 and quickly become 1,000 and more. Give governments an inch and they take a mile. It's not the tax per se , it's the negative image it sends to potential customers. If countries charge a tax for visiting their countries and contributing to their GDP, why not High Street chains demanding a fee to enter their stores?

"It's not the tax per se". Please explain these last two words.

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, calbts2 said:

Yes, I long for the days of Yingluck. She was not perfect (no leader is of course), but Thailand was such a better place pre-2014 - especially for expats.

 

It was so easy to stay here even on monthly visa runs. Even since the junta takeover it has been one thing after another making it harder and harder to stay

here:

First there was the ED Visa crackdown.

Next was the appointment of Big Jerk to head of immigration which lead to harder financial requirements and elimination of Income affidavits for a few key countries for retirees.

Then came the implementation of mandatory useless health insurance for the OA visa which turned it from being of the the best retiree visas (in that you could keep

all of your money in your home country) into being worse than the NON-O which has no insurance requirement.

Starting around 2015 or so and ramping up before covid hit were numerous reports of frequent Thailand travelers being harassed and some deported while holding valid tourist visas. This type of treatment from Thai immigration officers was unheard of and practically non existent before then.

 

Now with these draconian border closures, quarantines, testing, etc.  - it has never been more difficult to enter the country and with this governments "blame the foreigner" sentiment, I don't see this attitude changing until they are swept from power and a new government can come in and start to repair the damage they have caused.

 

Charging an extra tourist fee when Thailand needs every tourist they can get has got to be one of the most idiotic policies ever put into place.

I feel for locals here in the hospitality industry as they have been economically bankrupted and destroyed by the decisions of this government.

 

Post of the year so far here. 

[NoshowJones]

17 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

I don't care what anyone thinks, a entry tax of 1000 Bhat would not worry me, if they wipe the BS insurance, and let tourists and expats get on without all the dumb premiums that are being welshed, 

Just this minute Thailand has raised power and water prices and the prices of pork have gone up, no money from tourists so screw the people, sad days in every corner of the world. 

The price of bread also up 4Bt large loaf from 40Bt at 7-11.

[NoshowJones]

16 hours ago, vVDB said:

the money will go to a foundation ?

Off course it will, to The Chuckle Brothers and their Generals.

[NoshowJones]

15 hours ago, djayz said:

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? 

 

"so, where (who?) is this money going to?" The Chuckle Brothers foundation.  

[Omicron]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

So 300 baht for medical and insurance care, hummm so we do not need the trillion baht medical insurance rip off now then, who do they think they are kidding

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

 

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

Oh yawn, is Thailand the only country that charges passenger tax?

 

Maybe moan at all the people who come here with no insurance and expect the state to pay for their mess...............

 

 

What about the UK paying for Thai peoples mess?

[suestra29]

I guess the meeting went..

“let’s charge all foreigners 300baht entrance fee into Thailand, charge them 10 times the Thai price for entrance to parks and insist they have $50,000 insurance cover.”
 

“But that will deter tourists”

 

“Ah but the few who a come will pay and the others who do not come will be happy”. 

 

Weird thinking 

[Capella]

Thailand seems to be trying to upgrade its image by screening out tourists who don't want to pay 300 Baht. It's a strategy that seems to be working looking at some of the comments here. 

[Capella]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Agree with your sentiments. However, the PM is simply trying to save face, after demolishing the tourism industry, though his legendary level of cowardice. I do believe they are trying to purify the nation, and get rid of all nightlife. And it is absolutely true, that Thailand cannot do anything meaningful, or truly significant on their own. They simply do not have the talent, nor the intellectuals to make things happen. 

Not sure that closing down all the nightlife is a puritanical move that's specific to Thailand - other countries shut down all their pubs for months on end because of covid too. 

[PremiumLane]

11 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Another nail in the tourism coffin

There are a lot of nails in that coffin, been hearing that phrase for 20 years now ???? 

[John Drake]

Cue the insurance shills and the people who like to bore everyone with the details of their insurance policies.

[sungod]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

What about the UK paying for Thai peoples mess?

Why, do you think they should? Not sure I follow..........

[NoshowJones]

36 minutes ago, sungod said:

Why, do you think they should? Not sure I follow..........

Any Thais that I knew got hospital treatment free in the UK.

[sandyf]

22 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Now I read it is 5 quid to drop somebody off at Heathrow?

Yes, started 1st Nov, I saw the notices at the airport when I left in Oct.

Manchester has been £3 or some time, chances are that will go up.

[sandyf]

19 hours ago, Midwit said:

Very strange. I thought this thread was about a tax on tourists coming into Thailand. Nice job justifying bad behavior with bad behavior though. I will give you only half credit since you really should’ve made the post about you in some way. 

Very strange to think that increasing the tax to a fraction of other countries is bad behavior, but then the anti Thai sentiment on this forum knows no bounds.

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, VBF said:

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.

Exactly, the context is that Thailand is charging around 700 baht compared to the 6000+ for the UK, but Thailand is vilified for imposing a small increase.

Heathrow recently imposed a £5 drop off charge, but only Thailand is seen a a money grabber by the xenophobic malcontents on this forum.

[spidermike007]

3 hours ago, Capella said:

Not sure that closing down all the nightlife is a puritanical move that's specific to Thailand - other countries shut down all their pubs for months on end because of covid too. 

That is true. But, there are many things pointing toward a whitewashing of popular culture, street culture, nightlife and other things that give Thailand color, in the never ending, and ultimately failed pursuit of rebuilding society in their own image, creating Asia's version of Monaco, and the desire to attract mostly rich tourists. It will never happen. But, they believe the ridiculous illusions they create. 

[2 is 1]

20 hours ago, thaitom said:

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

So you dont read what txt im reply but who care! In this point almost every international airport has 

airport tax. Some country you need pay to get out. If Thailand raise that 300 bth who give rat butt!

Dosent matter whos pocket is going! If all is so dificult in LOS then can leave or not go there! Country has many other much more bigger issues than 8€ new "tax"!

[sungod]

1 hour ago, possum1931 said:

Any Thais that I knew got hospital treatment free in the UK.

Maybe UK should increase their passenger tax too then, on the Bangkok route?

[sungod]

4 hours ago, possum1931 said:

The price of bread also up 4Bt large loaf from 40Bt at 7-11.

How does that tally?

 

25 or 50 satang a slice?

[thaitom]

1 hour ago, 2 is 1 said:

So you dont read what txt im reply but who care! In this point almost every international airport has 

airport tax. Some country you need pay to get out. If Thailand raise that 300 bth who give rat butt!

Dosent matter whos pocket is going! If all is so dificult in LOS then can leave or not go there! Country has many other much more bigger issues than 8€ new "tax"!

hmm... i am replying to your rats ass comment. 

  "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. "

[Sydebolle]

4 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

There are a lot of nails in that coffin, been hearing that phrase for 20 years now ???? 

 

...... and the results are evident; the dinosaurs in government uniforms responsible for "tourism promotion" did a sterling job - you're welcome! 

[Oxx]

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

Exactly, the context is that Thailand is charging around 700 baht compared to the 6000+ for the UK, but Thailand is vilified for imposing a small increase.

Does the UK only impose the charge upon foreigners? Pretty sure that's not the case.

Thailand is vilified for its blatantly racist increase.

[Capella]

4 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

That is true. But, there are many things pointing toward a whitewashing of popular culture, street culture, nightlife and other things that give Thailand color, in the never ending, and ultimately failed pursuit of rebuilding society in their own image, creating Asia's version of Monaco, and the desire to attract mostly rich tourists. It will never happen. But, they believe the ridiculous illusions they create. 

In Bangkok and other city centres you might be right, elsewhere life goes on.

[ttrd]

On 1/12/2022 at 6:51 AM, 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.”

Looking forward to see what the wise minds will come up with next - can it be a mandatory breathalyzer locked to your head where it is zeroed on arrival and read on departure - 5 baht fee per inhale and 10 baht fee per exhale as you polute more during exhale - It is only the imagination that sets the limits ...

[PremiumLane]

6 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

 

...... and the results are evident; the dinosaurs in government uniforms responsible for "tourism promotion" did a sterling job - you're welcome! 

I think it was covid that happened 

[Jimbo53]

13 hours ago, sandyf said:

Yes, started 1st Nov, I saw the notices at the airport when I left in Oct.

Manchester has been £3 or some time, chances are that will go up.

Yeah..LHR a bit slow to get on the gravy train..It's been £4 @ Glasgow Airport for ages!! Rip off merchants!!

[The Fugitive]

18 hours ago, sandyf said:

Yes, started 1st Nov, I saw the notices at the airport when I left in Oct.

Manchester has been £3 or some time, chances are that will go up.

Thanks for the information. However, there are three alternatives at Ringway. Railway station, MetroLink and local/National bus/coach interchange. I'm sure many people could, if they tried, reduce the volume of their luggage to managable proportions?

[big dendrobenaes]

On 1/13/2022 at 12:14 AM, cncltd1973 said:

yes, but that sounds better than Tanks and Submarines

what about the NEW fighter jets ?????