Tax Increase On Alcohol To Hit Foreigners And Benefit Tourist Police

[midasthailand]

A few years ago a train crash in Phuket killed hundreds of falangs.

Then falangs were told they had to pay extra for a gadget to get on the internet

Now we're being Taxed extra on alchohol. What is this country coming to ?

I'm leaving .........

Wow! hundreds of farangs killed in a Phuket train crash? Must have missed this news item?

[Godders]

THE LATEST "proposal" to charge foreigners more than Thais for alcoholic drinks could have carried off first prize at the recent Hua Hin international kite flying festival. But is sure seems to have got visiting and resident boozers in a tizz. Perhaps, in a sober moment, one of our expat drunks should remind the government pip-squeezers discrimination based on race is specifically outlawed by their Constitution? (Only kidding. Everybody knows that what the law says herre and what actually happens in LOS are two very different things).

Perhaps foreign governments should retaliate by slapping a tourist tax on mobile phone calls made by visiting Thais. Knowing the Thai penchant for boring each other's ears off for hours on end with banal chit chat, such a surcharge would probbly rake in enough to put Britain, Greece and the USA back in the black.

As for the bleat about foreigners not paying tax in Thailand, well what do they call VAT, which all expats and tourists are charged? Not to mention the automatic "tax" on pays on most goods here simply because one is a naive foreigner who is assumed to be not only stinking rich but also too stupid to know he or she is being scammed. We're not and we're not.

I really think it is time that Thai tourist authority freshened up their tired old Amazing Thailand slogan with a few extra, punchy words to bring the crowds of disillusioned and cash-strapped tourists flocking back - something along the lines of AMAZING THAILAND . . . We Don't Really Want You, Just Your Lousy Money.

Or would that simply be stating what is becoming all too painfully obvious to everyone living beyond these polluted (in every sense) shores?

As someone (a nasty, racist Westerner) once said to me: "Thank goodness the Thais are not very intelligent - otherwise they could be dangerous."

[Mario2008]

yes, 20 baht or less than 0.5 euro extra will really stop farangs from drinking more... as they only earn 1500 - unlimited amount of euros each month...

BUT

guess this is the big joke of THAIVISA to scare all the (half) drunk TV readers

Its a story from Pattaya One News. I guess Howard is in the know because of his tourist police involvement.

[soihok]

Has anyone realised its April 1st.

[feens]

This have anything to do with todays date? If so ... good one ... got a lot of folks ranting ... if not just another day in paradise

[Offroadlanna]

Well, looking at my calender I guess we are being 'wenged"

[Valentineboy]

Come on guys . Look at the date!!

1st APRIL?? Ring any bells.

[logbags]

Breaking News- 1/04/10

Doctors at Sirirat Hospital have officially recognised a new potent disease they have termed "Farang Bellyacher Syndrome" It is sweeping through the male expat community and is considered highly contagious.

People suffering from this condition are thought to spend way too much time online reading meaningless postings from other malcontents about every perceived wrong in Thailand. They pick up the disease from other sufferers on internet forums.

Symptoms are often profuse sweating, a red face and large protuding gut. Sufferers are usually older. They prefer the company of much younger rural Thai females and in chronic cases wear socks and sandals even whilst at the beach. Some are also known to suffer from "high pants syndrome" where they wear their shorts as close to their nipples as possible

These two diseases manifest with the infected jumping to wild conclusions about subjects they know little about, angry self righteous pontifications against perceived darker skinned persecutors, a deep seated hatred of Tuk Tuk or taxi drivers, a perverted ability to rush to rash conclusions about someones guilt or innocence in a legal matter and an allround ability to whine about anything concerning Thailand.

Prefered treatment of symptoms is beer served chilled at happy hour prices but his only provides temporary relief. Avoid these people especially if seen driving Toyota Fortuna or Vigo. If seen wearing a volunteer Police uniform contact their embassy quickly to have them isolated and returned home for a reality check.

Doctors are doing further research into another even more diabolical disease they suspect is afflicting expats in Thailand, it has been dubbed "Walter Mitty" syndrome- stay tuned for further news..............

[Murf]

I just told my girlfriend and she said her Thai friend called her this morning and told her the same news on the CH3 this morning...

[greenwater]

Today is APRIL 1.......fool day......

[Axelg]

erm..... aprils fools anyone?

[pedro01]

Yet another display of anti-foreigner sentiment. This change of course is completely illogical. It's the Thais who are the most to blame for the high death toll each Songkran, thus this new tax should affect everyone yet they are doing what they do best - pointing the finger of blame at someone else.

I would write a stinking letter to your local MP.

Please date it today though - otherwise he may take offense.

[timi2546]

.... farang food too very soon.

heheh !

dont drink or eat, just that !

cheers

[antony77]

this is a huge increase on a bottle of beer, consider the current cheepest in pattaya is 35baht this will almost double that, are they crazy or what, and to try to tax foreigners even more is just about the cazyest thing i've heard yet

It is still much much cheaper than what you pay for a beer in the UK or Autralia

[Murf]

Story unfolding now on CH7... They are trying to find some Farangs to interview but non of the ones in Pattaya have got out of bed yet...

[andrewfr]

This is great news for the friendly folk "importing" wine etc from Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Should be good for business....

[arthurwait]

Just heard that a mate is doing a beer run from outside McDonalds on Beach Road at 11am. Beer is still available cheaply in Chonburi town so the plan is to rent a baht bus for a couple of hours and head there. Anyone who wants to come along be waiting there at 11am. Identify yourself as a thrifty expat by wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt tucked into waist high cargo shorts, white socks and sandals.

don't stop at chonburi.....i can just see the new headline:

"Today a new group has enterd Thailands political melee , they are calling themselves the FFBT Freedom From Beer Tax Party and are better known as SUEA HAWAII.......today they stormed govt offices carrying esky's full of beer and armed with bottle openers and 20 baht flip flops....under the force of this tidal wave the govt has no option but to dissolve.....:

[Minsamui]

Is there any chance that this is the usual April Fool joke??

[andrewfr]

From the Constitution of The Kingdom of Thailand, Chapter 3, Part 2, Section 30:

Unjust discrimination against a person on the grounds of the difference in origin, race,

language, sex, age, physical or health condition, personal status, economic or social

standing, religious belief, education, or constitutional political views, shall not be

permitted.

[ableguy]

Tapping directly into the Thai belief that all farang have access to a bottomless trough of money.

This could mean an exodus of piss-heads from the kingdom, as it will double their budgets.

Do agree most Thais view us as walking ATMs but this proposal is ill thought out. Tourism is down and will stay down with stupid ideas like this, on reflection maybe it is because tourism is down, the boys in brown will have the chance to squeeze more kick backs from the bar owners. If implemented it will have a ripple effect and nobody will gain.

[arthurwait]

Don't drink.

Don't care!

Hey good to see someone else who doesn't drink in here. They could tax drink and smokes 500 baht a 100mil, couldn't care less.

Until no one comes to your party.

[kiwiinasia]

There is no way I am going to pay 20 baht more than a Thai for a beer (or anything for that matter).

So I'll stop drinking beer and get a hip flask to boost my water consumption if i bother at all.

This type of tax is probably against some UN Charter of Alcoholics rights anyway.

[hroz]

Hmmm what day is it. must have had a few too many last night

[sangfroid]

Don't drink.

Don't care!

Hey good to see someone else who doesn't drink in here. They could tax drink and smokes 500 baht a 100mil, couldn't care less.

Same here. I couldn't care less if all the brewerys and alcohol outlets in LOS went out of business overnight.

[bkkjames]

There is no way I am going to pay 20 baht more than a Thai for a beer (or anything for that matter).

So I'll stop drinking beer and get a hip flask to boost my water consumption if i bother at all.

This type of tax is probably against some UN Charter of Alcoholics rights anyway.

I think this all covered under the NAFTA agreement...New April Fools Tax Agreement.

[dhart001]

I know that being in Thailand for a long time degrades your analytical reasoning skills, but I cant believe none of you suspect this to be an april fool's joke!

LOL

[Pacifica]

Haha!

APRIL APRIL!

Nice try and so many fools jumped on it!

HAHA!

[bob4you]

Sounds to me like a "fool"ish April 1st wind up.

[Erich]

Good morning everybody

did anybody check the the date from today ?? It is Fools Day !!!!

[Theo007]

Shameless behaviour indeed! Reminds me of the newspaper acticle some time ago which blamed all the traffic accidents in Thailand on the bad driving of the foreigners.