Thai Prime Minister Calls Off Controversial 300-Baht Tourism Fee

[JonnyF]

15 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

They could have made it a tourist tax and got the hotels etc. to collect it from foreigners as they do in Malaysia.

 

 

 

Could have done.

 

Out of interest, why do you think they opted against it? 

[Neeranam]

16 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

If it would have stopped digital nomads - i mean cheap backpackers with a laptop - coming in then i was all for it. 

 

It was literally the price of a burger in the west. 

I know a few very wealthy digital nomads here, one living on Phuket, paying 250,000 a month on rent. 

If it wasn't for the adventurous backpackers of the past, many of the old guys wouldn't be retiring here now. 

 

[daveAustin]

5 hours ago, sabai-dee-man said:

 

Moronic response. I've been a digital nomad for over 15 years, spending 4-6 months a year in Thailand. I spent £12k between the end of December and mid-May, all brought into Thailand from abroad. You sound bitter of a lifestyle you could probably only dream of.

Likely a whiny boomer. I’d sooner see young backpackers enjoying themselves than miserable old so n sos. 🙂

[daveAustin]

I’d sooner pay 300 baht every time I come in than be faced with a potential tax headache. Can they scrap that instead?

[Mr Meeseeks]

43 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I know a few very wealthy digital nomads here, one living on Phuket, paying 250,000 a month on rent. 

 

Former owner of an elephant sanctuary?

[black tabby12345]

The first time he did the things right.

[Mr Meeseeks]

44 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Could have done.

 

Out of interest, why do you think they opted against it? 

 

Too hard to implement and manage is my guess.

 

Maybe they worked out that after the time and cost of setting it all up, the opportunities for graft were not worth the hassle.

[geisha]

14 hours ago, John Drake said:

Should have kept the damn 300 baht tax and dedicated it to emergency hospitalization reimbursements for insufficiently covered tourists.

Yes, also I think that there should be obligatory full travel insurance for tourists, those with a tourist visa and exempt. It’s cheap enough for a good insurance in the west and would save a lot of heartache. They did it during Covid. If you can’t afford the 30€, don’t travel abroad. 

[Arthur Mullard]

3 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

Finding his political opponents floating in the Mekong River, their bodies weighted down by filling their eviscerated stomachs with concrete was perhaps one of less harmless and refreshing aspects of his regime!

Yes, the dictatorial air that was Prayut is no longer or just well-camouflaged..

[Neeranam]

21 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Former owner of an elephant sanctuary?

No.

[peter48]

I said it before and I'll say it again to the old nay sayers - you change governments to a more dynamic, business- focused, younger, more inclusive, outward looking group of politicians, internationalist and Thailand begins to transform. So it happens. 

 

Hopefully we can reach the happy days of Thaksin and Tony Blair in the 2000s when Brits and others came in droves to Thailand buying property, bringing families, touring and enjoying a good rate of exchange ( which Brexit damaged). Thailand is changing & its good.  

[brianthainess]

He has realized it is completely unworkable. What a Clown.

 

[brianthainess]

6 hours ago, MangoKorat said:

I'm not complaining but are they serious? Tourists will spend more in other sectors because they will be 300 baht better off? Really?

 

Government?  More like a Kindergarten.

That's an insult to under 5's.

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, twizzian said:

A country built on U-Turns

This government has more U-turns than Highway 3.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

He gets a D minus so far. 

He gets an F from me.

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

 

Too hard to implement and manage is my guess.

 

Maybe they worked out that after the time and cost of setting it all up, the opportunities for graft were not worth the hassle.

 

Seems weird to me that they would abandon it for no good reason. 

 

They did it before so they must know how to implement it. 

 

10 Billion Baht income for essentially providing nothing. I would have thought the opportunities for graft were endless. My guess is that someone in a high position decided it was a bad look. Or maybe they couldn't agree how to divide it up between the various troughs. I guess we'll never know. 

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, ThaiFelix said:

Have a brain fart, make it law, announce it to the world, then finally consider the pros and cons of the brain fart before backtracking completely (with a huge smile)................TIT!

It was never law and it's implementation was never announced to anyone, never mind the world.  It was always just a proposal.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, Bungditin said:

Does he really think anyone cares about 300 baht. Better to look after your resident foreigners that spend there foreign currency here and stop this ridiculous tax. Where exactly do you think we spent the money we bring into Thailand 

"...stop this ridiculous tax".

There is no such "ridiculous tax" and there never has been one to stop.

[Galong]

4 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

Finding his political opponents floating in the Mekong River, their bodies weighted down by filling their eviscerated stomachs with concrete was perhaps one of less harmless and refreshing aspects of his regime!

If you're serious, name ONE political opponent that suffered such a fate, please.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, cowellandrew said:

How much tax did you pay on that income?

😂

How is that any of your business?

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, cncltd1973 said:

Thai economy must be in worse shape if they are doing this much fretting over 300 baht

Who's fretting about it when they've just announced that, by choice, it will not be implemented.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, Paul Henry said:

Arrived last month airport empty, other than Chinese and Indian very few other tourists (excluding Phuket)

bars and reseraunts remain empty. TAT has to start facing reality and start factual reporting on numbers. The only people they are kidding is themselves.

And your experience of probably less than one hour in the airport is objectively indicative of what?

[freedomnow]

To the Thai mind it is a day's wage, to a foreigner - just another small annoying tollbooth to get out the exit of the airport and have fun...it would have helped with no insurance nightmare events that crop up on Go Fund Me.

 

These Christian churches must get pulverised financially raising endless money for anyone identifying as a 'christian brother/sister in need'.

[cncltd1973]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Who's fretting about it when they've just announced that, by choice, it will not be implemented.

I mean, that they think 300 baht has enough worth to be a deciding factor in a tourist's decision to visit, indicates the state of the Thai economy that they value so highly an amount as little as 300 baht 

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, Galong said:

If you're serious, name ONE political opponent that suffered such a fate, please.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46965839

[Paris333]

 

He cancels TBHT300 fees and he make mandatory health insurance in order tourists to pay huge amount of money for medical mafia shadow untaxed black money economy.

Foreign European Embassies at Bangkok in collaboration with Thai Ministry of Health to publish list of medical facilities at Thai region for tourists first aid and for  short period of treatments. Those who want to stay longer "having fun" with Thai girls they should be transferred at their home countries.

The fraud is hidden in "collaboration" with private insurance companies...............

 

 

[DonniePeverley]

It's bizarre how they're very sensitive of even adding a 300 baht fee. 

 

Waived all visa fees for Indians, chinese - that is some massive loss in income. 

[Caldera]

Yet another flip-flop, but at least it goes into the right direction. 

[Galong]

2 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46965839

Sorry, not any evidence that this was linked to Prayuth. There are plenty of people who could be responsible. 

[smew]

good move, he understod where the money would go..