Thailand Plans 500 Baht Entry Fee for All Tourists: Phuket Official Backs Move
By Phuketwan Reporters Monday, October 21, 2013
PHUKET: A plan to charge tourists a 500-baht entry fee to Thailand from January has met with criticism from people who fear it could reduce the number of tourists.
However, others say the extra fee could be just what Phuket and other Thai destinations need to restrict arrival numbers and attract so-called quality'' tourists.
The 500 baht fee, already discussed and agreed by officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, Public Health and Royal Thai Police, has yet to win Cabinet approval.
According to Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong, ''The Tourism and Sports Minister (Somsak Phuririsak) told me that every country collects fees from foreigners. The money will be used for many purposes by the tourism, health and foreign affairs ministries, and the Immigration Bueau.''
Phuket Director of Public Health, Kajohnsak Kaewjarus, agreed today that the money from such a fee could be well spent on additional care for tourists and for residents.
''A share of the fee could lift living standards and health care across Phuket,'' he said. ''It would be good for people who live on the island as well as for visitors.''
The plan is to make the new fee applicable as early as January 1. Even though the extra charge could dissuade some tourists, the Tourism Minister has supported the concept.
''Quality'' tourists in place of increasing numbers of visitors has become a nem mantra for industry officials as they seek to balance the positives from tourism against the negatives.
Under the plan, foreigners who stay in Thailand no more than three days would be charged 30 baht a day, while those who stay more than three days would have to pay 500 baht.
The scheme might also reduce the number of overstayers, proponents of the idea say.
However, Sitdiwat Cheevarattanaporn, chairman of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, told the Bangkok Post it was not a good move and not in line with the government's plan to promote tourism.
His reservations were echoes by Samphan Panphat, adviser to the Thai Hotels Association, who said a 500 baht entry fee lacked transparency and would significantly hurt the tourism industry.
.. IN AN unrelated move, British honorary consuls on Phuket and Samui will no longer offer notarial and documentary services from November 1. According to the British Embassy, those service will only be available in Thailand from the embassy in Bangkok or the Consulate General in Chiang Mai.
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Comments
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Isnt there already a 500b (or did it go to 700b) exit fee thats now built into any airline ticket price ??
I certainly remember when you used to have to cash out with 500b each time to fly out the country, and it becoming a built in tax..
Seems like now that its built into the ticket price, they just want to add another one in cash again ?
Posted by
LivinLOS
on
October 21, 2013 15:38
I wonder how it will be collected? On arrival if so more delays sting to mind
Posted by
Mick.s
on
October 21, 2013 15:41
Editor Comment:
appropriate freudian slip . . .
Provided that the entry fee actually ends up where it should then it's not a bad idea. For practical reasons it should paid be via the airline tickets as there will else be too much waiting in line ,too much
administration and having too many people handling large cash amounts will probably be tempting . Don't think that the 500THB is going to be a deterrent for overstayers, they already face 500 THB per day up to the Max, and tourists probably won't complain too much either as the amount is insignificant compared to the total expense for the holiday. What I would have liked to see instead of this proposed fee would be a demand for tourists to have a valid travel insurance when entering Thailand.
Posted by
Sailor
on
October 21, 2013 15:46
Another unworkable idea. Most tourists will not have Thai curency on arival. Immigration is slow enough without having pay a fee as well. If you must collect this fee add it to the airport tax and this will be included in the air ticket price.
Posted by
JohnB
on
October 21, 2013 15:47
An entrance fee is fine and easy to execute (provided also payable in US/AU $ and Euro).
But a distinction between short stayers and longer stayers would make it unworkable.
Posted by
stevenl
on
October 21, 2013 16:18
Working on 12 million Tourists, that's 6 Million Baht net for Thailand per annum before deductions by the powers that be to improve their
Lifestyles!!
Great monies if used correctly.
Posted by
Gregg P Cornell
on
October 21, 2013 16:20
The OrBorTor already take a 10% tax from Hotel rooms which are supposed to be for projects and infrastructure, sounds like a dodgy plan where more money will be going into peoples pockets
Posted by
Michael
on
October 21, 2013 16:28
''The Tourism and Sports Minister (Somsak Phuririsak) told me that every country collects fees from foreigners."
Really? Every? Not by way of an entry fee they don't! So the Thai Government wants to reduce the number of tourists throughout Thailand, not just Phuket? So called "quality tourists" aka "the rich", already are incentivised by being able to reclaim VAT. Well, I suppose since Thailand has a two tier population, the rich and the poor, why not have two tier tourists? With all the graft and corruption and trafficking in humans coming out in the open does Thailand need any more disincentives?
Posted by
Alan
on
October 21, 2013 17:42
@Gregg P Cornell That's actually, 6 billion Baht - considerable sum for Phuket. which if used correctly could really help improve the island's infrastructure.
Posted by
Terry
on
October 21, 2013 17:47
It's easy to suggest and implement new rules, procedures and laws aimed at 'stupid farangs'. The government is incapable of collecting appropriate taxes and enforcing the law on it's own population. A friend was denied a work permit today until he could produce a color photo of his place of work, a government funded Phuket university. Stupid, time wasting bureaucracy.
Posted by
gee
on
October 21, 2013 17:54
Editor Comment:
Er, what about Asian tourists? There's no suggestion an entry charge would be applied just to Western tourists. Nor is there any suggestion that the idea is based on race.
"Working on 12 million Tourists, that's 6 Million Baht net for Thailand per annum before deductions"
Math.. Try it sometime..
Posted by
LivinLOS
on
October 21, 2013 18:06
Editor Comment:
Phuket is likely to have 2.8 million to three million foreign visitors this year.
"Samphan Panphat ... said a 500 baht entry fee lacked transparency"
Yes, silly idea. Let's do it sneakily instead.
Posted by
Buster
on
October 21, 2013 18:37
''The Tourism and Sports Minister (Somsak Phuririsak) told me that every country collects fees from foreigners. Utter rubbish I have been as a tourist to countries that do not take entry fees, eg Singapore.
Posted by
Here we go again
on
October 21, 2013 18:55
If its about revenue going to the Thai govt, why not double the departure tax to 1000b?
The collection mechanism is already in place.
Sounds like an idea to line yet more pockets. Mercedes Benz must love the idea.
Posted by
Barry
on
October 21, 2013 20:08
Hello Ed, I actually do not get it when you mention that Phuket will have 2,8 - 3 M foreign visitors this year. 11 M pass through the A/P this year and I would guess that the majority must be foreigner ! A lot of foreigner also arrive by land transport.
Posted by
Mj
on
October 21, 2013 20:18
Editor Comment:
You need to look at the figures again Mj. As we keep telling readers, the figures supplied by AoT are for Arrivals AND Departures, and for Domestic AND International travellers, AND for Thais and non-Thais. Those who believe Phuket will have 11m international visitors this year are kidding themselves. Bali will have just over three million. Phuket has never had as many international visitors as Bali. ''A lot'' of foreigners do not come by bus or by ship. Perhaps 300,000 at most.
Any 'visitor' that isn't Thai will be charge. Isn't that a race issue?
Posted by
gee
on
October 21, 2013 20:40
Editor Comment:
No. We've been through this before, gee, you're just too bigoted to understand . . .
the categories that matter are Thai and non-Thai, precisely the same as with every other nation on its borders. Non-Thais can be black, white, every color you like, and any shade in between. Their background and their race does not matter. I think you have some big problems, gee, even bigger than spelling.
Just another tax to fill the pockets of those in on it. When they first mooted this idea it was about health care and those with their own health care insurance, would be exempt from the tax. That idea has been thrown out of the window. Just tax the lot seems the answer.
Posted by
Bri
on
October 21, 2013 21:28
Rediculous. Why pay fee to enter a country on holiday. It feels like corruption again. Put it in your pocket. Nobody entering europe have to pay a fee. Crazy.
Posted by
Robert van Veen
on
October 21, 2013 22:25
It will be even funnier when Phuket's prices keep rising and the so called elite, try to bring in a higher class of farang..
The more money they want to make in the short run effects their long term business.....
They should realize that by now.....Oh but wait....most of the rip offs (with poor service) out there are still wondering why they aren't getting return customers....
As for the fee on arrival, it will most likely be like Bali back in the day where you needed $10US.....If you didnt have it, you would get slammed with a nasty conversion rate....or risk being turned back...
On another note, i have heard Bali is picking up as many Aussies are hearing the ongoing news from Phuket...
Posted by
Jaded
on
October 22, 2013 01:17
Just like in the Philippines, this money will filter out all the low budget tourists. It also makes hair shine golden, skin silky, teeth white, smiles fine .. reduces cancer rates, defends hiv, avoids floodings, protects wildlife, saves rainforests, reduces traffic and trafficking, dries out corruption...
Posted by
fiye
on
October 22, 2013 06:54
@fiye:
Philippines does not have an entry fee, but an exit tax of 750 pesos.
Posted by
Pete
on
October 22, 2013 08:27
I'm not sure about other Nationalities but Australians have to pay $25 US "visa on arrival" charge to get into Bali. Certainly doesn't seem to deter any tourists going to Bali. You have to go to a separate desk to pay for the VOA and then go to customs. It didn't seem to take long at all for us, particularly if you have the correct amount ready. 500baht is not much when you think of the overall cost of a holiday.
Posted by
Poz59
on
October 22, 2013 08:27
I wonder how these fees will impact the visa runners? That would be an extra 500B to come back in and 800B to leave, every visa run. Watch the numbers of overstayers go up in return of the extra fees. Something very wrong in this fee system. Just close all the airports and use only one if you want to lessen the amount of tourists entering Thailand. land and air travel are spoken of, what about coming in by sea?
Posted by
RobinS
on
October 26, 2013 01:09
Is it truethat passport holders from ASEAN member nations will no longer need visas/entry permits when ASEAN kicks in?
Posted by
benjamin netinyahoo
on
December 19, 2013 22:11
The only place I have been to that has an arrival fee and a departure fee is Bali. Poor guy going to Perth, Australia missed his flight as he had not paid the departure tax so had to buy a new flight ticket.
Posted by
Fiesty Farang
on
June 19, 2014 18:13
@FiestyFarang
Have you arrived to Phi Phi by ferry? 20THB per person is the arrival fee, payable in cash. Has nothing to do with national park entrance fee.
Auckland airport until 2008 had nasty 20NZD departure fee, payable in cash.
Many places had such fees in the past, and they were payable in cash. In many cases these fees now incorporated in appropriate ticket price.
Although I do not think it is proper financing source, if authorities want so, OK.. What I am concerned whether these 500THB will be payable in cash, which will be unnecessary and non-contemporary nuisance.
Posted by
Sue
on
June 19, 2014 19:32
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Isnt there already a 500b (or did it go to 700b) exit fee thats now built into any airline ticket price ??
I certainly remember when you used to have to cash out with 500b each time to fly out the country, and it becoming a built in tax..
Seems like now that its built into the ticket price, they just want to add another one in cash again ?
Posted by LivinLOS on October 21, 2013 15:38