Entry fee to Thailand's Phi Phi Islands mulled

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Entry fee to Phi Phi Islands mulled

Koh Phi Phi - Nopparathara National Park Chief Chaithat Boonphupantanti said on Tuesday that the a fee may be imposed as a way to control the limitless growth in the number of visitors to the southern islands.

He said that the proposal would be raised at the meeting of all national parks during March 26-27, along with other approaches to help preserve marine lives. Recently, bouys were placed near Maya Beach, forcing boats to drop visitors there and leave. Littering rules are also strictly enforced: any visitor littering will be fined Bt500 at the spot.

Not elaborating on the fee rates, he said a private company should be selected to handle the collection.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Entry-fee-to-Phi-Phi-Islands-mulled-30256645.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-24

[h90]

littering should be 5000 Baht

[jaidam]

quote "Not elaborating on the fee rates, he said a private company should be selected to handle the collection."

Let me guess, he has a private company already in mind?

[retsdon]

Horse and stable door stuff.

Edited March 24, 2015 by retsdon

[h90]

quote "Not elaborating on the fee rates, he said a private company should be selected to handle the collection."

Let me guess, he has a private company already in mind?

A private company is a very bad idea......

[Bluespunk]

Lets hope it's one fee for all.

[TSF]

Let's see - 40Bt for Thais and 400Bt for the foreign devils should about do it.

And of course none of that money will go one bit towards upkeep of a national park. Just like Koh Samet with its plastic bags & dog sh*t on the beaches.

[Anthony5]

littering should be 5000 Baht

May be from the fee they could buy dust bins next.

[alex88]

Why should Thais pay the same as farangs? It's their island. There should be a fee for farangs and no fee for Thais.

[seajae]

Why should Thais pay the same as farangs? It's their island. There should be a fee for farangs and no fee for Thais.

when you consider that thais are extremely prone to littering you may understand, it may be their country but a lot simply dont care or do you walk around with your eyes closed. Who do you think throws all the crap onto the streets in the local areas, certainly not tourists.

[alex88]

I understand your point but the vast majority of visitors would be foreigners so that's where the main environmental impact would come from. If charging a fee to foreigners reduced overall numbers visiting then that would be a positive move.

[Bluespunk]

Why should Thais pay the same as farangs? It's their island. There should be a fee for farangs and no fee for Thais.

I disagree.

If there is be a fee, it should be applicable to all, regardless of nationality.

It is humans who are the danger, not a particular nationality.

Edited March 24, 2015 by Bluespunk

[CantSpell]

Soon to come...

Entry fee to Thailand...

Mulled to increase the numbers of quality tourists by 2016... TAT Announcement and final price are currently in the making and been discussed...

[JoeLing]

I think tourist should get free tickets and accommodation for Koh Poo Poo when they cross the borders in to Thailand.

Looking at recent pictures from Maya Bay, I'm sure one could squeeze a couple of million tourists on to Koh Poo Poo.
Should there not be enough space, pill'em on top of each other like in Koh Fuckit or Pattaya.

At least might keep other places in Thailand untouched for a tinny bit longer .

[thaibeachlovers]

I'm for it if it keeps the gap year pissheads away. They have done most to ruin the place.

Let's keep them all on Hat Rin. That place is so ruined it will never be OK again, while P P might come back from the dead if those responsible are kept away.

[Xonax]

An entry fee has always been collected when you buy the tickets. Maybe just never sent along to the national park.

[Thian]

Why do they need bouys in Maya bay? The real harbour is a 100 metre away at the other side of the island. They could even sell water and icecream to all tourists who take the small walk.

I would prohibit all boats to enter maya bay.

But at the other side of the island you go crazy from all the longtailboats with open exhaust pipes. Especially early in the morning.

[rasmus5150]

They should also charge a fee for "noise pollution". Then all the Chinese would not be able to go.

[Thian]

They should also charge a fee for "noise pollution". Then all the Chinese would not be able to go.

Well the longtailboats make the most airpollution.

If you rent a bungalow at the beach on phi phi you can relax for a minute. Longtailboats will drive you crazy.

[JoeLing]

I'm for it if it keeps the gap year pissheads away. They have done most to ruin the place.

Let's keep them all on Hat Rin. That place is so ruined it will never be OK again, while P P might come back from the dead if those responsible are kept away.

There was "Gap Year" tourists on Phi Phi ages before the Tsunami and Phi Phi was still OK.

After the Tsunami, when most inhabitants on the island lost everything and even before the last victims were identified, the vultures descended on the island. With nothing left but their lives, many started to sell out their places for peanuts and the island has changed dramatically in the 10 years.

It's Thailand's greed, selfish and short shortsightedness who destroyed that once paradise, not the tourists going there.

Koh Lipe will be [is] the next victim of that selfish greed and I recon, in due time, one national park after the other will open up and be exploited. Off course, all blame will lie on those "stupid Chinese, rude Russians or other piss head Farang".

[JoeLing]

(Sorry - wrong subject, wrong post )

Edited March 24, 2015 by JoeLing

[AleG]

Why do they need bouys in Maya bay? The real harbour is a 100 metre away at the other side of the island. They could even sell water and icecream to all tourists who take the small walk.

I would prohibit all boats to enter maya bay.

But at the other side of the island you go crazy from all the longtailboats with open exhaust pipes. Especially early in the morning.

"I would prohibit all boats to enter maya bay."

Yes, definitely; the other way to get into the beach involves swimming through a cave and walking, that is not a problem for people who actually enjoy nature and therefore more likely to protect it.

In my experience the bulk of people crowding such places are there simply because the photo was in a brochure, no particular affinity for the place.

[taony]

They will just sell as many tickets as they can, numbers won't be reduced.

[jethro69]

Soon to come...

Entry fee to Thailand...

Mulled to increase the numbers of quality tourists by 2016... TAT Announcement and final price are currently in the making and been discussed...

Why "Soon to come...", with the restrictions on multiple exempt entries I dare to say the "Entry fee to Thailand..." is already in place, in form of visa fees.

[Rykbanlor]

So they will start collecting a fee, but the nation's own fishing vessels will still be all over from Had Nopparatara to Phi Phi, in areas where they are not supposed to be, damaging coral and marine life. Tourists will foot the bill for a project that will doubtless fail to address what it's intended to do, while the locals continue their dirty fishing techniques.

I would be all for it if it was sincere, but I reckon, as someone pointed out earlier, they already have a company in mind. No doubt this is all about making a revenue but to line local officials pockets.

Remember just last week the Krabi authorities revealing their plan to spend 100 million baht installing Bicycle parking racks. Go figure.

Their favourite Mister man: Little Miss- appropraition of funds.

[eddie61]

Soon to come...

Entry fee to Thailand...

Mulled to increase the numbers of quality tourists by 2016... TAT Announcement and final price are currently in the making and been discussed...

private company already in mind.... Kingpower

[ScottMallon]

Why should Thais pay the same as farangs? It's their island. There should be a fee for farangs and no fee for Thais.

How about every other country in the world starts charging Thais more money than the locales because it's "their country?"

I've always said, if I ever move back to the US and start a business, I'm going to make sure to charge Thais more than anyone else.

Edited March 25, 2015 by ScottMallon

[toybits]

Private Company to be selected to handle entry fee collection? Are they B!@#dy Kidding?

[madmitch]

Will a fee put off the hordes of Chinese tourists who invade the islands every day? Probably not. They pay for their tour up-front and don't even know the real cost. An extra few hundred baht won't even be noticeable.

Phi Phi Don is beyond repair, well at least Tonsai is.

The only way to control Maya Bay is to limit the number of speedboats and longtails allowed to moor at any one time. The roped off swimming area is ridiculous now and should be reversed: boats should be allocated about the amount of space currently allowed to swimmers, allowing the rest of the beach to be occupied by tourists.

It seems to me that the boats all follow exactly the same route, with the speedboats all at Maya Bay during the morning and all congregating at the now-horrendous Khai Island in the afternoon, with the mandatory lunch-stop on Phi Phi Don after a snorkelling session. Is there no way that they can stagger this so groups of boats can arrive at these places at different times, thereby not having up to 100 boats in the same place at the same time?

[Rykbanlor]

They complain about the rampant development like they can't do anything about it. Every other week I have some new tour company bring brochures to our hostel - "We have new tour company, 4 islands, Phi Phi, blah blah blah"

Slapping a fee on won't mend their problems, proper regualtion and limitation will, and like everything else in the country that should be properly regulated, we know it won't make a difference.