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

[FritsSikkink]

31 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.

Do tourists in your country get free accident and hospital service for that amount?

[MikeandDow]

6 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Do tourists in your country get free accident and hospital service for that amount?

This is will be used to compensate foreign visitors on a case-by-case basis

lets see what happens when some one trys to claim  it will be Oh you have to pay !!  every thing that comes out of Thailand is BS

 

[thecyclist]

10 hours ago, watchcat said:

 

They'll probably will be denied

Well, psychologists say to become a mature human being, you have to learn to cope with rejection and denial. 

 the Thais are giving us a valuable lesson. 

We should reciprocate, and introduce a fee for Thai tourists, so they can achieve maturity too. 

[FritsSikkink]

46 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

Well, psychologists say to become a mature human being, you have to learn to cope with rejection and denial. 

 the Thais are giving us a valuable lesson. 

We should reciprocate, and introduce a fee for Thai tourists, so they can achieve maturity too. 

Quite a few countries already do so: Tourist Taxes: Full List of Destinations Charging a Tourist Tax in 2024 

[digger70]

1 hour ago, FritsSikkink said:

Do tourists in your country get free accident and hospital service for that amount?

 

 

No I don't think.  so. 

 But tourists don't pay the extra thb 300 for the intended accident an hospital service as implied by Thailand .  And I don't believe that the thb 300 is going to be for this intended service  either.  

Essential and urgent hospital treatment is free.

In Australia, tourists generally do not have access to "free" hospital care unless they are from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with Australia, which allows them to receive some subsidized medical services, but not full access to free public hospital treatment; most visitors will need to pay for healthcare costs and should consider travel insurance to cover medical expenses. 

[BritScot]

16 hours ago, connda said:

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

 

Inconsequential. What's 300 THB.  Peanuts.

Principles (maybe something some are missing). Lots of big "IF's", with this 300baht payment: if, it realy is an insurance then its really great value for money. If i were still living in Thailand, i would have gladly paid 300 baht each month for insurance cover. However, knowing Thailand a little (probably lived and worked there for 16 years in total), this money will make a select few even richer and never be used on tourists welbeing.

[FritsSikkink]

2 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Essential and urgent hospital treatment is free.

In Australia, tourists generally do not have access to "free" hospital care unless they are from a country with a Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA) with Australia, which allows them to receive some subsidized medical services, but not full access to free public hospital treatment; most visitors will need to pay for healthcare costs and should consider travel insurance to cover medical expenses. 

Don't change my quote, I never said: "No I don't think.  so. 

 But tourists don't pay the extra thb 300 for the intended accident an hospital service as implied by Thailand .  And I don't believe that the thb 300 is going to be for this intended service  either. "

[digger70]

27 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Don't change my quote, I never said: "No I don't think.  so. 

 But tourists don't pay the extra thb 300 for the intended accident an hospital service as implied by Thailand .  And I don't believe that the thb 300 is going to be for this intended service  either. "

Didn't change your Quote  My bad , clicked Wrong somewhere . sorry  🙏

[phetphet]

20 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Incorrect

The tax will apply to the vast majority of foreign visitors to Thailand, though there are some important exceptions. Infants under two, transit passengers, diplomats, and individuals holding authorized Thai work permits will be exempt from paying the fee. However, long-term residents, retirees, and other non-immigrant visa holders will be required to pay the tax, including those who may not typically view themselves as tourists. This includes individuals holding the Destination Thailand Visa, the Privilege or Elite card, and other long-term visas. The position of 10-year Long-Term Residence visa holders and permanent residents is still under review, with officials yet to clarify whether these groups will be subject to the tax.

On a retirement extension.

I wonder what my Private Health insurance will say if I have an accident and have to make a claim .

Pretty sure on their claims forms they ask if covered by any other insurance policies.

Everyone knows what insurers are like for trying to avoid paying out. Could they use this?

[sandyf]

6 hours ago, impulse said:

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.

They have already been there and moved on, if you want to think they will go back up to you.

[Foek]

This could be good for tour operators who now have to make insurance for every customer they have on tour.

Just insure every tourist that comes in the country so we dont see these Go fund me posts anymore.

[Gobbler]

Stupid is as stupid does Mrs. Gump.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, sandyf said:

They have already been there and moved on, if you want to think they will go back up to you.

 

Are you claiming the Thai gub'ment has never done a U-Turn?

 

[EVENKEEL]

12 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Imported and tender

250g cooked at home.

[JJ-Thailand]

This government never fail to surprise me.

[Puccini]

13 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

Quite a few countries already do so: Tourist Taxes: Full List of Destinations Charging a Tourist Tax in 2024 

 

The following was probably the link with which you underlined your text but it did not show as a clickable link:

 

https://www.timeout.com/news/these-are-all-the-destinations-youll-need-to-pay-extra-to-visit-this-year-020224

 

 

There is a pinned post in Forum Support Desk explaining that most hyperlinks no longer work, which means that we have to give them separately in full text.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1347382-the-posting-of-hyperlinks/?do=getNewComment

[J.URIA]

On 2/27/2025 at 10:17 PM, 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.

I agree 100% .. time to recalculate and retire some place else ☹️

[bugger bognor]

This tourist tax saga has been going on for years it won't happen simply because there is no way of collecting the tax efficiently ! The airlines refuse to collect it on there behalf because Thai nationals are exempt the only way to collect is on arrival that would be a disaster and mass confusion mega cues etc. Just like the the bellends who believe we should all be getting a Tn and submitting a tax return it laughable

 

 

[Puccini]

12 hours ago, bugger bognor said:

This tourist tax saga has been going on for years it won't happen simply because there is no way of collecting the tax efficiently ! The airlines refuse to collect it on there behalf because Thai nationals are exempt the only way to collect is on arrival...

 

If only holders of Thai passports were to be exempt fom the tourist tax it would have been easy to include it in the price of the airline ticket but, aside from othr complications, the tourist tax is not limited to arrivals at airports 

[TheAppletons]

17 hours ago, bugger bognor said:

This tourist tax saga has been going on for years it won't happen simply because there is no way of collecting the tax efficiently ! The airlines refuse to collect it on there behalf because Thai nationals are exempt the only way to collect is on arrival that would be a disaster and mass confusion mega cues etc. Just like the the bellends who believe we should all be getting a Tn and submitting a tax return it laughable

 

 

 

  Why couldn't the government simply attach the fee to the electronic TM6 they plan to roll out in May?  That's for foreign nationals only.

 

  You fill in the information, proceed to the payment page, enter credit card data, press send.

 

  No payment, no TM6.  No TM6, no entry.  

[Nid_Noi]

On 2/27/2025 at 4:54 PM, 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.

It can be done as long as the Thai travellers are not paying it.

Now it’s called a tourist tax but what about the people coming to Thailand to do business? Will they be exempted?

 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, Nid_Noi said:

2 hours ago, Nid_Noi said:

It can be done as long as the Thai travellers are not paying it.

Now it’s called a tourist tax but what about the people coming to Thailand to do business? Will they be exempted?

 

That's part of what makes it complicated.  Who has to pay and who is exempt and how (and where) do they figure that out, especially on the fly?

 

I still contend that the simplest solution is to add it to the plane ticket price and offer rebates to those who should be exempted. 

 

Flying into BKK once a month like I do, I'm probably more affected than most will be.  And I'm not nearly as concerned with the $100 extra that's going to cost me in a year (12 trips) as I am that one of my trips is going to be derailed by some kind of online payment SNAFU.

 

Edit:  Or, God forbid, queuing up to pay it on arrival at the airport before going through immigration.

 

 

 

[bamnutsak]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

I still contend that the simplest solution is to add it to the plane ticket price and offer rebates to those who should be exempted.

 

 

This has proven to be a stumbling block for the years that Thailand has wanted to add a tourist tax. Airlines/Rez Systems are reluctant to add yet another line item, and collect/remit the funds, in a hundred different curencies.

 

If they increase the 700 baht fee to 1,000 then AoT will have to cough up 300 baht, they don't want to do this.

 

I think they can get the TDAC system to price in the 300 baht for non-thais.

 

 

[proton]

11 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

That's part of what makes it complicated.  Who has to pay and who is exempt and how (and where) do they figure that out, especially on the fly?

 

I still contend that the simplest solution is to add it to the plane ticket price and offer rebates to those who should be exempted.

 

 

Don't think Thais would happy being charged for entering their own country, even if they did get a rebate, in the end.

[roo860]

On 2/28/2025 at 3:11 AM, DonniePeverley said:

300 Baht will do nothing to stop the Benidorm Brits or Indians. 

 

3000 would be better to kull the 7/11 cheese toastie brigade. 

Won't stop the over size big mouthed Yanks either 

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Don't think Thais would happy being charged for entering their own country, even if they did get a rebate, in the end.

 

They're already being charged to enter their own country.  My airline tickets already charge 15x that amount of tax to get into Thailand.  (The taxes usually exceed the cost of the ticket itself).  Another $9 isn't going to sting any worse. 

 

And it always feels good to get a tax rebate, with the added benefit of knowing the foreigners aren't getting any money back.

 

 

[impulse]

14 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

 

This has proven to be a stumbling block for the years that Thailand has wanted to add a tourist tax. Airlines/Rez Systems are reluctant to add yet another line item, and collect/remit the funds, in a hundred different curencies.

 

If they increase the 700 baht fee to 1,000 then AoT will have to cough up 300 baht, they don't want to do this.

 

I think they can get the TDAC system to price in the 300 baht for non-thais.

 

Airline taxes around the world change all the time.  It's a 2 minute job at the the airline to change that number in their database.  They also have no problems dealing in whatever currency the passenger wants to use.   That's done every day.

 

I understand the reluctance to charge different rates for different passengers.  Which is why I'd propose charging everyone and offering a rebate to those who can show that they're exempt.  Whether they be Thai, or foreigners on WP, or whatever they decide.

 

Edit:  It may be more than a 2 minute job, but think about how many taxing entities charge airport taxes in cities around the world.  Local taxes, state taxes and federal tax rates change all the time.  Like when the city builds a stadium, and hoses taxes the travelers who will never use the stadium and can't vote.  But that's a pet peeve of mine...

 

[richard_smith237]

IF this works as an 'accident insurance scheme'... where by Tourists who've arrived can get medical treatment in the event of an emergency or sudden illness then this is thread.

 

Maybe there is less need for the famed 'go fund me' now...  People can get treatment without the government claiming they are a burden on the medical industry.

 

 

This has always been an excellent idea - of course the stumbling block is how to 'collect' in the most efficient and non-intrusive manner.

- Arriving tourists may not have Thai baht 

- Include it in the ticket, then Thai's pay it too (which is unfair) - they queue for a rebate ?

- Paying online with the new TM6 make it more efficient, the the whole TM6 idea is daft anyway - its not needed at all with Biometics.

 

 

 

[impulse]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

- Include it in the ticket, then Thai's pay it too (which is unfair) - they queue for a rebate ?

 

My vision is having machines where they scan their boarding pass and their smartphone and it gets added to their Line (or other) account in less than 30 seconds.  Their citizenship should already be encoded by their boarding pass.  Maybe with a few manned booths for those who don't have QR payment capability or want cold hard cash. (or if the QR scanners go on the fritz).

 

[bamnutsak]

15 minutes ago, impulse said:

Airline taxes around the world change all the time.

 

Yes, of course. They change hundreds of times each day: currency changes.

 

But AoT doesn't want to split out the 300 baht. If they did, this would have happened already.

 

I think the total PSC is now 750

 

PSC 700 TS

International Departure Fee 15 G8

APPS Service fee 35 E7