Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

[GroveHillWanderer]

Not sure if you caught it in the article, but the proposed 300 Baht tourist tax/levy has been dropped.

If you read it, it says it has been sidelined while they look for an alternative so a tax/insurance for foreigners is still on the cards.

A 'tax' is just a fee where the government takes money, and an 'insurance' gives the illusion that the payer is getting something back. So it'll probably be under this guise though not offering much - a bit like the fake health insurance many have to pay now to renew non-O visas.

You said they are saying, "you may not get fleeced by our hospitals if you pay our insurance 'tax' ..." whereas what they (the current government) are saying is that there will be no insurance tax so long as they are in power.

As the article states, "the government is shelving the 300-baht fee scheme during its administration [and] the ministry must seek a new plan to protect tourists."

All the alternatives they are looking at involve central government funding.

So it might be on the cards for later - after a new government comes in but for now (at least according to what is written in the article) it is off the table indefinitely.

[Big Boy]

As I see it, this Gov't are intent on spending cash they don't have:

1. Free holiday insurance.
2. 10,000฿ handouts.
3. Wants a bigger minimum wage rise.
4. Electricity subsidies for the poor.
5. Extension of fuel subsidies.

Should I go on? I don't think the the Gov't can carry on like this indefinitely.

[2/cb]

As I see it, this Gov't are intent on spending cash they don't have:

1. Free holiday insurance.
2. 10,000฿ handouts.
3. Wants a bigger minimum wage rise.
4. Electricity subsidies for the poor.
5. Extension of fuel subsidies.

Should I go on? I don't think the the Gov't can carry on like this indefinitely.

Bit like most western nations. Italy, Spain, Portugal each have debt/GDP ratios of 110-114%, Greece 144%, UK is over 90%. Spending other people’s money is fun but raising the taxes to pay for it isn’t as enjoyable.