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

[Mike Teavee]

42 minutes ago, Hummin said:

I used the Limousin vip service 1200 baht, but most of the time not much difference really from the other passengers. Still had to waith for the luggage.

I used to travel with just my passport, wallet & mobile as I had everything (down to a separate Laptop) that I need in my (rented) condos in Singapore/Bangkok so getting through Fast Track meant I could go straight to the Taxi Rank. 

 

BTW Limousine (& other paid for FastTrack services) are no longer available so when I was travelling back from Vientiane last Monday I chose to enter Thailand via Nong Khai & fly from Udon Thani just to avoid BKK Immigration.

 

 

Edit: I hope your prediction that this will be applied for online before travelling is correct (& it could work by them checking the eligibility of people who don't need to pay the fee e.g. Work Permit holders) but I'd still prefer if they would just add it to the taxes already collected on all airline tickets.

 

Still hope some of the money goes to increasing the number of Immigration Officers / Booths. 

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[Hummin]

25 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

HUH? i have stayed in Thailand for over 330 days/year for the past 20 years,  Never paid any tax
not since they did away with tax clearance back in the early 90's

I guess those who choose paying tax in Thailand, do it because they get refound from their orign tax paid in the orign country. 

 

I pay tax in my orign country because I work there. 

[Neeranam]

31 minutes ago, zzzzz said:

HUH? i have stayed in Thailand for over 330 days/year for the past 20 years,  Never paid any tax
not since they did away with tax clearance back in the early 90's

Don't worry, you don't need to pay tax. 

[jacko45k]

15 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Don't worry, you don't need to pay tax. 

Some taxes one does not notice. I pay tax each year when the company accounts are done.... a shell company to own my house. Also withholding tax on any interest on bank deposits is taken automatically. Only income is a state pension but am not paying Thai income tax on that.

[nigelforbes]

25 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Some taxes one does not notice. I pay tax each year when the company accounts are done.... a shell company to own my house. Also withholding tax on any interest on bank deposits is taken automatically. Only income is a state pension but am not paying Thai income tax on that.

If you are operating a legitimate company, you can offset those taxes against any profit to reduce your tax bill. If however you are using the company solely to own your house, that's the price you have to pay!

 

The tax paid on bank accounts can mostly be recovered, only the 5% tax on LTF early redemption cannot.

[racket]

Perhaps the only good outcome of this (maybe) is that they should be less restrictive when it comes to border runs and ask questions, because after all, now the tourist has to pay a fee. 

[Pedrogaz]

Well then I'll stop going out of the country to avoid this new tax that as soon as it gets established will be raised on a regular basis. The authorities will lose the re-entry fee as well. 

Edited February 17, 2023 by Pedrogaz

[StayinThailand2much]

2 hours ago, racket said:

Perhaps the only good outcome of this (maybe) is that they should be less restrictive when it comes to border runs and ask questions, because after all, now the tourist has to pay a fee. 

Unlikely that this will have any effect. Would be interesting though in regards to a refund in case of entry refusal. Who will refund, the airline that charged the fee as part of the ticket price, Airport Immigration, or who?

Edited February 17, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

Well then I'll stop going out of the country to avoid this new tax that as soon as it gets established will be raised on a regular basis. The authorities will lose the re-entry fee as well. 

And spend all your money here? Think you'll be shooting yourself in the foot if you're looking to cripple the Thai economy by staying in Thailand.

Edited February 17, 2023 by bradiston

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, racket said:

Perhaps the only good outcome of this (maybe) is that they should be less restrictive when it comes to border runs and ask questions, because after all, now the tourist has to pay a fee. 

A big maybe... the rules limiting land border entries are a separate issue and I am not expecting change there. 

[zzaa09]

7 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

A big maybe... the rules limiting land border entries are a separate issue and I am not expecting change there. 

Of course. There's little profit in this sector. 

[jacko45k]

22 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Of course. There's little profit in this sector. 

Nice little earner collecting 300 baht cash off everyone though!

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post.

[tomacht8]

On 2/16/2023 at 4:31 PM, nigelforbes said:

Everyone pays VAT which is the country's largest source of tax revenue, only about 5% of the population pays tax via a tax return.

 

I think the idea that the 300 baht is going to be skimmed or forms a part of corruption is simply incorrect, although I understand how some people want to jump to that conclusion. Thailand spends more than it makes every year, it  has constantly run a budget deficit for the past few years. The numbers are still small, government debt is still only 60% of GDP BUT it is rising year on year and the expense of subsidies under covid made a big dent in spending. The government wants to head off the rise in health care spending, plus it can use money in loads of other areas that form part of the budget. I seriously doubt that any tourist attractions will be improved as a result  of the new levy, in a couple of years, everyone will have forgotten what it was for.  The rest of the money will go into the general pot and it will be spent within the economy, but it's purpose is not to buy villa's and merc's for the elite, that's just plain crazy.

Thai opposition politicians see the danger of abuse, possible nepotism and the non-transparent use of this new arrival tax very well. Even Phiphat admits that there is a lack at all ends. 

It is not unreasonable that a privileged elite will enrich themselves privately.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1286877-critics-of-new-arrival-tax-call-for-greater-oversight-on-the-thailand-tourism-fund/

 

[nigelforbes]

7 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

Thai opposition politicians see the danger of abuse, possible nepotism and the non-transparent use of this new arrival tax very well. Even Phiphat admits that there is a lack at all ends. 

It is not unreasonable that a privileged elite will enrich themselves privately.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1286877-critics-of-new-arrival-tax-call-for-greater-oversight-on-the-thailand-tourism-fund/

 

And of course if the opposition was in power, those things wouldn't happen, right?

 

There is the standard every day level of skimming and enrichment that is part of the fabric of Thai culture, and then there' s the extraordinary level that gets uncovered from time to time. Nothing much can be done about the former, that's business as usual, it's the latter that I don't think will happen.

[Harveyboy]

On 2/15/2023 at 5:46 PM, regard39 said:

When you have thaï wife visa, you have to pay already for re entry permit and now 300 THB more....farang= ATM 

Yes mate true