Thailand to Implement 300-Baht Fee for Foreign Arrivals

[jollyhangmon]

21 minutes ago, LivingNThailand said:

As a permanent resident that hasn't left the country in over two years, I keep wondering about the so called mandatory insurance requirement for tourists.  I haven't seen a single article that mentions this.  As a foreigner permanent resident do I have to buy insurance after a vacation overseas?  And if so, for what time period?  There is a lot of us out there.

 

... indeed, see here a recent topic on that particular scam, dunno if needed for PR's though ...:

 

 

[mark86]

Posted 13 hours ago

I've long felt that there should be a "corkage" charge for those foreigners who arrive in Thailand with their own wives in tow.

The wittiest comment of read on these pages.

Congrats Sir

[Lemsta69]

I'll hazard a guess and say that the airlines will fight this. well I hope they do anyway as that's a lot of IT work to rejig their booking engines.

[D M G]

Intuition, common sense

However you want to "spin" it, you know what it's for...

Expect the final draft a day before implementing with airlines unprepared

 

*no mention of Retirees

[jonclark]

1 hour ago, Speedhump said:

They both also have different names, pedant, why didn't you point that out too.... ????

 

They are both taxes which are not/will not be used for the purposes for which the are purportedly collected. So yes. 

So no. 

[Edwin Cameron]

Do Thai people pay the tax as well? or is it just another racist tax for 'Farangs' to pay? I have commented before about Thai Govt. implementing a tax on tourists but not on Thai nationals ( National parks of Thailand e.g),bit hard  to say this is not discrimination when your wife doesn't pay but everyone else is slugged Baht.People aren't stupid and I've been coming to Thailand 50 years now (no exaggeration) and getting sick of being ripped off..! and to say it's for helping tourists,can't stop laughing,it will go into consolidated revenue e.g. Thai police'

[SymS]

Quote

Diplomats, government officials, people with work permits from countries that have signed a memorandum of understanding with Thailand, and children under the age of two will be exempted from paying the tourism fee.

Interesting. So I'll have to show my passport AND my work permit when ordering and disembarking the plane now?

[mtls2005]

10 minutes ago, Edwin Cameron said:

Do Thai people pay the tax as well?

They currently pay the 700 baht international PSC and the 100 baht domestic PSC.

 

I think they'll have to pay this 300 baht fee as it will be difficult for the GDSes to filter. Maybe the government will rebate it to thais?

 

[kiwikeith]

15 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

90% will go into the wrong pockets

Exactly, why not collect it on arrival and charge according to visa, a 90 day would be 900 bht and a twelve month 3600  bht, put it in a slush fund for insurance and health m/ tourism, but again 2many fingers might get jambed in the till 

[LivingNThailand]

44 minutes ago, jollyhangmon said:

... indeed, see here a recent topic on that particular scam, dunno if needed for PR's though ...:

Do you have a link?  I am hoping to go on a trip later this year.  Although I'm sure everything will have changed 4-5 times by then.????

[kennw]

14 hours ago, DezLez said:

So

So does that mean travellers do not need the other Thai Insurance requirements  p(i)ass and go) or can you now claim on this new Thai "Insurance Policy" if you require it?

And I assume of course that the entry fee to National Parks will reduced to the same as for Thai citizens. 5555

[Jiggo]

14 hours ago, poohy said:

So are we free to assume as this fee is used for insurance the later will not be required....thought not

 

Whilst i have No problem in paying a fee, but after living here for 20 odd years you know it will never be used for any such purpose

Don't have to been living here 20 years to know that....

[thailand49]

It isn't the amount if one looks at the ticket breakdown now there is already a fee being charge many forget that a visitor had to pay 500 baht to leave at one of those vending machine prior to entering into immigration. 

Sure many countries do and Thailand can add this fee on top of fee but down the road if and when you are in the hospital I can guarantee no one is going to tell you we are here to treat you it isn't about the money government got your back for the first 30 days of your visit. 

[Bruno123]

12 hours ago, Adumbration said:

A million years ago I was engaged to an Austrian girl.  Her family was very rich and had a house on the lake at Mond Sea, a penthouse right next to "the hills are alive" castle in Salzberg and a mansion at the foot of the skiing peaks at Badgastein (spelling).

 

Anyway we stayed in the penthouse which was fun.  And while she was at work I ventured out to get a spare door key for the apartment cut.  I went to one of the little Mister Minit style franchise booths that had key cutting.  Nothing fancy just a standard serrated edged door key- not even brass.  This was my first day in Salzberg and so I did not quite have my head around shillings.  Anyway I paid for the key and when back at the apartment started to do the math.  I was charged the equivalent of 36 USD for the new key.  I sat there fuming until my girlfriend arrived home from work.  The guy must of ripped me off with a tourist price.  But when I told my girlfriend the story her response was that the amount I paid was very reasonable, perhaps even cheap.

 

Austria sucked then.  I am sure it sucks even harder now.  Not a hope in hell I would be paying a daily tourist charge to visit.

 

Haha...for a second I thought we had the same girlfriend. But the locations ruled that out.

They lived next door to a prominent politician and had a summer house in the Alps with an electric sliding roof. Those are just two in which I stayed.

Swarovski family were around too. Memories ????

 

[heybuz]

12 hours ago, Adumbration said:

A million years ago I was engaged to an Austrian girl.  Her family was very rich and had a house on the lake at Mond Sea, a penthouse right next to "the hills are alive" castle in Salzberg and a mansion at the foot of the skiing peaks at Badgastein (spelling).

 

Anyway we stayed in the penthouse which was fun.  And while she was at work I ventured out to get a spare door key for the apartment cut.  I went to one of the little Mister Minit style franchise booths that had key cutting.  Nothing fancy just a standard serrated edged door key- not even brass.  This was my first day in Salzberg and so I did not quite have my head around shillings.  Anyway I paid for the key and when back at the apartment started to do the math.  I was charged the equivalent of 36 USD for the new key.  I sat there fuming until my girlfriend arrived home from work.  The guy must of ripped me off with a tourist price.  But when I told my girlfriend the story her response was that the amount I paid was very reasonable, perhaps even cheap.

 

Austria sucked then.  I am sure it sucks even harder now.  Not a hope in hell I would be paying a daily tourist charge to visit.

i made up for you, i changed two ten bob notes in a bank in austria they mistook them for ten pound notes so i made a tidy profit, the year 1970. felt sorry for the young teller they probably took it out of his wage but in those days i was selling my blood to get around my need was greater then.

[hasher69]

What about foreigners who live here on a long term visa or annual extension of stay. They will be caught up in this when it really should be for tourists to

[raccos21]

So they are looking for a long term passive source of income for themselves once the pandemic is over.

[Road Warrior]

then insurance not needed /???

[Enzian]

12 hours ago, Adumbration said:

Austria sucked then. 

A hooker at a resort in Salzburg told me that Thai women are only nice to me because of my money. I hardly knew how to answer.

[chuang]

16 hours ago, Edwin Cameron said:

Do Thai people pay the tax as well? or is it just another racist tax for 'Farangs' to pay? I have commented before about Thai Govt. implementing a tax on tourists but not on Thai nationals ( National parks of Thailand e.g),bit hard  to say this is not discrimination when your wife doesn't pay but everyone else is slugged Baht.People aren't stupid and I've been coming to Thailand 50 years now (no exaggeration) and getting sick of being ripped off..! and to say it's for helping tourists,can't stop laughing,it will go into consolidated revenue e.g. Thai police'

This tax is for all creeds and colors and not only FARANGS...You have been ripped off for 50 years and yet you are still here.....WHY ????????

[spidermike007]

15 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

I've long felt that there should be a "corkage" charge for those foreigners who arrive in Thailand with their own wives in tow.

And have you noticed how many of the guys are fit and how many of the gals are like whales? Often times my heart goes out to some of these guys. Wonder if they have a look around and say wow, woe is me. 

[scorecard]

"Chote said the fund will be used to develop tourist sites, provide 30-day insurance coverage, and assist tourists in emergency situations such as sickness, accidents, or other incidents while in Thailand...."

 

I agree with having a fund which helpd with medical costs inemergency situations where needed.

 

But I object to this money being used "to develop tourist sites...".  I Query this with a very specific question:

 

- Who will decide what tourist sites to develop and in what way and will there be total transparency in regard to how a site was chosen etc. Without some decent transparency this will just be a corruption/cronyism black hole!

 

Is it is to be as I mention above I suggest you can bet your life the scaly scammers/cronies etc., will be lined up at the TAT in a split second.

[Bluespunk]

4 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

No. To clarify. Chote is a real person with a job to do in Thailand. Pinocchio is a fantasy figure made as a wooden doll.

But both were liars…and very wooden in their delivery when lying. 
 

And for the hard of thinking here is some data

 

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metaphor#:~:text=Definition of metaphor,broadly %3A figurative language — compare simile

 

https://patrickcarpen.com/englishforcxc/literary-devices-or-the-literary-device/the-metaphor/the-metaphor-pinocchio/
 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10749039.2019.1576051?journalCode=hmca20

[Harveyboy]

ok so to supply insurance....So lets stop there  .

So Why do i need other insurance you have just stated 300 baht covers insurance ?

[Speedhump]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

There are differences, NHI can be paid voluntarily, but of course the money ends up in the one big pot. 

I repeat, they are the same in that it's being assumed that the money is not/will not be used by the government for the purpose for which it was collected. I'm not sure why you're grinding my gears other than it's Saturday and you're very bored. I wont reply again as this is simple fact., whatever the differences. ????

[Speedhump]

2 hours ago, jonclark said:

So no. 

I repeat, they are the same in that it's being assumed that the money is not/will not be used by the government for the purpose for which it was collected. I'm not sure why you're grinding my gears other than it's Saturday and you're very bored. I wont reply again as this is simple fact., whatever the differences. ????

[Harveyboy]

53 minutes ago, scorecard said:

"Chote said the fund will be used to develop tourist sites, provide 30-day insurance coverage, and assist tourists in emergency situations such as sickness, accidents, or other incidents while in Thailand...."

 

I agree with having a fund which helpd with medical costs inemergency situations where needed.

 

But I object to this money being used "to develop tourist sites...".  I Query this with a very specific question:

 

- Who will decide what tourist sites to develop and in what way and will there be total transparency in regard to how a site was chosen etc. Without some decent transparency this will just be a corruption/cronyism black hole!

 

Is it is to be as I mention above I suggest you can bet your life the scaly scammers/cronies etc., will be lined up at the TAT in a split second.

yep develop tourist sites we will be charged double to visit...

[jonclark]

22 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

I repeat, they are the same in that it's being assumed that the money is not/will not be used by the government for the purpose for which it was collected. I'm not sure why you're grinding my gears other than it's Saturday and you're very bored. I wont reply again as this is simple fact., whatever the differences. ????

So your entire arguement is that government's never use tax money for its intended purpose.  

 

[mtls2005]

2 minutes ago, jonclark said:

So your entire arguement is that government's never use tax money for its intended purpose.  

 

The regime has been deliberately vague on why this fee is needed now, how this money will be collected, from whom, and how it will be administered, and by which ministry. Many, many, many, many unanswered questions.

 

It's far too early to "argue" about whether the collected fees will be used "as intended". Unless the funds are intended to be embezzled.

 

Yes, there have been vague references to coral reefs, and unpaid medical expenses.

 

 

But I foresee a headline ca. 2025: Permanent Secretary charged by NACC with embezzling the TTF to the tune of 3 billion baht.

 

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

47 minutes ago, Speedhump said:

I repeat, they are the same in that it's being assumed that the money is not/will not be used by the government for the purpose for which it was collected. I'm not sure why you're grinding my gears other than it's Saturday and you're very bored. I wont reply again as this is simple fact., whatever the differences. ????

Repeat it ad infinitum or tedium as you wish..... it isn't the same. Comparing an arrivals charge in Thailand to UK NHI contributions is a silliness and my prior response was light handed. You don't know what the money will be used for. We might all be in the dark on that.