Would a 500 Baht emergency-coverage fee scare off foreign tourists?

[jackr]

Use some of the billions you are raking in off said foreign tourists, nitwit! Tell you what, how's about all Thais charged entry fee to our countries, but with the complement of dual pricing?

Suggest treating them nicely and paying people 500 baht to enter because when Burma opens back up for business, look out!

They don't know how good they've got it. Jeez, talk about kids in a playground!

[laurentbkk]

ridiculous one more time those people think with their bank account more than with their brain ( if they have any) .. wonder why tourists will continue to come here? to die in train , car , bus van , boats accidents ? so if i understood , the government pay 200 to 3000 millions but this 500 bath will bring 10 billions ?????? just wonder in which pockets the balance will go.

[oxo1947]

Would people care about another 10 quid on the ticket if they are covered for all medical insurance---some staying 3 months or more.

I would have thought that it was a no Brainer----Yes some people would, those in the employment of selling over priced travel insurance----

If this was a world wide scheme---(which ever country you go to your fully covered for 10 quid) it would probably be praised as a forward looking idea, but as it comes from Thailand, most farrangs will probably pan it.

[Thai at Heart]

Would people care about another 10 quid on the ticket if they are covered for all medical insurance---some staying 3 months or more.

I would have thought that it was a no Brainer----Yes some people would, those in the employment of selling over priced travel insurance----

If this was a world wide scheme---(which ever country you go to your fully covered for 10 quid) it would probably be praised as a forward looking idea, but as it comes from Thailand, most farrangs will probably pan it.

Great idea.

I think the USA and the developed world should show e access to their health systems for 10gbp.

Very forward thinking and the system would be bankrupt in days as will Thailand if it has to handle a couple of million foreign visitors expecting significant health coverage for 500baht payment

[globin]

They don't need this, they are just skimming again, greedy government, greedy politicians, greedy bureaucrats

[Maybole]

I have a permanent travel insurance from my bank for a small monthly fee. It covers me up to 1/4m £ per annum.

Will a Thai hospital treat me via this entry fee or insist I use my insurance? Furthermore, how much of this fee will be diverted into official's pockets? Remember the shortfall of the airport departure tax .

[Lancelot]

Five hundred baht will not scare tourists away, but 500 here, 500 there and Thailand is becoming ever more expensive. Most tourists visit here because its cheap; raise the price enough and the "value" seekers will find alternative destinations.

And lets be honest, tourists don't receive free medical care from Thailand. This is partly to fund the medical services received by Cambodian, Laos and Burmese workers and partly as a back door tax hike to replenish government coffers, near empty due to populist spending...

[Johnnie99]

Compare and contrast the theory that the answer is 'hopefully' - and why? So that Thai people would start to reply on their own efforts a little more, improve their decidedly dodgy service and perhaps be inspired to ensure that foreigners are not double charged, ripped off and scammed at every opportunity.

Answers on a postcard please, to TAT ...

[Spare]

500 Baht is noting to Farang.

Let them pay.

Their taxi ride from their home to their airport (say JFK) easily cost 5 times more than that (2,500 Baht or USD 80).

[Johnnie99]

Five hundred baht will not scare tourists away, but 500 here, 500 there and Thailand is becoming ever more expensive. Most tourists visit here because its cheap; raise the price enough and the "value" seekers will find alternative destinations.

And lets be honest, tourists don't receive free medical care from Thailand. This is partly to fund the medical services received by Cambodian, Laos and Burmese workers and partly as a back door tax hike to replenish government coffers, near empty due to populist spending...

I totally agree that Thailand is cheap.

[pomchop]

So Thailand spends 200-300 million baht but wants to collect TEN BILLION baht....that is a nice little return.

And exactly WHO would check tourists existing policies to see if they meet the requirement? Just imagine immigration officers trying to read the fine print in hundreds of different insurance policies written in dozens of languages? Hell most people can't even understand the fine print in their own policy written in their native language.

A very very bad idea all around.

IF IF they feel they must recoup the 300 million baht and there are 23 million tourists arriving then add 20 baht per person to the visa fee.

If they charge everyone 500 baht then the number of tourists seeking medical attention will balloon as they will figure gee we paid for it so lets go use it.

[GeorgeO]

Why stop at 500 baht? Surely the threshold could be higher? I think they could go up to 1,500 baht before impacting "quality tourist" arrivals.

Then jack up all the two-tier pricing at tourist sites for foreigners.

Then charge a "Air Consumption Tax" as all these tourists are breathing Thai air.

Then simply turn them upside down on arrival, shake them and keep all the money that falls out.

Seriously, I assume they will refund any "Entrance" fee upon departure if one has not availed themselves of the "local medical resources"? Not.

First of all, let's not forget that the THB 500 'departure fee' was not shelved, it was included in the price of air tickets, so all tourists are already paying that fee.

What is being proposed is an additional THB 500 'arrival fee', so there may well be an option to also add this to the cost of an air ticket in the future and then shake down tourists with an additional fee, perhaps a 'staying in Thailand fee'. The opportunities are, theoretically, endless.

What concerns me is the claim that it costs Thailand 200 to 300 million a year to care for tourists which I believe to be total b****cks.

If I, as a foreigner, have to visit a hospital, I am immediately asked who will pay the bill. If I have insurance, then the bill will be enormously inflated; if I state that I will pay the bill myself, it will still be inflated, although not enormously; if I say that I don't have the means, I will be shown the door...!

I personally believe that those armed with the knowledge that they are already paying a 'departure fee' within the cost of their air ticket will regard any additional 'arrival fee' as evidence of yet another shakedown of foreign tourists, and this could well lead to decisions to take their holidays elsewhere.

[Thai at Heart]

Five hundred baht will not scare tourists away, but 500 here, 500 there and Thailand is becoming ever more expensive. Most tourists visit here because its cheap; raise the price enough and the "value" seekers will find alternative destinations.

And lets be honest, tourists don't receive free medical care from Thailand. This is partly to fund the medical services received by Cambodian, Laos and Burmese workers and partly as a back door tax hike to replenish government coffers, near empty due to populist spending...

No, in fact it will probably turn Thailand into the medical tourism hub of the world with everyone with a chronic illness coming for an extended holiday.

[bender92]

So if I pay the fee I don't need my own health insurance? I could go to the hospital for free any time. Nice, well worth 500 baht.

[bigbamboo]

The cost is not the issue. The problems will start when 'misunderstandings' occur when tourists show up at a hospital expecting more than dab of iodine and an Elastoplast for their money.

[nong38]

Tourists will already have made their arrangements this season, if they charged 500bts on entry they will not be happy, great start to the holiday! On principle a lot will not come back, especially if they have travel insurance. It also remains to be seen what sort of medical treatment you might enjoy for 500bts, at the end of a long queue.

This is an ill conceived idea that will be seen as just another way to chip a bit more money off the Golden Farangs and you can bet the staff at the entry point will not be clued up either, just charge the 500bts, well how about my re entry that I paif for because I have a Retirement Visa, where does that fit into the grand plan?

[deecee10]

For the course of their stay, the average tourist puts much more into local economies and into government coffers than does the average Thai during that period.

Given that many Thais avoid paying income tax, how really is the Thai health system funded anyway? Or put it another way, could the Thai economy survive without foreign tourism? I think not.

[samuiwonder]

Worse. It will Piss Off tourists who will reconsider coming back the next time. who even has local currency when they arrive in a country? I had to to pay a similar fee once , to exit, New Zealand and I thought it was such an unseemly petty rip off that whenever I remembered that country, I always remembered what cheap jerks the government was.

[bruttabuona]

Bt500 will be imposed only on those arriving via air. For land border crossing the fee will be Bt30 regardless of the time you are going to stay in Thailand. So yes, for each Cambodia visarun you'll pay Bt30 extra.

the Public Health Ministry proposed a plan to collect Bt500 as a fee for entering the country from foreign tourists staying in Thailand from three to 30 days;.............so if one is on a 1 year tourist visa does one have to pay 500 baht every 30 days?

[harrycallahan]

I'd like to know where I can get the free medical care in Thailand? Every time I've got it I've had to pay - and not just talking about therapeutic massages ;-)

[Spare]

Why stop at 500 baht? Surely the threshold could be higher? I think they could go up to 1,500 baht before impacting "quality tourist" arrivals.

Then jack up all the two-tier pricing at tourist sites for foreigners.

Then charge a "Air Consumption Tax" as all these tourists are breathing Thai air.

Then simply turn them upside down on arrival, shake them and keep all the money that falls out.

Seriously, I assume they will refund any "Entrance" fee upon departure if one has not availed themselves of the "local medical resources"? Not.

First of all, let's not forget that the THB 500 'departure fee' was not shelved, it was included in the price of air tickets, so all tourists are already paying that fee.

What is being proposed is an additional THB 500 'arrival fee', so there may well be an option to also add this to the cost of an air ticket in the future and then shake down tourists with an additional fee, perhaps a 'staying in Thailand fee'. The opportunities are, theoretically, endless.

What concerns me is the claim that it costs Thailand 200 to 300 million a year to care for tourists which I believe to be total b****cks.

If I, as a foreigner, have to visit a hospital, I am immediately asked who will pay the bill. If I have insurance, then the bill will be enormously inflated; if I state that I will pay the bill myself, it will still be inflated, although not enormously; if I say that I don't have the means, I will be shown the door...!

I personally believe that those armed with the knowledge that they are already paying a 'departure fee' within the cost of their air ticket will regard any additional 'arrival fee' as evidence of yet another shakedown of foreign tourists, and this could well lead to decisions to take their holidays elsewhere.

It is now 700 Baht (not 500 Baht) of departure tax hidden in the airfare. Say add another 500 Baht of arrival tax in the air-fare, that only make 1,200 in both departure and arrival tax. This is not even half what LHR or FRA or JFK charge.

[Sing_Sling]

Wow, there sure is a lot of Angst pervading this thread abut 500 baht . . .

The question is if a 500 baht levy wold scare off tourists and make then go elsewhere . . . the resounding answer would be 'no'.

AUD/USD app. $15 in the guise of medical coverage.

How utterly ridiculous to think that a family which spends thousands on a vacation will baulk at $15

[siddv]

No not in and of itself. However, unknown to Thia officials many tourists are not completely stupid. News has spread quickly through the travel community of what a poor valve Thailand has become and what a poor job the Thai government has done to preserve the environment that drew world travelers to it. The internet is catching up!! Sure they still use Photoshopped images taken years ago to promote the fantasy land that no longer exists. They can have their polluted, overpopulated and commercialized beaches, death trap tourist vans, drunken bus and taxis drivers, jet ski mafia and a whole host of other rip offs that they think nobody knows about. A 500 baht fee is just the beginning.. They will cut off their nose despite their face...if only to maintain it!

[MILT]

I don't think 500 would scare off tourist. In fact most tourist spent at least that much just getting to the airport to get here. I think it would stop the expats on this forum from coming here though.

being on a tight budget and all. 500 baht is around 15 USD. It's not that much people.

[PaullyW]

Wow, there sure is a lot of Angst pervading this thread abut 500 baht . . .

 

The question is if a 500 baht levy wold scare off tourists and make then go elsewhere . . . the resounding answer would be 'no'. 

AUD/USD app. $15 in the guise of medical coverage.  

 

How utterly ridiculous to think that a family which spends thousands on a vacation will baulk at $15

 

 

I think what is ridiculous is that you don't understand the principle of this and how such a violation affects people.

Following your logic, if, say, vendors charged you an additional, dubious and unexplainable fee for every product or service you buy, you would only rebel when the amount bleed from you was too much to further bear.

That's dumb. You stop corruption as soon as you see it. Rich people don't get and stay rich by throwing away good money, no matter how insignificant.

[PaulHamon]

If the fee is structured into the ticketing, then I doubt tourists would notice or care.....if it's charged at the front gate....then it would certainly leave a bad "taste" the for tourists..........

Aint people already paying 500 baht (inside the ticket pricing) to leave via Swampy?

[canopus1969]

500 Baht is nothing, why worry about it, will certainly not scare off any tourist

[happysanook]

I think you should be exempt on production of a valid insurance document on entry.

I can see it having a small impact especially on budget travelers, but mostly on regional travelers from the ASEAN countries. 500 baht may well piss them off enough to make alternative arrangements.

They could possibly end up losing well over 10 billion a year.

The Thai Revenue Dept target for 2013 is around 2 trillion baht, so even if 1% of tourists were to fall away, then that could see a drop of 20 billion.

I don't think the title should say 'scare off tourists' but it would certainly 'piss off tourists'.

Thailand needs to get it's head out of its arse on tourism. I have traveled far and wide all my life, and I have seen enough major tourist destinations going from boom town to ghost town in a relatively short time.

10 years from now, I expect Thailand to be declining. Most have been there and done it, plenty of new places opening up all the time, fashions change. Thailand needs to start thinking about improving the tourist industry here instead of letting it slide into a seedy cesspit of scams and corruption.

You don't know what you have got until it has gone. Thailand would be cast back into the dark ages without its tourist revenue.

Don't take the piss Thailand.

I've got no problem paying it, if I get something in return. 500 baht for insurance sounds great, but I know that's not the way it works.

Besides, they make back WAY WAY more by charging foreigners extra at hospitals compared to what they lose to deadbeats. This is nothing more than a scam to suck more dough out of tourists. Smile while you get <deleted>.

[PaullyW]

I think the best thing we Farang have going for us is that the Chinese, Indians, Middle Easterners, and, to a lesser extent, Russians will protest this in various ways such as overloading the system or in the case of the Chinese simply advising their nationals not to go to Thailand.

Chinese are cheap as hell and will not like it. This is a case where we will probably be better off because of them.

Unless, of course, this fee is only levied on White foreigners (like many of the other taxes/scams/dual pricing?

[richard10365]

According to a Senior Officer at the Infrastructure Division of the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia,

"In ASEAN, under ASEAN tourism agreement Article 2(3) (http://www.asean.org/news/item/asean-tourism-agreement-2), Member States should phasing out travel levies and travel taxes on nationals of ASEAN Member States traveling to other ASEAN Member States. With this putting travel taxes on nationals of ASEAN Member States are discouraged. With this, hope Member States would stick to what has been agreed earlier, at least for ASEAN nationals".

Thailand can do this for non-ASEAN members but not for ASEAN members. Since this treaty has been ratified already by Thailand, it would be illegal for Thailand to charge ASEAN members an entry fee under any reason.

Edited November 19, 2013 by richard10365