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

[hugocnx]

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?

"What's next, charge for air?" That would go down really well for folks living in Chiang Mai who get poisoned for 2 months every year..

Make that 6 months or more. Has already started this month. 6 months people in the suburbs cannot or hardly see the Doi Suthep.

[AloisAmrein]

Now they get definitly crazy! Thailand will be the first country in the world to introduce such a robbery. Time has come to avoid Thailand.

[Cynical Sailor]

Excellent! We can look forward to a spotless beach and streets here in sunny Pattaya.

Ooh look. A flying pig...

[Mr Creosote]

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).

It does create a conundrum doesn't it. If they try to nick some of the cash and underreport, then the TAT numbers of arrivals go down. Six of one, half a dozen of another.

[Felt 35]

Money makes many things, but also makes devil dance.

[NoBrainer]

Make it $500.00 and it would keep a lot of the scumbags out.

[Patanawet]

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

What 180 Baht fee? Are you getting confused with the 200 Baht one?

[Sooo Upto Me]

Oh dear they really want to put a final nail into their coffin.

How pathetic this country is becoming. If it wasn't for the tourists here spending their money then Thailand wouldn't even be ranked as a holiday destination.

[Mr Creosote]

Anyhow, I don't know what al the fuss is about. It's 10 bucks. So what. If a tourist cannot afford 10 bucks then maybe they shouldn't be here.

[bluebluewater]

Somebody stuck a microphone in the face of a Thai man who thinks/wants to be important and he shoots his mouth off with the first thing that comes to mind.

There will be another one along in just a couple of seconds.

[lucky11]

Why not just mug the tourists as the leave the airport,this plus increase in Visa on arrival,

they are slowly killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

regards Worgeordie

This won't happen, so everyone relax.

[Lupatria]

I am surprised that this guy was smart enough not to propose an oxygen fee for tourists for breathing Thai air (the air they have a genuine copyright on). But who knows what the next greedy moron has up the sleeve?

How about a tenfold "maintenance fee" for all Thais who mess up this country with their garbage? That would make Thailand the country with the richest "officials" on the planet.

[misterphil]

Count me in. Im happy to pay the $10 each time I enter. In fact <deleted> it charge $100.

I'd rather give Thailand $10 than give the UK it to support all those <deleted> sponging oxygen thief immigrants.

[SoiBiker]

So much outrage over so little money. It's hardly going to break the bank for the average tourist, is it?

[SOTIRIOS]

....never enough....

[SOTIRIOS]

..an appeal to further discrimination ......greed....abuse.....

[zappalot]

am I coming in with a non-immigrant visa a tourist? because with a tourist visa they told me once I am not a tourist and have to get another visa... but I guess when it comes to money I am declared a tourist...

[spidermike007]

Very, very typical of this administration. It seems sometimes, like a creative idea, or a progressive idea would be something so shocking, so out of the blue, and something so completely out of character. They are so lacking in innovation, creativity, the ability to think anywhere near outside of the box, and so fabulously incompetent, that this kind of thing is really anything anyone can expect of them. Such mediocrity, that the people have been cursed with.

Toursim is already way, way down. The numbers may say something else, due to the massive influx of Chinese. But, the tourism income is way, way down. Everyone I talk to in the industry says the same thing. The quality tourists are really starting to shun Thailand. And it is no wonder. Nobody likes a strongman leader (at least in his own mind) and nobody likes a junta. Nobody likes ignorant government officials. Nobody likes a palpable lack of progress. Nobody likes a nearly complete lack of law and order. Nobody likes the threat of arrest, for doing next to nothing wrong, but rather just offending a very small man.

[Rajab Al Zarahni]

They could easily recover much more money by revalidating the visa's they have already issued,from within the country and stop requiring foreigners to make Visa runs and pay fees to foreign countries such as Laos and Cambodia. Thailand could levy a similar fee in house and save foreigners the cost of the Visa run.

[Lupatria]

Anyhow, I don't know what al the fuss is about. It's 10 bucks. So what. If a tourist cannot afford 10 bucks then maybe they shouldn't be here.

Your avatar perfectly fits the quality of your post:

Edited January 22, 2016 by Lupatria

[baboon]

...Britains 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 ??????

'Because they can' is the only one I can come up with...

[chelsea]

Does any Thai or Thai official know what the word 'Maintenance' actually means here in Thailand.

Just have a look at any so called Thai public transport system that exists in Thailand including air transport

[aussiandrew]

It doesn't really matter were it goes you know and I know if you want to come to Thailand you pay one way or another. Unless you want to live like a Monk. Government are governments all around the world always on the hustling to rip a bit more off anybody with a few coins in their pocket.

[RogueLeader]

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

Laos is landlocked, severely criminalises relationships between Laos and foreigners and most of the hiking land is off-limits due to 'land mines' so unsuitable for most European holidays and Cambodia still has a (partly deserved) fearsome reputation for violent crime. Vietnam: maybe once, but despite the natural beauty of the landscape, the dirt-cheap booze and the endlessly surprising food, Vietnam is a hard country to visit because of the greed of its tourist sector. Thailand has always been the big draw.

Southeast Asia in general will be hurt Thailand's greed.

I'm also guessing that the Chinese government has enough clout in the region to negotiate an exemption for Chinese tourists.

[baboon]

To me the issue is not so much the money as where does it all stop? The TOT want to upgrade the airport WiFi? Hey, stick 50 Baht on a ticket. The runways need resurfacing? That's another 50, thanks. The IDC needs expanding? 50 more. Extra cleaners need to be hired? You guessed it. These things mount up quickly and people become irritated if it is not just a quick once off money grab. What is to stop every Tom, Dick and Suchart organisation wanting a slice?

Edited January 22, 2016 by baboon

[Assurancetourix]

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 on arrival 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?

In Chiang Mai province for example ?

[Fairynuff]

...Britains 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 <deleted>.

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.

Have you been depressed a long time?

[lucky11]

They could easily recover much more money by revalidating the visa's they have already issued,from within the country and stop requiring foreigners to make Visa runs and pay fees to foreign countries such as Laos and Cambodia. Thailand could levy a similar fee in house and save foreigners the cost of the Visa run.

I've been mentioning this for ages - visa runs are stupid, they just don't make sense and are a massive inconvenience for us and a non-earner for Thailand!!

[StasD]

Another idea; take the money when tourists leave Thailand -departure fee

[Fairynuff]

Anyhow, I don't know what al the fuss is about. It's 10 bucks. So what. If a tourist cannot afford 10 bucks then maybe they shouldn't be here.

.......and here come the apologists!!!