Tourists may be required to pay entrance fee for visiting Koh Tao

[Chicog]

If anyone has to pay a fee to set up and maintain appropriate security measures it's the local residents, who in the end are the ones who benefit from visiting tourists.

Levy a monthly fee on bars, restaurants, dive shops, hotels and guesthouses, and voila, there you have your financing!

And they'll simply put up prices commensurately, so you'll pay for it anyway.

Here's a better idea:

Bulldoze every single property on the island and declare it national park.

[bigjules007]

Very sad, like I said in my previous posts, I will never set foot on one of the 3 islands again! Only way too truly hurt these people is in the pocket and we all know this.

[skinnymilinky]

Is it only for the western tourists then? Please give us money so that we can protect you from our local murderers..but if you do get killed at least you will have a handy wrist band on so we don't have to spend too much time or money identifying you!

I wonder if the Thai tourists get to pay a local rate...

[kurnell]

I'd love to see this island receive zero tourists and watch the islanders go bankrupt. They are already morally bankrupt

[coma]

What a joke. Classic uneducated knee jerk reaction.

[The Maltese Falcon]

Can't believe this, they should be ashamed of themselves.

Money money money and nothing else this country never sieze to amaze me.

[kuiburi]

Wonder who is going to take care of the funds and that they are actually used for security .

[Fred Flinstone]

Just when I thought they'd hit rock bottom, they manage to find a way to dig deeper.

What a bunch of jokers.

Yes it seems this is a deliberate message to us all

[gangthai]

I think this is a good idea.

Not every country can afford the security and luxury of other places.

Tourist come to Koh Tao becuase its cheap.

If foreigners want more security they should pay for something rather then complain something is not good all the time.

[OPG]

Is this the making of "Hangover Part 4" and if not, man oh man, the producer's of the movie Hangover just got their story line and script for free. I think this next Hangover movie will be the best out of the previous versions!

On a serious note, does anybody want to bet that this will eventually be turned into a Hollywood Movie? I'm sure Hollywood is following this very closely.

Edited October 2, 2014 by OPG

[Carl64]

Bye bye Thai tourism.

[h90]

So, they're now going to charge an additional fee to provide things they and the Police should be doing anyway ... classic ...

Well they can charge me 500 Baht entry fee....no problem with that.

But I assume that I don't need to pay any other tax (alcohol, cigarettes, VAT) anymore in Koh Tao as I paid already what is usually paid with the tax money.

[Thai at Heart]

I think this is a good idea.

Not every country can afford the security and luxury of other places.

Tourist come to Koh Tao becuase its cheap.

If foreigners want more security they should pay for something rather then complain something is not good all the time.

No the solution is that everyone should shut up and change nothing. I hope the families of the victims understand that.

[smedly]

surely KT is a national park and all land there is owned by the government/people, it's time the place got the Phuket treatment - remove the whole lot of them and bring the place under full government administration/control, send in the heavy machinery and level the place and start over - it is very obviously rotten to the core

[KillingTime]

<deleted>!

Speechless!

[gangthai]

I think this is a good idea.

Not every country can afford the security and luxury of other places.

Tourist come to Koh Tao becuase its cheap.

If foreigners want more security they should pay for something rather then complain something is not good all the time.

No the solution is that everyone should shut up and change nothing. I hope the families of the victims understand that.

ok change nothing and everyone still complain.

if we want to change people complain.

People of Koh Tao to do and change what they want ka..

[WhamBam]

Pitiful.

[GAZZPA]

Can someone please have a word with these people, honestly,,,

Investing the money themselves will bring in more tourists as the safety of the island will be improved, therefore it will pay for itself. It makes absolutely no sense at all to ask the tourists themselves to pay for their own protection when this is something that the island should be doing anyway.

Unless of course it's just another Thai scam aimed at parting tourists with there hard earned cash.

[Guest]

Before we heard about the electronic tags, now about entrance fee to an island.

I said it before and I will say it again.

Are these people serious coming up with suggestions like that?

I have had a lot of experiences in my life.

This is the first time I read something so stupid ... it made me dizzy.

Really. Is there no limit to the stupidity this tragic event has uncovered and dragged into the light of day for the whole world to see?

To erase any doubt in the minds of any tourists who were still considering a trip to this island ... problem resolved ... the government is now asking you to pay an additional fee to ensure your personal safety.

Beyond words.

[uptheos]

Who in their right mind would pay a fee for security, to go on holiday unless you were going to Mogadishu

Holidays are to forget about stress, not pay a fee to be reminded of what happened.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

I finally understand why it’s called the land of smiles now. No need to download comedies here any longer, just listen to all those morons that run this place and all their great ideas.

[Jeremy50]

The greed and stupidity of these people knows no bounds. All humans should be cleared from this place, so it can become a wildlife sanctuary where beauty can thrive. It should be renamed The Isle of Atonement.

[gangthai]

Can someone please have a word with these people, honestly,,,

Investing the money themselves will bring in more tourists as the safety of the island will be improved, therefore it will pay for itself. It makes absolutely no sense at all to ask the tourists themselves to pay for their own protection when this is something that the island should be doing anyway.

Unless of course it's just another Thai scam aimed at parting tourists with there hard earned cash.

In every country you pay big taxes but in thailand you don't.

Tourists benefit by not pay to much expense for good and services on the island and in thailand.

So if tourists want more protection they should pay.

Its simple.

Thais don't need the protection.

[cloghead]

The idea behind a fee would be to use the funds collected to boost security maintain revenue streams on the island due to decreasing tourist numbers following the gruesome murders of two British tourists recently..

There is no doubt the recent crime will have an effect on the numbers visiting Koh Tao and the international press coverage with dubious facts regarding the investigation of the case will surely do nothing to increase tourist confidence either.

Abso<deleted>lutely...

[toybits]

Isn't public security supposed to be the job of the Police Department? Most tourists already pay outrageous fees for taxis, boat trips, and tuk-tuk rides. After the murder, they want the visitors to pay more for their security? Bloody <deleted> Hell.

[Falcon]

What a completely rediculous idea. One thing the Thai's in charge of Koh Tao havent come up with yet, as a money maker, is a guided tour of where the crime was commited - this would obviously be a paid tour with photo opportunities and all. Should net them a few more baht with the ghouls going there.

[Guest]

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I think this is a good idea.

Not every country can afford the security and luxury of other places.

Tourist come to Koh Tao becuase its cheap.

If foreigners want more security they should pay for something rather then complain something is not good all the time.

No the solution is that everyone should shut up and change nothing. I hope the families of the victims understand that.

ok change nothing and everyone still complain.

if we want to change people complain.

People of Koh Tao to do and change what they want ka..

OK ... You are kidding ... yes?

Are you going to say you honestly beleive one Baht of this money will go to any constructive or meaningful organised and sustainable effort to make the island more safe? Really Really ??????????????????????

This is a grab for Tea Money at the lowest possible level and I am embarrassed for Thailand to be cast in this light on the world stage.

As for you ... please ... if you are going to smoke your lunch, please have the courtesy to turn off your computer first, lest you be tempted to "contribute" with this nonsense.

[Kered]

I guess that those who wish to end their life will pay!

[cloghead]

New TAT slogan:

Thailand...it's the new Somalia!

[tingtong]

Thai economics, lol.

Should be the other way around...first boost, then collect.