Thailand to start tourism fee collection by September
Thailand will not delay the tourism fee collection beyond September, and its Tourism and Sports Ministry also plans to ask provincial police to support the tourism police in its operations to clear out "zero-dollar" and illegal tours, an official has confirmed.
Tourists in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: AFP/VNA)Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the fee will not be cancelled, although the collection method of adding it to airfares was criticised by airlines as selective, claiming it violates the International Air Transport Association's Chicago convention that prioritises equality.
He said his ministry is considering outsourcing to give external organisations responsibility for fee collection for all three methods of entry – air, land and sea – through online applications, websites or kiosks.
Foreign arrivals by air are charged 300 THB (8.7 USD) while travellers via land and sea must pay 150 THB.
A tourism fund is expected to be established by using 60 - 70% of the fees, helping to develop tourism destinations and new infrastructure.
Facing mounting concerns over zero-dollar tours, he said the ministry will seek support from provincial police, which have more than 200,000 officers nationwide, to help 2,000 tourist police officers crack down on these illegal businesses./.
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