More than 100,000 foreigners staying illegally in Thailand

[mdmayes]

This is just another way to get more Baht out of the Tourists. Its just another legal way for the Thai government to pick my pockets.

[franzs]

Seem to recall there was an airport departure tax in Thailand around 10 years ago ?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

this airport tax is still active, it is now included in the ticket price, before you had to pay it on departure

[Maggusoil]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

[horsewell]

Why not require a bond of $1,000,000 Euro for foreigners to enter the country? Then they could really say that it's a "high end" tourist destination. That would sort out this debate of tourism in Thailand forever.

[chaiyapoon]

I think this is cart before the horse.

We need some money, what story can make up to get it? This is going to wallop border trade.. Some people cross daily.

If this comes in people from bordering countries will likely be exempt.I can't see them charging the asean countries either as this would be against the spirit of the cross border freedom they are trying to set up for the end of 2015.

[anotheruser]

Hopeless, it should be 5.000 baht if they really want to attract quality tourists! Truth is they don't care who comes and goes, as long as they are getting cash out of them.

I am not so sure 'quality' tourists like to be extorted upon entry to any country they visit.

[Thai at Heart]

I think this is cart before the horse.

We need some money, what story can make up to get it? This is going to wallop border trade.. Some people cross daily.

If this comes in people from bordering countries will likely be exempt.I can't see them charging the asean countries either as this would be against the spirit of the cross border freedom they are trying to set up for the end of 2015.

Likely be?

Somewhat selective isn't it? I had a work permit and was a tax payer for 20 years? Seriously, they are going to screen which passport pays and which doesn't?

Now that is going to be fun....So essentially what they mean is they will remove free visa on entry for tourists, they are just calling it something else. Charging tourists in this way is rather against the spirit of being a tourism based country full stop. Just add 1% to the hotel tax levy...

Dada. Job done.

[Basil B]

Seem to recall there was an airport departure tax in Thailand around 10 years ago ?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

this airport tax is still active, it is now included in the ticket price, before you had to pay it on departure

Yes, there were a lot of people employed to collect the departure tax who lost there job when it was changed and and the airlines were charged instead, suppose this is a way of re employing them.

[shaurene]

Where do they get these politicians from, no brains, no idea, no experience just money, money, money. Well they have probably been told to think of someway to get a lot of money to help with the Rice cockup.

That was a good point, will we have to pay 500 more every time we do a border crossing for a visa. They should give this back when we leave the country.

Now all Embassies tell your governments to charge all Thais the same amount when they enter your countries, tit for tat.

Lets see what the Thai government say's to them.

[oldthaihand99]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

Quality tourist = usually those with money, usually from nations who can generally pay 500 baht like it was almost nothing, i.e. first world & Western nations.

NOT a quality tourist = generally poor people, usually those from developing nations, third world countries.

[Thai at Heart]

Where do they get these politicians from, no brains, no idea, no experience just money, money, money. Well they have probably been told to think of someway to get a lot of money to help with the Rice cockup.

That was a good point, will we have to pay 500 more every time we do a border crossing for a visa. They should give this back when we leave the country.

Now all Embassies tell your governments to charge all Thais the same amount when they enter your countries, tit for tat.

Lets see what the Thai government say's to them.

Why would they charge for airports and not land? Visitors are visitors. In fact, the idea that they aren't levying it on plane tickets shows they must want to include all comings and goings.

It is just such an obvious attempt to gouge people, they don't even attempt to come up with an explanation any more

[Thai at Heart]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

Quality tourist = usually those with money, usually from nations who can generally pay 500 baht like it was almost nothing, i.e. first world & Western nations.

NOT a quality tourist = generally poor people, usually those from developing nations, third world countries.

Where do Chinese fit in there?

[likewise]

I hope if those low lifes get caught, a short prison term, then deportation and persona non grata ! No sympathy from me and surely no help !

[freebyrd]

Quality tourists? What demographic group do they come from?

I understand the need to cover health costs to tourists/non-immigrants, I can understand the need for increased revenue to provide other services.

I see no problem in increasing the departure tax, which is included in airline tickets.

If there is a need to have a fee of 500 Baht at the border, I see no problem in that either. With the exception of Malaysia, most bordering and neighboring countries charge for visas.

How many other countries have free visa on arrival?

How many countries have visa application fees that are not refundable if the visa is refused.

If you can't afford to live in Thailand, maybe it's time you moved to Cambodia?

I lived in Thailand for many years and have lived in Cambodia these past 8. Admittedly, we Barangs don't get the visa grief that Farangs do in Thailand, however, that may change come 2015. That said, where did you get the idea that it's less expensive to live here? In some cases it's more expensive and before the usual crap starts getting thrown around, unlike too many others it seems, I have a family here and my life isn't bulit around the price of women and booze. One thing is for sure, having lived in Cambodia, wild horses couldn't drag me back to anywhere in Thailand. One man's meat......

Just out of interest since you have lived in both countries .... why do you feel Cambodia is better than Thailand, in what respects?

I had some very unpleasant experiences obtaining visas to work in TL and having to sit across the table and grovel and offer bottles of whatever and be generally obsequious to obtain a visa or work permit. I'm working here with none of those hassles.

I was married to a Thai and while sitting alone looking fed up at immigration circa 1994, was told in no uncertain terms by a well spoken and 'well educated' official, having been married for 5 years at that time, my wife having lived in the UK with me for those 5 years, to F@#K off back to the UK if I didn't like Thai officialdom.

I have a Khmer partner now and there is none of the sin sot, mother's milk attitude that was always the topic of discussion in TL, at least not in my case. She cares for me because of the person I am and never asks for anything and is appreciative of the kind treatment she receives from me. I don't treat her as a slave, ask her to get beer from the fridge when I'm sitting next to it and she's upstairs (a previous post from a forgettable someone on this site) or any of the other inane things that some post about their partners here, 'shag the girlfriend when i feel like it' springs to mind from one neanderthal .

Living here I of course accept that if I do become seriously ill, well I've lived a life, having lived in Hong Kong, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia and if it's my time to go, then so be it. Being able to be hooked up to a machine at Bumrungrad if need be isn't the be all and end all for some of us. Of all those countries, me choosing Cambodia to end my days, and all being well I should have another 20 years or so, perhaps tells you something.

I don't post very often but the condescending comment about foreigners in TL somehow being more wealthy, so join the 'poor' foreigners in Cambodia was rather shallow. A man's worth isn't measured by the money he has amassed along the way. As I said, I'm more content here than I ever would have been in materialistic TL.

Of course this is only my personal point of view and should be taken as such, but all around it's much more relaxed, you don't feel hounded regarding visas etc and the locals don't treat you like you're just a money machine, they are much more pleasant. I have friends and know other people who are very happy in TL, but it wasn't my cup of tea and I'm much happier here, but each to their own.

[Maggusoil]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

Quality tourist = usually those with money, usually from nations who can generally pay 500 baht like it was almost nothing, i.e. first world & Western nations.

NOT a quality tourist = generally poor people, usually those from developing nations, third world countries.

Where do Chinese fit in there?

Where they usually fit in. Just about anywhere. Quality tourists for sure. Its not like they can walk over the border either.

[oldthaihand99]

Where do they get these politicians from, no brains, no idea, no experience just money, money, money. Well they have probably been told to think of someway to get a lot of money to help with the Rice cockup.

That was a good point, will we have to pay 500 more every time we do a border crossing for a visa. They should give this back when we leave the country.

Now all Embassies tell your governments to charge all Thais the same amount when they enter your countries, tit for tat.

Lets see what the Thai government say's to them.

Why would they charge for airports and not land? Visitors are visitors. In fact, the idea that they aren't levying it on plane tickets shows they must want to include all comings and goings.

It is just such an obvious attempt to gouge people, they don't even attempt to come up with an explanation any more

People arriving by plane get a longer stay (30 days) than those arriving by land (15 days), so the former should pay more, especially with the inflation of airline fuel prices, & living costs in general over the last decade.

[jackandjim]

"backburner for thailand if this fee kicks in"

[oldthaihand99]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

Quality tourist = usually those with money, usually from nations who can generally pay 500 baht like it was almost nothing, i.e. first world & Western nations.

NOT a quality tourist = generally poor people, usually those from developing nations, third world countries.

Where do Chinese fit in there?

Very rich or very poor ones?

BTW, there are monetary requirements to enter LOS, but these are never checked. The new fee helps with that.

[Thai at Heart]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

Quality tourist = usually those with money, usually from nations who can generally pay 500 baht like it was almost nothing, i.e. first world & Western nations.

NOT a quality tourist = generally poor people, usually those from developing nations, third world countries.

Where do Chinese fit in there?

Where they usually fit in. Just about anywhere. Quality tourists for sure. Its not like they can walk over the border either.

Trains are coming. I meant where do they fit in the 1st/2nd?

In fact, if there is one group of tourists who have the single power to stop this nonsense, it's the Chinese.

[NoshowJones]

Quality tourists? What demographic group do they come from?

I understand the need to cover health costs to tourists/non-immigrants, I can understand the need for increased revenue to provide other services.

I see no problem in increasing the departure tax, which is included in airline tickets.

If there is a need to have a fee of 500 Baht at the border, I see no problem in that either. With the exception of Malaysia, most bordering and neighboring countries charge for visas.

How many other countries have free visa on arrival?

How many countries have visa application fees that are not refundable if the visa is refused.

If you can't afford to live in Thailand, maybe it's time you moved to Cambodia?

Agree.

Bali has a 750 baht ($25 US) fee on arrival , and a $15 ( 500 baht) Departure Tax.

The Thai proposal is nothing new - in fact I believe my country ( Aus ) has the dubious distinction of being a ground breaker many years ago with a $20 Departure Tax.

I hope no UK government official is reading this thread, especially the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

[Thai at Heart]

Yes. Good gambit. $16 US or Aussie, 10 British pounds, 11 Euros, 124 Hong Kong dollars, 97 yuen, will definitely keep out the trash

tourists won't it?

Perhaps the 179,000 Indo rupiah my keep them down a bit. This seems to be aimed at those very people who are exploiting the system

for profit on the bottom end. The "worker" tourists.

Its definitely not aimed at us.

Quality tourist = usually those with money, usually from nations who can generally pay 500 baht like it was almost nothing, i.e. first world & Western nations.

NOT a quality tourist = generally poor people, usually those from developing nations, third world countries.

Where do Chinese fit in there?

Very rich or very poor ones?

BTW, there are monetary requirements to enter LOS, but these are never checked. The new fee helps with that.

500 baht? Lol. There are thousands of better ways to collect 500 baht that are transparent and don't involve cash.

But that's not the point is it?

[Thai at Heart]

Next problem. Wasn't the 500 baht some kind of way to fund health insurance.

Now that is going to be fun. Give it 6 months. Thousands of critically ill patients are going to enter and walk straight to hospital.

[lucjoker]

just call it entry tax (as there was an exit tax years ago)

If they give you this 500bht back if you leave,.....then nobody ever will leave ????

Thats why the wont give it back.

[oldthaihand99]

Very rich or very poor ones?

BTW, there are monetary requirements to enter LOS, but these are never checked. The new fee helps with that.

500 baht? Lol. There are thousands of better ways to collect 500 baht that are transparent and don't involve cash.

But that's not the point is it?

I think we'll have to wait & see what forms of payment will be acceptable, whether cash or others. Assuming the entry fee ever becomes a reality. I think for Cambodia one may be able to purchase an entry online w/o cash. Ticket machines at the airport is another option.

[PhilipCook]

This 500 Baht thingy is fundraising. Might as well have tip boxes at each immigration counter(in and out) to collect their petty cash.

[robertson468]

So, 500 baht additional charge is going to change tourists from standard to first class? How delusional can one be and then the Politicians would lead us to believe that it will be credited to the appropriate Government Funds. I do wish they would stop insulting people's intelligence, for the sake of a few extra (a lot!!) baht in their pocket. Proof of the level of intelligence in the Government? Outrageous!

[Satcommlee]

What's a quality tourist?

A quality tourist is someone who spends their money in upmarket establishments that collect and pay VAT/Tax.

Upmarket Hotels collect revenue for the government

Dingy 500 baht guest-houses do not collect revenue for the government

Upmarket restaurants and bars collect revenue for the government

Pattaya Soi 6 bars generally don't collect VAT for short-times

Upmarket Tourists go shopping in Central, The Mall etc. all collecting revenue for the government

Generally not a lot of VAT is collected when selling Singha singlets on the roadside.

[Thai at Heart]

Very rich or very poor ones?

BTW, there are monetary requirements to enter LOS, but these are never checked. The new fee helps with that.

500 baht? Lol. There are thousands of better ways to collect 500 baht that are transparent and don't involve cash.

But that's not the point is it?

I think we'll have to wait & see what forms of payment will be acceptable, whether cash or others. Assuming the entry fee ever becomes a reality. I think for Cambodia one may be able to purchase an entry online w/o cash. Ticket machines at the airport is another option.

Just put it in the tickets.

But, of course that would make travel to and from Thailand all of a sudden seem expensive.

What about truck companies etc?

[PhilipCook]

Require a daily minimum tariff equivalent to the average daily spend the government expects from tourists, ie 5,000 Baht per day.

[laolover88]

They don't mean 'foreigners' ; they are not talking about Lao, Burmese, Khmer people, migrant workers and slaves and possibly not even Chinese, Taiwanese and other Asian/ASEAN people. They mean white 'tourist people' ; Americans, Russians, Europeans....usually known on Thai Immigration forms as 'Aliens'. You know... the ones who spend serious money in Thailand. Asian tourists who have that kind of money go to Burberry and Bond Street because there is nothing here for them to buy that they cannot buy at home except silly handmade things, fakes and nice times on the beach. Shame tourists cannot buy 'Intangible Thai Culture' but maybe some bright spark will solve that problem?