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

[jalansanitwong]

There is no doubt that Thai officials sit around a casio calculator and punch numbers into it and watch what pops up.

They've already whacked on 20 or so baht to every airticket , pocketing tens of millions of baht for doing nothing.

In a year or so they will find another excuse for adding 10 baht to the cost of a ticket......who will notice ?? Thai style.

Tourists aren't going to come here with an extra 360 baht to cover the latest Thai scam hence all that happens is billions of baht will be redirected from the tourist industry into the pockets of corrupt TAT officials.

The beaches will remain filthy, dangerous footpaths left unrepaired ,diseased cats and dogs everywhere and jetski thugs ripping off foreigners.

TAT officials will send their children to expensive foreign schools paid for by us.

With any luck this brainless idea wont get off the ground.

TIT

[NongKhaiKid]

Tourists are so welcome so enjoy your stay in LoGS, Land of Greedy Smiles.

[Squeegee]

Given that they spend waste more money on education than their better educated neighbours this is nothing but money down the drain into the usual pockets.

[Prbkk]

Another idiotic empire builder. The result of this would just another arm of the already bloated bureaucracy with little left after everyone has been 'paid'. Mind-numbing lunacy even by the lofty Thai standards of nutty proposals. Forget Dumb and Dumber, this is Dumbest by a country mile.

[Bluespunk]

2016, the Year of Stupid ideas

[TheCruncher]

Let's see now: They just recently added a 'security fee' to airline tickets. They increased entry to tourist attractions/parks to 10x what Thais pay. They want to increase Visa exempt entry from 1000 to 2000 Baht. Now this, what's the word I'm thinking of - oh yeah, greed. What's next, charge for air?

I never heard about any fee for visa exempt entries.

Is this something new?

[DavisH]

He can also do the math to see how much this cuts tourist numbers. It will be a nice windfall for the government, as I don't think 10 bucks each will affect numbers much. Try 3000 baht each, and you will see numbers drop a lot. However, it could have flow-on effects in the future, with fewer repeat visitors coming. I doubt much of that money will be used to maintain tourist attractions - I thought the 10x pricing was for that....to clean up the mess that Thais leave behind in NP's.

[arithai12]

"Hours after the Voice TV published the interview, an official at the tourism authority said the idea was only Yuthasak’s personal idea.

...

She said Yuthasak is attending a summit in the Philippines and not available for comment."

and probably will wait there until the dust settles.

[MorristheRunt]

Good let them do it, and watch the already faling tourist industry destryoed once and for all.

And when it is destroyed, who will they blame?

The ferrang!

[ExpatOilWorker]

Let's see now: They just recently added a 'security fee' to airline tickets. They increased entry to tourist attractions/parks to 10x what Thais pay. They want to increase Visa exempt entry from 1000 to 2000 Baht. Now this, what's the word I'm thinking of - oh yeah, greed. What's next, charge for air?

And the ATM-fee of 180 baht for EVERY transaction of 10.000 baht.

And the airport fee of 700 baht which is allready included in the airticket.

Then the very low exchange-rate for the euro.

The visa of xxx euro plus the costs of going to their embassy 2-3 times/lost workingtime.

Ohh, so the 500 baht exit fee we use to have to pay in cash at the airport is still there? Well of course now it is just 700 baht.

[Caveat Emptor]

2016, the Year of Stupid ideas

And it's still only January.

[impulse]

Look at the bottom of your airplane ticket for your trip back home and you'll wish you were only paying $10 to enter the UK, USA, etc.

$10 added to each flight seems pretty reasonable. Less than 1% increase in the cost of a holiday.

Now, if only they'd use it for the benefit of the public. Sigh.

[Tywais]

Let's see now: They just recently added a 'security fee' to airline tickets. They increased entry to tourist attractions/parks to 10x what Thais pay. They want to increase Visa exempt entry from 1000 to 2000 Baht. Now this, what's the word I'm thinking of - oh yeah, greed. What's next, charge for air?

I never heard about any fee for visa exempt entries.

Is this something new?

Sorry, my error, it is for VOA (Visa on arrival). Sometimes I get the two mixed up.

Fee for visa on arrival to double from 1,000 baht to 2,000 baht

[Cpkt8]

Absurd!

[tomacht8]

How about they remove the corruption and make sure what's already paid actually goes into maintaining these parks, instead of going into the local officials pockets. I was at a few national parks last year and the maintenance was terrible. Not worth the money to enter the park.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/850757-phi-phi-park-chief-moved-amid-b30mn-national-park-fee-fraud-probe/

Phi Phi park chief moved amid B30mn national park fee fraud probe

The very high admission prices in so-called national parks are the license to print money.

The Investments are still equal to zero.

A gatehouse plus a toilet house (in some places you must also pay extra for use it).

That is it.

Maybe 10-15 people park staff.

Each paid with 20,000 baht per month.

So 10 people park staff is then 200.000 Baht per month.

Lets say 500 visitors per day x 200 Baht entrance fee = 3.000.000 Baht per month.

So where are the other 2.800.000 Baht (month)?

Or 33.600.000 Baht per year?

It annoys me here, that high admission prices are reportedly required for a good cause (Conservation of Nature),

but in reality the money in dark, unknown holes presumably disappear.

And the same will happen with this so called maintenance-fee.

Edited January 22, 2016 by tomacht8

[aussieinthailand]

Testing the waters for a future fee maybe???

[WhizBang]

So, with all tourists (not NON tourists, right?) having to pay this new tax upfront, will....

a: tourists now get the 'Thai' price? and,

b: will they also get a discount (say 10% off) on that price for paying upfront?

If the answer to either of those questions is no, then <deleted> TAT.

[geriatrickid]

He can also do the math to see how much this cuts tourist numbers. It will be a nice windfall for the government, as I don't think 10 bucks each will affect numbers much. Try 3000 baht each, and you will see numbers drop a lot. However, it could have flow-on effects in the future, with fewer repeat visitors coming. I doubt much of that money will be used to maintain tourist attractions - I thought the 10x pricing was for that....to clean up the mess that Thais leave behind in NP's.

I doubt it would. I am astounded by how much abuse tourists receive, and yet they come in droves. Watching the tourists swimming in the polluted waters of Patong, restricted to small areas of the beach and paying inflated prices for umbrellas, tuk tuks etc. I wondered if they were mental deficients or gluttons for punishment. I watched them engage in some of the vilest behavior and chase after some of the ugliest sex workers imaginable. They rented the jet skis and took parasail rides. Honestly, I don't think another small charge will keep them away. One thing I would expect is that Thailand would waive the visa fee for its tourist target markets of China. India, and the middle east.

[onetime]

gofundme

Dear public! Greetings! We're a corrupt third world country that once had a thriving tourist business. Due to the internet exposing our despicable behavior, we have had a downturn in tourist arrivals. Of course we lie about it and try to make everything seem legit, but we're really corrupt, and racist too.

The reality is, we like being corrupt. We're not going to change. We do like your money though. In consideration of the fact that we don't like foreigners, we have set up this page on gofundme to help you. We think if you just send us your money, and don't come here for a vacation, you won't run the risk of getting scammed, murdered, raped, assaulted, treated with disdain, lied to, or thrown into prison under false circumstances.

[tonray]

He can also do the math to see how much this cuts tourist numbers. It will be a nice windfall for the government, as I don't think 10 bucks each will affect numbers much. Try 3000 baht each, and you will see numbers drop a lot. However, it could have flow-on effects in the future, with fewer repeat visitors coming. I doubt much of that money will be used to maintain tourist attractions - I thought the 10x pricing was for that....to clean up the mess that Thais leave behind in NP's.

I doubt it would. I am astounded by how much abuse tourists receive, and yet they come in droves. Watching the tourists swimming in the polluted waters of Patong, restricted to small areas of the beach and paying inflated prices for umbrellas, tuk tuks etc. I wondered if they were mental deficients or gluttons for punishment. I watched them engage in some of the vilest behavior and chase after some of the ugliest sex workers imaginable. They rented the jet skis and took parasail rides. Honestly, I don't think another small charge will keep them away. One thing I would expect is that Thailand would waive the visa fee for its tourist target markets of China. India, and the middle east.

Hmmm...if the place is so disgusting, why do they come ? Oh that's right....for girls....who is sleazier, the TAT guys or the farang who visits a scumpuddle just for sex ?

[impulse]

...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

Edited January 22, 2016 by impulse

[FireMedic]

There should be no more surprises.......all of those shocked raise your hands.

[farang95]

Why not doing this for the extension situation? sometimes you just dont want to move to another country just to come back...so you pay a fee and here you are back in the land of smile..Right? i understand why they are a bit rude against farang...... but i expect them to be more sensitive and to be able to uderstand farang better...The one who truly love the country and those who just exploit the country ..... so they should be more Human i guess on that subject .....

[NCC1701A]

"Maintenance? What mean Maintenance?"

[jalansanitwong]

...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

That doesn't surprise me. I used to travel alot but not anymore. i dont like airports and i dont like being overcharged expecially by London cabbie &lt;deleted&gt;.

Tourists/travellers are treated like sheeple. Theyre the most ripped off people in the world economy.

You couldnt pay me to go to the Olympics in Rio later this year. Imagine how expensive hotels and eating out will be. Pickpockets and muggers everywhere. What a mess.

[White Christmas13]

Another win for Vietnamese tourism.

Yes and another reason for tourists to go to Vietnam is this

[ginjag]

Let's see now: They just recently added a 'security fee' to airline tickets. They increased entry to tourist attractions/parks to 10x what Thais pay. They want to increase Visa exempt entry from 1000 to 2000 Baht. Now this, what's the word I'm thinking of - oh yeah, greed. What's next, charge for air?

And the ATM-fee of 180 baht for EVERY transaction of 10.000 baht.

And the airport fee of 700 baht which is allready included in the airticket.

Then the very low exchange-rate for the euro.

The visa of xxx euro plus the costs of going to their embassy 2-3 times/lost workingtime.

CORRECTION 180 baht for any withdrawal. If you withdraw 4 UK pound you pay 3 pound 50 p. charge Ha Ha Ha ha. true

[rkidlad]

There was me thinking tourists didn't pay income tax. How about we in the EU,USA etc, abolish the VAT refund for non EU,US citizens, or more precisely, citizens of countries whose governments are making us contribute towards their income taxes.

Capitalism; privatise the profits and socialise the losses.

[lee b]

Don't we already pay way over the top to visit normal tourist attractions? This is crazy.

[ginjag]

"Maintenance? What mean Maintenance?"

Maintaining the deadwood at TAT, same Thai Airways similar set up------brainless VIP chosen individuals from VIP families.

They have no clue what to do next---OS SAY next---or predict next. what a sorry department of spongers, who are forever at VIP dinners and spa venues.

PM deal with it---it is sickening--or you lose the tourists and long stayers----then the stupid TAT will not have work.

You see the same trend--------------Thai Airways increase fares to get more revenue and are heading for complete shutdown.

-----------------------------------------------TAT increasing charges for any reason---and are heading for no tourism to speak of.

Edited January 22, 2016 by ginjag