'Maintenance Fee' for All Foreign Tourists Proposed by Tourism Governor

tomacht8 · January 23, 2016

Vietnam is safe? Try walking round downtown Saigon with your phone in your hand for an hour or two and see how safe it seems then. I love Vietnam, but crime free it aint.

Walking around for two hours in downtown Saigon?

You are a whining cheapskate dude, why you not take a taxi for some dollars?

And if you not like the crime in Vietnam, stop to complain and better go home.

Get a grip before you embarrass the rest of us any further.

Edited January 23, 2016 by tomacht8

SunsetT · January 23, 2016

More good news. Hopefully it will be implemented and add to everything else that causes foreigners to go elsewhere.

..............and dont forget the ATM withdrawal fee has now been increasedto 200thb.............thieving bastards!!!

But if you pick the right one, you get free pineapple or corn pies from McDonalds, or free peanuts from a store.

Tell me more so I can treat my 'snack' addicted Thai family.

smotherb · January 23, 2016

I thought that was what the entry/visa fee was for ?

No silly, that is for entering the country, this is for being here. Just wait for the fee to leave the country.

No need to wait for a leaving fee, it's been in existence for at least 10 years, but you may not have not have noticed it.

FYI a 'Departure' tax of 500bht per person was introduced, and I remember paying this in cash at Don Muang airport in 2004. The tax was then increased to 700bht and instead of being paid on departure at the airport, it was included in the price of the airline ticket. The airlines pay this revenue to the Thai Government on our behalf.

Ah yes, but as you say, that fee is transparent to us now and associated with airline tickets and use of the airport. I don't believe you pay it leaving on land and don't know about sea; haven't left by sea for many years.

crazykopite · January 23, 2016

Yet another reason why they advertise the country as " AMAZING THAILAND " how much will find its way into his bank account !!!

impulse · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

smotherb · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

I think that is the attitude all powerful institutions hope to see when they mandate a new fee. Just another straw, no problem, we all have broad shoulders to support our deep pockets.

impulse · January 23, 2016

I think that is the attitude all powerful institutions hope to see when they mandate a new fee. Just another straw, no problem, we all have broad shoulders to support our deep pockets.

Just like airlines when they announced baggage fees a few years back. The backlash was horrific.

And today, airlines make $$$ billions on baggage fees.

daveAustin · January 23, 2016

...Britain’s expensive Air Passenger Duty (APD), a departure tax levied on outgoing passengers. The tax is as high as £184 for long-haul business tickets, and comes on top of pricey airport surcharges that, at Heathrow airport,...

Flying in from the UK on business, about 90% of your taxes are paid to the UK. Thailand only asks for the scraps.

Still wanna whine about $10?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2013/03/britains-exorbitant-airport-taxes

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/business/02fees.html

And yet Britain offers the cheapest flights in the world. Go figure, huh!

daveAustin · January 23, 2016

The op is a non-starter; a stupid measure proposed by one douchebag... no need to slag off the entire country and its people, guys.

stickylies · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

i agree with all you says exept for the "benefit their shareholders, ie. citizens" part...

i appreciate your rationale but the level of benefits to the thai people from such taxes will be quasi nihil...

Squeegee · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

This is entirely ignoring the context. There are a slew of issues now that have built up over time, drip, drip, drip. Are you claiming you get special treatment at parks where the rest of us will be charged four times the price? Context is everything, including a reputation built over years and now rightly exposed on the internet.

impulse · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

i agree with all you says except for the "benefit their shareholders, ie. citizens" part...

i appreciate your rationale but the level of benefits to the thai people from such taxes will be quasi nihil...

I share your skepticism. But that's a whole 'nother topic and a few hundred threads have been done on that one.

steve73 · January 23, 2016

Off topic - but to all those complaining about flights TH-somewhere costing much more than somewhere-TH...

Don't book direct with the airlines - not only are the flights more expensive, but they'll charge you in THB (which if your bringing FC in means you also pay an FX charge somewhere along the line). Try booking with one of the online agents...

I used momondo.com last year for BKK-LHR with Qatar... they claimed the flight was about 40BGP less than if booked direct, but when I compared it with what I would have paid in THB (plus the necessary exchange costs) I'd saved over 140 GBP... Still a little more than if I'd booked UK-BKK, but reasonable... (Also, if you're reasonably flexible on date momondo have a really great widget to allow you to easily find the cheapest available..)

Other point to note is that the cheapest UK-TH flights are often 1/2/3 month validity (with severe change penalties), whereas the tickets booked from BKK are usually 1 year (and often flexible).. If you stay here all year with just one return flight "home", then you'd need a 1 year validity if booking UK-TH, and these are a lot more.

Sorry to hi-jack the important message that TAT are promoting...

stickylies · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

i agree with all you says except for the "benefit their shareholders, ie. citizens" part...

i appreciate your rationale but the level of benefits to the thai people from such taxes will be quasi nihil...

I share your skepticism. But that's a whole 'nother topic and a few hundred threads have been done on that one.

true. let's stick to the topic, ie. "banana republic".

impulse · January 23, 2016

If $10 is going to change my choice of holiday destination, or put a significant dent in my holiday budget, I'm probably not their target demographic anyway.

Thailand lets me visit their country like the Hilton lets me soil their sheets, Qantas lets me burn some of their fuel, and Starbucks lets me take up a seat. They don't do it because I'm a nice guy, or because I bring so much enlightenment to their staff with my western genius. They do it to bring in revenue to benefit their shareholders. In Thailand's case (just like every tourist country), the "shareholders" are their citizens.

And if any one of them could make more money jacking up their prices, they would. Thailand included. It's just good business. And if $10 is going to change...

This is entirely ignoring the context. There are a slew of issues now that have built up over time, drip, drip, drip. Are you claiming you get special treatment at parks where the rest of us will be charged four times the price? Context is everything, including a reputation built over years and now rightly exposed on the internet.

The whole context is that a lot of people have made life decisions to live the dream in paradise without considering the whole reality on the ground, and future changes happening all over the world, and certainly not unique to Thailand. And sadly, there are a lot of sweaty frogs feeling the heat here in Thailand. (Look up "Boil a Frog" for the context.) My heart goes out to them. But it's not just Thailand. It's going on all over.

This is simply a proposed tax increase. It's not unique in Thailand, and it's not unique to Thailand.

It sucks. I think we all agree. But I don't know of anyone, anywhere in the world that feels they're getting fair value for the taxes they pay.

And tossing the toys out of the pram and calling Thai officials juvenile names over a proposed tax increase is more a reflection on the whiners than the $10 tax increase.

There's been some excellent rants here over the topic. But also a lot of whining that would have been more appropriate in 3rd grade.

Edited January 23, 2016 by impulse

Chicog · January 23, 2016

yut.jpg

'You may say I'm a dreamer'.

You may also say he's a blithering idiot.

Loles · January 23, 2016

There are not enough to steal ?

arunah · January 23, 2016

As I have said for many years, Let other countries have a reciprocal agreement with Thailand. In that regard, Thai's could not buy houses, be employed in certain jobs, claim state pension......etc. and charge them a "maintenance fee"

SouthernMan3 · January 23, 2016

So they want to start stealing from us before we even enter now. That's smart. Because you have no tourist attractions. Some filthy beaches littered with trash and locals who make you feel unwelcome unless you fork out cash for the use of their beach and restroom. And parking and the list is endless. I guess the visa fees we all pay is stolen then...

You obviously do not like Thailand so what does it matter to you ?

stoneyboy · January 23, 2016

I think it's a fantastic idea if the income from this proposal is in fact spent accordingly.

Cleaning up beaches,national parks,providing greater assistance to tourists,improved transport links and much much more.

But it won't be end of.

Pib · January 23, 2016

I think it's a fantastic idea if the income from this proposal is in fact spent accordingly.

Cleaning up beaches,national parks,providing greater assistance to tourists,improved transport links and much much more.

But it won't be end of.

Triple the proposed fee and also solve _____________(you fill in the blank) in Thailand.

But in the real world govt budgeting process it's just more tax revenue which can and will be spent on anything from long sought after submarines to _______________(you fill in the blank).

phoenixdoglover · January 23, 2016

Let us acknowledge this is simply an example of the "Fire, aim , ready" approach used by so many officials in Thailand.

The important question that arises is, "why does TAT think security is so poor for tourists in Thailand?"

Shazdeb · January 23, 2016

What next ?? When will they realize this is a predominantly Tourist destination Country, everything here takes money from the visitors and still they want more ... to maintain the tourist services that the money already paid should do. when you own a business or attraction money paid for admission IS what is meant to sustain the business, not rape it take every cent and then add a charge at entry to the Country to maintain them. So many stupid decisions lately, Thailand and Phuket need to get it into there heads " THIS IS A TOURIST COUNTRY " without tourists what do you have ?? ridiculous unemployment thats what. Get it together or you will loose the visitors that are still coming as well as the ones now going else where

I love this Country but seriously, get it together guys before it too late .......... Ohhh new one I read today No passenger signs allowed at the airport any more !! How will tourists find there transport ? or is this so everyone MUST use airport taxi's ?? thought we were cleaning up the Taxi Mafia not handing them still more customers

stickylies · January 23, 2016

As I have said for many years, Let other countries have a reciprocal agreement with Thailand. In that regard, Thai's could not buy houses, be employed in certain jobs, claim state pension......etc. and charge them a "maintenance fee"

many other countries simply deny visas for thai people

unless they visit the place in an organised hit-and-run-tour where they get ripped off by their fellow "thai rak thai" travel agent

the few thai in my country, an absolute minority, are cleaning houses or doing that other thingy-they-are-good-at

my point is: don't think they are privileged abroad....

IsItFlab · January 23, 2016

If you can't afford an extra 360b to come here, then don't come here. I'm over seeing all the trains and roads full to the brim due to tourists.

SoiBiker · January 23, 2016

What next ?? When will they realize this is a predominantly Tourist destination Country, everything here takes money from the visitors and still they want more ... to maintain the tourist services that the money already paid should do. when you own a business or attraction money paid for admission IS what is meant to sustain the business, not rape it take every cent and then add a charge at entry to the Country to maintain them. So many stupid decisions lately, Thailand and Phuket need to get it into there heads " THIS IS A TOURIST COUNTRY " without tourists what do you have ?? ridiculous unemployment thats what. Get it together or you will loose the visitors that are still coming as well as the ones now going else where

I love this Country but seriously, get it together guys before it too late .......... Ohhh new one I read today No passenger signs allowed at the airport any more !! How will tourists find there transport ? or is this so everyone MUST use airport taxi's ?? thought we were cleaning up the Taxi Mafia not handing them still more customers

Tourism is just 7% of Thailand's GDP. It's not a 'TOURIST COUNTRY'.

IsItFlab · January 23, 2016

The op is a non-starter; a stupid measure proposed by one douchebag... no need to slag off the entire country and its people, guys.

Isn't whining and slagging off Thailand and its people and culture a TV pastime and intrinsic to the majority of foreigners residing on these shores?

jjablonsky · January 23, 2016

Gee I thought that was why we paid 2x, 3x or more than Thais to get into most of these attractions already

Shazdeb · January 23, 2016

What next ?? When will they realize this is a predominantly Tourist destination Country, everything here takes money from the visitors and still they want more ... to maintain the tourist services that the money already paid should do. when you own a business or attraction money paid for admission IS what is meant to sustain the business, not rape it take every cent and then add a charge at entry to the Country to maintain them. So many stupid decisions lately, Thailand and Phuket need to get it into there heads " THIS IS A TOURIST COUNTRY " without tourists what do you have ?? ridiculous unemployment thats what. Get it together or you will loose the visitors that are still coming as well as the ones now going else where

I love this Country but seriously, get it together guys before it too late .......... Ohhh new one I read today No passenger signs allowed at the airport any more !! How will tourists find there transport ? or is this so everyone MUST use airport taxi's ?? thought we were cleaning up the Taxi Mafia not handing them still more customers

Tourism is just 7% of Thailand's GDP. It's not a 'TOURIST COUNTRY'.

really ??? so you think Thailand can absorb all the unemployed if the tourists dont come ? if you do your dreaming

SoiBiker · January 23, 2016

What next ?? When will they realize this is a predominantly Tourist destination Country, everything here takes money from the visitors and still they want more ... to maintain the tourist services that the money already paid should do. when you own a business or attraction money paid for admission IS what is meant to sustain the business, not rape it take every cent and then add a charge at entry to the Country to maintain them. So many stupid decisions lately, Thailand and Phuket need to get it into there heads " THIS IS A TOURIST COUNTRY " without tourists what do you have ?? ridiculous unemployment thats what. Get it together or you will loose the visitors that are still coming as well as the ones now going else where

I love this Country but seriously, get it together guys before it too late .......... Ohhh new one I read today No passenger signs allowed at the airport any more !! How will tourists find there transport ? or is this so everyone MUST use airport taxi's ?? thought we were cleaning up the Taxi Mafia not handing them still more customers

Tourism is just 7% of Thailand's GDP. It's not a 'TOURIST COUNTRY'.

really ??? so you think Thailand can absorb all the unemployed if the tourists dont come ? if you do your dreaming

If you think $10 is going to put people off coming, you're crazy.

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