look news india
New Delhi: If you are planning to visit Thailand, then you may have to loosen your pocket a little more. Actually, the Thai government is preparing to impose tourism tax again. This tax will have to be paid by tourists from all over the world coming to Thailand. The purpose of this tax is for the government to increase its revenue and infrastructure. Thailand's Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong has announced the re-implementation of this tax. Under this, 300 baht (about 756 rupees) will be taken from tourists. The government's target is to increase it to at least 3 trillion baht this year.
Approval was received in the year 2022
The tax was already discontinued under the administration led by Prime Minister Sritha Thavisin. A Bangkok Post report quoted Minister Sorawong as saying that tourism fees benefit the tourism industry. Explaining the reason, he said that the revenue can be used for infrastructure and development as well as ensuring the safety of tourists. The tax was approved by the Cabinet in 2022, but it could not be implemented due to not being published in the Royal Gazette.
Which tourists will have to pay this tax?
Under the proposed scheme, foreign tourists arriving by air will have to pay 300 Baht. Those arriving by sea and road will be charged 150 Baht. However, many people have been excluded from this tax. There will be no tax for children below two years of age. Also, this tax will not be levied on transit passengers, diplomatic passport holders and people with work permits.
When will this start?
There is no clear information yet about when this tax will be imposed. It will be started only after it is published in the Royal Gazette. The minister said that more time is needed to assess the readiness of the system. But it will be started soon. Apart from the tax, the ministry is considering restarting successful tourism programs that were closed due to Corona.
Other countries also impose this tax
Many countries around the world levy tourism tax. These include Austria, Belgium, Bhutan etc. This tax has to be paid in many cities as well. These include Edinburgh, Barcelona, Paris etc. This tax sometimes also depends on how many days the tourist coming here will stay here. That is, tax is levied on a daily basis. Apart from this, the more luxurious the hotel in which you stay, the more tax you will have to pay.
