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

[KamalaRider]

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.

Koh Tao cheap?

Have you been there?

Not every country can afford...., I'm sorry, I have to be blunt and a bit rude, did you turn on your brain before commenting?

With Thailands GDP 10% revenue from tourism, don't you think some of it should cover safety and protection whilst them visiting tourist areas?

If Thai wants more security, they stay home and don't even talk to their neighbours.

The complaints started with two young getting murdered and raped, should they have payed not to get murdered?

The height of stupidity amongst Thais are increasing by the hour it seems.

[Emster23]

This makes as much sense as bars that raise beer prices because fewer customers..... How about a fee for any Thai to go on the island? Use money to document who comes and goes? Theater of the Absurd is alive and well in LOS.

[laolover88]

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.

Well if that is a considered Thai view!!! People, generally pay taxes in their home country, not in a holiday destination,

Of course Thais don't pay taxes. I think the figure is 4% of people

Visitors to Thailand pay higher rates for everything than Thai people

'More protection'? Than what? Than what the State Services are supposed to provide as normal?

You mean the visitors should shuffle backhanders too?

[SandyFeet]

Does anyone have any idea what legal authority they have to do this? Ever seen anywhere where local government charges visitors to enter an entire district? Seems pretty illegal, and more importantly, in the interests of Bangkok not to allow it.

[Cuchulainn]

ROLL UP ROLL UP. Pay here to get bludgeoned to death.

Shameful and pathetic.

[ajarnmarc]

Wow, the government is so clever...they've figured out a way to make up for lost revenue,

and help pay for services that should already be provided.

Amazing Thailand

[keithcresswell]

This can be defined in two words. Protection racket.

[OnTheRun]

It depends how much? You'd think B200 would be ok though if it was over B500+ then its getting on the ridiculous side of things IMO.

Anything more than <deleted> all Baht would be both insulting and ridiculous, let them get their own house in order and pay for it out of their own current scams.

In a land of idiotic statements from officialdom, this is up there with the top of them.

[SPB65]

Is this some new grizzly theme park concept ? Pay an entrance fee to a murder site where the (real) killers are still on the loose. Just when you think they've hit rock bottom, they plumb the depths even further. Utterly, utterly shameless.

[DrTuner]

Why limit it to Kho Tao ? Have the farangs pay for entering a BigC, or actually, just have them pay every time you spot one, grant Thais legal right to relieve a farang of his/her money on sight. That's what they want.

[soalbundy]

Why limit it to Kho Tao ? Have the farangs pay for entering a BigC, or actually, just have them pay every time you spot one, grant Thais legal right to relieve a farang of his/her money on sight. That's what they want.

They do that already

[kblaze]

Hilarious little exchange we had here;

1) jonesthebaker makes a strange comment comparing paying in thailand to paying at disneyland

2) soutpeel responds in typical soutpeel fashion with a clever, harmless quip

3) jonesthebaker is instantly confused and starts barking that soutpeel doesn't understand irony when it is actually clear he doesnt understand it"

4) soutpeel get annoyed and remarks that he must be an english teacher from the states

5) jonesthebaker gets upset and responds that soutpeel must be american and that he hates americans

Long story short; two posters spar and accuse each other of being Americans before realizing they are both from the Commonwealth and share a common distaste for Americans. Classic Thaivisa.

Edited October 2, 2014 by kblaze

[SirBser]

Tourists shouldnt pay, businesses should pay!

Pay for possibly your own death!

[aspenninja]

Hilarious little exchange we had here;

1) jonesthebaker makes a strange comment comparing paying in thailand to paying at disneyland

2) soutpeel responds in typical soutpeel fashion with a clever, harmless quip

3) jonesthebaker is instantly confused and starts barking that soutpeel doesn't understand irony when it is actually clear he doesnt understand it"

4) soutpeel get annoyed and remarks that he must be an english teacher from the states

5) jonesthebaker gets upset and responds that soutpeel must be american and that he hates americans

Long story short; two posters spar and accuse each other of being Americans before realizing they are both from the UK and share a common distaste for Americans. Classic Thaivisa.

Meanwhile, the American reading is laughing is @$$ off.

[skildpadden]

Luckily there are plenty other beautiful islands in Thailand that also offers good diving, so bye, bye Koh Tao. You need us more than we need you.

[Jim walker]

They couldn’t convince me to go there regardless how much money they would pay me to go, and wear my Tag I think they can safely shut up shop in Koh Tao most tourists who plan a holiday ahead will know by now what happens to tourists who wear bikinis in Koh Tao regardless of the fine efficient police who hopefully we will be praising for real in three day’s time .

[oneday]

More money for the corrupt local mafia.

[Pundi6446]

Ridiculous

[Dannybigboy]

Are we going to pay for the presence of Thai police on the Island of Koh Tao ???? Are we ( the Tourists ) to pay for our own safety while staying on this Island ?? What safety ??? I trust my dog more than thai officials !! What a joke....what an insult to us farangs !!

[inwardglee]

@ gangthai: I guess you expect a traveller, tourist or resident in Thailand to see all perfect like in paradise.

Don't you think that criticism is much needed, in any organzization or system, even if you see Thailand as the perfect heaven?

[phil2407]

Final nail in the coffin I guess

[Soutpeel]

Hilarious little exchange we had here;

1) jonesthebaker makes a strange comment comparing paying in thailand to paying at disneyland

2) soutpeel responds in typical soutpeel fashion with a clever, harmless quip

3) jonesthebaker is instantly confused and starts barking that soutpeel doesn't understand irony when it is actually clear he doesnt understand it"

4) soutpeel get annoyed and remarks that he must be an english teacher from the states

5) jonesthebaker gets upset and responds that soutpeel must be american and that he hates americans

Long story short; two posters spar and accuse each other of being Americans before realizing they are both from the UK and share a common distaste for Americans. Classic Thaivisa.

nice summary...except..technically speaking I am not from UK...

[Carrerakiss]

Hmm, what this says to me is that discussions among locals are focussing on tourists in general and, I suppose, these victims in particular, being the problem. Sort of along the lines that if they weren't here, nothing would have happened.

From that starting point, it's easy then to make a step toward only providing security, if the problem people pay for it.

Naturally, this being Thailand, the next step (yet to be taken) will be charging this fee while not providing any extra security, so that the overall fall off in tourism revenue in Koh Tao is made whole again.

Transparent to those who know, totally hidden from the average tourist who just looks at pictures in a brochure or online.

[lmaxv]

Figure out what should be charged per person, then at the end of the day count how many people came to Koh Tao, multiply this times the cost/person... then have all the local business split that cost and deposit it to pay for the added security!

[Spock]

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.

What a load of rubbish! Tourists should not require protection, particularly on a small idyllic island such as Koh Tao. What tax Thailand imposes on its own citizens is up to them but it is not up to tourists to make up the shortfall. Can't think of any country where levies are imposed on tourists to provide security during their visit.

[KamalaRider]

If anyone thinks these stupid and completely idiotic solutions, paired with corruption and greed, won't have any effect on down spiraling tourism for Thailand, think again and look back in time and remember what happened to Spain, Greece and Portugal.

They all went up like a plane and crashed because of the pilots and crews were too greedy.

The lack of safety, the increasing cost and not letting tourists have a pleasurable time while visiting those countries cost them everything in the end.

And so will be the result for Thailand, mark my words, even if might take a bit longer time, there's no escape for hostile hosts.

Bend over and take it with a smile, I'm not raping you or stealing your cash, I only want to be your friend. "Famous Thai saying"

[soalbundy]

If anyone thinks these stupid and completely idiotic solutions, paired with corruption and greed, won't have any effect on down spiraling tourism for Thailand, think again and look back in time and remember what happened to Spain, Greece and Portugal.

They all went up like a plane and crashed because of the pilots and crews were too greedy.

The lack of safety, the increasing cost and not letting tourists have a pleasurable time while visiting those countries cost them everything in the end.

And so will be the result for Thailand, mark my words, even if might take a bit longer time, there's no escape for hostile hosts.

Bend over and take it with a smile, I'm not raping you or stealing your cash, I only want to be your friend. "Famous Thai saying"

It's the bar girls that save Thailand,time and time again.

[thesetat2013]

Perhaps since it has become known that the BIB have been extorting money from illegal workers and illegal drivers that they want to implement this fee to get the police another source of additional income. The police could not guarantee your safety even if they increased security. Heck, i dont even think they could protect you if they gave each tourist a armed escort

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[kblaze]

nice summary...except..technically speaking I am not from UK...

Damn! thought I had it nailed down. I made an edit...am I closer?

[risky11]

This reminds me of the TSA "security tax" that airports all charge now - for a worthless service that no one wants, but was FORCED onto us by our worthless government. As Rahm Emanuel said to Obama, "never let a good crisis go to waste." Whatever the problem - "more money" is always the solution.