Thailand sets sight on 10 million tourists in 2022, planned ‘tourist tax’ put on ‘indefinite’ backburner

[John Drake]

Just now, Photoguy21 said:

Before you can get anything from a tourist you have to get them into the country. Right now the barriers are there. Reduce them and the country will get more back.

Retirement extensions are already in the country. As for the 300 baht, nobody would have noticed at all. It's a trifle, totally insignificant. 

[RichardColeman]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“Our aim is to raise the tourism numbers to 7-10 million from initial projection of 2-3 million tourists,”

Whattaloada nonsense - he's been predicting 7-10 all year, and now the 'initial prediction' is 4-7 million less than the initial prediction ! (actually it was 13,000,000 at the start) Just means he can say 'whatta guy I am, I can do miracles, see even foreigners love me' !

 

 

[sambum]

10 million this year and 30 million next year?

 

Yet Prayut says "that his efforts to lure more tourists into the country was being hampered by the shortage of aircrafts, rising fuel prices that have pushed up ticket prices"

 

So what's he going to do? Buy some more aircraft - sorry - get Anutin to buy some more aircraft for the "struggling" airlines, and ask Putin to stop his war in the Ukraine in order to bring down fuel prices?

And as for the "Tourist Tax" - flip flop again - yawn!

Edited July 22, 2022 by sambum

[Photoguy21]

7 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Retirement extensions are already in the country. As for the 300 baht, nobody would have noticed at all. It's a trifle, totally insignificant. 

Not talking about retirement extensions I am referring to tourists that want to stay longer than 30 days without the hassle of going to immigration to get an extension

[Eaglekott]

6 hours ago, Rmac442 said:

...then finger print capture, how many copies do they need !!!! 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Maybe they are checking your fingerprints against the copy they already have on file.

 

2 hours ago, Rmac442 said:

To be sure ..to be sure !!!

They are actually only verify that your fingerprints verifies towards the fingerprint data in your BioMetric Passport.

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, dutchman said:

They call us dirty farangs ( Anutin ) it is legit to scam us, it is legit to double prices and the hussle for paperwork fees running immigration up and down ( bureaucratic )

Welcome you here, leave your money and go home please

Fits right in with my experiences today. - Went to the barber I've been using for more than 21 years (this guy, about 15 years ago even cut into the collar of my business shirt, without apologising, or even telling me! Still, he usually gets a 10-15% tip). I arrived, no other customers, but he made a face, then forced me to have my hair cut with my facemask on, after letting me wait for 10 minutes. I felt how he'd rather not serve this foreigner, regular customer for 21 years or not... At the same time, however, he happily chatted away with a woman who had just entered the shop for the very first time. After the haircut I wanted to give him the money plus 10 baht tip. He sees the money, says '150 baht' (before 140). I thought, well, after looking at me like I had Covid, leprosy, and rabies, do you really think, I will take out my wallet full of banknotes, and search for a twenty? So, he just got the money I had prepared to give him...

 

Shortly after, just getting to a bank's CDM, about to key in my PIN, an elderly guy jumps in front of me, while putting his bankbook into the update machine on top of the CDM. I was not willing to key in my PIN while this guy watched over my shoulder, waiting for his bankbook update to be completed. Once it was, and he had left, it was too late for me to key in my PIN, as the CDM already returned my card, so that I had to start from scratch! Would he have done that with a Thai person in front of him, I wonder?

 

So, I think, Thais are increasingly rude and disrespectful, regarding us with distain, calling us 'dirty' and 'Covid carrier'... And they expect one to spend a lot of money here?? Think again!

Edited July 22, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[zzaa09]

Frankly, I believe the government and the accompanying and very suspect media spend much too much of their conscious time consumed with the tourism/traveler scheme and everything associated. 

Just let it be.......announcements, of every sort, aren't necessary at every turn and angle. 

 

Becoming quite wearisome - 

[KannikaP]

16 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

They are actually only verify that your fingerprints verifies towards the fingerprint data in your BioMetric Passport.

My 4 year old UK Passport DOES NOT have any biometrics stored in it....I know because I have never had my fingerprints taken, nor an eye scan. 

The chip on the passport merely duplicates the data of the passport, incuding a version of the photo.

[herfiehandbag]

6 hours ago, KannikaP said:

Maybe they are checking your fingerprints against the copy they already have on file.

Copies, surely!

[KannikaP]

6 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Copies, surely!

No. The police/IO only need one copy for each person, then compare them, or that's how it should be. But....................

[Eaglekott]

47 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

My 4 year old UK Passport DOES NOT have any biometrics stored in it....I know because I have never had my fingerprints taken, nor an eye scan. 

The chip on the passport merely duplicates the data of the passport, incuding a version of the photo.

You are correct the chip in the passport it self does not contain the Fingerprint data, but the electronic border control systems (e-borders) should.

 

But UK have used it since March 006

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometric_passport

Edited July 22, 2022 by Eaglekott
Edited some incorrect information

[KannikaP]

9 minutes ago, Eaglekott said:

That is very strange since UK and British passports have had it since March 2006.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biometric_passport

Yes, I see this. But, as I said previously, I have never had dabs taken (until I got here),  and I doubt whether iris recognition could be obtained from such a small, low resolution photo as duplicated on the actual passport.

Do you know any different?

Edited July 22, 2022 by KannikaP

[Shocked farang]

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

And that is only at the airport even for the ones living here.. As a tourist it feels even worse, as we know that they need lots of papers for everything every year. And the smiles at the counters gives you a welcoming feeling too.. There is a lot of work to do

BKK is not the only International airport in Thailand as Phuket and Chiang Mai also receive international flights. 

[sqwakvfr]

I don’t know about this. I am in CNX and I have noticed some service disruptions.  My gym at a hotel seems to have fewer cleaners and the bathrooms have not been cleaned for a week.  One of the hotel employees said :Covid” several  times.  Some of the places I usually go seem to have fewer workers?  My usual coffee place only had two workers and a line of customers.  Normally they would have 4 workers.  I really doubt Thailand has an average of 2,000 case per day.  Yesterday Japan reported over 180,000 cases and Tokyo reported over 31,000.  

[TKDfella]

9 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Surely a mistake to put the planned tourist tax on the back burner, or did they just up the dual pricing at National park's and elsewhere to Triple pricing.  Enough is enough, and 10 million tourists by years end is a little far fetched with airlines canceling flights due to staff shortage and air fares rising.  I saw yesterday that BA has also moved the restart of flights to Thailand into next year before.  My Family just priced there trip here for December for 2 weeks from the US over the Christmas period and by staying with us for the two weeks the cost is the same for them as it was in 2018 with them staying in a nice hotel on the beach in Phuket for the 2 weeks.  Instead they will be heading to Hawaii.  Many more friends who would travel on a regular basis are now making just one trip for the 2022 year and rethinking plans for 2023.

My family did similarly, that is, the flights were too expensive so last month they cancelled plans to visit. No doubt a lot of would-be tourist are doing the same thing. Since we are into the second half of the year I would have thought Thailand will fall well below 10 million tourists by the end of year.

[Photoguy21]

5 hours ago, dutchman said:

They call us dirty farangs ( Anutin ) it is legit to scam us, it is legit to double prices and the hussle for paperwork fees running immigration up and down ( bureaucratic )

Welcome you here, leave your money and go home please

You seem very disillusioned

[NoshowJones]

7 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

.... to lure more tourists into the country was being hampered by the shortage of aircrafts, rising fuel prices that have pushed up ticket prices and the continued restrictions from Thailand’s largest tourist market – China.

 

In short, it's not our fault, it's the others' fault.

 

The government has nothing to do with the timely vaccine order, no emergency decree is still issued, there were no illogical

mask requirement rules, no curfews, all entertainment establishments were not closed for 2 years, no quarantine and entry rules were constantly changed, there were no alcohol and party bans, tourist nightlife has not been closed, the bureaucratic paperwork required for entry has not increased, foreigners were not made the scapegoats for the epidemic, all IT entry systems ran smoothly, the dual price system was abolished and not renewed, there were no statements that everything will only be more expensive for tourists (hotels, tourist tax), 

the entire immigration procedures have all been simplified and the entire infrastructure such as road safety, garbage, sewage, stray dogs, roads, flood prevention, etc. have been improved, 

 

Conclusion: If the tourism figures all depend only on exogenous factors, I propose my Thai mother-in-law as the next prime minister. And she would certainly have done it better for all normal , not privileged, Thai people.

 

 

 

and she has probably a similar if not higher IQ than the soldiers who along with the unelected PM stole the country in 2014.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, sambum said:

10 million this year and 30 million next year?

 

Yet Prayut says "that his efforts to lure more tourists into the country was being hampered by the shortage of aircrafts, rising fuel prices that have pushed up ticket prices"

 

So what's he going to do? Buy some more aircraft - sorry - get Anutin to buy some more aircraft for the "struggling" airlines, and ask Putin to stop his war in the Ukraine in order to bring down fuel prices?

And as for the "Tourist Tax" - flip flop again - yawn!

Buying or leasing aircraft is the cheapest thing to do. The real cost comes in recruiting fully trained aircrew, ground staff, maintenance engineers, spares for the aircraft, buying aircraft landing, parking and take off slots at foreign airports. Add to that the extra cost of fuel and the dream of cheap flights is no longer available.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Fits right in with my experiences today. - Went to the barber I've been using for more than 21 years (this guy, about 15 years ago even cut into the collar of my business shirt, without apologising, or even telling me! Still, he usually gets a 10-15% tip). I arrived, no other customers, but he made a face, then forced me to have my hair cut with my facemask on, after letting me wait for 10 minutes. I felt how he'd rather not serve this foreigner, regular customer for 21 years or not... At the same time, however, he happily chatted away with a woman who had just entered the shop for the very first time. After the haircut I wanted to give him the money plus 10 baht tip. He sees the money, says '150 baht' (before 140). I thought, well, after looking at me like I had Covid, leprosy, and rabies, do you really think, I will take out my wallet full of banknotes, and search for a twenty? So, he just got the money I had prepared to give him...

 

Shortly after, just getting to a bank's CDM, about to key in my PIN, an elderly guy jumps in front of me, while putting his bankbook into the update machine on top of the CDM. I was not willing to key in my PIN while this guy watched over my shoulder, waiting for his bankbook update to be completed. Once it was, and he had left, it was too late for me to key in my PIN, as the CDM already returned my card, so that I had to start from scratch! Would he have done that with a Thai person in front of him, I wonder?

 

So, I think, Thais are increasingly rude and disrespectful, regarding us with distain, calling us 'dirty' and 'Covid carrier'... And they expect one to spend a lot of money here?? Think again!

 "Would he have done that with a Thai person in front of him, I wonder?"

 

and you just let him??

[KIngsofisaan]

5 hours ago, SGD said:

Avani Pattaya last month 39999 to 49999

 

This month 84000++

According to Thai math, 84,000 is pretty close to 10,000,000

[StayinThailand2much]

16 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

 "Would he have done that with a Thai person in front of him, I wonder?"

 

and you just let him??

I didn't see him coming. He was pretty quick from the side. Popped his bankbook into the update machine, then stepped back, standing behind me, and my card was in the CDM... What was I supposed to do? Beat him up? He looked 20 years older than me. Okay, if it had been a young guy, I probably would have scolded him.

Edited July 22, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[ThailandRyan]

In another OP BOT is saying 6 million for the year, oh who to believe, let's ask the man who put the pretties in his fish tanks.

[freedomnow]

"planned ‘tourist tax’ put on ‘indefinite’ backburner"

 

50% nearer a bar fine now for many...

[Stupooey]

If the intention is to target so-called 'quality' tourists, shouldn't they be bragging about how few they are attracting rather than how many?

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand could welcome as many as 10 million tourists during this year if the current influx of tourist numbers continues, a move that could help spur the tourism industry, a key backbone to the economy that has been hammered due to the impact from the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus.

There's that word again... could.

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, John Drake said:

Retirement extensions are already in the country. As for the 300 baht, nobody would have noticed at all. It's a trifle, totally insignificant. 

No, it is the cream on the top!

[herfiehandbag]

13 hours ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I didn't see him coming. He was pretty quick from the side. Popped his bankbook into the update machine, then stepped back, standing behind me, and my card was in the CDM... What was I supposed to do? Beat him up? He looked 20 years older than me. Okay, if it had been a young guy, I probably would have scolded him.

I am more intrigued that you have continued to patronise (and tip) a barber who managed to slice your shirt 15 years ago!

 

What was he cutting your hair with - a machete?

 

The chap who cuts my plumage charges B40. I always give him B60 and he seems very happy, never drawn blood!

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by herfiehandbag

[Road Warrior]

On 7/22/2022 at 9:02 AM, Rmac442 said:

Came back thru BBK last week ..living here for 12 years. Endless annual visas, re-entry permit and still the 'lady' at passport control is scanning the pages of my passport for what ?? ...then finger print capture, how many copies do they need !!!! 

Treated like some sort of potential criminal ...

 

agree not the best impression to enter Thailand for anyone ????

[crazykopite]

There’s as much chance that I COULD win the Thai lottery  it would be interesting to know how many tourists have entered and stayed for at least a week since the 1st January 2022 we are now approaching the eighth month 

[JonnyF]

The issue is not 300 baht. It's nothing.

 

But where does it go? Do we get a 14 day certificate for healthcare in the event of an accident? Something we can present at the hospital in the event of an issue?

 

No. Didn't think so..