Phuket’s new tourism tax won’t affect foreign residents or workers

[webfact]

Phuket’s office of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) has confirmed that the upcoming tourism tax, expected to be implemented early next year, will not impact foreigners who reside or work in Thailand.

 

A MoTS Phuket official clarified that the proposed tax has not yet been presented to the Cabinet for approval.

 

“We should wait for any further information because now the tourist tax has not yet gone to Cabinet, and some things may change once it goes into Cabinet,” the official stated.

 

The official indicated that the tax might be designed similarly to the entry fees approved by the Cabinet early last year.

Despite the impending changes, the MoTS Phuket assured that the tax would not apply to foreigners living or working in Thailand.

“The tourist tax will depend on the type of visa a traveller holds,” the official explained.

 

Foreigners holding non-immigrant or immigrant visas or those with valid work permits proving employment in Thailand will be exempt from the tax.

 

“This approach ensures that individuals residing or working in the country aren’t subject to the same fees as short-term tourists,” the official added.

 

However, the official advised staying informed about potential future modifications to the policy, reported The Phuket News.

 

“It’s important to stay updated, as future changes or adjustments to the policy may occur,” the official concluded.

 

by Mitch Connor 
Picture courtesy of AoT Phuket

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-10-28

 

 

[Tarteso]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

the official advised staying informed about potential future modifications to the policy

Here we go again..🤔

[wombat]

If the tourists aren't paying the tourist tax then who is?

[Presnock]

18 minutes ago, wombat said:

If the tourists aren't paying the tourist tax then who is?

if you are serious, then realize that this is just more of the 300 baht added to the ETA for all tourists coming to Thailand.

[NemoH]

Hahaha.. 

I love to be optimistic but I don’t think the Thai system n process is designed to be smart enough to distinguish who holds exempted visas..🤣🤣🤣…

Firstly there are so many different visa types which are varied n changed upon whim n fancies of different Thai governments over different period of time ….and which varies in application 🤣🤣.

Next -The easiest mode of collection will likely be built into the air tickets … all other modes will be interruptive. So how can such system distinguish - unless Thai government spends money to modify the system.🤣🤣

In any event, another money grab by the Thaksin government. There will be more … 

[VBF]

17 minutes ago, NemoH said:

Hahaha.. 

I love to be optimistic but I don’t think the Thai system n process is designed to be smart enough to distinguish who holds exempted visas..🤣🤣🤣…

Firstly there are so many different visa types which are varied n changed upon whim n fancies of different Thai governments over different period of time ….and which varies in application 🤣🤣.

Next -The easiest mode of collection will likely be built into the air tickets … all other modes will be interruptive. So how can such system distinguish - unless Thai government spends money to modify the system.🤣🤣

In any event, another money grab by the Thaksin government. There will be more … 

I don't think the airlines will need to be involved.

 

Here's how it could work, and this is only "IMO"

The fee for the envisaged ETA could effectively form this tourist tax.  IE, if you  have a visa, you will have paid the fee for the visa and therefore don't have to pay the tax. This, as far as I can see will include tourist visas.

But, if you're arriving visa-exempt, then you must (when it's introduced) get an ETA, the fee for which will be regarded as the tourist tax.

 

So effectively,  you either get a visa OR an ETA.  Or possibly, if you choose to get a Tourist Visa, than you might have to get an ETA as well...BUT..... who is going to bother getting a SETV that gives 60 days when visa-exempt plus ETA also gets 60 days?  As for METV....I have no idea.

 

About now, I suppose I should apologise for being logical and forgetting TIT 🙄😞

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Phuket’s office of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports (MoTS) has confirmed that the upcoming tourism tax, expected to be implemented early next year, will not impact foreigners who reside or work in Thailand

If you reside and work in Thailand then you can hardly be classified as a tourist.

[Presnock]

55 minutes ago, NemoH said:

Hahaha.. 

I love to be optimistic but I don’t think the Thai system n process is designed to be smart enough to distinguish who holds exempted visas..🤣🤣🤣…

Firstly there are so many different visa types which are varied n changed upon whim n fancies of different Thai governments over different period of time ….and which varies in application 🤣🤣.

Next -The easiest mode of collection will likely be built into the air tickets … all other modes will be interruptive. So how can such system distinguish - unless Thai government spends money to modify the system.🤣🤣

In any event, another money grab by the Thaksin government. There will be more … 

this is what they are currently planning - using the ETA system such as that in S. Korea whenever one plans to visit Thailand, they must file the ETA (electronic travel authorization) at which time the traveler will need to pay the 300 baht whatever (insurance, handling fee, whatever) but first of all it needs to be approved by the cabinet and indications are there might be some changes to that process and even if the cabinet approves this program, the managers of such program says it will take at least 6 more months from that approval to actually impement it.  This govt might not even last that long.

[TheFishman1]

Yeah, I thought originally this tax was to help the people with no insurance during their coronavirus. This is just another way. The government is gonna grab money. I wonder whose pocket most of the money will go into it surely not gonna be given to the poor people of Thailand, the rich get richer here and they don’t care about the poor people TIT 

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, NemoH said:

In any event, another money grab by the Thaksin government. There will be more … 

This particular money grab was introduced by the illegal junta some while back whilst Thaksin was still on holiday.

All governments 'money grab'.

[wombat]

1 hour ago, Presnock said:

if you are serious, then realize that this is just more of the 300 baht added to the ETA for all tourists coming to Thailand.

That's the only way it could work.

[JoePai]

41 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

they don’t care about the poor people TIT 

So poor they can afford to fly to different countries ?

[john donson]

how many of us here are really residents ? we are only long stay TOURISTS... we should have gotten the status of at least resident, officially ... TIT

[MalcolmB]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the tax would not apply to foreigners living or working in Thailand.

It is nice of them to treat us like local Thais.

 

Good to be respected and appreciated for all the good we do.

[Cabradelmar]

He doesn't know. Low level local official talking like he rules the kingdom 😂 

[mfd101]

As usual in Thailand, complexity reigns.

 

And as usual their systems won't be able to cope.

[brianthainess]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

“This approach ensures that individuals residing or working in the country aren’t subject to the same fees as short-term tourists,” the official added.

As Immigration are front line on collecting this tax, don't worry folks, us 'individuals', will now be paying a 100b fee for our 90day reports as KOH CHANG IMMIGRATION has now implemented, so they will get it one way or another, will those tourists paying the 'tax' get a receipt to say they have paid it, unlike that mob on Koh Chang.

[kiwikeith]

2 hours ago, Presnock said:

this is what they are currently planning - using the ETA system such as that in S. Korea whenever one plans to visit Thailand, they must file the ETA (electronic travel authorization) at which time the traveler will need to pay the 300 baht whatever (insurance, handling fee, whatever) but first of all it needs to be approved by the cabinet and indications are there might be some changes to that process and even if the cabinet approves this program, the managers of such program says it will take at least 6 more months from that approval to actually impement it.  This govt might not even last that long.

Keep it simple stupid, I don't mind paying 300. Bhat to enter Thailand, so just call it enter tax and you pay it when you buy a ticket to enter Thailand 

Nz has a tax been in place for years called airport tax everyone pays for it when you buy your ticket. 

[black tabby12345]

'Phuket’s new tourism tax...'

 

I thought tax is the Central Govt Business equally applies  to the whole nation.

But Province of Phuket suddenly starts to charge Tourist Levy of its own ?

 

Is it becoming a break away region with Poo-tin's takeover plot?

Russian population there significantly increased for the past few years.

 

 

 

[black tabby12345]

“This approach ensures that individuals residing or working in the country aren’t subject to the same fees as short-term tourists,” the official added.

 

However, the official advised staying informed about potential future modifications to the policy...

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Translation:

 

They are  initially thinking about waiving  expats(with or without work permit) from the proposed New Tourist Levy.

 

But  they might later change their mind  for another Easy Billion.

 

Non-Thais have no means of striking back by votes.

So they are free to introduce another Rip Off legislation without any  consequences.

 

When the new Admission Fee for All  takes place,  you foreigners just accept it...

[Presnock]

2 hours ago, kiwikeith said:

Keep it simple stupid, I don't mind paying 300. Bhat to enter Thailand, so just call it enter tax and you pay it when you buy a ticket to enter Thailand 

Nz has a tax been in place for years called airport tax everyone pays for it when you buy your ticket. 

To begin with, it was a 300 baht tax on all tourists, now they say 60 baht of that 300 will be for insurance - means they will have to get the insurance companies to agree to whatever plus as it goes through the cabinet, who knows what else will be taken out. At first they said that the airlines would be responsible for collecting the 300 baht from each "tourist" - airlines just laughed at them  and said no way are we doing YOUR responsibility.  Next they might try immigration...

[isaanistical]

2 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

He doesn't know. Low level local official talking like he rules the kingdom 😂 

No, give him credit: he wants all visa-holders to enter via Phuket, so we avoid the B300 and Phuket gets more - er - tourists........

[Cabradelmar]

43 minutes ago, isaanistical said:

No, give him credit: he wants all visa-holders to enter via Phuket, so we avoid the B300 and Phuket gets more - er - tourists........

Yeah. 100 to 1 foreigner to Thai ratio isn't enough 😂 least authentic Thai experience in the entire country.

[isaanistical]

4 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

Yeah. 100 to 1 foreigner to Thai ratio isn't enough 😂 least authentic Thai experience in the entire country.

First time I went was a week after the tsunami - just wonderful, idyllic, except, of course, for a few terrible parts of the west.

Nowadays, I wouldn't cross the street to go there.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, black tabby12345 said:

'Phuket’s new tourism tax...'

 

I thought tax is the Central Govt Business equally applies  to the whole nation.

But Province of Phuket suddenly starts to charge Tourist Levy of its own ?

 

Is it becoming a break away region with Poo-tin's takeover plot?

Russian population there significantly increased for the past few years.

 

 

 

Just read the OP\.

[PETERTHEEATER]

There is an alternative. Pronouce the Ph in Phuket as 'F' and go somewhere else.

[CanadaSam]

Well, thank you for saving us 300 baht, and in the same year that you announced you will be taxing us hundreds of thousands of bath on our foreign incomes / pensions.

[kiwikeith]

3 hours ago, Presnock said:

To begin with, it was a 300 baht tax on all tourists, now they say 60 baht of that 300 will be for insurance - means they will have to get the insurance companies to agree to whatever plus as it goes through the cabinet, who knows what else will be taken out. At first they said that the airlines would be responsible for collecting the 300 baht from each "tourist" - airlines just laughed at them  and said no way are we doing YOUR responsibility.  Next they might try immigration...

Al airlines collect the airport tax for  entering NZ including Thai airways, its not a problem and not even mentioned on your ticket except maybe for includes taxes.

[BritScot]

10 hours ago, JoePai said:

So poor they can afford to fly to different countries ?

It is more about the feeling of being fleeced. If I never had a house, family and friends I would never set foot in Thailand.  Its glory days ended 20 years ago. 

[GTNZ]

They should tax us all as much as possible. Then watch Thailand empty out. Bite the hand..........