Tourism tax approved to stimulate domestic tourism



BANGKOK: -- Domestic tourism is expected to boom after the government approved tourism tax that will allow the people and businesses to deduct tourism expenses from their annual tax payment.

Under the measure approved Tuesday, businesses and private individuals will be eligible for tax deductions on expenses until Dec 31 next year.

Government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyalap said the tax break will cost one billion baht in lost tax revenue.

He said individuals who buy local package tours or hotel accommodation will be able to list the purchases as deductible expenses against their taxable income for the year. The deductible amount is set at no more than15,000 baht.

This part of the policy is expected to cost 400 million baht, he said.

However for businesses, the spokesman said they will be able to use the tax breaks to provide residential training programmes for employees.

The expenses for such programmes will be tax-free and will cost the government 600 million baht.

He said the measures will come into force once it is published in the Royal Gazette.

He said the government hoped the tax breaks could also generate three billion baht for the tourism industry in the country.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/tourism-tax-approved-stimulate-domestic-tourism/


-- Thai PBS 2014-10-15

Considering almost no one files for taxes in the country, this will be an interesting one.

so they are going to make it cheaper for thais to visit Thailand while ripping off all the ferangs that want to visit by increasing their costs such as the recent rise in ferang admission costs and of course the increase in hotel fees to cover all the losses from lack of tourists , who thought up this one.......

A lot of straws and clutching going on.

A lot of straws and clutching going on.

A bit late with the other thread that more are going overseas for a holiday.

Maybe the general should restrict leaving the country to himself, those and such as those and officials on junkets, sorry mean fact finding missions.

Many members of this forum claim they pay taxes. Will this affect them?

Many members of this forum claim they pay taxes. Will this affect them?

Yes, they will get twice as many rebate-coupons at 7-Eleven, when buying their Chang's!!

Many members of this forum claim they pay taxes. Will this affect them?

Why the 'claim' bit?

I guess anyone filing their tax returns should be able to apply for it.

P.S. we all pay indirect tax, so everyone is paying tax one way or another.

Considering almost no one files for taxes in the country, this will be an interesting one.

I disagree somewhat...

Where does the government then get it's revenue?

Government employees including military, police, hospitals and etc. do have tax payments......a lot of people.

Vehicle manufacturers, larger industries, retail and so on, also deduct tax from their employees if they are paid over the tax free thresh-hold, and of course there's the company tax.

But, 15k as a deduction is hardly going to make a dent..

Wishful thinking !

This should vastly improve the lifestyle of the farmers up north?

Haven’t they lost money? Shouldn't they be increasing taxes to pay for things?

International tourism is down? So fill it with Thais.

Hub of policy jokes. If you want more in tax revenue, first make the others beyond the mere 8 million pay personal income tax. Re-think low season and business plans, marketing strategies, attract locals, which is a more stable base. C'mon.

so they are going to make it cheaper for thais to visit Thailand while ripping off all the ferangs that want to visit by increasing their costs such as the recent rise in ferang admission costs and of course the increase in hotel fees to cover all the losses from lack of tourists , who thought up this one.......

just pay up. say thank you or watch the door as you're leaving.

be happy.

I'm a "farang" paying 4,000+ Baht taxes per month. Can I deduct as well? 1B spent 1B deduction?

Another Scheme/Scam that they wont pay out on

All these silly daily announcements is taxing.

Only quality domestic tourists wanted not your usual rif raf that used to block all the streets in Bangkok or choke up the airport last time locals went touring in Thailand

Where do they dream this sh.t up from.........................worth nothing unless people start to come back for a visit.Last idea from dear old yingluck was a 500 baht arrival tax for tourist on arrival.

Oh domestic tourism....i cannot read.Ok and just what % of GDP is domestic tourism? Thais only get 1 day off a week if they are lucky.

Spend one billion baht in hopes of getting 3 billion. Chok Dee

so they are going to make it cheaper for thais to visit Thailand while ripping off all the ferangs that want to visit by increasing their costs such as the recent rise in ferang admission costs and of course the increase in hotel fees to cover all the losses from lack of tourists , who thought up this one.......

but but but businesses get a writeoff for residential training programs where they teach how to accomodate for Quality Tourists on the future

well the poor never go on holidays and until the economy and the wages dont go radically up in thailand the inside tourism will stay as poor as it is today ...with tax or no tax.

as simple as that

Why do the headlines never match the stories ?

Just a note to the editor of this article. It's not a tax, this idea is for a tax deduction.

Why do the headlines never match the stories ?

Just a note to the editor of this article. It's not a tax, this idea is for a tax deduction.

Many members of this forum claim they pay taxes. Will this affect them?

Yes I will be using this tax break. Will visit Chang Mai and stay longer to derive the maximum benefit. I will first get all the info before starting to spend, many times the news gets it wrong or dont contain all the details.

_{How about actually giving the refunds that have been on the books for years: VAT refunds for certified exports and losses carried forward for 5 years, both of which are very much at the discretion of tax authorities. Thailand looks more and more like a failed state.}

Well, I guess it's an idea. But it smacks of being a populist policy using public funds. In reality it is nothing more than a subsidy for the tourism industry, to go along with the ones for rubber, rice and I dare some others that I don't know about.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, subsidies are not sustainable in the long term. Better to spend the money on improving the tourism product so that people want to buy it.

Edit - as others mentioned, this is not a tax, it's a tax deduction.

That General is just brainstorming every day! His ideas are so logical, not..