Thailand Plans 500 Baht Entry Fee for All Tourists: Phuket Official Backs Move

[news junkie]

http://phuketwan.com/tourism/thailan...ks-move-19053/

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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http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...-30217329.html

Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong said Thursday that the government plans to collect entry fees on foreign tourists.

Pradit said he had consulted with other government agencies concerned about the entry fees and a decision would have yet to be made on which agency would be in charge of collecting the fee.

He said foreigners, who stay in the kingdom for more than three days, would be charged Bt500 while those who stay no more than three days would be charged Bt30 a day.

Parts of the fees would be used to compensate medical service costs for foreign tourists, Pradit said.

nationmultimedia.com

[news junkie]

B500 foreigner-entry fee on the table

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...rist-entry-fee

The government is considering a plan to charge foreigners a 500-baht entry fee from January next year, according to Public Health Minister Pradit Sintavanarong.
Mr Pradit said on Sunday that officials from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Ministry of Public Health and the Royal Thai Police had discussioned the matter and all agreed with the idea.
They expected the extra charge would lead to an increase in the quality of tourists entering Thailand, he said.
"The tourism and sports minister (Somsak Phurisrisak) told me that every other country is collecting entry fees from foreigners," Mr Pradit said.
"The money will be used for many purposes by the tourism, health and foreign affairs ministries, and the Immigration Bureau."
The health ministry would gather relevant information and help the Ministry of the Interior in legislating the law. The collected fees would go into the national budget coffers before they are transferred to different agencies, he said.
He expected the new entry charge would take effect from Jan 1, but it could be put off to mid-January because there would be many tourists entering the country at that time and they might get confused, he said.

The government is considering a B500 entry fee for foreign tourists, claiming it will keep out the trash, but the feedback from the tourism sector is all negative.

When reporters asked him if the plan could backfire and result in fewer tourist arrivals, Mr Pradit said the tourism ministry did not oppose the plan.
"Now is the time for us to have quality tourists. It's not as if inbound tour operators won't organise tours for foreign tourists to come to the country because of the entry fees," the health minister said.
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, he said.
According to reports, foreigners who arrive at airports would be charged 500 baht, while those who enter the country by land would be charged 30 baht a day.
The scheme would also prevent foreigners staying in the country after their visas have expired. There are about 100,000 foreigners in Thailand whose visas have expired but they refuse to leave the country, the reports said.
Samphan Panphat, adviser to the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said he disagreed with the 500-baht entry fee. It lacked transparency and would significantly hurt the tourism industry.
Authorities should specify the nationalities of tourists who might pose problems to Thailand, because there are many tourists from other countries who do not create problems when they come here, he said.
"The government should be take serious steps to solve the problems in the country and to improve the quality of tourism here. Then things will improve," Mr Samphan said.
Sitdiwat Cheevarattanaporn, chairman of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta), took the same tone, saying it is not a good move and not in line with the government's plan to promote tourism.
"The plan will affect the tourism industry, both in the short run and the long run, because tourists will feel bad about Thailand and they may feel they are being cheated," Mr Sitdiwat said.
Porntip Hirunket, vice chair of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said collecting entry fees from foreigners would dampen the tourism atmosphere.
Authorities should do a better job of screening tourists, enforcing the existing laws and preventing tourists from being conned, she said.