News Forum - Thailand Pass could by dropped on July 1

[Thaiger]

‘Thailand Pass’ could be scrapped completely on July 1, according to Thailand’s tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan. The fate of Thailand Pass will be decided at the next meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, or CCSA, next Friday on June 17. Thailand Pass was already dropped for Thai nationals on June 1, but foreigners flying into the kingdom are still required to apply for it. Incoming foreign travellers must go onto the Thailand Pass website, upload their passport information, proof of Covid-19 insurance covering 10,000 USD and vaccination history to obtain a QR code which they can use to […]

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[Desmondo69]

About time..but i fear its too late for European s.  That and the huge increase in flight prices i suspect europeans and british will be holidaying closer to home .i wish thailand the best of luck, they are gonna need it.

[SteveH]

The single most important issue to get U.K. tourists back into Thailand is the awful exchange rate. 
When I first came to the Kingdom it was 80 Baht, now it’s a terrible 42 !! Enough said !!

 

[riclag]

I think their gonna keep it by dressing it up again, maybe call it a hospital  sickness pass similar to forced travel ins! 

[BIGGLES]

Well I see that they're holding off the introduction of the new additional, tourist tax until Q4. Not surprising, as there is no one to tax. So, I guess we'll see the end of this Thailand Pass nonsense soon, as they'll want the scam tax.

[Rusty]

Best news I’ve heard since 2020

[Oracle]

I'll go against the crowd.  I never had any issue with Thai Pass.  Simple to register and confirmation in a day.  I have insurance that's valid worldwide so don't have to buy extra Thai insurance.  And, one no longer needs to pre-pay a hotel for a night pending test results.  Thai Pass helps keep the riff raff out, a good thing.  Elimination of Thai Pass will do little to help increase tourist numbers to Thailand.  If you can't afford the insurance, you certainly won't be able to afford the flights at today's prices (and all hotels have jacked-up their rates as well).  Maybe elimination of Thai Pass helps the 70+ traveler, as insurance harder to obtain.

[riclag]

41 minutes ago, Oracle said:

I'll go against the crowd.  I never had any issue with Thai Pass.  Simple to register and confirmation in a day.  I have insurance that's valid worldwide so don't have to buy extra Thai insurance.  And, one no longer needs to pre-pay a hotel for a night pending test results.  Thai Pass helps keep the riff raff out, a good thing.  Elimination of Thai Pass will do little to help increase tourist numbers to Thailand.  If you can't afford the insurance, you certainly won't be able to afford the flights at today's prices (and all hotels have jacked-up their rates as well).  Maybe elimination of Thai Pass helps the 70+ traveler, as insurance harder to obtain.

So everyone has to be inconvenienced because of riff raff!

It is another hoop to jump for everyone and that is wrong!

[Bert]

Hypothetically speaking,

Let's say it's dropped on July 1.

What about travellers leaving Europe on June 30 and arriving in Thailand on July 1?

 

[JJJ]

1 hour ago, BIGGLES said:

Well I see that they're holding off the introduction of the new additional, tourist tax until Q4. Not surprising, as there is no one to tax. So, I guess we'll see the end of this Thailand Pass nonsense soon, as they'll want the scam tax.

They claim the reason to delay the tourist tax now is they are worried about land crossings now. How did that just suddenly come up? I still think the IATA and airlines are refusing as they have no responsibility to assess to who is charged the tax or not. 

Landing fees are typical but this tax isn’t.  

[JJJ]

47 minutes ago, Oracle said:

I'll go against the crowd.  I never had any issue with Thai Pass.  Simple to register and confirmation in a day.  I have insurance that's valid worldwide so don't have to buy extra Thai insurance.  And, one no longer needs to pre-pay a hotel for a night pending test results.  Thai Pass helps keep the riff raff out, a good thing.  Elimination of Thai Pass will do little to help increase tourist numbers to Thailand.  If you can't afford the insurance, you certainly won't be able to afford the flights at today's prices (and all hotels have jacked-up their rates as well).  Maybe elimination of Thai Pass helps the 70+ traveler, as insurance harder to obtain.

Well the largest numbers of arrivals have always been from regional neighbors. Flights to Malaysia are easy to get for $30. Cambodia and Vietnam too. So the insurance does get to be expensive for them. Although sadly it does seem these days Thailand’s policy is to limit these visitors. 

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, SteveH said:

The single most important issue to get U.K. tourists back into Thailand is the awful exchange rate. 
When I first came to the Kingdom it was 80 Baht, now it’s a terrible 42 !! Enough said !!

Yes I agree it’s painful Steve and is a major factor for U.K. travellers. However, what I would say, is that the period between the early 2000’s and 2009 was an unusual period in the Pound to Baht exchange rate. Over the past 50 years, the average has been around 50. I also complain that my spending power has essentially halved over the past 20 years, but it is what it is I’m afraid. The baht is fairly weak against the US Dollar and hence it’s the wake U.K. pound that’s the problem at only $1.25 to the £

Below is the historical exchange rate of the Pound to the Baht and as you can see, we had it good between 2000 and 2009.  Let’s hope for those times to return soon. 

[JJJ]

5 minutes ago, Bert said:

Hypothetically speaking,

Let's say it's dropped on July 1.

What about travellers leaving Europe on June 30 and arriving in Thailand on July 1?

That will be interesting. In the past they only opened up changes to the TP system on the 27th or 28th. But now since the change is to eliminate will they actually eliminate it the day before?

As I understand it, once it’s published in the RG, it has immediate effect.

But if they don’t instruct the airlines on the documents then the airline could deny boarding. 

On a side note, finally ThaiPass will be where all TP should be—down the toilet. Although I guess as in Thailand, it might hang around in the waste bin first. 

[Guest1]

17 minutes ago, JJJ said:

They claim the reason to delay the tourist tax now is they are worried about land crossings now. How did that just suddenly come up? I still think the IATA and airlines are refusing as they have no responsibility to assess to who is charged the tax or not. 

Landing fees are typical but this tax isn’t.  

My guess, the arrival tax will be implemented like the departure tax: only arrivals by plane will have to pay them, in the end.

And it might be, that they do that more silently. Just implementing it and telling the airlines to pay 300 baht for every  arriving person. Like they charge 700 for every person, departing by plane.

Win/win/win 

Not so much attention, quicker forgotten and they even do t need to forward (all of) the money to tourist related accidents

 

 

[TSS]

"Riff-Raff", so I assume you're not riff-raff then, so what are you classed as.....? 

  seven letter word starts with a

[Sumlee]

I don't believe that the government will remove the "Thailand Pass". Bureaucracy and red tape are the Thai ways. They will still demand:
1. Health insurance for (US$XX million).

2. Proof of vaccination documents

3. Etc.

[Grumpyoldman]

Ok make it easier to arrive but then insist on restrictions for night life and other events like proof of vaccination including a booster, masks, no dancing etc.

 

Very attractive to tourists.

[Sumlee]

I can't believe that a poster wrote: "Thai Pass helps keep the riff raff out, a good thing." Who are the "riff raff"? Backpackers? Tourists with no university degree? Rural people? Asians? Arrivals not wearing a suit or a high class dress? People who don't have US$10+ million? Would you care to clarify? I've panicking because maybe I'm "riff raff". ... "Mum, I've let you down! I've ruined your name! I've sunk so far! Oh, poor me!"  

[AmbientMopar]

18 hours ago, Oracle said:

I'll go against the crowd.  I never had any issue with Thai Pass.  Simple to register and confirmation in a day.  I have insurance that's valid worldwide so don't have to buy extra Thai insurance.  And, one no longer needs to pre-pay a hotel for a night pending test results.  Thai Pass helps keep the riff raff out, a good thing.  Elimination of Thai Pass will do little to help increase tourist numbers to Thailand.  If you can't afford the insurance, you certainly won't be able to afford the flights at today's prices (and all hotels have jacked-up their rates as well).  Maybe elimination of Thai Pass helps the 70+ traveler, as insurance harder to obtain.

What is your insurance plan?

[Scarface]

On 6/9/2022 at 4:00 PM, BIGGLES said:

Well I see that they're holding off the introduction of the new additional, tourist tax until Q4. Not surprising, as there is no one to tax. So, I guess we'll see the end of this Thailand Pass nonsense soon, as they'll want the scam tax.

Yea it's no doubt a nonsense, but to be honest as long as the world goes back to normal (yea I know) and all this Covid nonsense finally ends (which is the real scam btw) then I'd happily stump up a few hundred baht, or whatever it is, and I suspect most will.

[Scarface]

6 hours ago, Sumlee said:

I can't believe that a poster wrote: "Thai Pass helps keep the riff raff out, a good thing." Who are the "riff raff"? Backpackers? Tourists with no university degree? Rural people? Asians? Arrivals not wearing a suit or a high class dress? People who don't have US$10+ million? Would you care to clarify? I've panicking because maybe I'm "riff raff". ... "Mum, I've let you down! I've ruined your name! I've sunk so far! Oh, poor me!"  

You can't believe it? Well if 'riff raff' shocks you then I assume you are new to the cyber world and forums and lead an extremely sheltered life? He sounds like Mary Poppins compared to what some say, if you ever come across it then you would probably would run to your mum.

[Soidog]

22 hours ago, Guest1 said:

Not so much attention, quicker forgotten and they even do t need to forward (all of) the money to tourist related accidents

And in a few years time add another “tourism tax” that people won’t notice. They will also give it some easy to remember catchy Thai smile name. Something like “Thai love Farang take care health Thai love” tax !! 

[Highlandman]

7 hours ago, Sumlee said:

I don't believe that the government will remove the "Thailand Pass". Bureaucracy and red tape are the Thai ways. They will still demand:
1. Health insurance for (US$XX million).

2. Proof of vaccination documents

3. Etc.

You can "believe" whatever you want but the health ministry has already set out to remove all restrictions by July 1 and so far, they've reduced restrictions each month according to the plan outlined back in March. I'm confident they will scrap everything on July 1.

Masks are another story though.

[Tanuki]

Was at my local immigration office this morning, service was slow, slow, slow as per...But one guy recognised me & we started chatting..He'd just arrived back after been away for 2 years (Covid etc)

 Now what he DID say was that he only came to stay with his long-standing Thai-lady, otherwise he'd have said no chance, and stuff the Thai entry hoops..Even this/last week prior to his flight from Scotland he's had to submit no less than 14 different documents..PLUS..He made a mistake filling out his visa application, got rejected on the back of this & lost his visa fee instantly, so had to re-apply & pay again..!!

 Now what he DID tell me was that all his mates that USED to come here for the good times & for their love of golf have now discovered Turkey...Found out it ticks more boxes for them than Thailand and have given the LoS the big finger.

 How many others will be thinking twice/looking at alternatives before subjecting themselves to the mercies of the never ending farce regarding entry into this Kingdom..??  Q4 may not be quite what the Tat is hoping for, so wait for more year-end falsified tourist figures from them..?

[Pinetree]

8 minutes ago, Tanuki said:

He made a mistake filling out his visa application, got rejected on the back of this & lost his visa fee instantly, so had to re-apply & pay again..!!

Sounds odd,  Why didn't he just enter on 30 day visa exempt and then re apply for a longer term visa here, or get an agent here to do it for him once he was in country?   A few people seem to be making a real song and dance about getting into Thailand right now,  while others say its relatively easy. As for Turkey; well nice enough country for as short trip, very short, but a whole different vibe and  universe to LOS. Not for me I'm afraid.