Critics of new arrival tax call for greater oversight on the Thailand Tourism Fund

[webfact]

Flickr/Rui

 

By Peter Roche

There are growing calls for increased scrutiny of Thailand’s Tourism Fund, with concerns raised about how the money will be used. The fund was established to support the country’s tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Collection of the 300 baht fee from international tourists is expected to begin on June 1.

 

The Tourism and Sports Ministry is expected to collect around 3.9 billion baht from arrivals this year and over 10 billion baht next year. However, there are concerns about a lack of transparency as to how the money will be spent.

 

Critics argue that the Tourism Fund, which is understood to have a budget of over 13 billion baht, won’t do enough to support small and medium-sized businesses in the tourism industry, which have been hit hardest by the pandemic. There are concerns that the fund may be used to support large, established businesses, rather than providing support to those most in need.

 

The president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents says there must be transparency around management of the fund, with checks and balances to show accountability and avoid accusations of misappropriation of funds.

 

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn says the sub-committee responsible should comprise members from both the government and the private sector to ensure there is no favouritism shown to certain groups.

 

In response to these concerns, the Tourism and Sports Ministry has promised to increase transparency around the fund’s operations. The ministry has also said that it will provide more support to small and medium-sized businesses in the tourism industry.

 

Sisdivachr has also expressed concern about how the fee might be collected at land borders, pointing out the risk of corruption. He says the ministry will need a system that shows the exact number of arrivals and total fees collected at each immigration checkpoint.

 

The tourism ministry says that for people entering at land borders, there could be a system whereby they pay the fee at a kiosk before proceeding to immigration. Officials say bidding to manage the collection system could be opened up to the private sector.

 

Source: https://phuket-go.com/phuket-news/national-news/critics-of-new-arrival-tax-call-for-greater-oversight-on-the-thailand-tourism-fund/

 

-- © Copyright Phuket GO 2023-02-18

 

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[Willy Wombat]

Tourism slush fund to be divided by a select few.

 

Same same

[StayinThailand2much]

I heard, Mercedes and BMW dealerships are expecting more business after June...

[redwood1]

The stated purpose of this tax was to pay for farang that skipped out on their  hospital medical bills and nothing else......

 

Now it sounds like the medical bill part has almost been forgotten about.....

 

Which means in a few more years we will be hearing loads of stories of farangs not paying their medical bills............So yes folks a new tax will be needed.........

[TheFishman1]

Yes, the tax was it to support the foreign people who skipped out on medical bills by delaying it till now they were hoping that everybody forgot about what they were planning to do with the money. Originally now the plans are for a select few to divide it it’s just all about money, TIT 

[StayinThailand2much]

19 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Which means in a few more years we will be hearing loads of stories of farangs not paying their medical bills............So yes folks a new tax will be needed.........

Expect this fee to be raised to 500 or a thousand baht in only a short time...

[MrJ2U]

Hopefully some of it will go to infrastructure, especially widening and improving the highway system. 

 

 

[jaywalker]

44 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

The stated purpose of this tax was to pay for farang that skipped out on their  hospital medical bills and nothing else......

 

Now it sounds like the medical bill part has almost been forgotten about.....

 

Which means in a few more years we will be hearing loads of stories of farangs not paying their medical bills............So yes folks a new tax will be needed.........

Yep.

 

They'll legalize hookers & be taxing them next.

[Damrongsak]

"... There are concerns that the fund may be used to support large, established businesses, rather than providing support to those most in need. ..."

 

Fewer but fatter brown envelopes is more environmentally sound than a whole bunch of little ones.

 

[Lucky Bones]

Ah. There is already a sub-committee.

Everyone in for a slice of the pie.

Order those Mercs now.????????

[madmitch]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The tourism ministry says that for people entering at land borders, there could be a system whereby they pay the fee at a kiosk before proceeding to immigration.

Have they worked out how they're going to collect it for arrivals by air then as I've not seen it mentioned anywhere? I'm sure airlines and agents will not want to have the responsibility of only collecting from non-Thais and non-work permit holders.

[bangon04]

"Sisdivachr has also expressed concern about how the fee might be collected at land borders, pointing out the risk of corruption......

there could be a system whereby they pay the fee at a kiosk before proceeding to immigration. Officials say bidding to manage the collection system could be opened up to the private sector."

 

King Power may be interested.........

[klauskunkel]

 Officials say bidding to manage the collection system could be opened up to the private sector nephews.

[zzaa09]

The Thailand Tourism [and directly into the Junta Gang's pockets] Fund. 

[Damrongsak]

44 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Have they worked out how they're going to collect it for arrivals by air then as I've not seen it mentioned anywhere? I'm sure airlines and agents will not want to have the responsibility of only collecting from non-Thais and non-work permit holders.

Well, they could send people on board when the plane lands and go up and down the aisles with a collection basket.  They have long handled ones that work for wide body aircraft.

 

(Photo courtesy of Tonini Church Supply Co)

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Damrongsak

[Damrongsak]

1 hour ago, Lucky Bones said:

Ah. There is already a sub-committee.

Everyone in for a slice of the pie.

Order those Mercs now.????????

I wonder how many people subsist solely on the free meals they get for attending committee meetings and whatnot.  There is such a thing as a "free lunch" in LOS, I'm sure. 

 

 

[AussieinThaiJim]

It’s not the collection that is the problem. It’s the DISTRIBUTION! 
“One for me and one for you”

[Damrongsak]

15 minutes ago, AussieinThaiJim said:

It’s not the collection that is the problem. It’s the DISTRIBUTION! 
“One for me and one for you”

No, you don't understand.  As it goes up the ladder, it's more like "One for you, two for thee and 3 for me." 6 way split.

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Damrongsak

[phetphet]

1 hour ago, Damrongsak said:

"... There are concerns that the fund may be used to support large, established businesses, rather than providing support to those most in need. ..."

 

Fewer but fatter brown envelopes is more environmentally sound than a whole bunch of little ones.

 

It's a tourist fund. Why the heck should it be used to support any businesses? Small or large. Let them stand on their own two feet.

[Lucky Bones]

37 minutes ago, Damrongsak said:

Well, they could send people on board when the plane lands and go up and down the aisles with a collection basket.  They have long handled ones that work for wide body aircraft.

 

(Photo courtesy of Tonini Church Supply Co)

 

Thought I recognized that from when the folks dragged me to chyurch.

Never could work out how to take money out though.

Shouldn't be a problem here though.????????

[Classic Ray]

If this is a tourism tax why is it being levied on retirement and marriage extension/visa holders who don’t have work permits? Really it’s just just another foreigner tax.

[soalbundy]

So who is going to do the scrutinizing?......who's that laughing?

[jacko45k]

2 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

If this is a tourism tax why is it being levied on retirement and marriage extension/visa holders who don’t have work permits? Really it’s just just another foreigner tax.

Yes of course, they are proving very popular these foreigner only taxes. 

[bamnutsak]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Sisdivachr has also expressed concern about how the fee might be collected at land borders, pointing out the risk of corruption. He says the ministry will need a system that shows the exact number of arrivals and total fees collected at each immigration checkpoint.

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Officials say bidding to manage the collection system could be opened up to the private sector.

 

Of course there will be corruption on top of corruption on top of corruption. Because, Thailand.

 

Straight up theft, embezlement, kick-backs.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/30327759

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/thailand/general/40023520

 

 

[Wiggy]

It’ll probably end up bring trousered, like most taxes. 

[Robert Tyrrell]

Good Morning ,

 

Double pricing Tourist , 300 Baht entrance fee, 700 Baht Exiting Tax , Inflation , War and recovering from a Pandemic , What’s next Thailand!!?? 
This is all good economic sense !!! ???

[Toby1947]

Just glad I finally made up my mind to never visit the dog hole again. Just gets worse year on year so glad I never became a trapped property buying expat 

[jacko45k]

Just now, Toby1947 said:

Just glad I finally made up my mind to never visit the dog hole again. Just gets worse year on year so glad I never became a trapped property buying expat 

Us trapped Expats need not pay this new tax really as most stay here, never traveling back to  their origins. Nothing much there for us either, mostly less

[brianthainess]

2 hours ago, jaywalker said:

Yep.

 

They'll legalize hookers & be taxing them next.

'Cept there are no hookers anywhere in Thailand init.'its the same 'ol song'' 

[actonion]

Support businesses ? what happened to tourist insurance,  &  helping to maintain tourist attractions  that was  printed here less than a week ago ........... more BS