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

[kingalfred]

Only in Thailand would such a half baked idea be suggested. The mentality of **** and ***** for brains!

[djayz]

I can't believe this...

As much and all as I like the country, I'm beginning to doubt if it'll continue to be a popular tourist destination. The people who come up with these "ideas" / fees really aren't helping the country or the Thai tourist industry in the long-term. Everything here seems to be short-term thinking/"planning".

[scorecard]

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.

Seems to me this is a good example of employees getting automatic promotions to the top through: oldest employee, longest serving, nepotism etc., and the result; the planners, decision makers etc., at the top of these ministries and agencies have little aligned knowledge, experience, they don't have worldly knowledge and experience so they come up with ideas what we see here.

Until selection / promotion is based on superior valuable displayed capability (seen, observed) and past displayed valuable high performance (seen, observed) as is the case in 99% of highly successful business corporations and in some governments (Singapore) then stand by for more what we see happening here in this case.

[bootly66]

tourist projects!!!! They already charge us 400% more for so called tourist attractions !!!

[jerojero]

Tax grab from Foreigners. Plain and simple. Nothing to do with bettering tourism. Utter BS.

[tomacht8]

...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

OK now look at this-

Flight booked Etihad Manchester -BKK return. paid ticket. 18,000 baht. March 1st travel.

Flight booked Etihad BKK--Manchester return paid ticket 27,000 baht Feb......18th travel

Please explain WHY ----can anyone---but give a satisfactory explanation.

Why 9,000 baht extra Thai ticket ??????

Some with Emirates,

Europe -BKK - Europe 20.000 Baht

BKK - Europe - BKK 30.000 Baht

I think it is because the arab airlines must get their connecting flights from europe to there hubs Doha / Dubai full.

The racetrack Dubai / Doha to Bangkok are usually overbooked in both directions.

The pricing policy is annoying when you have Thai family, because actually the same flight route with the starting point Bangkok will cost 20-30% more.

[Thian]

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

Yes and if you want a visa from the Thai embassy you have to go there first , stand in the qeueu for an hour, bring much paperwork, come back 3 days later (travel 200 km again) and get your visa.

Hence people would rather pay 1000 extra.

But South American country's don't make so many problems and are much cheaper so that's where the Europeans will go.

[Thian]

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

Yes and if you want a visa from the Thai embassy you have to go there first , stand in the qeueu for an hour, bring much paperwork, come back 3 days later (travel 200 km again) and get your visa.

Hence people would rather pay 1000 extra.

But South American country's don't make so many problems and are much cheaper so that's where the Europeans will go.

[terryp]

that is the purpose of tourism you fooook wit to GENERATE MONEY for the country...shut the place down its run by complete idiots

[Laughing Gravy]

Don't you just love the Thai mentality!! Less money or people visiting lets up the price. Great idea Sherlock.

[Don Mega]

Since when has Thailand had 30 million tourists arrive in one year. Or do they plan to lump this onto all people who enter Thailand ?

[HyperRai]

I thought this fee is collected already at the entrance of national parks. Thai 40 THB Farang 200 THB.

[HyperRai]

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

Yes and if you want a visa from the Thai embassy you have to go there first , stand in the qeueu for an hour, bring much paperwork, come back 3 days later (travel 200 km again) and get your visa.

Hence people would rather pay 1000 extra.

But South American country's don't make so many problems and are much cheaper so that's where the Europeans will go.

South America for sure not!! Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam

[stickylies]

let's hope they will use the money wisely then...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/888560-bangkoks-bts-stations-remain-inaccessible-to-disabled-a-year-after-landmark-ruling

[Andreas2]

Oh, I see, the countdown just started for tomorrow's inevitable press conference with its standard muppet content:

a] it's all a misunderstanding

b] reconsideration

c] clarification

or

d] dumping of the whole plan

Any bets?

5.....4.....3.....2.....

Hey everybody, be honest: If they would all of a sudden stop being so silly, we all would really miss this integral part of

[WilliamCave]

Tourists will still keep coming , the over charging will not change .

Tourism is up from the statics of the thai govt,

I my self have stopped going to national parks .

That is the only way I can voice my opinion and I will not go to the floating markets or zoos that want to charge me those fees.

Actually now my family vacation in Laos Vietnam .

But the tourists will still keep coming and until they actually stop coming to show there disapproval the govt will keep over charging

[hellstens]

One more nail in the coffin !

[Sutty]

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...

Many many other holiday destinations you don't have to come to Thailand.

[cloudhopper]

This one is destined to be filed and hopefully forgotten as quickly as possible along with hosting the Tour de France, Miracle Thailand and ankle monitors.

[Mr Creosote]

So...will this fee be levied on the daily border crossers from Malaysia at the southern border? The Malaysian so-called "tourist" numbers are a favourite for the TAT to quote so I wonder if this applies to them?

[alfalfa19]

boy oh boy, the insults just keep coming

[lovelomsak]

Living in Thailand is like a marriage. It isnot the big things that make the problems it is the constant little irritating things that are the real problem. and things like this go under the little irritating things. I think travel agents will start informing people more about not coming to Thailand and find the new paradise for 2 week millionaires.Vietnam is coming on strong.

[ajarnmarc]

Let's face it, what tourist attractions does Thailand have except the beaches and islands? Many of them are national parks allready and charge the 10foulded prices.

Do they call the floating markets tourist attractions?

Unfortunately I do believe the floating market is considered one as well...

My misses had to take a day off of work, when we lived in Hua Hin,

to visit the floating market; I of course refused to lose a days work,

and passed on the excitement of it all.

Misses came back with a great picture i.e. gift

[TPI]

Don't you just love the bloody cheek! But then again, if it wasn't for the collective idiocy of the Thai Phu Yai's what would we do for laughs??

[arminbkk]

From the linked Khaosod English article:

"He also did the math for its potential windfall.

“If there are 30 million tourists, Thailand will earn 10.8 billion baht per year from this fee, and it will help each province earn around 142 million baht to improve its tourism,” he said."

He is very optimistic isn't he.

Now, I assume, if implemented, all foreigners that enter on a tourist visa or 'visa on arrival', would have to pay this fee.

This means that we would later know, once and for all, if the tourists numbers presented by TAT (23 million or so tourists a year) is

in fact correct (and that they are not just counting every foreigner entering, also those on non-immigrant visas).

[connda]

"Hey, I've got a good idea, just cut The Goose that lays Golden Eggs open! I'm sure there is a fortune inside there."

[cumgranosalum]

So now tourists have to pay for the privilege of Thailand making money out of them?

[Thailand]

Dumb and dumber.

[webfact]

TAT plans to collect US$ 10 tourism fee from overseas tourists



BANGKOK: -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand says it has an idea to collect US$ 10 from overseas tourists arriving by air, land, and sea.

The collected fee will be used to manage and improve the country’s tourist destinations, and their security system.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn disclosed yesterday that the tourism fee which TAT is contemplating to propose to the government for approval intended to collect 360 baht or 10 US dollars from overseas tourists visiting the country by air, land and sea.

The fee might be collected at the airport via the Airport of Thailand, and at border checkpoint, he said.

He said the fee collected would be used to improve and manage tourist spots across the country and their security systems.

Commenting on the cabinet’s approval of the fee for visa on arrival from 1,000 baht to 2,000 baht, the governor said this could affect tourists from China most, and tourism firms which have already sold out their tour packages in advance to customers.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/147709


-- Thai PBS 2016-01-22

[mancub]

This one is destined to be filed and hopefully forgotten as quickly as possible along with hosting the Tour de France, Miracle Thailand and ankle monitors.

Not to mention the F1 Bangkok grand prix....and the compulsory purchase of insurance on arrival which was suggested.