Thai Tourism industry group warns against extra fee from foreign tourists

[webfact]

Tourism industry group warns against extra fee from tourists
By English News



BANGKOK, Nov 1 – The government’s plan to collect Bt500 from foreign tourists staying in Thailand more than three days will severely affect the local tourism business, the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) has warned.

Piyaman Techapaiboon, TCT president, said the tourism industry has generated substantial revenue for Thailand but the government has never reinvested the earning to develop domestic tourism.

She was referring to a recent report that the Public Health and Tourism and Sports Ministries were planning to collect the Bt500 fee, starting January.

Regarding the Public Health Ministry’s statement that the state spends at least Bt200 million each year for medical treatment to foreigners, Ms Piyaman said the expenses were mainly for migrant workers, and not foreign tourists.

The Bt500 collection is inappropriate, she said, while the move by the Airports of Thailand to increase airport fee at Bt100 per person is unacceptable.

Ms Piyaman said it is estimated that 26 million tourists will visit Thailand this year and the government has targeted a revenue jump to Bt2.2 billion in 2015. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-11-01

[soi41]

Finally a Thai lady talking some sense!!

She will probably be moved to an inactive post tomorrow??

Edited November 1, 2013 by soi41

[Aachen]

"but the government has never reinvested the earning to develop domestic tourism." -- Why should they? People like Thailand as is (or better as it was)...

[laurentbkk]

I can imagine the big mess at the airport if people need to change money to pay those 500 bath , I can imagine the long queue at "Entering Thailand fee counter" , immigration ..those at immigration but who forgot to go and pay this fee .....ETC ....... dont you see it coming that way ? And that's how some other countries will benefit from tourism instead of some greedy Thai .....

[CelticBhoy]

Good on Khun Piyaman for pointing out the greed in this idea.

It would be good to have many more like her in positions of power.

[Brevity]

Am I thinking the right way?

If the gov collects 500 baht from 26 million tourists they get 13 billion baht from this but the cost to the gov is only 200 million. That's 65 times more money than they need to pay for the foreigner's medical bills. How can they decide that 500 baht is fair when less than 10 baht would pay for the extra expense to the government?

Also, will they still collect from people who have work visas and Thailand social security who leave for a holiday or something like that? (I read that if you have a work permit you will pay for Thailand SS every month.)

[expat888]

This government has gone tax crazy and I see Thais following suit raising prices across the board on everything. The only exception I see is most food is relatively the same.

It's like the government has opened Pandora's box.

[h90]

I can imagine the big mess at the airport if people need to change money to pay those 500 bath , I can imagine the long queue at "Entering Thailand fee counter" , immigration ..those at immigration but who forgot to go and pay this fee .....ETC ....... dont you see it coming that way ? And that's how some other countries will benefit from tourism instead of some greedy Thai .....

And the fee counter of course only accepting cash Thai Baht......

And of course outgoing the same. If you enter Thailand for 3 days but than decide to stay longer....

[Lizard2010]

Am I thinking the right way?

If the gov collects 500 baht from 26 million tourists they get 13 billion baht from this but the cost to the gov is only 200 million. That's 65 times more money than they need to pay for the foreigner's medical bills. How can they decide that 500 baht is fair when less than 10 baht would pay for the extra expense to the government?

Also, will they still collect from people who have work visas and Thailand social security who leave for a holiday or something like that? (I read that if you have a work permit you will pay for Thailand SS every month.)

So where will the money go.

Better not say.

Someone will not like that.

If they do.

Can you imagine paying it.

Sorry not have baht.

Will be like in Bali.

You have to pay for there Visa On Arrival Before you go though to Customs.

Last time there a plane load had just arrived before ours.

What a lot of long lines waiting

[ginjag]

Am I thinking the right way?

If the gov collects 500 baht from 26 million tourists they get 13 billion baht from this but the cost to the gov is only 200 million. That's 65 times more money than they need to pay for the foreigner's medical bills. How can they decide that 500 baht is fair when less than 10 baht would pay for the extra expense to the government?

Also, will they still collect from people who have work visas and Thailand social security who leave for a holiday or something like that? (I read that if you have a work permit you will pay for Thailand SS every month.)

So where will the money go.

Better not say.

Someone will not like that.

If they do.

Can you imagine paying it.

Sorry not have baht.

Will be like in Bali.

You have to pay for there Visa On Arrival Before you go though to Customs.

Last time there a plane load had just arrived before ours.

What a lot of long lines waiting

There will be a time in the not to far distant future when say 4 or 5 A380s will arrive at roughly the same time , then the turmoil will start when all will need money(BHT at the ready re immigration---bleeding chaos-----do they care about that NO NO.

[monkeycountry]

Am I thinking the right way?

If the gov collects 500 baht from 26 million tourists they get 13 billion baht from this but the cost to the gov is only 200 million. That's 65 times more money than they need to pay for the foreigner's medical bills. How can they decide that 500 baht is fair when less than 10 baht would pay for the extra expense to the government?

Also, will they still collect from people who have work visas and Thailand social security who leave for a holiday or something like that? (I read that if you have a work permit you will pay for Thailand SS every month.)

According to the PTP government themselves in various newspapers they plan to collect roughly 10 billion baht/year this way, and they need roughly 300 million baht to cover the hospital bills. They have confirmed that this leaves an estimated 9.7 billion baht, which will be spent elsewhere by the PTP government.

The government has not specified what "elsewhere" means, but given their track record, I think most people are able to figure that out for themselves

[coma]

As if this cash strapped, economically unsound, money hungry government will listen to reason. They will just give MsTechapaiboon a big and carry on.

[moe666]

Got to pay for the rice program some way

[wolf5370]

I can imagine the big mess at the airport if people need to change money to pay those 500 bath , I can imagine the long queue at "Entering Thailand fee counter" , immigration ..those at immigration but who forgot to go and pay this fee .....ETC ....... dont you see it coming that way ? And that's how some other countries will benefit from tourism instead of some greedy Thai .....

You can bet you bottom dollar that they will accept major currencies too - at a set, and profitable, exchange rate!

[EyesWideOpen]

This could be one of the most insane ideas ever from the government...... TAT wishes tourists to come, stay,

and freely spend money.

What is the point of charging an entry fee ? That makes about as much sense as charging a fee to enter a food supermarket. The red buffaloes voted these money grabbing lunatics into power, they are the one who should bear the pain of these endless government revenue ideas. Why punish foreign tourists ? They perhaps should enact a tax on buffaloes , rice land, or bar girl money sent to Isan.....

Edited November 1, 2013 by EyesWideOpen

[Andre0720]

Resistance is futile...

Borrowed quote...hehehe

[Lancelot]

Medical treatment for foreigners...

I am a foreigner and I have never received any free treatment, nor do I know any one who has or even heard of other foreigner's receiving treatment gratis.

Of course they are refering to the tens of thousands of illegal "foreign" workers from Laos, Cambodia and Burma. Those unfortunate folks work for low wages on jobs the Thais refuse to do, so truth be told, they more than pay for their medical services by benefitting the Thai economy with below market labor. Truth be told, the way those poor devils are mistreated, I find it hard that the Thais do in fact provide free medical care. So what the government is really saying, lets make the foreign tourists pay for the care -if any is actually provided- for the illegal workers that we exploit to our great national benefit.

Aww why not, Thailand is such a great value for money that any one that objects to the additional tax doesn't deserve to be here, right?

Edited November 1, 2013 by Lancelot

[ginjag]

100,000 begging on the streets Bu/S##t, Farrangs being the burden on the health service Bu/S##t

Foreign workers mostly cross border jobs.

Farrangs to blame--get them at the airport -it's always them they are a necessary evil in the Kingdom. of course its not OUR fault we shouldn't have to organize workers to pay a little---OR have an arrangement with our neighbours on health.

Edited November 1, 2013 by ginjag

[cacruden]

They say they want to make it the hub in the region, yet they fail to learn from Singapore. Singapore airport is managed perfectly, one of the best managed airports out there. I can land, to to Immigration, change money, pick-up my luggage and be out on the MRT or taxi within 15 minutes on average (last time was the longest at 20ish minutes). Do you need a cart, well those are available free - no need to change money or anything - simple (Toronto you need a few dollars in change ), you need to call your local contact.... if you use a special phone bank just before exiting.... free for local calls -- no need for change. Immigration is a breeze, exiting is even quicker.... every small detail thought of. Here, they just try to make it as difficult and as long as it can possibly be....

[kannot]

Wont they just build this into airline ticket prices anyway??

[Benmart]

Finally a Thai lady talking some sense!!

She will probably be moved to an inactive post tomorrow??

Let us hope that the international media picks this up and questions the Thai governments true motives.

[sirchai]

Got to pay for the rice program some way

And the tablets for little kids in grade one, some Lamborghini's n' Learjet's for monks and those who're in power, and various other special needs.-,

[marcusd]

At least there is one person in authority here with a BRAIN

Sent from my RM-892_apac_laos_thailand_219 using Tapatalk

[marcusd]

At least there. Is one person here with a brain

Sent from my RM-892_apac_laos_thailand_219 using Tapatalk

[Lupatria]

Finally a Thai lady talking some sense!!

She will probably be moved to an inactive post tomorrow??

Yeah, because common sense is not really a part of Thai culure

[Benmart]

They say they want to make it the hub in the region, yet they fail to learn from Singapore. Singapore airport is managed perfectly, one of the best managed airports out there. I can land, to to Immigration, change money, pick-up my luggage and be out on the MRT or taxi within 15 minutes on average (last time was the longest at 20ish minutes). Do you need a cart, well those are available free - no need to change money or anything - simple (Toronto you need a few dollars in change ), you need to call your local contact.... if you use a special phone bank just before exiting.... free for local calls -- no need for change. Immigration is a breeze, exiting is even quicker.... every small detail thought of. Here, they just try to make it as difficult and as long as it can possibly be....

I agree with observations. Singapore, along with numerous other countries were colonies of Great Britan for many years. The British from that time left many good things behind (and some not so good), one of which was a formal, modern, civil service and an insistence on timeliness and service delivery.

Thailand, however, was never colonized or occupied other than by the Japanese during WWII, a fact they are proud of and rightly so. As a result, they did not benefit from the early, continual exposure to western ideas and concepts, hence the sad state of some of the infrastructure and the bizarre schemes that crop up from time to time.

Please turn off the flames before they are sent. The west is in a mess and I acknowledge that. What I am talking about is history and not present day.

Invading and colonizing a country is morally wrong IMO, but Thailand missed the boat and continues to watch the ship sail away as they grasp to catch up with their ASEAN counterparts to the south.

This latest scheme to squeeze money from tourists at the port of entry is poorly planned, full of ambiguity and sets an unhealthy precedent for times to come.

I opt to sit back, relax and watch the fireworks begin.

Edited November 1, 2013 by Benmart

[Peterphuket]

It is unbelievable, how much money they do capture already from the tourist, as it is anywhere in the world they want more and more, in Holland we say "Caterpillar never enough"

But I saw in the newspaper this week Thailand is ranking lower because to high prices yet.

[DGIE]

more power to you Piyaman Techapaiboon!

[bangarang]

"but the government has never reinvested the earning to develop domestic tourism." -- Why should they? People like Thailand as is (or better as it was)...

Yes... because no one wants to visit a tourist destination that dated in development. Only senile old people think like that and those people will die within 20 years. I would think that most tourists want to have an exotic experience but still have the updated comforts that they would back home to ease their personal security, so the government needs to invest to improve to continuously attract more tourists.

[HOOD Robin]

GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED

Land of Smiles ? Yes those poo yais laugh their way to the bank with again oh soo much corrupt money increasing their dirty accounts.....

Isnt it time for another coup ?