SURVEY: Do you agree with the adding of 360 baht 'Maintenance Fee' on tourists?

[spiritrace]

It's insulting enough to pay more than locals for things. I quit going to those places and just my Thai family goes.

The practice is limiting peoples spending and hurts the economy more. They don't get it. Paying extra because of my race or visitor causes me to spend less and I am sure it affects others.

[bangkapi]

The authorities should be waiting on the beaches to collect it from the Cobra Gold tourists.

I'd love to see that.

[EricBerg]

You guys want safety in Thailand? Then you pay for it....

For Thai people it doesn't matter if it's unsafe or messy/dirty. They don't know it any different.

And you guys also better learn Thai language or you'll have many problems.

There's a fine example of what's wrong with many Thais: expecting even demanding more from tourists without a trifle of selfreflection or talk of efforts Thais should make themselves.

"And you guys also better learn Thai language or you'll have many problems."

And there of course is the threatening... In a way I missed Chalerm.

Edited January 24, 2016 by EricBerg

[sage1255]

call it whatever you want, it is a visa fee by any other name. Thai is either visa waiver or not. Simple and no i do not agree.

[jvs]

If they do this they should also lower the entry fees to parks so tourists pay the same as Thai people.

But like so many taxes it is not clear where the money goes,something useful i am sure.

[onetime]

It's insulting enough to pay more than locals for things. I quit going to those places and just my Thai family goes.

The practice is limiting peoples spending and hurts the economy more. They don't get it. Paying extra because of my race or visitor causes me to spend less and I am sure it affects others.

I agree! Their constant price gouging makes me spend as little as I have to.

I could easily spend 50-60k, but I get by just fine on 20k.

I live in a 3 story townhouse and cook at home, btw.

I encourage other to do as much as they can to take money from this economy.

[EricBerg]

You guys want safety in Thailand? Then you pay for it....

For Thai people it doesn't matter if it's unsafe or messy/dirty. They don't know it any different.

And you guys also better learn Thai language or you'll have many problems.

"For Thai people it doesn't matter if it's unsafe or messy/dirty. They don't know it any different."

Much starts with this degenerating view on the own people. How then can one respect others? Aren't foreigners called "aliens" in Thai language?

[jamie2009]

You have to pay $14 for an ESTA Application before you travel to the States which when first introduced was free, no one complained about that as far as I know.

[onetime]

You have to pay $14 for an ESTA Application before you travel to the States which when first introduced was free, no one complained about that as far as I know.

If a tourist gets raped or murdered in the US, the perp's not getting a wink and a pat on the back, unlike here. They are going to prison.

That's worth 14 dollars.

[Pepper1959]

In the 1980s Australia had an Arrivals Tax, it did not last long, because it also applied to Australians, and we complained about it loudly and so as voters, it soon disappeared. If it applied to everyone in Thailand, it would soon disappear. The fact that it is a small addition to an overall cost for farang, I am not sure it will have any impact on people's decisions. My concern is corruption and the fact that the fund will not end up being spent on its purpose. Or, it will just create another huge Government Dept and therefore create another bureaucracy and the fund will go on paper pushers and ultimately, the fund will still not be spend on improving facilities. There are easy ways to improve facilities in this country, stop plastic bags for one, the country is drowning in them. And two, have National Clean Up Days as in other countries to educate people to collect trash that follows every soi and thanon in the country.

[BangkokHank]

Provided that this fee is levied on genuine tourists and visa runners, then I have no problem with it. It should not apply to those of us who have yearly visas and/or work permits.

So if I understand you correctly, you don't mind stupid fees that have to be paid by others, but you don't want to pay stupid fees yourself? I suppose everybody would feel the same way.

[Surasak]

A snowball will have more chance in hell! I don't know of a circus in Thailand , so where do they get the clowns from!

[AyG]

Discriminatory double pricing hasn't deterred tourists, even though it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth. I very much doubt this additional charge will deter them.

[Tchooptip]

If more or less 25,000,000 tourist entered this country every year it a 360 Baht X 25,000,000 that is to say a "discreet" 9 billion Baht...

Not a bad idea...I dare say a bright idea for a few of them

[timber]

First things first. What do you do with the money you have. Second, what will you do with the money you get. Third, Tourism in Asia is very competitive. What does the tourist get for paying the extra money?

[scorecard]

It can be likened to the bar or restaurant owner that increases prices when the customers start to dwindle. It's the way the mindset works, a prime example of some local logic.

Or the restaurant owner who ads 10% service charge to every bill and says it's shared by the staff but in fact it all goes directly into the owners pocket, end of story.

[maewang99]

there are revenue issues coming up, they will need more money to be collected from somewhere. Thailand cannot just issue tons of public debt, it's currency is not a reserve currency to any degree. at the top of the list, the universal health care scheme. not only does it fall short in providing anywhere near the care provided to civil service retirees.... but it is a serious future financing issue even with the system as it is because of Thai demographics. how can anyone not be aware of this and what it will mean? and at the same time, the old export model is not going to work anymore as well.... Thailand needs to follow China's lead, but it won't, and probably can't as well anyways even if it wanted to. this isn't China. tourism is an obvious target, but only one. and why not tax it? it gets a free ride everywhere in the west, with only the latest example being that aviation was exempted from the Paris COP21 agreement. a blanket exemption for aviation. sure, tax it... it'll still keep growing.

Edited January 24, 2016 by maewang99

[comeondoit]

It is one of these for Thai governement so typical instantaneous no thought through shots, as we see them all the time. There would be so much to be done for tourism. Example: Install a vendor boot in the airport to sell weekly or monthly entrance cards valuable for all National Parks and and and

[aussiesteve63]

No its a pocket liner

[evadgib]

The vat from shopping,hotel and foods min 30,000 each already 210 baht each year 30 Millions x 210 plus 500 airport taxes etc. Why still want to charge more?.

Because we all have one of these in our gardens!

[steve187]

just pay the $10 dollars, airfares have reduced so much, its a nothing cost, some real tight wods on here, the visa runners will end up paying the most anyway, people here for long periods will end up paying less per day. ie $10 spead over 90 days against 14 or 30 days, real short term tourists mainly on visa exempt entry won't give a rats ar*e about that small sum, having spent around $600 to a $1000 on airfares.

[realenglish1]

I don't get the mentality . Stick it to the tourists with more fees and when they go to a tourist venue they are charged far more than a Thai

This is not conducive to returning tourists Their impression will be a negative one. Over time this will have a huge impact on tourism when their are so many

other places to go . For now Thailand is the FLAVOR of the month but you can be assured that the tourist who has a negative experience such as higher fees for a tourist rather than

giving them a break will result negatively . Why is London or Italy some of the most important tourist areas. They treat tourists with respect unlike Thailand which has an additude of

"Lets squeeze out more money from the Farang " Attitude

[Colabamumbai]

Why would it have an effect on legitimate tourists? I do not think it will.

The people who think that they are tourists and do border runs every 30 days may complain.

For those of us who live our lives here it should not affect us, we are not tourists.

[billd766]

It's just another way to milk money from the tourist. Do you really think the money will go back to help tourism or go back into the general fund or should I say General pockets.

Of course you should say General pockets, especially if you can back up your statement.

Then again, truth and you are generally at odds but rumours and innuendo seem to be your speciality.

[stickylies]

it won't affect tourism as most people will never know (if it happens, if). standard tourists, not really present on this very forum, don't care about 10$. i just wonder how they will collect it. we'll see.

[taony]

The fee will have no impact on the new quality tourists expected into Thailand this year.

However, the fee should apply to only those tourists arriving under a 30-day or less entry. Charging all other types of tourist entries becomes a disguised additional fee. If the fee is necessary for those tourists, then increase the visa cost.

Exactly. I'm a resident here, not a tourist. I ride my bike to work and spend most of my time in my apartment when not at work. when i do go out,its usually for some exercise, supermarket or a restaurant. I don't go to any tourist attractions and use infrastructure far less than the average person. I wind up spending 100,000 baht a month minimum in any case. My salary comes from abroad directly. Its already pure income to the country.

I do travel abroad quite often. At least eight times that i can remember last year and once already this year. Why should i have to pay this fee? You know i will. Its not a tourist fee. Its another skim more off the top of anyone that doesn't hold a thai passport scam.

And we all know not even one satang will go to improve ANYTHING.

[taony]

It's insulting enough to pay more than locals for things. I quit going to those places and just my Thai family goes.

The practice is limiting peoples spending and hurts the economy more. They don't get it. Paying extra because of my race or visitor causes me to spend less and I am sure it affects others.

Same here. I'm becoming a hermit.

[taony]

It's insulting enough to pay more than locals for things. I quit going to those places and just my Thai family goes.

The practice is limiting peoples spending and hurts the economy more. They don't get it. Paying extra because of my race or visitor causes me to spend less and I am sure it affects others.

I agree! Their constant price gouging makes me spend as little as I have to.

I could easily spend 50-60k, but I get by just fine on 20k.

I live in a 3 story townhouse and cook at home, btw.

I encourage other to do as much as they can to take money from this economy.

I was able to convince three groups of friends not to come here last year. My cousins and his friends did come,but only on a three day stopover on the way to Australia. My friend and her husband who did come for two weeks though, i managed to get them to spend four days in Cambodia at least.

[Hawk]

I do not agree with yet another tax, its a case of biting the hand that feeds you.

The army, navy and airforce should stop wasting trillions of baht on unnecessary war weapons and concentrate instead on making Thailand a safe, clean scam free destination for all tourists. Unfortunately, this government seems to be promoting corruption rather than eradicating it. The immigration already have various scams in place, now this tourist office gang wants its share. Every one wants a piece of the cake, its pure and simple greed but they do it because they know nobody in Thailand cares anymore.

[stickylies]

I don't get the mentality . Stick it to the tourists with more fees and when they go to a tourist venue they are charged far more than a Thai

This is not conducive to returning tourists Their impression will be a negative one. Over time this will have a huge impact on tourism when their are so many

other places to go . For now Thailand is the FLAVOR of the month but you can be assured that the tourist who has a negative experience such as higher fees for a tourist rather than

giving them a break will result negatively . Why is London or Italy some of the most important tourist areas. They treat tourists with respect unlike Thailand which has an additude of

"Lets squeeze out more money from the Farang " Attitude

again, many people aren't aware of eventual rip-offs. retired friends came here and had the time of their life. all the classics: nice people, always smiling, great food, affordable hotels (mid/high range), 7/11 everywhere. they paid every single cent, National Parks, temples, tuk-tuks, tips, etc. but even then, for them, thailand was dirt cheap. it's these people TAT wants here, not us, the not-so-ignorant who are harder to trick.

the rule is simple: you pay here you're good ("him good man"), you don't pay here you're keeneeow or keenok or khem ;-)