Cabinet approves tourist fee of 150-300 baht for all foreign tourists

[Neeranam]

26 minutes ago, bradiston said:

They should include it on the ticket and then have a refund scheme for those who have exemption. Many won't bother getting the refund for sure. But no way collect on arrival.

They can't do that, what about Thais flying in? 

[proton]

9 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

They can't do that, what about Thais flying in? 

what about when they fly out? never noticed any difference in Mrs cost of ticket and mine when we go on the same trip. Either I am not charged the 700 baht or she is when she should not be.

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, proton said:

what about when they fly out? never noticed any difference in Mrs cost of ticket and mine when we go on the same trip. Either I am not charged the 700 baht or she is when she should not be.

If she is Thai and you're British , she's charged over 6,000 baht for a visa for a short holiday. Not very fair having all these British tourists paying nothing. 

[bradiston]

16 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

They can't do that, what about Thais flying in? 

They claim a refund like anybody else. Or, booking with a Thai passport, it's never added. That criterion is not difficult to assess.

[proton]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

If she is Thai and you're British , she's charged over 6,000 baht for a visa for a short holiday. Not very fair having all these British tourists paying nothing. 

That's not the point, I was talking about the Thai departure charge and why she is paying it or I am not

[ThailandGuy]

The endless endeavour for free money. "How do i get your money into my pocket".... Then also abolish the discriminating 2 pricing system!

[bradiston]

7 minutes ago, proton said:

what about when they fly out? never noticed any difference in Mrs cost of ticket and mine when we go on the same trip. Either I am not charged the 700 baht or she is when she should not be.

On domestic flights in Philippines everybody pays an airport tax at a dedicated booth. Where does it go? Gawd knows.

[bradiston]

44 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

A what scheme? Thailand doesn't do refunds, not at any level!

They will if Thais have to claim it too.

[thaipo7]

Better collected here than added to the plane ticket.  Wife is still Thai after 50+ years.  I guess non-immigrant O, will have to pay after each exit and entry back into Thailand.  Did not know I was a tourist.

[Neeranam]

10 minutes ago, bradiston said:

They claim a refund like anybody else. Or, booking with a Thai passport, it's never added. That criterion is not difficult to assess.

I just booked a flight to the UK and back, no passports or nationality was asked for. That would be stupid charging Thais a foreign tourist tax! 

[Neeranam]

16 minutes ago, proton said:

That's not the point, I was talking about the Thai departure charge and why she is paying it or I am not

I don't know if Thais pay departure tax.

[bradiston]

27 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I just booked a flight to the UK and back, no passports or nationality was asked for. That would be stupid charging Thais a foreign tourist tax! 

Huh? Which airline? I'm always asked for passport details when I book. They need to cover themselves against any repatriation costs if incurred. Course it's rechecked at check in. I guess they could collect the 300 then and there, but who's going to pay the airlines for the extra hassle? And you just can't avoid the problem of currencies and having the exact amount. If you book in £ for instance, how will they calculate the 300 THB?

 

Anyway, it's a problem for the Thais to sort out. It was their bright idea in the first place. A can of worms.

[Neeranam]

9 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Huh? Which airline? I'm always asked for passport details when I book. They need to cover themselves against any repatriation costs if incurred. Course it's rechecked at check in. I guess they could collect the 300 then and there, but who's going to pay the airlines for the extra hassle? And you just can't avoid the problem of currencies and having the exact amount. If you book in £ for instance, how will they calculate the 300 THB?

 

Anyway, it's a problem for the Thais to sort out. It was their bright idea in the first place. A can of worms.

KLM

[mancub]

On 2/14/2023 at 7:58 PM, zzzzz said:

Wont make a hiccup at all, as no one will even know, as its included in the ticket, same as the departure tax has been for decades 

However, this fee is not applicable to Thai nationals, so how will ticket sales/prices be administered ?

Edited February 15, 2023 by mancub
repeat post

[dcalaska]

11 hours ago, swm59nj said:

This fee comes to $4.42 to  $8.83 USD.

if a person can’t afford that they shouldn’t be traveling anywhere.  They should be staying home.  And probably should be evaluating their own financial situation.  
 

You better do the math again. 1,000 B = US $ 29.24 @ 34.2 B/ $. 

If you think it's so little money, can you pay the fee for me please. Thank you very much.

[mancub]

OK, so call it an "arrival" fee but payable on departure. Then Thai citizens/passport holders and other exempt classes of visa holders won't need to pay. Ticket machines in the Dep hall .

All tourists will either still have bt300 on them or access to exchange booths.

Perhaps the Chinese hordes could buy them at 7-11 along with their cup noodles ?

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

KLM

Anybody else booked an international flight without a passport? First I ever heard of it, no offence.

[bradiston]

18 minutes ago, mancub said:

OK, so call it an "arrival" fee but payable on departure. Then Thai citizens/passport holders and other exempt classes of visa holders won't need to pay. Ticket machines in the Dep hall .

All tourists will either still have bt300 on them or access to exchange booths.

Perhaps the Chinese hordes could buy them at 7-11 along with their cup noodles ?

I think an arrival tax payable on departure falls under the heading of a departure tax. And what's to stop foreigners sneaking across the border and thus avoiding it altogether? Sneaky foreigners! And sneaky Chinese hordes with their pot noodles. ????

[bradiston]

34 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Anybody else booked an international flight without a passport? First I ever heard of it, no offence.

I just wonder how they locate your booking at check-in? Some other form of id? Or maybe the booking platform has your details already stored in your account, assuming you have one? ????

[Kalasin Jo]

16 hours ago, Gwen1234 said:

Honestly the thai government are crazy if they think this sort of thing is okay, they may think "oh falang have money so they can pay this its only 300thb" they forget foreigners will factor this in per person plus the extras at national parks plus, the extras for long boat trips down near maya Bay. Plus the extras for not having a thai passport or I'd at checkpoints where police don't know visa rules, and also prices inflated in tourist areas. They're bat shut crazy Honestly. 

Yes tourists do factor in the additional cost.

Brits when EU citizens could travel in and out of the rest of the EU and Schengen zone countries without charge as often as they liked, and for some that was very often. No longer EU citizens they are now EU visa exempt for visits up to 90 days  BUT will soon have to pre register ( along with all 49 other visa exempt nationalities)  online and be approved to travel or face being turned away by carriers and border guards at a fee of €7 per person, good for 3 years or passport expiry date if less. That's €2.33 each year. Under 18s and over 70s are exempt from this.

Nevertheless Brits who have heard about it are up in arms according to UK media.

And there is no nonsense about this fee being applied to improve tourist areas 555 or provide accident insurance 555. It's a security measure as is the very similar US ESTA visa waiver programme.

[LikeItHot]

On 2/14/2023 at 7:58 PM, zzzzz said:

Wont make a hiccup at all, as no one will even know, as its included in the ticket, same as the departure tax has been for decades 

I booked a return flight a month ago for a flight in April. How is the fee built in to that?

[LikeItHot]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

Anybody else booked an international flight without a passport? First I ever heard of it, no offence.

I did on Etihad last week. The passport field said optional so I skipped it.  I am sure they will want to see it soon enough.

[bangon04]

1 hour ago, mancub said:

OK, so call it an "arrival" fee but payable on departure. Then Thai citizens/passport holders and other exempt classes of visa holders won't need to pay. Ticket machines in the Dep hall .

All tourists will either still have bt300 on them or access to exchange booths.

Perhaps the Chinese hordes could buy them at 7-11 along with their cup noodles ?

The Chinese group tours will have paid them in China before they travel......

[Bangkocker]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

We’re is your line between measly & too much ? $100 (dollar) ??

 

The irritation with such policies is not the amount but the message, the tone levied towards tourist by greedy officials…

 

We want your money & don’t care about anything else… 

Well in response, you want to go to Bali ?? then you will pay $50 for visa on arrival (it used to be free). If the destination serves your need then 10 bucks is a storm in a teacup. The officials are not being greedy. Now if the fee was say 100,200,300,400 $$ then yes 'maybe' that would initiate a re-think.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Bangkocker

[Bangkocker]

8 hours ago, userabcd said:

They started off low. There is ample room to increase it year on year.

 

And it's a little bit here, a little bit there as new ideas in govt how to extract more from the public. It all adds up to a lot.

Well the solution for you and others that don't approve what the government has done and are fearful of the ?? future unknown increases is...... wait for it......drum roll....'don't go to Thailand'. Simple

And if you don't go there will be 25 million (minus yourself) that will go. Don't quibble about nothing.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Bangkocker

[nigelforbes]

23 hours ago, Gwen1234 said:

Honestly the thai government are crazy if they think this sort of thing is okay, they may think "oh falang have money so they can pay this its only 300thb" they forget foreigners will factor this in per person plus the extras at national parks plus, the extras for long boat trips down near maya Bay. Plus the extras for not having a thai passport or I'd at checkpoints where police don't know visa rules, and also prices inflated in tourist areas. They're bat shut crazy Honestly. 

The truth of the matter is that, it's only 300 baht. Some people will make noise and express outrage, which will quickly pass, because it's only 300 baht.

[SuperSilverHaze]

20 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Unless you are from an ASEAN country, you pay 35USD VOA, sometimes the line is very long?

On the last trip which was admittedly many years ago I recall just getting stamped in on arrival (US/western countries) no?

[SuperSilverHaze]

1 hour ago, nigelforbes said:

The truth of the matter is that, it's only 300 baht. Some people will make noise and express outrage, which will quickly pass, because it's only 300 baht.

The outrage and disgust won't just *pass* as we all know it's basically giving 300b (ten dollars) pax for posh homes, lavish lifestyles. All unearned, in fact, wholly undeserved.

 

I bet it will be incorporated into the ticket but eyes must be watering at the thought of tens of millions of Thai baht in cash money rolling in monthly. None of it with earmark, purpose or oversight.

 

That minister has been pushing for this tax since forever.

 

The nation is creaking under the weight of corruption - so, start taxing outsiders 55555.

[nigelforbes]

3 minutes ago, SuperSilverHaze said:

The outrage and disgust won't just *pass* as we all know it's basically giving 300b (ten dollars) pax for posh homes, lavish lifestyles. All unearned, in fact, wholly undeserved.

 

I bet it will be incorporated into the ticket but eyes must be watering at the thought of tens of millions of Thai baht in cash money rolling in monthly. None of it with earmark, purpose or oversight.

 

That minister has been pushing for this tax since forever.

 

The nation is creaking under the weight of corruption - so, start taxing outsiders 55555.

A Pavlovian response, a new tax must mean more corruption, really!

 

How about the real reason is the degree of hospital bills that remain unpaid, that was the original purpose of the levy. And how about comparing tourist/airport surcharges levied around the world and realizing that Thailand remains very low. 

 

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/destitute-foreigners-in-thailand-and-unpaid-hospital-bills-360259

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, Neeranam said:

On your foreign pension? 

I was asked about mine when I was reclaiming with-holding tax one year. The pension is over the 150,000 threshold.