Tourism fee to start by September
published : 20 Apr 2023 at 11:29
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Molpasorn Shoowong
The tourism and sports minister has confirmed that collection of the 300-baht tourism fee will not be delayed beyond September, while the ministry plans to ask police to clear out "zero-dollar tours" and illegal tours.
Tourism and Sports 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.
He said the ministry is considering outsourcing 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 baht, while travellers via land and sea must pay 150 baht.
A tourism fund is expected to be established by using 60-70% of the fees, helping to develop tourism destinations, said Mr Phiphat.
As concerns over zero-dollar tours mount, he said the ministry will seek support from provincial police to help tourist police officers crack down on these illegal businesses.
Tourism operators are also worried about foreign tour guides, partially the result of a labour shortage in Thailand.
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Vocabulary
- crack down on: to start dealing with someone or something much more strictly - จัดการ, ลงมือปราบปราม
- criticised: receiving words of disapproval over something that you have supposedly done wrong - ถูกวิจารณ์, โดนว่า
- fee: an amount of money that you pay to be allowed to do something - ค่าธรรมเนียม
- kiosk (noun): a small shop/store, open at the front, where newspapers, drinks, etc. are sold. In some countries kiosks also sell food and things used in the home. - แผงขายหนังสือพิมพ์,ตู้โทรศัพท์,ปะรำ,ศาลาพักร้อน,เวทีดนตรี
- outsourcing: if a company outsources, it pays to have part of its work done by another company - จัดจ้างคนภายนอก
- provincial (adj): related to "provinces" , the different parts of a country - ประจำจังหวัด, ส่วนท้องถิ่น
- selective (adjective): careful about who they choose, choosy, discerning, discriminating - ซึ่งเลือกเฟ้น, ซึ่งคัดเลือกอย่างระมัดระวัง, ช่างเลือก
- shortage (noun): when there is not enough of something - การขาดแคลน
- zero-dollar tour (noun): paying a low price for a tour package but then being pressured into buying overpriced items -
