Tourist arrival ‘tax’ postponed, foreign arrivals drop

[ravip]

300 THB (~8.7180385 US Dollars) a deal breaker? 

[wensiensheng]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Fair enough but surly immigratin can. Seems like TAT are looking for a way out for their always over inflated predictions. As for the reduction maybe part of that is as many Russians who have already got out of Russia has peaked. Just a thouight.

Sure immigration can but they want this tax included in the price of a ticket so as to hide it in plain sight.

 

any fool could have foreseen that airlines can’t be expected to know the immigration status of people at the time they book tickets.

 

but there you go.

[DrJoy]

39 minutes ago, Lifetraxx said:

The only way for them to treat everyone "equally* is to

A: Charge EVERYONE the 300 bht 

B: Make entry to all parks 100 % free to EVERYONE! 

The steady income from the arrivals would far exceed any national park yearly ncome in just matter of months. 

No can do

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

According to the minister, the airlines have stated that they cannot differentiate between foreign tourists, Thais, and expatriates, and therefore, all passengers must be treated equally

The alternative being collecting the tax on exit via immigration.

But then the money probably wouldn't reach the desired fund as sticky fingers would get in the mix.

 

[kinyara]

33 minutes ago, JCauto said:

Where to start with this one? I take it you're with the TAT given that you're talking about the "quality tourists" and think that silly admin fees don't deter people from coming. You may be surprised to discover that Cambodia is no longer a war-torn craphole and has quite nice infrastructure all over the place nowadays, and Laos is on the way as well. Cambodia got 16 million tourists over Songkran, not sure what the numbers were in Thailand but as someone who thinks like the TAT you could probably tell me off the top of your head. Is there some Wonder of the World in Thailand that competes with Angkor that I'm not aware of? Couldn't get a hotel room in Luang Prabang, but closed hotels all over the Night Bazaar area in Chiang Mai and discounts galore. Air quality in LP was worse too.

Where did you get the figure of Cambodia getting 16 million tourists over Songkran ?

 

It can't possibly be foreign tourists as Cambodia only managed to attract 6.6 million in total for the whole of 2019.

[Clarkey611]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Meanwhile, the number of daily international arrivals in Thailand has fallen more than 15% since February.

And soon it will be more once the giant hike in airfares hits the market!

[koolkarl]

This is only the beginning of fewer tourist arrivals.  With the doubling of airfares and toxic air everywhere with almost the entire country on fire, why come here? 

[ravip]

13 minutes ago, Clarkey611 said:

And soon it will be more once the giant hike in airfares hits the market!

LOL... applies only to Thailand?

[nigelforbes]

1 hour ago, JCauto said:

Cambodia and Laos were chockers this Songkran. Seems the tourists are discovering the neighbouring countries finally. 

If I've learned anything about Thai economics, the solution to the reduction in tourist numbers will be to double or triple the entry fee to make up the lost revenue.

You're learning well, have you considered applying for a job with government?

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Mrs Marisa said transparency in fee collection and fund management are paramount for this scheme.

Is she, in a roundabout way, stating that government schemes are inherently corrupt? How would she get that idea?

[Brian Hull]

The whizkids in the Thai bureaucracy must be the World Champion Gold Medal winners for making simple matters complicated. Why don't they just include the 300 baht Tourism Tax into the visa fee, not as a separate item, and nobody would know or care. It's less than US$9. They are real muddle-heads. Prophetic words from "The King and I" musical  "I often have confusion in concluding things that I concluded long ago".

[ravip]

2 minutes ago, Brian Hull said:

The whizkids in the Thai bureaucracy must be the World Champion Gold Medal winners for making simple matters complicated. Why don't they just include the 300 baht Tourism Tax into the visa fee, not as a separate item, and nobody would know or care. It's less than US$9. They are real muddle-heads. Prophetic words from "The King and I" musical  "I often have confusion in concluding things that I concluded long ago".

Really? So been direct is kind of lousy?

Pick pockets are great?

 

[topt]

2 minutes ago, Brian Hull said:

Why don't they just include the 300 baht Tourism Tax into the visa fee

Visa exempt arrivals, which I would guess is a large chunk of all average western tourists, don't pay any fee unless staying longer when they apply for an extension......

[Fairynuff]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Amazing that for once, Thais and foreigners are treated equally, hopefully that will lead to that in the future foreigners will be 'treated equally' more often.

In our dreams!

[wensiensheng]

1 hour ago, StayinThailand2much said:

I guess, arrivals minus Thai citizens.

But that would place me in the tourist camp. And I have lived here for 16 years on an annual visa extension. I’m not really a tourist.

 

But maybe you are just pointing out what they probably do, not it’s accuracy.

[ravip]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Amazing that for once, Thais and foreigners are treated equally, hopefully that will lead to that in the future foreigners will be 'treated equally' more often.

LOL LOL LOL which country does THAT?

I'd love to have the list.

[John Drake]

Just add the 300 baht for everybody, non-Thai and Thai. Nobody will notice.

[malt25]

1 hour ago, Lifetraxx said:

The only way for them to treat everyone "equally* is to

A: Charge EVERYONE the 300 bht 

B: Make entry to all parks 100 % free to EVERYONE! 

The steady income from the arrivals would far exceed any national park yearly ncome in just matter of months. 

And why would you introduce logic or commonsense into the issue ?

[dash]

Easy for all airlines.....300 Baht on the ticket and Thais,Expats and so on can get a refound voucher and transfer to their Thai Bank account only.

[sandyf]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Amazing that for once, Thais and foreigners are treated equally, hopefully that will lead to that in the future foreigners will be 'treated equally' more often.

Nothing to do with equality per se.

It is more to do with the unknown, taxes are allocated to the fare at time of booking, passport information is not.

Most countries put tourist tax on accommodation, Thailand may end up the same way.

[CANSIAM]

"Locals and Expats with work permits would be exempt" if the 300 ever does get the 'go ahead' you would think the expats keeping the required 400 - 800+ k in a bank yearly would be exempt....geeeeez 

[wensiensheng]

1 hour ago, Goat said:

Cambodia has nothing on Thailand as far as higher quaility tourists are concerned. The place is a dump with no infrastructure.

Communist Loas with no beaches will never threaten.

Thailand number one in SEA. Always has been, always will be.

 

Quality tourists are not going to be stopped by this insignificant fee. 

Singapore and Indonesia do pretty well for tourists.
 

Albeit the former with short term visitors transmitting to Aus etc, but also with Chinese when they can travel and Malaysians. And Singapore can claim to be attracting quality tourists.

 

Indonesia does pretty well by virtue of Bali.

 

So Thailand #1 in SE Asia, always has been and always will, is an overly broad statement imho.

 

That said, I haven’t done any number comparisons because physical headcount is inaccurate in Thailand, maybe Bali also for all I know. And then there are other metrics, such as percentage of GDP, average expenditure per tourist headcount, total expenditure by total tourists etc etc

[bristolgeoff]

It will happen for the next high season I imagine,delayed does not mean i will not be charged  to tourist.Songkran over the tourist are less until end of the year.Sept is the  thai guidelines when people return.So next year expect the new charge

[malibukid]

i just had a friend who left for California complaining about the smoke.  word gets around 

[ChipButty]

2 hours ago, JCauto said:

Cambodia and Laos were chockers this Songkran. Seems the tourists are discovering the neighbouring countries finally. 

If I've learned anything about Thai economics, the solution to the reduction in tourist numbers will be to double or triple the entry fee to make up the lost revenue.

Thai economics when no business put the price up, like they used to do in the bars, 

[ChipButty]

What worries me is who will be managing the fund, we all know what happens here, 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

OK, then how are they arriving at the tourist numbers at all? Are they pulled out of a hat?

You are not supposed to ask awkward questions. Any Thai knows that almost from birth. You must just accept whatever you are told, like a Thai. Behave yourself!

[ChipButty]

Tourism is definitely going down here in Phuket according to booking.com in the Rawai area it is down 22% that was yesterday, 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, JCauto said:

If I've learned anything about Thai economics, the solution to the reduction in tourist numbers will be to double or triple the entry fee to make up the lost revenue.

Yes. I've been planning a stay in Bangkok, and noticed that my proposed hotel has increased the price for the low season (June) from what it is this month.

[CANSIAM]

6 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Tourism is definitely going down here in Phuket according to booking.com in the Rawai area it is down 22% that was yesterday, 

I think Moscow is now using an electronic drafting system, many cannot hide anymore..........