Thailand 300 baht entry fee for tourists set to start in early 2023

[Sparktrader]

500 baht burger king meal at airport. Rip off!

 

 

[Bert got kinky]

2 hours ago, possum1931 said:

What is the Social Welfare health scheme? I have been here in Thailand for 15 years, and never heard of it, or is it also known by another name?

I don't know the real name but my 'contributions' are paid as a deduction from my salary (sort of like NHS contributions in the UK).

Don't know how much is deducted but IIRC, it is a minimal amount.

For that, my company will register me to a local hospital (which can be changed on an annual basis) and all of my health cares are covered at the nominated hospital are for free of charge.

I am led to believe that if I stop working, I am allowed to stay in the scheme, providing that I keep up my contributions.

 

[DJ54]

It’s ok as long as the money is used as intended don’t think it’ll be a big beak money wise for tourist. 
if long term expats get a hassle free refund or coverage for 30-45 days it’s acceptable.

as a side note regarding refunds…. My type of bank account doesn’t have an ATM card but I was charged the yearly ATM fee…. I’ve brought it up to bank corporate office and up to now it fell on deaf ears. It’s the principle not the amount …

[Zack61]

Death and taxes. 

[Burma Bill]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

the 300 baht fee will be applied to all foreign passengers arriving by plane

I wonder how long it will be before one has to pay 300 baht to LEAVE Thailand as I had to in years gone by.

[freedomnow]

$40 to step into Laos by air or land...no if's or but's...but yeah I know, not the hottest target destination.....

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, freedomnow said:

$40 to step into Laos by air or land...no if's or but's...but yeah I know, not the hottest target destination.....

But that's for your visa not insurance.....

[freedomnow]

2 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

But that's for your visa not insurance.....

Point being there is no visa-exempt choice for inbound travellers to save on visa cost.

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by freedomnow

[Gillyflower]

23 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Naturally not.  It will be in the ticket price, as mentioned in the article, however "expats" will have to cough up;

 

"This is because airlines are only able to recognise passenger information, such as nationality, and not the immigration status of a foreign national residing in Thailand."

 

Of course the airline doesn't necessarily know the nationality of the passenger at the time of booking/payment (most, including TG, don't ask in my experience) so will either have to charge everyone the same and refund Thai's later or collect the money when they finally learn who they are carrying, neither seems workable.  So perhaps all airlines will have to modify their booking systems to accommodate this.  I can see a further delay coming.

When I book my ticket for LOS with Air France, I have to show my passport at the same time. Otherwise, no ticket.  So they certainly know my nationality.

[xtrnuno41]

And then? Just eat it. Allegedly it's ment for a fund for tourist.

Thailand revealed it, so done.

How many countries have taxes you pay, you dont know about?

Then you arent bothered?! 

Thailand can also say, with coming to Thailand, you increase CO2 exhaust of Thailand, so you have to pay for it. It will or already is running maybe in some countries and you just dont know. Now everybody is whining again about this 300 baht fee.

Whining, i will not come to Thailand anymore, because of that. Good go find another country then, but you will not and still go there.

Do you whine, when they are increasing tax on sugar? No, you just go on.

DId you complain about alcohol being added to petrol?

No, it is an hidden, sneaky increase of price. 

Look at the prices in the  world:  https://nl.globalpetrolprices.com/gasoline_prices/#hl153

You see the differences in price? It is all in tax.

Do you pay PIT in Thailand, probably a lot dont.

So shut up and drive.

[Exilerunner]

22 hours ago, Kopitiam said:

Dream on, that 300THB insurance covers you for 30 days only.

Even in those 30 days. 500k is nothing if something bad is happening

[monkfish]

Well it's not really Tourist tax is it? it's foreigner tax!
Why not just apply tax to the price of a Hotel stay as in many other countries do then all tourists would pay including domestic tourists? After all they also benifit from the tourist attractions don't they?

[monkfish]

56 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

I wonder how long it will be before one has to pay 300 baht to LEAVE Thailand as I had to in years gone by.

I believe that was Airport tax? Now it's included in the ticket price.

[freedomnow]

52 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

But that's for your visa not insurance.....

OK, I'll break it down after your confused icon.

300 Baht extra = I don't care.

All-in with free entry options to Thailand it's a drop in the ocean vs other countries where you have no free entry options.

[Sparktrader]

1 hour ago, Burma Bill said:

I wonder how long it will be before one has to pay 300 baht to LEAVE Thailand as I had to in years gone by.

All countries have airport taxes built into the price of flights.

 

My inbound flight was $60 plus $90 in taxes.

[Sparktrader]

11 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

OK, I'll break it down after your confused icon.

300 Baht extra = I don't care.

All-in with free entry options to Thailand it's a drop in the ocean vs other countries where you have no free entry options.

Correct, people should look at flight price details. Taxes higher than plane ticket cost on specials.

[EricTh]

This isn't going to affect anyone. It's only around 10 USD which most westerners can afford.

 

 

[ThailandRyan]

11 minutes ago, freedomnow said:

OK, I'll break it down after your confused icon.

300 Baht extra = I don't care.

All-in with free entry options to Thailand it's a drop in the ocean vs other countries where you have no free entry options.

You still miss the point.  300 Baht is being paid for a product Insurance, but those who live here, work here, or pay into a insurance plan and live here long term obtain no benefit, read the word benefit.....I couldn't care less that it's 300 or 3 million, it is the principal of it.  Not everyone obtains a free entry into Thailand either. The other countries are a deflection on your part.  Thailand charges room tax, VAT etc... for everything as well and there are fee's paid for airfare in Thailand as well.  You just do not see the issue because your blind to the point.  If I was a passenger on a flight arriving and was a tourist I would love the fact that I had 500k worth of insurance I only paid 300 baht for, and so if I stubbed my toes on the rocks at the beach then it is paid for.  If I or anyone else who is a long term stayer, worker bee or so on stubs our toes on the rocks then we ourselves, our insurance pays, not the 300 baht tourist scheme.  Why should I subsidize Thailand's tourist insurance scheme if it does not assist me in any way shape or form.......your looking at it from it's only 300 baht but when you x's that by 4 million it adds up, and with a new LTR Visa where I can fly in and out of the country as many times as I want, yet I still have to have 50K USD in insurance here in Thailand, how can I use the insurance I am paying for at 300Thb a pop, if I travel in and out 12 times a year for a 1 week or a few day trip to Vietnam etc... I am not a true tourist and as such have to have my own insurance, much like a tourist should have travel insurance which covers them....

[ThailandRyan]

12 minutes ago, Sparktrader said:

All countries have airport taxes built into the price of flights.

 

My inbound flight was $60 plus $90 in taxes.

This is not an airport tax now is it, it is a health insurance product for 300 baht.......My Flights in and out of Thailand I pay airport taxes on, no where do I pay a fee for tourist insurance to visit the US, The UK, Switzerland etc....

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, EricTh said:

This isn't going to affect anyone. It's only around 10 USD which most westerners can afford.

 

 

you are exactly correct, I am not arguing over how cheap it is I am just arguing over who gets the use of it over those that pay for it and do not.

[Mac Mickmanus]

On 8/30/2022 at 8:50 AM, ed strong said:

 

 

Its less than 10 dollars, 99.9% of tourists wont care or notice.

Along with the 700 Baht departure tax , and the 1900 Baht visa , which would cost more than an actual flight into Thailand 

[Kopitiam]

4 hours ago, proton said:

Only for any accident as well, any claim would take months and you would be long gone by then

If implemented, all "farangs" (including expats, if made to pay) will get medical treatment at hospitals after an accident without the need to pay (up to 500,000THB).  The hospital will claim from the government (or insurance consortium).  Otherwise, it will be a big scam by the government.

[WhatsNext]

Many more touristy countries have such a tax, when i travelled to the dominican republic i remember an exit tax. It's nothing special but yet another tiny detail that shows that thailand sees everyone as a moneycow ready to be milked. 

[Baron Samedi]

8 hours ago, possum1931 said:

If, as it is said which I do not believe, it is used to cover tourist hospital bills in some way, then there should be no complaints.

If you buy your flight to Thailand with your credit card, you are already covered by the Visa / Mastercard travel insurance.

 

I would add that this should be left to the private sector. All immigration should do is ask for a document showing you're covered. I'm just like you - I don't trust the Thai gov to manage this properly.

[ThailandRyan]

2 hours ago, WhatsNext said:

Many more touristy countries have such a tax, when i travelled to the dominican republic i remember an exit tax. It's nothing special but yet another tiny detail that shows that thailand sees everyone as a moneycow ready to be milked. 

This 300 Baht is not a tax, it is a specific amount for Tourist Insurance, why is everyone so blind.  If it was just raising taxes on entry then I would be the last to go out on a limb, but it is for a service, a service some of us who would pay it are ineligible for.

[geisha]

For tourists , I don’t think 10$ Will stop them from coming at all. Globally there will be less tourists traveling by air due to fuel hikes.

Foreigners working in Thailand and traveling by air, their company probably pays the airfare  . Only private business owners would pay 10$ out of their own pocket , maybe. 
As for principles, since when has the government ever had any ?? 

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

I just read this headline on a website (with no byline):

Quote

Businesses will close if a tourism tax is introduced in Wales, according to industry leaders.

With the exit fee included in ticket prices this will be another No Entry sign for tourists to LoS. With all the double pricing in restaurants and even for government run parks, the endless scams from jewellery to taxis, to say nothing of the increasing amount of street crime, people will not stay long if the come at all.

[Soikhaonoiken]

Greed factor setting in again, during the pandemic they were crying about how much the Country and business were loosing money and how they missed the Tourist money, ... but now let's see how much they can screw the tourists for... they have very short memories...

[jacko45k]

21 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I would be better served flushing the money down the toilet.

No, you are meant to leave it in the can at the side of the bowl. 

[Boedog]

Is there a plastic bag we can drop the 300baht in, I'm sure this money will used for what is intended and not be misappropriated in anyway what so ever. It will be as transparent as the Bangkok sky.

Put it on the airfare ticket as a entry fee but that would mean they would be accountable and we know that doesnt happen