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Looks like the rumors regarding tourist fees will become a reality.
Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, the government’s spokesperson, announced on January 12 that Thailand will start charging international travelers B300 (not B500 as originally planned) starting April. The initiative is part of “Amazing Thailand New Chapter”, the upcoming campaign by the Tourism and Sports Ministry that aims to boost the country’s tourism industry and subsidize future sustainable tourism projects.
The government’s rep further explained that part of these collected fees will be utilized for the maintenance of tourist attractions, while B50 will be used to provide the tourist with insurance coverage, which would pay one million baht (approximately USD30,000) in case of death and B500,000 (approximately USD15,000) for medical expenses.
“During the first year of this initiative, we will have a fund [after deducting for the insurance] worth about B1.250 million, and this amount is aimed at the development of tourist attractions, especially projects like building facilities for the physically challenged and clean toilets for visitors, like those in Japan. All of these need cooperation from the locals as well,” Thanakorn said.
The government is still figuring out how to charge this B300 fee from those traveling via land-based transportation.
On another note, the original B500 proposal, put forth by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), is still being considered. The extra B200 will supposedly help fund the tourism reconstruction projects. For now, the government, together with Naresuan University, agree that B300 is an appropriate amount.
Source credit: Prachachat