18 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

Yes, it's a Foreign Tourist Levy, nota general levy for anyone who travels!

 

New taxes on tourists have become common in many countries:

 

Barcelona taxes foreigners staying in tourist accommodation

Portugal charges foreign tourists 1 Euro per night

Austria adds 3.02% to foreign tourists bills

Belgium add about 7 Euro's per night to room bills

Bhutan charges foreigners a whopping USD 250 per day!

Bulgaria adds 1.50 Euro per night to bills

Caribbean islands, Croatia, Czech republic, 

France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia

etc etc etc, all charge foreign tourists more.

 

https://www.euronews.com/travel/2023/09/11/tourist-taxes-all-of-the-countries-you-will-have-to-pay-to-enter-in-2022

 

 

 

Will the Chinese be exempt from this?

 

Most taxes are now incorporated into the the flights. Even Dubai rolled back on tourist fees, which once asked for a seperate fee to be collected by the hotel, have now seen it was a error and just incorporate it into the hotel fee. 

 

 

16 hours ago, bugger bognor said:

Again you Muppets it's a proposal read the article! and they've been trying to implement a tourist tax for many years, fast track. could mean decades away every time a so called official makes a statement you take this as literal just like next year's tax story, delusional scaremongering nothing will happen to 99,9% of expats either get back on the beer and STOP complaining it's a non event

"Muppets", sounds like someone rattled  your cage?

The forum is for members to post comments on any article they wish, Surely as long s they abide the rules of the forum they can post anything, complaints included?

On 10/9/2023 at 5:37 AM, Jonathan Swift said:

Just using it as an excuse, to do something that they knew was otherwise unjustifiable, but were itching for a way to get away with it. It's not really about compensating the families.

Spot on! They're just using the opportunity to screw their tourists a bit more.

17 hours ago, sandyf said:

19 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Because they cannot...the airline industry pushed back and told them to bugger off and collect it themselves when it was last proposed.

Not quite the case, countries add and change taxes regularly.

It was exactly the case with the last attempt to do this.  It was reported that the airline industry refused to collect that proposed tax.  From the OP...

"The problem outlined by a spokesman for the Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday is that the Ministry is still finalising the collection method for the fee which the last government proposed should be by incoming airlines flying into the country. This was reportedly met with behind-the-scenes pushback from the airline industry and is also thought to have damaged relations and confidence between the government by powerful large carriers who make decisions which impact Thailand’s international flight connectivity".

Edited October 10, 20232 yr by Liverpool Lou

On 10/9/2023 at 6:25 AM, Parker2100 said:

 

 

I am actually in favor of a fee to reimburse Thailand for medical costs incurred during normal tourism.  It may help relieve some of the occasional hostility expressed by some Immigration Officers who behave as if repeat tourism is an unwelcome burden on Thailand.

 

Which is all very well BUT what about those of us who are responsible and purchase expensive travel insurance and would in no way ever be a burden to the host country?

 

I personally have a £10,000,000 every incident health cover including Covid and if I have to pay this obvious rip off it could negate that policy leaving me with a sub standard Thai policy and a Thai government looking for every way to bail out of it.

I am beginning to think that a CambLoasVietPhil option could be very real.

So much for resurrecting Thai tourism, the rigmarole involved in just paying this charge never mind trying to claim on it if needed be will be enormous.

 

It would be simpler for IO’s to check on entry if the traveller has his / her own insurance and charging those that don’t in a separate airport area, otherwise it will take even longer to get through immigration and on to our destinations.

1 hour ago, Jimjim1 said:

Which is all very well BUT what about those of us who are responsible and purchase expensive travel insurance and would in no way ever be a burden to the host country?

 

I personally have a £10,000,000 every incident health cover including Covid and if I have to pay this obvious rip off it could negate that policy leaving me with a sub standard Thai policy and a Thai government looking for every way to bail out of it.

I am beginning to think that a CambLoasVietPhil option could be very real.

So much for resurrecting Thai tourism, the rigmarole involved in just paying this charge never mind trying to claim on it if needed be will be enormous.

 

It would be simpler for IO’s to check on entry if the traveller has his / her own insurance and charging those that don’t in a separate airport area, otherwise it will take even longer to get through immigration and on to our destinations.

Yes, they should exempt people who have their own International Insurance.

 

This has come up before and they insisted it HAS to be a Thai Insurance company. Because...well... Thailand.

 

Yeah, they are just strangling there own tourism industry.  But hey it is their country!

 

After the effects of about 10 years of this, they will be the most open tourism spot in the world.  Or... Myanmar-Like

 

They will do what they will do.

 

 

 

 

On 10/9/2023 at 12:24 AM, IAMHERE said:

A Kiosk; yep that'll work. Be swift and easy and convenient.

Precisely. I have nothing against the tax if it is indeed used wisely and not siphoned off but at least add it to the cost of the airline ticket in the same way as the depature tax...

 

I suggest everyone re-reads the OP especially the part in italics starting:

Minister of Tourism and Sports Sudawan Wang-Suphakitkosol.......... 

 

Second paragraph in bold includes the words:

.....latest update on a proposal that has been up in the air for decades.......

 

So from my reading, it's a proposal from a fairly minor minister which has not even started going through the process of becoming law, and yet everyone on here is getting excited.

Why?

Personally, I think it'll be dropped (again) but Ms Wang-Suphakitkosol will have had her 15 seconds of fame ????

 

Edited October 10, 20232 yr by VBF

Good way to make tourists think twice before coming to Thailand.

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It was exactly the case with the last attempt to do this.  It was reported that the airline industry refused to collect that proposed tax.  From the OP...

"The problem outlined by a spokesman for the Ministry of Tourism on Wednesday is that the Ministry is still finalising the collection method for the fee which the last government proposed should be by incoming airlines flying into the country. This was reportedly met with behind-the-scenes pushback from the airline industry and is also thought to have damaged relations and confidence between the government by powerful large carriers who make decisions which impact Thailand’s international flight connectivity".

The government asked for something that wasn't possible, how on earth do you think they would word the rejection.

They wanted to exempt Thai citizens from the tax which isn't possible with airline taxes, but feel free to take what they say as gospel.

Have no problem with it

indonesia for example $50usd visa fee on arrival 

at least it might reduce the endless flow of the gofundme brigade 

3 hours ago, sandyf said:

The government asked for something that wasn't possible, how on earth do you think they would word the rejection.

They wanted to exempt Thai citizens from the tax which isn't possible with airline taxes, but feel free to take what they say as gospel.

So you're suggesting that I take what you say as gospel as a reaonable alternative?

Idiots in charge. They want tourists money but doing everything they can to deter tourism. This government is quickly revealing itself to be even worse than the outgoing military government - Robbing Hood style all the way.

On 10/9/2023 at 5:22 AM, ChipButty said:

That attitude has been around as long as I have been here "Farang will Pay" 

In other countries they add it onto your hotel bill. ????

Keep ripping off the tourist......???? That's a good way to lose them....Thinking since ConVid started ripping off the public has become a sport for Politicians. 

On 10/8/2023 at 6:06 PM, bendejo said:

While living in Malaysia I decided to do a trip to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat, Cambodia) a few years back.  The visa on arrival, and the stuff I had to pay when leaving (can't recall the names, exit fee or airport tax etc) combined cost more than my round-trip Kuala Lumpur ticket. 

 

I lived in George Town for a while.. Best food I have ever eaten bar non .  I stayed for months just because of that. Used to drive into Cambodia and found pretty quick to bypass Siem Reap. 

Thailand mirrors China so much it is almost predictable.  China says it wants to reassure foreign investors that are fleeing at staggering rates that it is safe and will help them.. Then starts raiding foreign companies and passing laws that target foreign firms.. 

Thailand, we want tourists, and will do everything possible to bring them in and help them.. Then proceed to make living and traveling to Thailand a nightmare. 

What a joke.

Edited October 11, 20232 yr by Gknrd