Thailand to Implement 300-Baht Tourism Tax Starting with Air Travel

[PattayaParent]

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Why not declare all tourists tax residents for the duration of stay?

 

Require arriving tourists to submit a copy of their latest home country tax return on entry, and to pay income tax at the nearest TRD office, obtaining a tax clearance certificate in order to depart.

 

You might think it's a joke but if you spend more than 3 months in India you have to get a tax clearance certificate and you have to produce evidence of money exchanges and what you spent your money on!!

 

At least when I was there in 1990.

[daejung]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

A key feature of the proposed tax is the inclusion of an insurance premium, capped at 60 baht per person from the collected 300 baht. It offers a 30-day protection, aligning with the average tourist stay duration, covering up to 1 million baht in the case of accidental death, and 500,000 baht for injuries.

If we stay longer why not paying 300 THB every 30 days  to get this 60 baht per person insurance ? 555

 

The newsletter says :

Quote

Thailand is set to introduce a 300-baht tourism tax for air travellers, aiming to manage the growing influx of tourists.

 

Dowe  have to understand that Thailand would prefer having less tourists ?

[jcmj]

If they are so concerned about the influx of visitors, then they need to stop giving out free visa on arrivals. They want the numbers but obviously can’t handle it anymore. This will cause a major backup at the airport. I don’t think the amount will stop anyone from traveling, but the headache will. 

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Any excuse is good in Thailand to snatch away money from foreigners and tourists.

[john donson]

if it only covers 60 baht max, the tax should be.... 60 baht max

 

the rest is money grab

 

wait till some human smuggler find a loophole and sending cheap slave labors in 'accidental' death traps

 

300 baht... why not offer expats this deal, would pay 300 baht a month x 12 extra, to be 'covered' 

[sambum]

Make your minds up for Gawd's sake!!!!

[Maestro]

Removed an off-topic post about emotions.

[SmokeandIce]

13 hours ago, Denim said:

Years ago there was a 500 baht departure tax so nothing really new. I can't  imagine it will make a shade of difference to anybodies travel plans since 300 baht is hardly a make or break amount.

The 500 THB tax is included with your ticket price. Here are the taxes, fees and surcharge on my Bangkok to Kula Lumput round-trip flight

[Captain Monday]

12 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Registering from overseas to any Thai website will be problematic IMO

We access Thai websites from all over the world, no particular problems.

 

12 hours ago, brianthainess said:

and paying online where the exchange rate fluctuates on a daily basis.

That is handled by the foreign exchange facility in the VISA, AMEX, etc. networks. 

 

[Patong2021]

15 hours ago, Denim said:

Years ago there was a 500 baht departure tax so nothing really new. I can't  imagine it will make a shade of difference to anybodies travel plans since 300 baht is hardly a make or break amount.

 

The charge is still there.

For reference sake,  my round trip on TG to Tokyo next month is invoiced with these charges in Thai baht;

Advance Passenger Processing User Charge	68
International Arrival & Departure Fees	30
Passenger Service Charge - Thailand(TS)	728
	826

 

Yes, I understand that the  fee is chump change, but I really doubt that the fees are entirely used for the stated purposes and that is what irks me.

 

 

[Patong2021]

1 hour ago, SmokeandIce said:

The 500 THB tax is included with your ticket price. Here are the taxes, fees and surcharge on my Bangkok to Kula Lumput round-trip flight

 

The above is a dishonest misrepresentation of the fees and surcharges by the airline or ticketing entity.

Most of the fees and surcharges are airline generated, and not government.  Some airlines don't want to be honest and  show that they circumvent fare rules by charging fees and surcharges. An airline doesn't need to  refund many fees and surcharges, nor does it pay  tax on all of them.

[Maybole]

It is referred to as a"Tourist Tax". Will it also apply to Non-Imm visa holders and those returning long stay farangs?

[fobuff]

and the only reason for the ETA

[wwest5829]

16 hours ago, Celsius said:

Finally all tourists will be insured.

And those who do border renewals every 90 days? And even though I have a year long extension of stay. If I leave the country and come back with a “re-entry permit” as a tourist I am covered for the 30 days?

[Patong2021]

46 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

The above is a dishonest misrepresentation of the fees and surcharges by the airline or ticketing entity.

Most of the fees and surcharges are airline generated, and not government.  Some airlines don't want to be honest and  show that they circumvent fare rules by charging fees and surcharges. An airline doesn't need to  refund many fees and surcharges, nor does it pay  tax on all of them.

To clarify, this comment was not  directed at the person who provided his fare summary.  It was about the airline practice trying to pass its own surcharges and fees without a clear description.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

So here we go again. 300 baht for every foreigner arriving by air adds up to quite a lot, but will it fill the hole left by the PTP's 10,000 baht for every eligible Thai person?

This whole idea smells of Thaksin from start to finish.

The promise of 30 day's insurance cover for all those paying this has not even been agreed.

Chase more tourists with both hands then kick them in the arse with both feet.

Amazing, I think not...

[DonniePeverley]

POintless. 

 

They scrapped visa fees for Chinese and Indians. That cost must be in the billions. 

 

I would gladly pay ten times more if it kept out the mass cheap tourists the Thai government wants. 

 

 

[Lopburikid]

On 10/24/2024 at 6:52 AM, Denim said:

Years ago there was a 500 baht departure tax so nothing really new. I can't  imagine it will make a shade of difference to anybodies travel plans since 300 baht is hardly a make or break amount.

I think that was an airport tax that is now added to the ticket price. Not 100%

[Paiman]

It can change again, always depends on the political regime of the day.

[Skeptic7]

On 10/24/2024 at 6:52 AM, Denim said:

Years ago there was a 500 baht departure tax so nothing really new. I can't  imagine it will make a shade of difference to anybodies travel plans since 300 baht is hardly a make or break amount.

 

On 10/24/2024 at 7:11 AM, dinsdale said:

There still is a departure tax. Bt700 I think. I thought everyone new this.

Right, there still is...it's just included in the ticket price, unlike a couple decades and longer ago had to pay cash at a departure tax booth.

[pomchop]

Us citizen who wants to visit australia has to get an ETA online and pay a fee.  Many other countries require ETA but no fee.  To get the ETA online can often be a clusterfxxk of required stuff to fill out along with pics of this and that and some of the apps are atrocious for not working...the Phillipines ETA app is a nightmare to say the least but it is right now still free. 

 

I was recently on a cruise where all pax were required to get the ETA for a port stop in Manila....there were lines hundreds of people deep for four or five days of people who tried and tried and could not get the app to work...it was a complete total nightmare...the cruise line had probably two dozen employees trying to help but even their computer experts had major problems....i would guess overall standing in line, working on the app, having so called experts assist it still took me well over 10 hours total to get it done...and i was relatively web savy compared to lot of the passengers....so if Thailand does it let's hope they keep it simple and hire people to develop and run the app...i shutter to think if that will really happen.

[lordgrinz]

3 minutes ago, pomchop said:

Us citizen who wants to visit australia has to get an ETA online and pay a fee.  Many other countries require ETA but no fee.  To get the ETA online can often be a clusterfxxk of required stuff to fill out along with pics of this and that and some of the apps are atrocious for not working...the Phillipines ETA app is a nightmare to say the least but it is right now still free. 

 

I was recently on a cruise where all pax were required to get the ETA for a port stop in Manila....there were lines hundreds of people deep for four or five days of people who tried and tried and could not get the app to work...it was a complete total nightmare...the cruise line had probably two dozen employees trying to help but even their computer experts had major problems....i would guess overall standing in line, working on the app, having so called experts assist it still took me well over 10 hours total to get it done...and i was relatively web savy compared to lot of the passengers....so if Thailand does it let's hope they keep it simple and hire people to develop and run the app...i shutter to think if that will really happen.

 

...or people just go elsewhere.

[pomchop]

Just now, lordgrinz said:

 

...or people just go elsewhere.

There were 2600 pax on the ship and most were so frustrated they said we just won't get off the ship...me included...but cruise line said everyone had to get it even if stay on ship....it was the dumbest thing i have ever seen in all my travels...clusterfxxk doesn't begin to describe it.  But i agree air pax do have a choice to just go somewhere else.  The aussie ETA also had a lot of issues but nothing like Phillippines and the aussie fee was like $10 usd or so.

[Gaccha]

Siam Legal writes

 

"The details are yet to be finalized by Thailand’s tourism authority, but it is likely that anyone arriving with a new Thai Tourist Visa, or entering under the visa-exemption or visa on arrival scheme will be required to pay the fee. Residents and those with long-term Thai visas will not be required to pay."

 

As soon as it is announced in the Royal Gazette I'll take this seriously and I'll read the announcement.

[SmokeandIce]

4 hours ago, Lopburikid said:

I think that was an airport tax that is now added to the ticket price. Not 100%

Yes, the fee is included in the ticket price; I believe it is now THB 700

[Digitalbanana]

On 10/24/2024 at 10:25 AM, Denim said:

On 10/24/2024 at 7:11 AM, dinsdale said:

here still is a departure tax. Bt700 I think. I thought everyone new this.

 

I've not left in years. A trip to the mall is about as far as I go these days.

There's also a domestic flight departure tax price included in tickets of 130THB!

[TroubleandGrumpy]

TAT says 36 million tourists in 2024 - times 300 Baht each - 10.8 Billion Baht - and none of it will be wasted or taken by corrupt officials.  So with the 700 Baht fee to leave the country, that actually means tourists will pay 36 Billion Baht in taxes, and none of it will be wasted or taken either!  

 

 

[sungod]

On 10/24/2024 at 9:12 AM, lordgrinz said:

Plus, will these fees and ETA requirements be needed for longtime VISA holders every time we leave and return?

 

I believe its aimed at those arriving on visa exemption.

[Sydebolle]

23 hours ago, Ctkong said:

Laos immigration accept kips or US$ . Can’t see why Thailand cannot accept thai baht and US$.

Departure tax was and still is an AIRPORT tax; there is no departure tax so far 8-) 

[daveAustin]

On 10/24/2024 at 6:52 AM, Denim said:

Years ago there was a 500 baht departure tax so nothing really new. I can't  imagine it will make a shade of difference to anybodies travel plans since 300 baht is hardly a make or break amount.

It’s still there, dude, ‘absorbed’ in tickets. Every country does it. This is just an op-top-of grab. If claims on the supposed inclusive insurance are successful, I will eat my hat.