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

[richard_smith237]

8 minutes ago, Paul Catton said:

As a tourist

 

After travelling to Thailand that can take up to 12-14 hours, the last thing I want to face is being stuck in an immigration queue followed by an "arrival levy kiosk " queue for hours.

 

 

As someone who lives here but flies in & out regularly it going to cost me an extra 3000 baht which is negligible & somewhat irrelevant.

- From a personal perspective the additional queuing is an extremely unwelcome prospect. 
- From a ‘tourism’ perspective, the policy is simply clumsy & sends a negative message. 
 

[bamnutsak]

Why is 300 baht the "right" figure to collect?

 

Many here say it is in insiginificant amount. So then why not charge more? Why not 1,000 baht?

 

Will this figure rise in the future? If yes, then why?

 

Who will collect this fee? Who will audit the fund into which these fees will flow? Will timely reports be issued on the activity on this fund? How will funds be dispersed, and to whom?

 

 

I could care less about 300 baht. I'm more concerned about this HUGE pile of cash ripe for skimming, and kickbacks from hospitals, national parks managers.

 

Let's say 11 million tourists in 2H23, with some 8 million eligible, thats 2.4 BILLION baht. A mountain of cash with very little oversight, and no information so far about how it will be spent, other than some vague references.

 

There's a reason for the push to get this implemented now, and as with most things here, it involves greed and corruption.

 

I'm half-expecting the RTP to be along shortly requesting that a tourist policing fee be implemented.

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

I was answering a question about Indonesia, at least so I thought?

Ah… my bad…. 
 

The silly VOA stuff & long queues for such & general rip offs etc are the nail in the coffin for our ‘let go somewhere for a break’ type trips where Indonesia is concerned…. 
 

I’ve worked there a fair bit so am familiar with the degree of BS I don’t want on a holiday…

Edited February 16, 2023 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

15 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Fair enough, where will you travel to instead?

It’s a good question & depends why people are traveling. 
 

I won’t stop tourists who were never told about this fee…. But…

- a long (30-60min) queue for the ‘tourist fee’

- not having baht (no ATMs air side) extra hassle paying. 
- then a 30-60min queue for immigration.

 

It may be enough to prevent the ‘return tourist’….. 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

12 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

I could care less about 300 baht.

Does that mean you care a lot at the moment?

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

It’s a good question & depends why people are traveling. 
 

I won’t stop tourists who were never told about this fee…. But…

- a long (30-60min) queue for the ‘tourist fee’

- not having baht (no ATMs air side) extra hassle paying. 
- then a 30-60min queue for immigration.

 

It may be enough to prevent the ‘return tourist’….. 

 

 

 

When I travel, I always buy the local currency before I go, I thought every would do that.

[richard_smith237]

Just now, Neeranam said:

Does that mean you care a lot at the moment?

The ‘Americanism’ vs ‘Britishism’ of ‘I could care less’ vs ‘I couldn’t care less’ has always amused me…. 
 

The American version grammatically flawed used to confuse me… 

 

 

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

The ‘Americanism’ vs ‘Britishism’ of ‘I could care less’ vs ‘I couldn’t care less’ has always amused me…. 
 

The American version grammatically flawed used to confuse me… 

 

 

Indeed,, 'I could care more' is the same as 'I couldn't care less'.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

When I travel, I always buy the local currency before I go, I thought every would do that.

I travel with Emergency US$ and use the ATM on arrival for local currency.

 

I never buy local currency before going somewhere.

 

Perhaps the ‘tourist fee’ ticket booth or whatever it’s going to be called will accept foreign currency & give change in baht. 
 

IMO the bigger issue is where are all the tourists going to queue up? 
There will need to be another area the size of the current immigration hall !!!

[Neeranam]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I travel with Emergency US$ and use the ATM on arrival for local currency.

 

I never buy local currency before going somewhere.

 

Perhaps the ‘tourist fee’ ticket booth or whatever it’s going to be called will accept foreign currency & give change in baht. 
 

IMO the bigger issue is where are all the tourists going to queue up? 
There will need to be another area the size of the current immigration hall !!!

The world is becoming a cashless society, most people can get by with a smartphone. 

If everyone used Bitcoin, it would save issues like this. Thailand is ahead of many Western companies in this regard, with SCB using blockchain tech for cross border transactions.

[bradiston]

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

When I travel, I always buy the local currency before I go, I thought every would do that.

You assume everyone does like you? What rate on the THB do you get at Heathrow? 35? Ah, I forgot. You have a Thai bank account so don't need to do that.

[metisdead]

A number of posts with a trolling emoticon only as a reply have been edited to remove the trolling emoticons. This is trolling, this is a discussion forum not a cartoon forum, nor is it Twitter or Line, if you disagree with a post then please either move on or discuss.

 

11. You will not troll or stalk other members by misusing forum posts, private messages, reactions, emojis or by any other means.

[Bangkocker]

40 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

The world is becoming a cashless society, most people can get by with a smartphone. 

If everyone used Bitcoin, it would save issues like this. Thailand is ahead of many Western companies in this regard, with SCB using blockchain tech for cross border transactions.

Cashless society means without doubt ... governments and banks and others have you exactly by the ba**s. The world doesn't need to meekly bow to the authorities to allow a cashless society.

[Bangkocker]

7 hours 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.

Yes, indeed... after all it's less than a couple of beers.

[nigelforbes]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Nowhere near 20%, maybe 12-15%. 

International Tourism = 12%, Domestic Tourism = 9%

 

 

[Paul Catton]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Fair enough, where will you travel to instead?

Vietnam is definitely off the cards, being a side tour from Thailand in our last SE Asian excursion Dec/Jan 2022/23, I liken it to "Hell in Paradise".

Kuala Lumpur would be the preferred hub, easily accessible to Thailand if we actually need to see family without having to go through Bangkok..

Also, direct access to many other areas of SE Asia via Air Asia.

Have been to KL a couple of times and I have been quite impressed.    

[Neeranam]

42 minutes ago, Bangkocker said:

Cashless society means without doubt ... governments and banks and others have you exactly by the ba**s. The world doesn't need to meekly bow to the authorities to allow a cashless society.

Bitcoin and the likes challenge that. 

[Paul Catton]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

As someone who lives here but flies in & out regularly it going to cost me an extra 3000 baht which is negligible & somewhat irrelevant.

- From a personal perspective the additional queuing is an extremely unwelcome prospect. 
- From a ‘tourism’ perspective, the policy is simply clumsy & sends a negative message. 
 

Agree.

 

It is a knee jerk reaction by "Politicians" to boost maybe "coffers for ambiguous purpose" without thought to practicality.

 

Off Topic but similar thought process abounds Thailand.

 

Ban Vaping for “health reasons and to discourage young people from starting to smoke” 

AKA Protect the Tobacco Authority of Thailand, which is a Thai state enterprise and the sole legal entity permitted to produce tobacco products in the country, thereby creating an inadvertent revenue stream for extortion by corrupt officials of law enforcement.

 

Banning of alcohol on all of the State Railway of Thailand due to a drunken employee who performed an act of rape.

If a "Hotel" bartender (or any employee) gets drunk from covert supping and then performed an act of rape upon a guest, should all Hotels then be alcohol free.

 

Perhaps you may wish to add to the hypocrisy without incurring the wrath of moderation  

[Puccini]

14 hours ago, LikeItHot said:

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

Yhe fee is not yet in effect, therefore it is not built into your ticket price.

[Hummin]

1 minute ago, Paul Catton said:

Agree.

 

It is a knee jerk reaction by "Politicians" to boost maybe "coffers for ambiguous purpose" without thought to practicality.

 

Off Topic but similar thought process abounds Thailand.

 

Ban Vaping for “health reasons and to discourage young people from starting to smoke” 

AKA Protect the Tobacco Authority of Thailand, which is a Thai state enterprise and the sole legal entity permitted to produce tobacco products in the country, thereby creating an inadvertent revenue stream for extortion by corrupt officials of law enforcement.

 

Banning of alcohol on all of the State Railway of Thailand due to a drunken employee who performed an act of rape.

If a "Hotel" bartender (or any employee) gets drunk from covert supping and then performed an act of rape upon a guest, should all Hotels then be alcohol free.

 

Perhaps you may wish to add to the hypocrisy without incurring the wrath of moderation  

Im living here and flying in and out 3-5 for work, and sometimes visa run depending on my current status.

 

I could not care less about alchohol laws, taxes, or double morality as well double charge or more because Im a foreigner. Still makes Thailand an better option than most available places to live. 

 

Nr one is infrastructure

Nr two is clima

Nr three is safety

Nr four is the cost of living here

Nr 5 came as a result of all above my wife and our home.

 

Visa issues is a no issue compared to what I have to do and pay to have my visit my home country, paper, travel, cost etc, and not to talk about have a reunion in Norway and have her living there. My retirement visa is nothing compared to what we have to provide and pay for her permanent visa there. 

 

 

[LukKrueng]

On 2/14/2023 at 9:47 PM, ikke1959 said:

and we wonder why tourists don't come

But they do come. About 40m before COVID, and this year picking up despite all you mentioned plus the war in Ukraine plus inflation going up all over the world.

 when planning a trip for a couple of thousand of dollars an extra 9 won't make a difference

[Paul Catton]

8 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Im living here and flying in and out 3-5 for work, and sometimes visa run depending on my current status.

 

I could not care less about alchohol laws, taxes, or double morality as well double charge or more because Im a foreigner. Still makes Thailand an better option than most available places to live. 

 

Nr one is infrastructure

Nr two is clima

Nr three is safety

Nr four is the cost of living here

Nr 5 came as a result of all above my wife and our home.

 

Visa issues is a no issue compared to what I have to do and pay to have my visit my home country, paper, travel, cost etc, and not to talk about have a reunion in Norway and have her living there. My retirement visa is nothing compared to what we have to provide and pay for her permanent visa there. 

 

 

Continually flying in and out surely puts you in the exempt category after obtaining a re-entry permit valid against the legitimate "Visa issued and any extension " you use for entry, then you should join the queue after immigration for your refund.

The necessity of a "Border Run" should be a one off situation to avail time to meet criteria.

You say you are on a "retirement visa" yet "flying in and out 3-5 for work".

I wish you well, I do care about the many hypocrites abounding Thailand which we've all known about, yet never pressed to redress.

  

[mancub]

5 hours ago, Resident Alien said:

Because there is a difference between arrival and departure. 

But all international "tourists" arriving will at some point be departing. That's how it works in tourism !

[Paul Catton]

47 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

But they do come. About 40m before COVID, and this year picking up despite all you mentioned plus the war in Ukraine plus inflation going up all over the world.

 when planning a trip for a couple of thousand of dollars an extra 9 won't make a difference

Stop looking at projected revenue grab.

Devil is in the detail.

It is not an extra NZ$14 per passenger from a tourist.

After a long haul flight queuing up for a an extended time to pass through Immigration then queuing up for another extended time to pay this levy, is a non starter for my next SE Asian visit.

  

[Hummin]

10 minutes ago, Paul Catton said:

Continually flying in and out surely puts you in the exempt category after obtaining a re-entry permit valid against the legitimate "Visa issued and any extension " you use for entry, then you should join the queue after immigration for your refund.

The necessity of a "Border Run" should be a one off situation to avail time to meet criteria.

You say you are on a "retirement visa" yet "flying in and out 3-5 for work".

I wish you well, I do care about the many hypocrites abounding Thailand which we've all known about, yet never pressed to redress.

  

Now on visa exemption, depending how long I think Im going to stay, but if I plan to stay from November to March, I will regain one year visa next time.

[bradiston]

7 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Now on visa exemption, depending how long I think Im going to stay, but if I plan to stay from November to March, I will regain one year visa next time.

In any case, I don't think a non immigrant O visa based nor the extension of stay based on retirement precludes working abroad, or in your own country, does it? Isn't it just here in Thailand? As long as the tax is paid in the same country as the income earned, surely no problem? And I'm also not sure having a reentry permit is grounds for exemption from the 300 fee. Or am I missing something? Or everything maybe?

[Paul Catton]

4 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Now on visa exemption, depending how long I think Im going to stay, but if I plan to stay from November to March, I will regain one year visa next time.

Good on you, take care and kindest regards.  

[yogavnture]

so if i have to pay 300 to enter. but now i get 15 days extra on my visa then im still ahead about 500 baht

 

[StayinThailand2much]

On 2/15/2023 at 9:12 AM, webfact said:

According to the Minister, from 2017 to 2019, the government has incurred up to 400 million baht in medical expenses for foreigners at public hospitals. 

That's on average 134 million baht/year, or less than 4 baht (40 million tourist arrivals) to 7 baht (20 million)... Wonder what they'll do with the extra 143 to 293 baht.

Edited February 16, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[ikke1959]

I think it was easier just to make a visa on arrival for 300 THB by air and 150THB by land. It is easy and understandable for everyone... People with long term visas and Thai people are exempted and everybody else pays...How difficult could it be...But now a lot unrest and unclear rules