Tourism Minister Aims to Levy 300-Baht Fee for Visitors

[kinyara]

Moan, moan, moan. Anyone that dislikes it just book somewhere else if it bothers you that much, no one is forcing you to go to Thailand after all.

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, ujayujay said:

Once again a rip-off with no added value for the guest....typical Thai style, make Money without effort

 

Like this?

 

Travelers will need 'permission' and a fee to visit United Kingdom as part of new digitized system

 

Typical UK style. Ripoff to pay for illegals I guess.

[Will B Good]

46 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

f you feel strongly then go visit a country that doesn't tax tourists. 

Exactly!!!

[Rhys]

Must be related to the Minister of Weed...

[Rhys]

Must be related to the Minister of Herb...

[Rhys]

Must be related to the Minister of Herb...

[freedomnow]

1 hour ago, Greenwich Boy said:

I know we are not comparing like for like here but pretty sure I read that NZ are increasing their 'entry fee' to NZ$100. That is 2,000B. They are all at it!

Laws upon laws, rules upon rules, extra fees upon extra fees...welcome to the on-going direction everywhere.

[Rolo89]

26 minutes ago, BigStar said:

 

Like this?

 

Travelers will need 'permission' and a fee to visit United Kingdom as part of new digitized system

 

Typical UK style. Ripoff to pay for illegals I guess.

That system is a response to the EU bringing in a similar system that people from the UK and outside EU will have to pay to enter next year

 

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en

[Jiggo]

Vietnam, no tourist tax, no fingerprinting, making you fill like a criminal, cheaper, cleaner beaches.

Took a trip down Jomtien this morning, God what a mess, and getting worse.

[Dakhar]

Any one else notice the government continuously tries to collect taxes from everyone but Thai citizens?

[fobuff]

And the whole reason for the ETA..

 

There will be a 300 baht fee...

 

They finally figured it out.

[kinyara]

3 hours ago, Jiggo said:

Vietnam, no tourist tax, no fingerprinting, making you fill like a criminal, cheaper, cleaner beaches.

Took a trip down Jomtien this morning, God what a mess, and getting worse.

 

But Chinese tourist dominated to a level way beyond Thailand, which given the dislike of Chinese tourists expressed on this forum would make it a non-starter for many I would have thought.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

What a great advert for tourists:

Thailand to revive 300-baht tourism tax to boost revenue; Pakistani tourist robbed on his first day in Pattaya

New Tourism Minister same old story: charge them to get in, massively overcharge them while they're here and charge them to leave, now that's the kind of extortion Al Capone would have been proud of.

Oh, and they also get robbed and cheated during their stay too.

 

 

[Luuk Chaai]

“This fee is crucial for the growth of our tourism sector. It will fund better infrastructure, enhance attractions, and ensure the safety of tourists.”

 

Thai version of..   

Dems raise taxes to build back better

[Gknrd]

Haha, one for you one for me..  Just waiting for the for the next scheme to hatch and the suitcases filled with cash heading off " Leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I will be back again".  

[daveAustin]

21 hours ago, impulse said:

So do it already, just be quiet about it.  Nobody will notice a $9 increase in airline ticket prices.  And if that's a deal killer for them, are they the kind of tourist you want?

 

They may be wonderful people.  But not likely to move the needle with sweaty tourist money.

 

Immaterial. There are already taxes applied to flights to Thailand as with any country. Doesn’t matter that the amount is a paltry sum, it is a cash grab pure and simple and people will NOT benefit in the slightest. The greedy dolts that draw up these plans do not deserve any tourists. 

[impulse]

20 minutes ago, daveAustin said:

Immaterial. There are already taxes applied to flights to Thailand as with any country. Doesn’t matter that the amount is a paltry sum, it is a cash grab pure and simple and people will NOT benefit in the slightest. The greedy dolts that draw up these plans do not deserve any tourists. 

 

Of course it's a cash grab.  Simply a tax increase.  But an $8.50 increase won't collapse tourist spending, nor will it gum up the works trying to collect it.  They can add it to the cost of a plane ticket and 99% of tourists won't even notice. 

 

Besides, most of the folks on here complaining about it fly in maybe once or twice a year, because they live in Thailand. Is it worth getting worked up about less than $20 a year?

 

I'm probably in the worst case scenario, flying in once a month.  And it will add a whopping $103 to my annual cost of living.  Color me unconcerned.  Last night, I bought next month's R/T airplane tickets and the price is $112 lower than this month's.  That $8.50 would get lost in that kind noise.

 

Edit:  BTW, so looking forward to arriving tomorrow evening.  I need a sanity break, and really miss street fried chicken.

 

[crazykopite]

That will deter tourists coming not increase them coming on top of this the thai baht is very strong which effects tourist spending and will also have an effect on exports. In my humble opinion Thailand is heading for a financial crisis the personal debt of people is astronomical and I believe this 10,000 baht hand out to 30 million plus residents is one huge mistake and will come to bite the government in the backside ! 

[crazykopite]

16 hours ago, BigStar said:

 

Like this?

 

Travelers will need 'permission' and a fee to visit United Kingdom as part of new digitized system

 

Typical UK style. Ripoff to pay for illegals I guess.

Europe instigated charges for UK visitors arriving in Europe so why shouldn’t the UK do the same for overseas visitors 

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, crazykopite said:

Europe instigated charges for UK visitors arriving in Europe so why shouldn’t the UK do the same for overseas visitors 

 

Noblesse oblige?

 

 

 

 

If Europe's doing it and the UK is doing it, we got no problem. It's only if Thailand does it.🙂Rest assured the bureaucrats in the EU will also waste the revenue gained from the tourist charge. I prefer the honest corruption of Thailand.

 

[Puccini]

On 9/17/2024 at 11:55 AM, sometime said:

But you are paying it, the 300baht was put on the ticket price years ago, to save going to the booth to get your exit sticker.

 

Nobody is talking about an "exit sticker"

 

This topic is about a proposed fee to enter Thailand. In other words, your post is off topic.

 

From the news article in the OP:

Quote

…The tourism tax proposal, initially approved by the cabinet in 2022, mandates that foreign arrivals by air will pay 300 baht, while those entering by sea and land will be charged 150 baht. However, the scheme has yet to be endorsed via publication in the Royal Gazette…

 

[Umlungu]

On 9/17/2024 at 12:50 PM, KannikaP said:

Is business class really 18 x economy? Never ever thought about Business, can't afford it.

No, but he came by bus. 18 x bus fare equals 1 x J class

 

[Umlungu]

On 9/17/2024 at 1:18 PM, tomazbodner said:

So, in practice - how would arrivals pay this? Included in ticket price? (what about those who bought tickets before this is coming into effect?) Pay in cash at the counter before reaching immigration? (in which currency? will passengers need to exchange to THB at rip off rates at the airport?) Pay to check-in counter at another country's airport? (what if passenger is just transiting?) Pay by card at counter after arrival? (what about those who don't have credit cards?) What would happen to an arrival who can't pay for whatever reason (say communication failure of some 90+ year old speaking not a word of Thai or English or anything immigration can master)?

Back to the 60s: change money at airport bank upon arrival, pay cash, no credit cards, no language issues, and if you fit the category of too old, or no money, then you should consider giving travelling a miss for a while.

[Umlungu]

52 minutes ago, Puccini said:

 

Nobody is talking about an "exit sticker"

 

This topic is about a proposed fee to enter Thailand. In other words, your post is off topic.

 

From the news article in the OP:

 

Most people (tourists) who enter will also leave. So you pay your entry ffe at the exit, in good time, with your leftover baht, get a sticker as a receipt and present at counter. No sticker/receipt - no check-in - no departure. Works wonders.

[herfiehandbag]

BOHICA: bend over, here it comes again.

 

Of course B300 won't "move the needle", but as the demands for Mercedes ( sorry, infrastructure investment) grows it will become B500, B800, B1000. 

 

Needles will move eventually.

[stoutfella]

We used to be indecisive, but now we're not so sure.

[node]

This country is so broke. First are taxes, then vat on all imports, now charges to a person / family to enter here. What is next, increase prices on? 

[tomacht8]

That is an easy way to force visitors to pay.

40 million visitors x 300 = 12000000000 Baht. Or 12000 Million Baht. 

Once again a huge trough is filled with money. How much of the money will actually be used to improve tourism infrastructure? It is reasonable to assume that a large part of the money will again seep away into dark channels and private pockets with corruption-infected projects.

[node]

Someone will pay for that bad flooding in the north, and it ain't the Government. They will find a means to get back that money. 

[gearbox]

On 9/17/2024 at 8:10 PM, Jiggo said:

Vietnam, no tourist tax, no fingerprinting, making you fill like a criminal, cheaper, cleaner beaches.

Took a trip down Jomtien this morning, God what a mess, and getting worse.

The normal tourist needs to pay $25 for Vietnamese visa, only a few countries are visa exempt.

 

Overall Thailand has better beaches than Vietnam, especially the islands in the Andaman sea.