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

[NextStationBangkok]

Visa Fees...

Airport Tax....

Security Check fee...

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+Maintenance fee....

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.After few years,

. Bathroom fee, Toilet fee, platform fee, walking fee, sleeping fee,

.

.

After your hands are tired of paying, hand massage fee....

Use Thai accent (Mony, Mony falang ruai.....)

Keep improving Thai 'fee' economy, probably all tourists will be in Cambodia or in Burma.

[soalbundy]

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

Well yes but this is for someones back pocket, should help increase tourism as well

[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

Why is it not possible to hate both? I mean, are there any TV members who don't think the UK departure tax stinks too?

[Fairynuff]

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

You already pay 700 baht

[Suradit69]

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

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

And farang have been saying the same thing for decades. The "final nail in the coffin " comments from Kuhn farang are older than some of the posters who keep regurgitating them.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Suradit69

[emilymat]

That's like charging a Thai entering the UK to pay a fiver to maintain Big Ben. Crazy!!!

[balo]

It's just a proposal , not to be taken seriously, just like all the other plans that never happened .

[SymS]

"tourist attraction administration fee", so that means tourists won't need to pay to visit attractions anymore, since they will already have paid 360 Baht for this

[Suradit69]

That's like charging a Thai entering the UK to pay a fiver to maintain Big Ben. Crazy!!!

Already have it.

Only one country has higher tourism taxes than the UK

However, only one country in the world - Switzerland - is a more expensive destination than the UK, which ranks 140th out of 141 countries on price competitiveness.

The World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitive Index found that the strength of the UK’s sector was weighed down by its heavy ticket taxes and airport charges.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/11590273/Only-one-country-has-higher-tourism-taxes-than-the-UK.html

[Fairynuff]

I'm reading this from Vietnam. Since Vietnam gave 15 day visa free entry I've made 2 trips here that I might not have done, although I do visit here quite often. Yes they rip tourists off here too but it's also possible to avoid rip offs. Many of the things you might want to do here in Vietnam cost a fraction of what they do in Thailand. (No I don't want to live here)

As regards a maintenance fee....what absolute nonsense! A further rip off on charges that are already a rip off. To maintain attractions? They're generally not attractive to begin with and no amount of money will change that.

Will they only charge people on visa exemption and tourist visas? Of course not...anyone not Thai will once again be a tourist. I'm in and out around 8-10 times a year so my extra tourist tax would be around 3600 baht. For the apologists...yes of course I can afford it but on top of all the other rip offs, why the hell should I?

If I sign a paper to promise not to visit any attraction in Thailand can I be exempt from paying the 360 baht?

Edited January 22, 2016 by Fairynuff

[IamNoone88]

The TAT should consider paying blanket insurance from their own pockets to cover tourists brave enough to visit the country and face off against the worlds worst road traffic carnage, jet ski deaths, preventable zip line accidents, robbery, rape, murder and intimidation resulting in tourists beatings and stabbings. Looking after tourist attractions is one thing ..... but making Thailand safer and taking better care of tourists in the first place would be much better.

[gregk0543]

It doesnt matter how much we spend in the country it is never enough and they want more? How many billions do they need?

It isnt much and I can afford it, but the logic of it all astounds me.

[joshstiles]

another flaming stupid thai idea....how many tourists actually go to the tourists attraction??????????

I don't go anymore because they all suck....completely trashed and NEVER will i pay the 10x the thai fee that foreigners have to pay..

besides doesn't the over inflated 10x fee already take into consideration "upkeep for the parks......"

if it doesn't, then just tag 360 onto the admissions fees for tourists attractions....afterall thats where the money is suppose to go....right????

a country run by jack holes....hey sounds like another country I know of..........

[Mr Creosote]

What's all the fuss about. Its 10 bucks. If a tourist cannot afford ten bucks well....maybe he/she should stay at home.

[animatic]

One more stupid pronouncement.

These petty bureaucrats never learn how to make the goose honk and not fly away.

[Thian]

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?

I guess so, i haven't paid that 180 or 200 for many years because i bring cash and change it at the banks. They hate that because they can't speak english. You also should it, saves a lot of money and shows them how uneducated they are. They want rich Quality Tourists but can't even speak a word english.

So for the extra 10us$ they will put certified lifeguards at the floating markets to rescue drawning farang? Oh and also teach those guards english please and how to (rescue)swim of course.

Tourists who come to Thailand don't expect any safety or they wouldn't come. Ones who want safety go to Australia.

[English 1]

What a nerve!

I know a few beautiful 'tourist' attractions!! Ha Ha

[bheard]

It's not a lot of money per individual, but when the bounty is divided up into brown envelopes the cream will be mmmm, luverly!

That's what the bother is - will the collection system be squeaky clean? On past record you'd have to say no. Unfortunately there seems to be a lack of knowledge here about what 'squeaky clean' is. And is there any possible way the tourist will benefit from his/her donation? I don't imagine so. Can't see the farang/Thai pricing structure being rectified for example.

[CantSpell]

He is working in which department of TAT?

Department of silly announcements or Department of the brain dead zombies?

Could really be both....

[elgordo38]

What the f...?!

Are they serious?

Unfortunately, I guess the answer is "yes"!

Unfortunately when they pull back on an idea its a done deal another U turn. Look at the funneling of the internet. I think the skimming opportunity on this one is just to great to pass up. I think they realize its carpet bagger time load up the horses we may have to get out of Dodge suddenly and we do not want to leave poor.

[outsider]

Let me get this right - you, the host country - expect tourists to pay for their security? Are you serious?

As for maintaining and improving tourist attractions, don't you guys already have a scam in place i.e. charging the locals THB40 (or sometimes free) while foreigners pay THB400?

What about people who come for holidays but do not go to any of your scam-ridden attractions? Can they get a refund on their way out?

In the scheme of scams, this must be one of the mothers of them all. Proper idiots. Properly the hub of all scams.

Edited January 22, 2016 by outsider

[grumbleweed]

While I am surprised at how no one has yet managed to bring Thaksin into the equation, at least this answers the question asking where the money to sponsor the rubber purchases is gonna come from.

[CantSpell]

"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.

Maybe a friend of yesterday Judge with a similar problem: "Forgot to take his meds"...

[elgordo38]

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?

We are already being charged for air hot air from the powers that be. They must have people staying awake nights to dream up new ideas to gouge tourists. Couple these new charges with an economic downturn and things could get ugly fast.

[Dassie]

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..

Indeed. That would mark the end of my time in Chiang Mai >_< 'Screw you guys, I'm going home'

[Patje55]

and he will lower the 10 times entrance fees for the national parks too ....not

[catsanddogs]

What the <deleted>?!

Are they serious?

Unfortunately, I guess the answer is "yes"!

Yep, ha bloody ha! I see some of the money is planned on being spent for security - will that extend to Koh Tao? I would be the one wanting a fee paid to me to visit. What a crazy idea. Not doing themselves any favours.

[chilli42]

Brilliant! Here I was thinking that getting tourists to Thailand so they would spend money, thereby increasing VAT payments, was the best way to increase tax revenues. The answer was sitting there in front of my face all along, just make them pay more.

Well at least they have not yet discovered all of the clever tax schemes the Americans use ... things like "resort tax" (Las Vegas), hotel/visitors tax NYC etc, etc. Consider yourself well off at B325.

[HampiK]

I am wondering what counts as tourist?

- Is somebody on Retirement Visa, Marriage Visa or Investement Visa also a tourist?

Because accroding to other sources if you are stay longterm you not should use a tourist visa... therefore somebody with Retirment Visa is not a tourists and not need to pay?

[Stoker58]

I was about to say "An envelope stuffing tax" but then I remembered that it's a cyber crime to say anything even vaguely negative here.