Public Health Ministry to ask Thai govt to collect entry fees from foreigners

[jmccarty]

Many people have there own medical insurance so do not need the Thai govt. to pay for anything. Tourists or residents with insurance they have paid for also need to pay for those that for whatever reason don't have any insurance?

[Travel Dude]

Sounds good: earn up to 10 Billion while medical treatment of foreigners costs up to 300 Million.

That's a fantastic return on investment; I propose this ministry for the Nobel price of economics.

[Hecate]

Isn't there already an airport fee etc

No there isn't.

[pizzachang]

This is not world first.

Many country have such law.

Some even force you to exchange x dollars per day to their currency.

What countries are these "many"? No place I've visited. I'm not doubting you but which countries have such a tourist unfriendly law?

No doubt this is yet another hare brained idea that will die the death it deserves.

Seems like I remember Mexico charged a fee, maybe an exit fee?

[anthobkk]

Haha, they spend 300M baht /year for tourists healthcare ? What a joke, I've always had to pay by myself everything. Means now hospital will be free for us ?

[Hecate]

By my estimate, that's going to add a little less than 1% to the cost of a RT cheap seat plane ticket.

Yawn.

If you're already wealthy enough to be covered by private insurance and deep pockets, double yawn.

I just hope they're smart enough to add it to the plane ticket so we don't have to wait in one more line behind a bunch of people griping about the high cost of cheap sex.

+1

[Dante99]

If visitors paid their medical bills, this would not be an issue. Thai tax payers should not have to pay those bills. But there should be better ways to deal with the issue.

[Mosha]

Isn't there already an airport fee etc

No there isn't.

You pay airport tax on departure

[TinoThailand]

Day 3 = B90

Day 4 =B500

Sounds perfectly reasonable hahaha

Just a way to get more millions in the pocket, and yes we do the same somehow

[Tatsujin]

This is right up there with the free bag of rice idiocy idea . . .

[bbbbooboo]

Stupid IS what stupid DOES ?

[mancub]

Thai logic......impose an "Entry fee " payable on "Exit " .

A better idea : Compulsory purchase of a bag of " Amazing Thai Souvenir Rice " 500bt before leaving . .

[frimu]

When you enter countries like Cambodia with visa on arrival, you also have to pay cash upon entry.

So you could also say, it was nice of them not to do it until now, but they are changing their minds now, it seems.

[Hecate]

This is not world first.

Many country have such law.

Some even force you to exchange x dollars per day to their currency.

Concrete examples please, genius.

Indonesia, $25US for 30 day visa, even more to extend. You're welcome.

[Hecate]

This is not world first.

Many country have such law.

Some even force you to exchange x dollars per day to their currency.

Concrete examples please, genius.

[Estrada]

So they will collect B10billion/year to cover current tourist medical fees for B300Million. This is just a scam, a friend was MD of the Company that used to collect the exit fees at the airport, he told me that most of the fees were siphoned off and did not reach the AOT coffers. For this reason the fee was built into the air-ticket price to prevent corruption. If they do want to include a fee to cover medical costs then to cover B300Million/year they would only have to add B15 to the air-ticket not B500.

[kentfx]

What countries are these "many"? No place I've visited. I'm not doubting you but which countries have such a tourist unfriendly law?

No doubt this is yet another hare brained idea that will die the death it deserves.

Laos, for one, and it's fairly expensive.

[arminbkk]

"........a year, the country could earn as much as Bt10 billion from the extra fee, he said. This money could be sent to the Finance Ministry and a specially assigned committee could allocate it to related agencies including the Public Health Ministry, which spends up to Bt300 million for tourists' healthcare per year."

Who says education is lacking in Thailand? You have to admit, they do know the concept of profit margin.

[ChiangMaiPigFarmer]

I think many are missing the reason behind this fee (or at least what the government is attempting to sell as the reason). Thai Government Hospitals under Thai law need to provide care to anyone requesting it - even a person on vacation. This fee is suppose to recoupe those costs.

What the Thai Government is not talking about is; how many vacation people would go to a Thai Goverhment Hospital and wait in the long queue versus going to a private hospital.

I do all my care at a Thai Government public hospital, with clinic, and it is very inexpensive. I have never observed a person on vacation in that hospital. I also go to Ram Hospital when I want fast personal care and there I see many tourists.

[Daniel5]

Indonesia charges $25 USD cash to enter and be issued with a 30 day visa on arrival.

Hint: This isn't a visa.

Absurd the number of posts lamely attempting to feebly justify this.

[animatic]

Slush fund finance act of 2013.

[Estrada]

Isn't there already an airport fee etc

No there isn't.

You pay airport tax on departure

No you do not, it is already in the price of the ticket. You could be paying this 2 - 3 months prior to departure depending on when you buy the ticket. The airline pays this presumably after departure probably on a monthly basis.

[X pat]

"Parts of the fees would be used to compensate medical service costs for foreign tourists, Pradit said."

Bullshit!

I will second that.

[smurph]

This has been in the pipeline for a while. Here is an analysis article from back in August when it was being proposed as a straight health insurance charge... http://asiancorrespondent.com/111966/thailand-considers-compulsory-travel-insurance-for-foreign-visitors/

[ironhorse10]

Not only are they trying to do this, but does everybody know except me why an export/import has to pay duty on the cost of insurance of a container load of items, I think this is called usery in the States and is illegal, ofcourse this again is Thailand, they can do anything with customs and immirgration they want, Pay or not play in LOS. But, I still love it here. Don't want to be anywhere else.

[X pat]

Next thing you know they will want to tax expats that live here. Greed for lack of a better word is not good.

[Swiss1960]

This is not world first.

Many country have such law.

Some even force you to exchange x dollars per day to their currency.

What countries are these "many"?  No place I've visited.  I'm not doubting you but which countries have such a tourist unfriendly law?

 

No doubt this is yet another hare brained idea that will die the death it deserves.

Every Thai who applies for a Schengen Visa must show proof of an European accepted health insurance during his stay

Sent from my HTC One XL using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[little mary sunshine]

This is reall inexpensive. Try to apply for a long stay visa in France, You must prove you

have 30,000 Euros. in Insurance (medical) paid in advance with a letter from the Insurance

Company befoe they will give you a long stay visa.....At 55-60 y/o Insurance is very expensive.

[Daniel5]

Day 3 = B90

Day 4 =B500

Sounds perfectly reasonable hahaha

Just a way to get more millions in the pocket

Billions

[androssi]

This is not world first.

Many country have such law.

Some even force you to exchange x dollars per day to their currency.

Concrete examples please, genius.

Indonesia, $25US for 30 day visa, even more to extend. You're welcome.

ASEAN passport holders, no US$25

Holders of Visa issued outside, no US$25

Holders of APEC card, no US$25