Committee Set to Decide on Tourist Entry Fee

[StayinThailand2much]

4 hours ago, Blumpie said:

I agree and it is all but apparent for those that have spent any amount of time in Thailand. 

In reality it might work out same this; queue up at currency exchange counter behind Chinese tour groups for one hour to buy Thai baht, then line up for 1.5 hours at the 'Entrance Fee Counter' to pay the 300 baht, and getting a receipt, before joining the Immigration queue. - Some clever businessmen could make a fortune selling water and sandwiches...

Edited January 20, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[SuperSilverHaze]

He's been grubbing for this for nearly a decade.

 

The absolutely pathetic thing is that they have NEVER explicitly stated precisely what the fund is for. It's just free money from *rich westerners*.

 

Doubly repulsive, not specifically limited to tourists. 

 

It's typical Thailand. Funny, the minute the place opens the graft machine lurches into motion. It's positively vernal

[it is what it is]

11 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Few will likely know but will get a rude awakening on entry. The kind of irksome, money-grabbing thing to put off visiting again? Thailand is going backwards imo. 

so every country that charges an airport/landing fees to arrivals is going backwards?

[StayinThailand2much]

6 hours ago, lujanit said:

Why not add it to the exit fee (700 baht) already charged?  

Because Thais would have to pay it too...

 

Also, the 700 baht is the airport tax, so charging 1,000 baht instead and 'redistributing' 300 baht out of it to whom/whatever could be tricky.

Edited January 20, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[StayinThailand2much]

19 minutes ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

The absolutely pathetic thing is that they have NEVER explicitly stated precisely what the fund is for. It's just free money from *rich westerners*.

To be fair, others (e.g. Chinese and Indians, etc.) will have to pay it too, but knowing corruption in Thailand, it is unclear whether all that money (or a large chunk of it) will not end up in private bank accounts of a few influential people, or whether it simply will be misappropriated (e.g. for buying more submarines)...

Edited January 20, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[Aussieroaming]

Good, once they formalize the new formal levy can the rip off National Park Entry Fee be terminated, or is double dipping going to be encouraged. Maybe they can disclose these fees to potential visitors before the visitors ever get on a plane.

 

 

 

 

[ikke1959]

It is not about the amount of money, but as long as there is double pricing they should not collect this fee....It seems they want to use it for the touristindustry, so why extreem high prices for foreigners and free or low entrances fee for Thais... and if it is for the health industry , than it is better to only get tourist entries with a visa, when you have to show a healthinsurance at applying for the visa... No need for extra payments.....

[Hiram Abiff]

There is no baht before immigration, so I assume it will be paid by card. Then the question arises, will they calculate the exchange rate from every country tourists arrive from? More confusion and delays on the horizon.

[StayinThailand2much]

3 hours ago, Hiram Abiff said:

There is no baht before immigration, so I assume it will be paid by card. Then the question arises, will they calculate the exchange rate from every country tourists arrive from? More confusion and delays on the horizon.

What happens if a card is declined? Will it be possible to pay the IO in cash, and how much?

[Gknrd]

Hard to believe how much Thailand has changed since the last coup..

Even before it was getting pretty bad, but now it is a pain in the A$$ = pass.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Gknrd

[Blumpie]

3 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Hard to believe how much Thailand has changed since the last coup..

Even before it was getting pretty bad, but now it is a pain in the A$$ = pass.

 

 

It's their attitude more than anything.  And it comes from the top and works its way down eventually and we can see this.  

Honestly, there are so many countries that welcome tourists and are so happy to see us as long as people are well behaved and respect local customs.  

[ukrules]

On 1/20/2023 at 10:05 PM, ikke1959 said:

It is not about the amount of money

Oh I think it is, I'm going to be very surprised if this ends up being less than 500 Baht per person if it's introduced.

 

[HuskerDo2]

Incredible. They want tourists to come and spend tens of thousands of baht but they need to pay a "fee" for the privilege to do so. Can this country's leaders be any more ridiculous in their decision making? 

[jacko45k]

22 hours ago, Hiram Abiff said:

There is no baht before immigration, so I assume it will be paid by card. Then the question arises, will they calculate the exchange rate from every country tourists arrive from? More confusion and delays on the horizon.

Yeah, bet that would work well with many 3rd world tourists and those whose cards have not been enabled for overseas use. 

[Mike Teavee]

8 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Yeah, bet that would work well with many 3rd world tourists and those whose cards have not been enabled for overseas use. 

Bali has a similar set-up (Albeit you're buying a Visa when you land & you should be aware of this before you land... Cambodia same same) but the amount of people who turn up on exit with no money to pay the "Exit Tax" is unreal. 

 

I actually ended up paying for a young American family's exit tax because they had no money to pay it with & their cards weren't working (& I was bored waiting behind them in the queue) - No idea what would have happened to them if I hadn't, presumably they'd have missed their flight which would have meant they missed their connecting flight home from Singapore. 

 

 

Philippines is the same on exit... You have the money or you don't leave. 

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Philippines is the same on exit... You have the money or you don't leave. 

It was many years ago but I recall, after standing in a long slow check in line in Manila Airport, I was told I had to go pay 'Exit Tax' at another long line before I could check in..... 'You are shxtting me' I said! 

I had USD ready in Bali......

I am not in the habit of being devoid of cash at any time, but many on holiday arrive at the airport homeward low on funds. 

Edited January 22, 2023 by jacko45k

[herfiehandbag]

The stream of reviews, of committees and mulling of this entry fee, and lack of clarification of how it is to be collected leads one to suspect an increasing number of "interested parties". And no wonder, the prospect of an effectively unauditable flow of cash ( it will be cash - no airline will want to touch it) must delight all concerned, from the lowliest collecting official to the heads of the various departments who have an interest in and through whose hands the cash will pass. Inevitably by the time medical bills are to be met and plans presented to develop tourist facilities there will be no money left!

[sandyf]

On 1/20/2023 at 3:45 AM, ukrules said:

I may be wrong but wasn't this supposed to be for airport arrivals only when it was first mentioned?

Selective memory.

The original delays were on how to implement it at land borders.

[Spilornis]

Not sure about others but I am getting tired of filling out forms and queuing in lines for things on arrival.

Online forms/payments if they must and e gates are the future.

Travelling to India in a few weeks via Singapore which means a PCR test. Seriously wondering if I can be bothered

[BananaStrong]

3 minutes ago, Spilornis said:

but I am getting tired of filling out forms and queuing in lines for things on arrival.

Traveling is a privilege.  it's not forced.   Why do something that gets you soooo upset!!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

I love the forms.   Queuing is my life!!!  It's worth it if I can make it to Pattaya!!!!!!!!!

[SmartyMarty]

As usual the detail won't be worked out until after the gouging starts and confusion results. Greed here knows no bounds.

[sandyf]

On 1/20/2023 at 6:22 AM, jacko45k said:

Rather difficult to expect the airlines to implement something selective like this in their ticket prices.....

Airline taxes and fees are registered and coded, the amount collected can vary as with APD which is dependent on class of seat.

It wouldn't be out of the question for the new tax to be determined by API but the fallback could be that air travellers with work permits may well have to  reclaim the tourist tax.

 

https://dokumen.tips/documents/iata-list-of-ticket-and-airport-taxes-and-fees.html?page=24

[sandyf]

To put things in perspective.

 

Rates for flights starting in the UK
Duty rates for flights starting from UK airports, excluding Northern Ireland and the Scottish Highlands and Islands region. Find out more about Air Passenger Duty if the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

Rates from 1 April 2023
Destination bands    Reduced rate    Standard rate    Higher rate
Domestic        £6.50        £13        £78
Band A            £13        £26        £78
Band B            £87        £191        £574
Band C            £91        £200        £601

 

Reduced rate

For travel in the lowest class of travel available on the plane for seat pitches less than 1.016 metres (40 inches).

Standard rate

For travel in any other class of travel or where the seat pitch is more than 1.016 metres (40 inches).

Higher rate

For travel in planes of 20 tonnes or more equipped to carry fewer than 19 passengers.

 

Band	Distance from London to destination capital city
A	0 to 2,000 miles
B	2,001 miles to 5,500 miles
C	over 5,500 miles

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rates-and-allowances-for-air-passenger-duty