News Forum - Thailand continues pushing for tourism revenue despite Covid-19

[Thommo]

38 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Difference is that in places like the UK everyone pays it. It’s an airport departure tax that ALL pay. Irrespective of nationality, race or tourist status. You may not like the tax, but it’s fair in that it’s applied evenly. Not just to the guests in the country. 

I dont disagree  its the same for Australia, arrival tax,  water fall, national park entry in Thailand

Its all not reasonable when a cost is based on your race in my opinion but I still pay it 

[HiuMak]

When there is hope there is a way

[Lowseasonlover]

2 hours ago, vlad said:

No they just like to Scam you rip you off and double price you thats never changed and never will. As your clued up Marc26. Can you name a country that charged you for leaving a Country ?

Kenya

[DonD]

With all of the other expenses required to enter Thailand at this time, I can’t imagine that a 300 TBH fee would change anyone’s mind. 

[Fanta]

1 hour ago, Vince said:

This is definitely the right thing to do. 

Tell the 5,000,000+ dead that. Oh wait, you can’t because they’re dead! I And how did this Wuhan virus became a pandemic? TRAVEL! And you want more travel so you can have a a vacation….. ffs… 

[Vince]

14 minutes ago, Fanta said:

Tell the 5,000,000+ dead that. Oh wait, you can’t because they’re dead! I And how did this Wuhan virus became a pandemic? TRAVEL! And you want more travel so you can have a a vacation….. ffs… 

It's tragic people died from Covid. But people shuffle this mortal coil all the time, and even before and after COVID people will keep dying. Sad. 

The consequences of shutting down your economy will last decades. A generation will be impoverished. And many people will die directly from your policies. Poverty kills. 

COVID has to be lived with. Adaptation to that fact means we can go on living. 

We now have vaccines, treatments, and a good understanding. Let's move on and take reasonable precautions. 

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by Vince
Spelling

[vlad]

This thread is about Tourism not vaccines.

[LoongFred]

16 hours ago, Dmitrii said:

It would really help if they included Pattaya in their sandbox list

You mean that with it's current high number of covid cases? That really make zero sense. 

[LoongFred]

16 hours ago, vlad said:

Another slogan " Amazing Thailand new Chapter " Same old Rhetoric just another slogan nothing new to entice Tourists. Just more money to give away on what ? no nightlife , no bars no Entertainment . Why don't they tell us what what there offering, or any incentives to make us return ? My friend has just flown to Cancun off his plane whisked away to his Hotel. and the old wer'e predicting 5 to 15 million this time instead of 2 million as they predicted last year. Oh remember there predicting this number this year. I can't find a word to express these ministers. 

Make it easy to bring your germs here. Then do a runner if you end up in the hospital.  Sounds like a formula for bigger disasters.

[vlad]

Being from the UK Loogfred i cannot board a flight without a clear PCR test prior to my flight. Therefore if i test Poss in BKK i have picked it up along the way either on the plane or Airport Transfers before i arrive for my PCR test at Bkk.

[LoongFred]

13 hours ago, resetamy said:

Yeah, the Thais in charge really don't understand that Americans and Canadians are not going to travel halfway across the world just to end up in quarantine "hotel". Mexico is cheap, close by and not nearly as restrictive. 

Totally agree. But the problem isn't quarantine per say, it the threat of spreading the virus.  Compared to Europe and America Thailand has done a reasonable job at keeping the population safe, but it makes it very difficult to visit. 

I know a couple of families that are trying to visit and one that decided not too. 

Hopefully the authorities will keep their focus on the health of the Thai people.

[Manu]

7 hours ago, Vince said:

It's tragic people died from Covid. But people shuffle this mortal coil all the time, and even before and after COVID people will keep dying. Sad. 

The consequences of shutting down your economy will last decades. A generation will be impoverished. And many people will die directly from your policies. Poverty kills. 

COVID has to be lived with. Adaptation to that fact means we can go on living. 

We now have vaccines, treatments, and a good understanding. Let's move on and take reasonable precautions. 

Very sensible and rational opinion.

Quote

We now have vaccines, treatments, and a good understanding. Let's move on and take reasonable precautions. 

Well more and more scientists are just saying exactly that. For example, the approach of dr Clive Dix, the former head of the UK vaccination task, seems to be very reasonable to me.

https://www.channel4.com/news/we-need-new-type-of-strategy-after-booster-campaign-says-ex-head-of-vaccine-task-force

[Donald]

Amazing Thailand ? I suppose that they use that expression with a positive connotation. It could also be interpreted a different way. Thailand, or better said, the Thai authorities have to aknowledge that foreign visitors should be felt welcome and catered for, instead of making them feel like just a necessary evil. Extra taxing, double pricing and arbitrary rules favoring Thai's over Farangs in everyday life should be eliminated.

[JamesR]

13 hours ago, Thommo said:

Where do you want to start    You can work though the alphabet  Australia-UK with a lot in between

Yes, Airport tax in the UK to Thailand is £180 per passenger. 

[LoongFred]

11 hours ago, Thommo said:

I dont disagree  its the same for Australia, arrival tax,  water fall, national park entry in Thailand

Its all not reasonable when a cost is based on your race in my opinion but I still pay it 

Thailand isn't the UK and sets it's own rules. If you like UK rules you should probably stay in the  UK.  Tourist are not Thai and rules are made to protect Thais. Public Health rules, including the 300 baht entery fees are to support the system. 

[Vince]

30 minutes ago, Donald said:

. Thailand, or better said, the Thai authorities have to aknowledge that foreign visitors should be felt welcome ...

Extra taxing, double pricing and arbitrary rules favoring Thai's over Farangs in everyday life should be eliminated.

I agree about feeling welcome, and simplifying admission would help. No one benefits from paperwork. 

I'm not sure I agree with your second point. For example, I live next to a city run garden that is heavily subsidized by local taxes. If I go, as a resident, it's free to me - well, not really, I'm taxed for it. If you go, as a tourist, it's not free. But you don't pay taxes once you leave the city. 

Thais pay taxes and support their country through sacrifice. Tourists do not. 

 

[TimAn]

23 minutes ago, Vince said:

I agree about feeling welcome, and simplifying admission would help. No one benefits from paperwork. 

I'm not sure I agree with your second point. For example, I live next to a city run garden that is heavily subsidized by local taxes. If I go, as a resident, it's free to me - well, not really, I'm taxed for it. If you go, as a tourist, it's not free. But you don't pay taxes once you leave the city. 

Thais pay taxes and support their country through sacrifice. Tourists do not. 

Then how to explain about departure Tax in Hong Kong?I booked a flight to 3rd country via Hong Kong,I have to pay 180 HKD. Though I pay so much taxes in China and charge me again for 3 hours.

[Vince]

46 minutes ago, TimAn said:

Then how to explain about departure Tax in Hong Kong?I booked a flight to 3rd country via Hong Kong,I have to pay 180 HKD. Though I pay so much taxes in China and charge me again for 3 hours.

I am not trying to explain every tax or surcharge. I'm saying some dual pricing makes sense.

If something is state supported, then tax payers are paying for it. Charging them a 2nd time at the same rate as non-paying tourists is not fair to them.

But there may be other reasons for dual pricing. Disneyland used to have a discount for state residents - presumably to encourage repeated visits, I'm guessing. A local can visit many times while you visit once. 

And so on. 

[Alavan]

3 hours ago, JamesR said:

Yes, Airport tax in the UK to Thailand is £180 per passenger. 

Airport taxes are included in the ticket.
Even if you have a "free flight" you still have to pay the airport taxes to the company.

[Marc26]

55 minutes ago, Alavan said:

Airport taxes are included in the ticket.
Even if you have a "free flight" you still have to pay the airport taxes to the company.

Correct 

 

At times, it's not worth it for me to use points because the taxes I have to pay after using points isn't that much cheaper than purchasing a full priced ticket

 

Usually on flights $400 or under 

[Vince]

16 hours ago, DonD said:

With all of the other expenses required to enter Thailand at this time, I can’t imagine that a 300 TBH fee would change anyone’s mind. 

Agreed. 

[Vince]

10 hours ago, vlad said:

This thread is about Tourism not vaccines.

True, true. But really? I hope I'm not surprising you or anything but there's this pandemic thingy that's been going around... Impacting tourism of all things.  

So Tourism != Vaccines but 

Pandemic stops Tourism (P not T)

Vaccines stop Pandemic (V not P)

Therefore V not P not T = ( V = T or vaccines = tourism) 

 

[LoongFred]

On 1/14/2022 at 7:05 AM, Soidog said:

Difference is that in places like the UK everyone pays it. It’s an airport departure tax that ALL pay. Irrespective of nationality, race or tourist status. You may not like the tax, but it’s fair in that it’s applied evenly. Not just to the guests in the country. 

Noone in Thailand cares what the UK does or doesn't do. Thailand is a separate country with its own rules and culture.  That's what attracts foreigners here or is it only the cheap beer and girls? If that's the case quite complaining about everything else.

[Rangers]

Covid is fast becoming a forgotten thing here in the UK. Authorities, media and ministers finally admitting Omicron is not worth bothering about, its so mild it won't harm you and lasts 24 - 48 hours.

I believe Thailand will be the same soon, as will most countries. It could be a fantastic Songkran this year. 

[Soidog]

10 hours ago, LoongFred said:

Noone in Thailand cares what the UK does or doesn't do. Thailand is a separate country with its own rules and culture.  That's what attracts foreigners here or is it only the cheap beer and girls? If that's the case quite complaining about everything else.

Can I request that you at least make an effort to keep up uncle Fred. I was replying to a post whereby someone said name any country A-Z where they don’t have airport tax. I give him the letter U as in the UK to explain that yes they do have airport tax but it’s applied fairly to all. Now please try to understand how these forums work. You are embarrassing yourself.