Collection of B500 fee from foreigners starts next year

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

The Tourism and Sports Ministry is poised to start collecting a 500-baht tourism fee for a "tourism transformation fund" next year, with the budget following a co-payment model.

The Centre for Economic Situation Administration last week approved the creation of the fund, which is expected to subsidise projects that transform the industry, focusing on high-value and sustainable tourism.

Yuthasak Supasorn, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor, said the fee collection of 500 baht per person should start next year, with the aim of collecting 5 billion within the first year, assuming 10 million foreign arrivals in 20

Mr Yuthasak said the additional 200 baht will be earmarked for: projects initiated by the private sector, community enterprises, or social enterprises that would like to transform their business to meet the fund's strategy; helping the country restructure from mass tourism to high-value or a bio-, circular and green economic model; and environmentally concerned tourism.

"The projects should be co-creations and the government should use the fund to support projects that can create an economic impact. The proportion of public-private financial support could be 50:50, 60:40 or 70:30, depending on how much we want to make those projects happen," he said.

The fund is also meant to budget insurance and development projects for foreign visitors that require government initiatives rather than the private sector, including those needing matching grants from local administrations, said Mr Yuthasak.

After the concept is approved, the Tourism and Sports Ministry and TAT are required to have discussions with related authorities about setting up the fund committee and funding mechanisms, such as how to collect the fee from tourists, he said.

"The additional cost won't have an impact on tourists as we want to focus on the quality market," said Mr Yuthasak.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2191883/collection-of-b500-fee-from-foreigners-starts-next-year

[spoon]

Have fun reading the comment section on bangkok post. Someone mentioned there is a 700 baht fee to leave thailand too? 

[TMax]

7 minutes ago, spoon said:

Have fun reading the comment section on bangkok post. Someone mentioned there is a 700 baht fee to leave thailand too? 

Yeah the old departure tax, that was incorporated into the price of the airline ticket a while back, most countries did the same but some still slug you that tax at the airport on the way out 

[spoon]

1 hour ago, TMax said:

Yeah the old departure tax, that was incorporated into the price of the airline ticket a while back, most countries did the same but some still slug you that tax at the airport on the way out 

So basically 1.2k to the thai military gov outright just for landing and exiting thailand. I mean i know some other countries do it as well, but if u want to boost tourism, making it more expensive is not the way.

 

[vaughn]

I wonder how this will impact the migrant workers doing border runs on tourist visas, i can imagine handing over another 500 baht a month might be significant to some of them.

If it's an airport tax then fair enough, I don't really care, it will just make its way to a bunch of politicians bank accounts anyway.

[PeterRS]

You can already see the huge queues at the airports to find baht currency because I'll bet they won't accept others.

I note they say the fee is to be collected from tourists. What about Thais? If they don't pay then it is not the same as a departure tax which applies to everyone. With it just having been agreed that hospitals can charge more for non-Thais, sounds like yet another way to fleece tourists and those expats who live here.

[Boy69]

On 10/4/2021 at 5:46 PM, spoon said:

So basically 1.2k to the thai military gov outright just for landing and exiting thailand. I mean i know some other countries do it as well, but if u want to boost tourism, making it more expensive is not the way.

 

Another catastrophic decision of Mr. Chan-O-cha's military gov .

[tm_nyc]

I would hope that they would just include it in the airline ticket price.  Given all the current obstacles that foreign visitors face trying to get into Thailand, another 500 THB seems pretty minor.

[PeterRS]

6 hours ago, tm_nyc said:

I would hope that they would just include it in the airline ticket price.  Given all the current obstacles that foreign visitors face trying to get into Thailand, another 500 THB seems pretty minor.

Not so easy I suspect,, given that Thais will not pay the new fee.

[tm_nyc]

Yes, that will definitely make things complicated!

[fedssocr]

USD 15 doesn't seem like a big deal to me. If it helps Thais who've been hit hard by the pandemic I don't have any issues with it. I agree it will be interesting to see how it gets collected. I remember having to pay the departure tax in cash way back when. Including it in the ticket price was a much better idea.

[Londoner]

Bearing in mind how relatively cheap Thailand is for us- whether it be  spent at a beach resort, in a city, touring or (significantly for us)  enjoying ourselves in other ways, I find it impossible to be bothered about an expense of  a few hundred baht.

[vinapu]

7 hours ago, fedssocr said:

Including it in the ticket price was a much better idea.

I'd rather include it in the tip paid to my first long time off, that way I'm sure it goes to a deserving case

[spoon]

8 hours ago, Londoner said:

Bearing in mind how relatively cheap Thailand is for us- whether it be  spent at a beach resort, in a city, touring or (significantly for us)  enjoying ourselves in other ways, I find it impossible to be bothered about an expense of  a few hundred baht.

My annoyance is really not the amount but rather who will be benefiting from this collection. Like i said, many countries do this in one way or another, through hotel, or airport, or dual pricing etc. One could argue to visa fee is part of it too. 

The article mentioned it is to ensure the tourist that comes to thailand are the quality type, but i doubt 500 baht charges will be a solution to that. For most with limited disposible income, this might very well mean they will spend less elsewhere, with the their total spending for the trip remain the same. 

[Guest]

16 hours ago, fedssocr said:

USD 15 doesn't seem like a big deal to me. If it helps Thais who've been hit hard by the pandemic I don't have any issues with it. I agree it will be interesting to see how it gets collected. I remember having to pay the departure tax in cash way back when. Including it in the ticket price was a much better idea.

If people have to queue to pay it, they will be annoyed by the queuing AND will actually notice and remember the tax.   Looking at it from a politician's perspective, the art of taxation is supposed to involve taking the money without people noticing !

I reckon they should levy it on international flights.   OK, that might include a few Thais, but the ones who can fly abroad can afford 500 baht as well as everyone else.

 

 

[gerefan]

If this is a “tourism fee” then I assume those of us travelling to Thailand, who are not tourists, will be exempt?!

That would include businessmen, students, expats, people on non immigrant visas (retirees) etc etc. The list is endless. 

There are in excess of 40 types of visas issued by Thailand.

Perhaps only those arriving with “tourist” visas will be charged!

[Boy69]

I assume it will be practiced as done in the past every foreign passport holder will have to pay this fee regardless the type of visa .

[anddy]

On 10/7/2021 at 8:48 AM, Londoner said:

Bearing in mind how relatively cheap Thailand is for us- whether it be  spent at a beach resort, in a city, touring or (significantly for us)  enjoying ourselves in other ways, I find it impossible to be bothered about an expense of  a few hundred baht.

Yes, in principle such tourist tax is no big deal. Even German seaside resorts towns have (or sued to have) local tourism taxes collected through hotels. 

It might even be a good thing **IF** the money is being put to good use such as maintenance of national parks, keeping islands and beaches clean, improving tourist infrastructure, include a tourist health insurance etc etc. That's a HUGE "if" obviously, especially in Thailand. I think everyone ahs a good idea where large chunks of such money would end up.... Especially now that in the latest proposal such uses have been omitted as this damning editorial in teh Bangkok Post points out:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2195359/tourist-fee-could-be-nail-in-coffin

However, this being Thailand, the last word is far from having been spoken and the whole thing will go through countless more iterations and might eventually be scrapped entirely for the time being, considering the timing is incredibly poor. In booming times, go for it, but when the revival of tourism is the highest priority for the sector then WTF.

[reader]

Because most of us haven't had an opportunity to spend any baht for quite a while we may not have been following exchange rates. But some quick, back of the envelope computations as this morning's numbers shows some good news emerging.

From their lows vs the baht last fall, these currencies have appreciated "approximately":

UK pound     16%

US dollar       13%

EU Euro         10%

 

 

[Londoner]

Yes, worth remembering before we complain about price rises.

Assuming we return to a semblance of normality in 2022, I  can look on  the bright side  by remembering  how much money  I saved by missing  five trips. Here in London, as an example, a new h fi system I'd never have considered without Mr Covid's intervention, while in Kamphaeng Phaet,  an enormous spirit house the size of the Vatican. More or less. 

And that's just a start.

 

[Guest]

Considering it costs me over 40,000 baht to get to Thailand, 500 more is not a big problem.

Queuing to pay for it could be a problem.