News Forum - More doubts over the introduction of the new Thai tourist arrival tax

[Thaiger]

Last week the Thai government announced that the new “tourism tax”, an arrival levy of 300 baht per person to provide compulsory insurance coverage, was on track for a Q4 introduction. It was announced that the airlines would collect the 300 baht from ALL foreigners entering Thailand, with no exemptions. Now international airlines are joining a long line of opposition to the new 300 baht arrival tax, mainly because they don’t want to be responsible for the collection and they see it as another barrier to restart flight schedules with the Kingdom. At one stage, earlier this year, the proposal […]

The story More doubts over the introduction of the new Thai tourist arrival tax as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Ramanathan.P]

Most of the time it is like shooting on one's own leg.....

[DJM]

I don't see how this is supposed to work. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have never seen any ticket booking system that offers different fares based on passengers' citizenships. But that would actually be required so that Thais will not have to pay the 300 THB when they fly back home. 

[longwood50]

3 hours ago, DJM said:

I don't see how this is supposed to work. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I have never seen any ticket booking system that offers different fares based on passengers' citizenships. But that would actually be required so that Thais will not have to pay the 300 THB when they fly back home. 

Hey this would be simple.  The Thai would just have to go to the immigration department with their passport, thai id, house book, two witnesses, and their Chanote.  Fill out a simple certificate of residency make sure you have two passport size photos and then submit them for remimbursement.  If the money does not show up in your Thai bank within 6 months you can then return to file a lost reimbursement claim. 

[HolyCowCm]

jut make a requiremnt that every one needs to bring $8 USD or 8 Euro or $12 Australian or 300 baht exactly and immigration will take it or have a kiosk taking the money prior to getting stamped that shows the proof.

I really like the idea of the 300 baht and everyone is covered. Just need to put all their pea brains together and find a way that is easy to do upon arrival for everyone.

[samiam123]

Thailand used to charge a departure tax many years ago.  I think it was 500b.  You couldn't go through security without a receipt.  Later on I think they started including that in the plane ticket price, so none of this is anything new.  What is new is this idea of including travel insurance with that tax.  I think that's a pretty good idea in theory.

Edited July 19, 2022 by samiam123

[DiJoDavO]

12 hours ago, Ramanathan.P said:

Most of the time it is like shooting on one's own leg.....

Sorry for stealing, random stranger on TV, but it was such a good one... 

They surely are flexible people in the government. Shooting in their own feet while their foot is in their mouth and their head up their ass. 

[DiJoDavO]

"Thailand’s new privacy laws have also made the collection of passenger arrival data more legally opaque, and could be challenged by international airlines and passengers." 

Som nam na

[LuckyStrike]

I have no problem with a fee/tax to enter. The problem I have is the money just disappearing down a bureaucratic black hole.

[Foolish_Farang]

So when you pay your 300 Baht to the airline how do you go about getting your insurance policy and advice on how to claim? 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

The first thing the hospital will ask for is a private insurance, if you don't have one I'm sure they'll do anything to get rid of you. If you do manage to get in, you'll probably have a bigger chance with "go fund me" than the Thai government helping you.

[Leeshard]

Totally obvious that trying to levy it on everyone except Thai citizens is never going to work with airlines. Also what about those from bordering countries, particularly Malaysia, who just like to  pop across the border for a long weekend or foreigners living here who, let’s say, want to go to Cambodia for a few days. On re-entry back into Thailand a 300 baht  ‘tourist’ tax makes no sense.  And as others have commented, if there’s some kind of insurance involved, who’s going to issue the certificate and how? The politicians must be brain dead if they think this scheme will work.

Edited July 20, 2022 by Leeshard

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

1 minute ago, Leeshard said:

Totally obvious that trying to levy it on everyone except Thai citizens is never going to work with airlines. Also what about those from bordering countries, particularly Malaysia, who just like to  pop across the border for a long weekend or foreigners living here who, let’s say, go to Cambodia for a few days. On re-entry back into Thailand a 300 baht a ‘tourist’ tax makes no sense.  And as others have commented, if there’s some kind of insurance involved, who’s going to issue the certificate and how? The politicians must be brain dead if they think this scheme will work.

I'm pretty sure everything will remain exactly the same for tourists. The hospitals however, who keeps complaining about foreigners dodging their bills, will be able to claim compensation from the government.

[Bluesofa]

23 hours ago, Thaiger said:

The fee was to provide automatic and compulsory insurance cover with 11.3% of the money going to pay for “limited medical insurance coverage” for foreign arrivals with a ceiling of 500,000 baht for 30 days after their arrival.

The government also announced last week that another 88.7% will go to a fund to be used to develop “foreign tourism infrastructure in the kingdom,” without any further clarification of what that would be.

These two figures. A Thai accountant can be that precise with predicted figures? So out of each 300 Baht,

33.9 Baht is 'going to pay for “limited medical insurance coverage” ' [my highlighting in the quote there]

266.1 Baht is going to 'develop “foreign tourism infrastructure in the kingdom,” '

What impressed me is that 11.3% plus 88.7% = 100%. So many times we've seen figures quoted that literally don't add up.

I'm also reminded of this snippet:
"88.2% of statistics are made up on the spot"  Vic Reeves, TV advert for Guinness 1997, UK TV.

[Leo]

I love the precise

Quote

to develop “foreign tourism infrastructure in the kingdom,”

 

[Viggen840]

1 hour ago, Bluesofa said:

I'm also reminded of this snippet:
"88.2% of statistics are made up on the spot"  Vic Reeves, TV advert for Guinness 1997, UK TV.

Lies, damn lies and statistics!

[Viggen840]

2 hours ago, Foolish_Farang said:

So when you pay your 300 Baht to the airline how do you go about getting your insurance policy and advice on how to claim? 

If you want me to answer that question, first you have to buy this bridge I have for sale...

[KaptainRob]

2 hours ago, Foolish_Farang said:

So when you pay your 300 Baht to the airline how do you go about getting your insurance policy and advice on how to claim? 

Entry stamp in your Passport shows day 1 of 30 days and I guess Hospitals would then make the claim, not you personally.

I doubt it will be implemented this year, if at all, even in this latest incarnation.

[BIGGLES]

I "wounder", what they do with the money they rake in from the departure tax?

We all know it's a scam dressed up to look like you're getting something of value. If they really want this money, they should keep it simple, and just increase the departure tax by 300 thb.

The airlines are already geared up for charging/collecting and giving the Thai government this money.

The government can then be happy with the thought they have conned the tourist/travellers again. If they want to use part of it for insurance, so be it.

[JC10]

there goes my Unplanned weekend trip to thailand via land border...