Foreign tourists arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport. File photo

 

The Cabinet is set to rule on whether Thailand will start charging international tourists a fee to enter the country.

 

According to Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the Cabinet will be asked to consider implementing the fee, dubbed the “Thailand Traveller Fee”, during a meeting scheduled for some time in October.

 

Mr Phiphat said that a study into the proposed fee is set to be completed within the coming days before it will be presented to the Cabinet.

 

Full Story: https://www.huahintoday.com/thailand-news/cabinet-set-to-decide-on-300-baht-fee-for-foreign-tourists/

 

-- © Copyright Hua Hin Today 2022-09-28

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

"Between 2017-2019, the Thai government spent more than 700 million baht compensating the Public Health Ministry after uninsured foreign tourists had received medical treatment in Thailand but had left the country without paying their bills."

 

Have they published what is the projected loss of overall revenue if fewer visitors arrive due to the fee?

14 hours ago, DezLez said:

"Between 2017-2019, the Thai government spent more than 700 million baht compensating the Public Health Ministry after uninsured foreign tourists had received medical treatment in Thailand but had left the country without paying their bills."

 

Have they published what is the projected loss of overall revenue if fewer visitors arrive due to the fee?

There was a report a few months back saying the purpose of the 300Baht fee was to develop tourism.

What if u book plane ticket 6 months on advance?

 

Fees only work if part of ticket price.

 

Airlines would need time to implement.

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

There was a report a few months back saying the purpose of the 300Baht fee was to develop tourism.

That is my point!

 

You do not "develop" or increase tourism by increasing costs unless you are giving the tourist an increased benefit.

 

Where is the increased "benefit" to a tourist in increasing their charges, especially if they already have travel insurance?.

 

I believe TAT will loose more than they will gain.

so the government was covering 700mln bht for some 40mln tourists - so on average 20b per person.

They had already 600b from airport departure tax.

Now, from this 300b some 30% is outright wasted for the tresury - it goes directly to airline for collecting this fee. Unless they decide to charge on arrival at the airport.

As I remember 20% so some 60b goes as an emergency medical help.

Now, how many tourists will neglect buying proper travel/health insurance because they will think they are sufficiently covered? Because of this the government will have to fork out much more, than the previous 20b per person.

 

1 hour ago, DezLez said:

That is my point!

 

You do not "develop" or increase tourism by increasing costs unless you are giving the tourist an increased benefit.

 

Where is the increased "benefit" to a tourist in increasing their charges, especially if they already have travel insurance?.

 

I believe TAT will loose more than they will gain.

Singapore has a charge too. Nobody stops visiting Singapore. 

 OMG Tat has to make new numbers now

While distasteful and an obvious cash grab by a stupid Gov't, nobody will see this and cancel thier desire or plans to visit the Kingdom.  Adds to cost of such a visit, but minute portion of total cost of visit.

5 hours ago, DezLez said:

That is my point!

 

You do not "develop" or increase tourism by increasing costs unless you are giving the tourist an increased benefit.

 

Where is the increased "benefit" to a tourist in increasing their charges, especially if they already have travel insurance?.

 

I believe TAT will loose more than they will gain.

I doubt most travellers will have any issues nor care what the 300 baht is and will be happy just to pay it. The key is ensuring its part of the ticket price so it's easy to collect

 

The principal of the 300 baht charge is sound, where the money ends up and how it is used is an entirely different matter. Don't forget we also pay 600 baht (IIRC) tax to exit Thailand - I wonder what THAT money is used for?

 

 

Edited September 28, 20223 yr by Chelseafan

4 hours ago, internationalism said:

..., how many tourists will neglect buying proper travel/health insurance because they will think they are sufficiently covered?

 

The stupid ones...

Tourism ministry readies payment system for 300-baht Thailand entry fee
by Namo Vananupong

 

    
BANGKOK (NNT) - The government previously visioned collecting a 300-baht entry fee from each foreign traveler who visits Thailand early this year. The date for the implementation of this levy has since been pushed back continually, with the tourism ministry now expecting the collection to begin in early 2023. The matter will soon be deliberated by the Cabinet. Meanwhile, the fee collection system is now being prepared.

 

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Krungthai Bank to develop a system to collect the entry fee. Krungthai Bank will link its existing payment platforms to the tourism ministry’s fee management system. This will make it speedy as well as safe for businesses and foreign tourists to pay the entry fee.

 

Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said income generated from the fee will serve to fund tourism development. It will also be used to improve the Thai tourism industry’s competitiveness and will be drawn on to pay for medical services for tourists.

 

Mr. Phiphat said the fee will be collected at all points of entry. The fee might be paid for via websites, mobile apps, kiosks, or included in the airfare. The fee will be 300 baht for those arriving by air, with the rates for other entry channels still being considered.

 

The minister expects a study commissioned to determine the appropriate rates for other entry channels to be completed at the end of this month. The result will be presented at a Cabinet meeting in October. If the Cabinet gives its endorsement, collection of the fee can begin as soon as early 2023.

 

Source: https://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news/detail/TCATG220928234334120

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-09-29

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Monthly car subscription with first-class insurance, 24x7 assistance and more in one price - click here to find out more!

7 hours ago, Sparktrader said:

What if u book plane ticket 6 months on advance?

 

Fees only work if part of ticket price.

 

Airlines would need time to implement.

So, I did book my flight many weeks ago can I still be charged with this? I am not worried about the 300 baht but maybe the held up at customs

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

 

Apps ?? Websites ??? Oh Gawd.....

 

Why complicate it. Just add to airfare as they do for the exit fee...

Immigration can be busy at the best of times, why add delays with kiosks ??

 

 

 

 

They already do have a fee at least it shows on a recent ticket I bought a month ago

So I guess they are actually raising it ? Or maybe these are all just Ana airlines fees?

That last one is 743 baht for Thailand Passenger Service Charge

 

Edited September 28, 20223 yr by mania

The cash cow is coming back…..let’s milk it dry

Look you silly fools. The world is suffering economic failure and crisis from hyper inflations, and idiotic dollar, covid left overs, fears of travel and getting stuck abroad, mortgage rises, hyper fuel bills, etc.......AND they want to tax what little tourists that do come ? Complete bunch of junta led idiots. Another nail in the recovering thai tourism coffin

8 hours ago, DezLez said:

That is my point!

 

You do not "develop" or increase tourism by increasing costs unless you are giving the tourist an increased benefit.

 

Where is the increased "benefit" to a tourist in increasing their charges, especially if they already have travel insurance?.

 

I believe TAT will loose more than they will gain.

It'll all go into "sompeople's" pockets anyway.

Edited September 28, 20223 yr by findlay13

7 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

The cash cow is coming back…..let’s milk it dry

Welcome tourists, come and pay here????

10 hours ago, scorecard said:

There was a report a few months back saying the purpose of the 300Baht fee was to develop tourism.

As far as I can remember, some of the 300Baht was to provide medical insurance for travellers.  Whatever it was for, to take 300baht before they've even collected their luggage is a bit below the belt.

300 thb is here nor there, but it’s not a good look for incoming visitors unless they can guarantee what it’s for.

i would increase it to 500thb for every two weeks stayed and put it towards a health insurance fund, then everyone is a winner.

What they should do is ensure the funds are correctly spent which will never happen in this country.

They just can’t help themselves.

 

6 hours ago, Jerno said:

While distasteful and an obvious cash grab by a stupid Gov't, nobody will see this and cancel thier desire or plans to visit the Kingdom. 

Your comment shows a lack in knowledge of basic economics. It's like saying that nobody's going to stop drinking beer if they increase the price by just one baht. The truth is that with every price increase, the total consumption will go down. At the very least compared to if there hadn't been a price increase. This fee will negatively effect the number of visitors as a whole. That's an economic certainty. How much? Nobody knows but it's definitely a strange move for a country that claims to want to increase tourism.

700M Baht is such a ridiculously small amount of money in the grand scheme of things. It's not even worth mentioning. The article neglected to mention how much medical tourism and foreigners in general contributed to the health sector. I'd love to see those two numbers put up against each other. All the state of the art hospitals and clinics that Thailand is so proud of were built with money from foreigners. 

Do Thais returning from overboard or just visiting need to pay too? What about expats that live in Thailand? Don’t tell me Thais don’t need to pay and all others do

I was planning on going to Thailand for a three week vacation. I budgeted it out and with plane tickets and hotels and just general spending, and figured that $10,000 should cover it. Now I see it might cost me $7.82 more. A 0.000782% increase. Well forget it, I’ll go somewhere else..

8 hours ago, Letseng said:

Singapore has a charge too. Nobody stops visiting Singapore. 

Singapore is a totally different set up in terms of facilities, security, cleanliness etc.

1 hour ago, Fairynuff said:

The cash cow is coming back…..let’s milk it dry

Mooooooooo! How many squillion gazillion baht will this put in the trough?

4 hours ago, webfact said:

the fee will serve to fund tourism development.

I think you’ll find that tourism funds tourism development. 

13 hours ago, DezLez said:

Have they published what is the projected loss of overall revenue if fewer visitors arrive due to the fee?

It would be zero, as no-one would notice it or even care about 300 baht added to an airfare that costs thousands. Many, many countries impose fees, sometimes as in the UK amounting to hundreds of pounds.

They want to charge more but in return are giving nothing. Weird philosophy if adopted.