Thai Prime Minister Calls Off Controversial 300-Baht Tourism Fee

[BoganInParasite]

A factor to this decision was also the method of collection. The airlines and more importantly the air travel industry associations had clearly told the govt there was no reliable way to differentiate between Thai and non-Thai pax at the time of booking and they were not inclined to even try. I have good contacts inside one of these associations and I have written the above way more politely than the message the govt received. Once you cannot collect at time of booking there are no other non onerous methods available. 

[Galong]

2 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!

To those of us here and to those outside who are paying attention, everything he does could easily be seen as turning Thailand into a 'handout' society. I see nothing he's done or proposing that enhances the Thai work force to improve. He's done nothing that I've read to improve the educational system in the kingdom.  It's all been pipe dreams and talk of more hubs. 🤦‍♂️

Bring back Prayuth. His ineptness was somewhat harmless and it would be refreshing to have him back. 

[herfiehandbag]

2 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.

He is bitter, his laptop hasn't worked properly since he spilled Chang over it, and the only charging point is too far away from his favourite bar stool!

[herfiehandbag]

8 minutes ago, Galong said:

Bring back Prayuth. His ineptness was somewhat harmless and it would be refreshing to have him back. 

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!

[Yagoda]

Thank god. I can use the $9 to buy a lady drink instead. I hope they dont try to make it $10, that would be a dealbreaker.

[Galong]

9 minutes 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!

But he didn't try to tax expats and retirees, so there's that. 😉🤔

[herfiehandbag]

3 minutes ago, Galong said:

But he didn't try to tax expats and retirees, so there's that. 😉🤔

What a revealing comment!

[lordgrinz]

21 minutes 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!

 

Now he is on the Privy Council, all his sin washed away, and worshipped by all his followers. 

[Derek B]

12 hours ago, John Drake said:

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

Logical idea however hard to believe that in Thailand the money would find it's way to the hospitals.

 

[Paul Henry]

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.

[bob smith]

Thailand - The hub of not having a clue what day it is!

 

bob.

[phitsanulokjohn]

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has rescinded the decision about the controversial 300-baht tourism fee. This fee was first proposed last year and has faced resistance from private businesses. The government intended to gather this fee from every tourist coming to Thailand. However, it was scrapped with the belief that getting rid of it might stimulate tourists to spend more in other sectors, thus providing a significant boost to the economy

 

Why didn't he or his govt advisers

think this through before implementation?Next it will be his cannabis and taxing of farang residents,to experience U-turn Srettha.This govt clearly doesn't know their a**e from their elbows.

 

[paul1804]

Thailand doesn't see the bigger picture does it, there would have been little or no opposition to 300 baht being added to the price of an airline ticket and the money could have been put to good use. But Thailand would rather procrastinate over silly things like this instead of addressing real issues. The bad publicity and negative down stream effects of introducing tax on foreigners pensions and making all foreign residents complete a tax return will be huge. The cost of implementation and servicing the procedure will be greater than the revenue given Thailands love of reams of paper work and antiquated procedures plus foreigners will reconsider where to settle for retirement. 

[spidermike007]

It would appear that the business experience Srettha got from selling condos, does not translate to running a government, nor an economy. He gets a D minus so far. 

 

Though you have to give him credit for the $800 million smile! 

[statman78]

Too bad gambling is illegal here in Thailand.  If we could gamble we could start a pool for 100 baht per entry.  All you would need to do is pick the correct date that this proposal will be reintroduced and you would be the winner!

[Celsius]

Why would wealthy Russians, Indians, Nigerians and Albanians have a problem paying this miniscule 300 baht fee?

 

I really don't understand.

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

This is about the only proposal they had that made any sense, and its the one they choose to abandon?! How about abandoning the new tax changes, that one would make more sense to get rid of.

 

This originally was a common sense Prayuth proposal to take the pressure off hospitals being overwhelmed with non-insured tourists. I agree. Good idea. All the rest of the tax stuff is from scatterbrained Srettha.

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, Galong said:

To those of us here and to those outside who are paying attention, everything he does could easily be seen as turning Thailand into a 'handout' society. I see nothing he's done or proposing that enhances the Thai work force to improve. He's done nothing that I've read to improve the educational system in the kingdom.  It's all been pipe dreams and talk of more hubs. 🤦‍♂️

Bring back Prayuth. His ineptness was somewhat harmless and it would be refreshing to have him back. 

 

Prayuth looks less and less inept every day. Comparatively speaking, he was Periclean.

[John Drake]

1 hour 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!

 

Good thing the Shins never did anything like that, huh?

[actonion]

13 hours ago, John Drake said:

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

Dedicate it some ministers pocket more like...

[Thungrat]

Quote: "top global tourist spots".  lol

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

They're probably thinking they don't need this 300 Baht chump change, once they start charging tax residents on money made overseas even when not remitted to Thailand 😃.

The tax changes regarding residents are under discussion. Far from certain they will ever happen. Meantime I doubt the small 300 baht charge would make any difference to the number of visitor arrivals, whether applied or not.

 

 

[Task Master]

Thai government be flip flopping more than flap Jack's at the pancake house during the breakfast rush.

[JonnyF]

4 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

The tax changes regarding residents are under discussion. Far from certain they will ever happen. Meantime I doubt the small 300 baht charge would make any difference to the number of visitor arrivals, whether applied or not.

 

 

 

Yes I agree. I was posting from their perspective.

 

I am of the opinion that the tax proposal for foreign earned income not remitted to Thailand is a ridiculous idea that could never be implemented. If they did implement it, it would cause tremendous damage and therefore it will be shelved. 

 

The 300 Baht charge would have no effect if they could sneak it into the airfare without anyone noticing. If they had to collect it at the airport like they used to, it could cause ill feeling and negative publicity, hence them abandoning it. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, cncltd1973 said:

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

 

The economy is in real trouble. 

 

The 300thb was proposed to be levied on all visitors so they could use it for free medical treatment for tourists.

 

Those of us who understand Thailand know that would never happen, and it was just another opportunity for graft and self-enrichment. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

 

Now he is on the Privy Council, all his sin washed away, and worshipped by all his followers. 

 

More importantly, now protected by law against any criticism whatsoever. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

19 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Yes I agree. I was posting from their perspective.

 

I am of the opinion that the tax proposal for foreign earned income not remitted to Thailand is a ridiculous idea that could never be implemented. If they did implement it, it would cause tremendous damage and therefore it will be shelved. 

 

The 300 Baht charge would have no effect if they could sneak it into the airfare without anyone noticing. If they had to collect it at the airport like they used to, it could cause ill feeling and negative publicity, hence them abandoning it. 

 

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

 

 

[Cabradelmar]

They will change their minds soon enough... And they should. They are leaving a lot of money on the table. It's not a 300 baht ($10) one time entry/exit tax that keeps international travelers from traveling to Thailand. Hell, make it 500 baht. Don't believe the tour operators cries. Easy to collect on departure too, just reintroduce the kiosks of old. Everyone has to buy a "exit tax ticket" at the airport via the kiosk (or buy in advance on online using your phone) before passing security. Kiosk could even take credit cards. So so easy. And it doesn't burden the poorest people from neighboring countries who entry/exit by land.

[cnx101]

A new scam will come soon do not worry 

[john donson]

TAT will fit him the bill for the lost billions of free spending money...