Thailand's New 300-Baht Tourism Tax: Aid or Hindrance?

[Ralf001]

2 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

300 baht is one steak.

 

Must be as tough as an old leather boot.

[jvs]

11 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

not a tourism fee an entrance fee for a country that will do double pricing and standards for all foreigners. The long term vis holders should be exempt too as they live here and are no tourists, but contribute a lot already to the economy. But Thailand never has enough and the greed will bring the country down.

If it means that when i have to pay i also get free accident and health insurance then i will just fly out and in again just to be covered but i bet that will not work like that!

[Harrisfan]

Just now, Ralf001 said:

 

Must be as tough as an old leather boot.

Imported and tender

[Ralf001]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Sure you can.  Thai people love a rebate.  They can take their international boarding pass with their Thai passport and queue up for a 300 baht rebate while they're waiting for their luggage. 

 

Same with anybody holding a WP.  Though I don't know many of them who would get their panties in a wad over a $9 fee.  I'm already paying over $150 in taxes on every airline ticket.  Another $9?  Big whoop.

 

 

If it is not added to the air ticket cost I would have to pay out of my own pocket (I do not pay for flights) .... I would queue to get my Bt.300 back.... that will buy me a nice tough to chew steak for dinner.

[Ralf001]

7 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

Imported and tender

 

 

where are you buying it ?

[Harrisfan]

2 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

 

 

where are you buying it ?

Korat

[statman78]

6 hours ago, blaze master said:

How nice of them to exempt travellers in transit. 

Unlike the fee the UK will be imposing.  I read in several sources that it also will apply to transit passengers.

 

i just did a search and saw that a few weeks ago the UK dropped the idea of changing transit passengers, however, they are considering raising the fee.

[blaze master]

6 minutes ago, statman78 said:

Unlike the fee the UK will be imposing.  I read in several sources that it also will apply to transit passengers.

 

i just did a search and saw that a few weeks ago the UK dropped the idea of changing transit passengers, however, they are considering raising the fee.

 

Charging.in transit seems excess.

 

[dddave]

B300 is a pittance compared to the many "Tourist Taxes" applied worldwide, sometimes in Europe, even city taxes; Barcelona for instance.  This CNN report gives a bit of perspective: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/tourist-taxes-do-they-work/index.html

 

My concern is that the bulk of this cash windfall will end-up in the pockets of appointed officials and politicians and little will trickle down to the purpose for which it is intended.

 

As to those who use this story to continue their grousing about "dual-pricing", you seem to ignore the fact that dual-pricing for residents and citizens occurs in almost every tourist location.  In Europe, most national museums are free for citizens as are many recreational facilities.  In the USA, go to any municipal or local beach or swimming area and locals will have a sticker that allows them free or reduced rates.  US state parks and recreation areas always have different rates for residents and non-residents as do fishing and hunting permits.   Give it  rest!! 

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, impulse said:

Just add it to the airline ticket.

They already thought they could do that, but it cannot be done.

Airline taxes apply to all passengers, they can only be varied by ticket class, not personal detail  such as nationality.

Attaching the payment to the online TM6 would resolve the problem in respect of air passengers,  land borders may still be problematic.

People should be thankful it is not being collected by accommodation providers like many other countries.

[impulse]

14 minutes ago, sandyf said:

They already thought they could do that, but it cannot be done.

Airline taxes apply to all passengers, they can only be varied by ticket class, not personal detail  such as nationality.

Attaching the payment to the online TM6 would resolve the problem in respect of air passengers,  land borders may still be problematic.

People should be thankful it is not being collected by accommodation providers like many other countries.

 

As I mentioned above, they could add the tax to plane tickets and do a refund in the airport while Thai (and other exempt) people are waiting for their luggage.  Show your boarding pass and passport and they hand you 300 baht and stamp your BP so it can't be used twice.  Eezy Peezy.   

 

And they'd increase the take if they made the queues real long so the well heeled wouldn't bother.  They could probably also do rebates with QR payment systems where you scan your BP and take the funds into your smartphone.  Thai people like rebates...

 

[Wrwest]

17 hours ago, impulse said:

I don't mind paying the 300 baht as long as it's easy to pay, with no queuing up.  And no SNAFUs if paying it online.  Just add it to the airline ticket.

 

Only question for me is, as on annual extension of stay if I am subject, and if so seeing the insurance coverage?

[impulse]

24 minutes ago, Wrwest said:

Only question for me is, as on annual extension of stay if I am subject, and if so seeing the insurance coverage?

 

I can't imagine there will be honest to gosh insurance for $9.  More like a fund from which they can pay the hospital debts of tourists that get treated and can't (or won't) pay.  As I recall, Thailand gets stuck with about 400 million baht of unpaid hospital bills each year from tourists that don't pay.

 

I know the word "insurance" is getting tossed around, but I think that's a misunderstanding.  Though it would be nice if I were wrong there.

 

 

[NoshowJones]

18 hours ago, impulse said:

I don't mind paying the 300 baht as long as it's easy to pay, with no queuing up.  And no SNAFUs if paying it online.  Just add it to the airline ticket.

 

I think it's a great idea as it means (well it's supposed to) that we won't need any medical insurance.

[MikeandDow]

Just now, NoshowJones said:

I think it's a great idea as it means (well it's supposed to) that we won't need any medical insurance.

Ha Ha !! like to see you claim it  blood out of a stone comes to mind

[impulse]

1 minute ago, NoshowJones said:

I think it's a great idea as it means (well it's supposed to) that we won't need any medical insurance.

 

Medical insurance for $9 doesn't pass the sniff test.  I think something is lost in translation.  Or someone's just fibbing.

 

[NoshowJones]

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Medical insurance for $9 doesn't pass the sniff test.  I think something is lost in translation.  Or someone's just fibbing.

 

What government in any country doesn't fib.

[NoshowJones]

16 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Will not be applied to those who enter on a non immigrant visa/stay extension ?

What if you have a re entry permit. Having that means you live in Thailand and are not a tourist.

[Ralf001]

Just now, NoshowJones said:

What if you have a re entry permit. Having that means you live in Thailand and are not a tourist.

 

Looks like any foreigner entering the country has to pay if they do not hold a work permit.

[impulse]

14 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

What government in any country doesn't fib.

 

On that, we agree.  But a little bit of clarification would be nice.  Or we'll have a thread about the British guy in a scooter crash who thinks he had insurance but now needs to do a GoFundMe. 

 

And those threads never end well.

 

[xtrnuno41]

Ok, next CO2 tax , as the many tourists give more CO2, by breathing.

Plastic tax as the foreigners use a lot of plastic.

Higher prices on petrol, as foreigners travel and more petrol is needed, so more CO2

Higher prices in water, as foreigners use a lot of water.

Of course ONLY for foreigners.  

[SmokeandIce]

2 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

300 baht is one steak.

But I have no desire to buy Thai government officials a steak dinner.

[StayinThailand2much]

Most likely not a problem for people travelling to Thailand once a year for a short holiday. But will be tricky for tourists that like to visit other countries in the region as well, before returning once more to Thailand. Personally, I will probably get a visa for, say two months, extend it, and that's it till next year... Will just spend the other nine months somewhere else.

[MikeandDow]

2 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Most likely not a problem for people travelling to Thailand once a year. But will be a tricky for tourists that like to visit other countries, before returning once more to Thailand. Personally, I will probably get a visa for, say two months, extend it, and that's it... Will spend the other nine months somewhere else.

I belive its EACH entry 300 baht airport 150baht land  but noithing has been load in stone this goverment flip flops all the time

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

Looks like any foreigner entering the country has to pay if they do not hold a work permit.

 

I don't mind paying once, but imagine you travel to Thailand six times a year; that would be a cool 2,000 baht incl. bank fees...

[StayinThailand2much]

4 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

I belive its EACH entry 300 baht airport 150baht land  but noithing has been load in stone this goverment flip flops all the time

 

That's what I meant. Not keen to pay 300 baht every time, so, personally, I will limit my trips to not more than 2 a year due to this extra bureaucratic (not so much financial) burden...

 

Also, what happens if one is denied entry? Will there be a on-the-spot refund in cash by the IO? 😆

[Ralf001]

4 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

 

I don't mind paying once, but imagine you travel to Thailand six times a year; that would be a cool 2,000 baht incl. bank fees...

 

cheap insurance though.

[StayinThailand2much]

Just now, Ralf001 said:

 

cheap insurance though.

 

What insurance?? I don't think, it will guarantee entry. And any 'insurance' one might get, will be useless. Okay, maybe they will insure accidental death with 10,000 baht... 😆

[digger70]

Thailand's New 300-Baht Tourism Tax: Aid or Hindrance?

 

Bring it on  double it  .

If,   We Have to pay than We Should get FREE Accident and Health/Hospital Treatment RIGHT?

Never ,Never  going to happen .

No more go Fund  ?

Just an other Greedy Tax Scam for Whoever can get their sticky  claws on.

[StayinThailand2much]

9 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Thailand's New 300-Baht Tourism Tax: Aid or Hindrance?

 

Bring it on  double it  .

If,   We Have to pay than We Should get FREE Accident and Health/Hospital Treatment RIGHT?

Never ,Never  going to happen .

No more go Fund  ?

Just an other Greedy Tax Scam for Whoever can get their sticky  claws on.

 

Spot on. IMHO, we won't get anything meaningful (e.g. hospital treatment) for it. It's just a money grab. But yes, I appreciate the planning assistance. Instead of most of the year for the next few years, I will plan only 2-3 months in Thailand, checking out Vietnam, the Philippines, etc. instead.