The plans to wave tourist visa fees which are being attributed to Thailand’s new Prime Minister would be a ‘grave error’ and a ‘big mistake’ even on a temporary basis.
Dropping the price of visas even further, and continuing with the free 30-day entry visa for most westerners would be a mistake, as it reinforces the impression that Thailand is desperate for tourists and dependent upon them for an alleged 5% of the economy.
Thailand is getting an undeserved reputation of being a cheap location for low-class tourism, whereas it should be taking advantage of the already well-known uniqueness of Thai culture, history and beauty of land and people and should instead raise the fees to western levels. Australia and other western countries that also have a significant tourism input do not waive visa fees nor lower them.
Instead Thailand should raise its fees and even demand that certain unfriendly Western countries that harbor wanted criminals and host insults against Thailand, pay a 1,000 Pound, Euro or Dollar visa fee, with 900 returnable if no illegal activities have been engaged in that resulted in police cases.
This would weed out the many western tourists who come to Thailand to abuse women, drugs or perform other illegal activities, and earn $100 from each tourist which can go toward paying the cost of the special Tourist Police, security and other services directed toward tourists. This cost is well below the cost Thais have to pay to visit England, France or Australia, and is a proportionate amount.
Far from reducing the income to the economy from tourists, it would raise the income, weed out the low-class tourists who don’t have money to spend other than insulting locals with arguments over 10 Baht, or underpayment for services rendered, and it would earn Thailand the reputation is deserves as the tourism Crown Jewel of South East Asia.
