Thailand’s tourist entry fee to generate 3.9 billion baht this year | Thailand News Today
Thailand’s tourist entry fee to generate 3.9 billion baht this year
Thailand is expected to gain US$112 million in revenue this year by charging tourists an entry fee beginning June 1 according ti Tourism Minister Kh. Phiphat.
Last week, Thailand’s Cabinet approved the collection of an entry fee from all foreign tourists
Foreigners arriving by air will be charged 300 baht (US$8.67) and those arriving by land/sea will be charged 150 baht (US$4.34), as proposed by the National Tourism Policy Committee.
The tourism minister said that 650 million baht will be spent on travel insurance for tourists and the remaining 3.25 billion will fund tourism development. Foreign tourists arriving in Thailand by air will be required to pay 300 baht to enter Thailand, which will be included as part of the airfare. The fee will be halved to 150 baht for foreigners who arrive in Thailand via land/sea border, who will pay via a kiosk machine, a website or an application.
Holders of Thai passports, diplomatic passports, work permits, special work permits for specific professionals set by the Labour Ministry, transit passengers, and children under two years old are exempt from paying what Thailand calls the “stepping on the land fee.”
Thailand is one of 40 countries in the world collecting an entry fee from foreign tourists. However, Thailand is the first country to use the collected tax to give back to tourists through welfare
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Thailand-Myanmar land border in Chiang Rai reopens after 3-year closure
The Thailand-Myanmar land border at the Maesai Border Checkpoint in the northern province of Chaing Rai reopened yesterday after being closed for three years due to Covid-19. Thais and foreigners who want to visit Myanmar need to show a vaccine certificate or Covid test.
Maesai Border Checkpoint and Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge 1, which connect Chiang Rai province in Thailand with Thachileik district in Myanmar, have been closed since March 23, 2020. Only Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge 2 was left open to transport products between the two countries.
The reopening ceremony yesterday at 7am was attended by the Chiang Rai Governor, Somwang Boonrayong, and the Thachileik Governor, U Min Nai.
Somwang stated that the border is currently being tested and is open for 12 hours per day, starting from 6.30am to 6.30pm. He anticipates that within a month, the opening time will be extended to 9pm. The authorities aim to evaluate the situation in Myanmar in order to ensure the safety of travellers before resuming normal operations at the checkpoint
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TAT teams up with Netflix to create new Thailand travel guide
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has teamed up with Netflix to create an exciting new guide called Uncover Thailand: A Creative Travel Guide. The interactive guide will help tourists discover beautiful locations in Thailand that have been featured in popular films and shows on Netflix.
The up-and-coming guide will also provide useful travel advice and fascinating facts to enhance visitors’ experiences. The guide is expected to add value and inspiration to every destination, as well as draw quality tourists with special interests, such as fans of films and television series
The partnership between the TAT and Netflix is part of a broader campaign to promote tourism in Thailand, known as Visit Thailand Year 2023: Amazing New Chapters. The campaign aims to attract quality tourists to the country and promote Thai tourism and culture on an international stage.
Moreover, the guide will offer recommendations for unique experiences in the surrounding areas, which will allow visitors to enjoy the nation’s natural wonders, gastronomic offerings, rich culture, and diverse heritage.
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Another earthquake further devastates Turkey and Syria
Another earthquake is further devastating Turkey and Syria just two weeks after the massive earthquake that hit the country on February 6.
Yesterday, a new magnitude 6.3 aftershock hit southern Turkey, killing at least three people and injuring hundreds more. The aftershock struck Turkey’s southern Hatay province, near the Syrian border, with its epicentre in the province’s Defne district. According to Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, there have been 26 aftershocks since the quake.
Turkish officials say at least three people were killed and 294 people were injured following Monday’s aftershocks. In the city of Antakya, three men were trapped when a building that had survived the initial quake two weeks ago collapsed. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the quake as being of magnitude 6.4 at a depth of 10 kilometres before revising it down to a 6.3 magnitude.
