Tourism professionals and businesses have protested the fee because the sector is only beginning to return to profitability after being decimated for two years by Covid-19. Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said the fee will remain. Tour groups with insurance may waive the tourist fee. Losses from tourist emergencies are not negligible. Last week should mark the end of collecting fees for land landings in Thailand. According to him, the law cannot be amended, only delayed. Proponents of the fee say the 300 Baht is needed to pay emergency costs with tourists, especially after the Covid disasters. Between 2017 and 2019, foreign patients seeking medical care but not paying their bills wasted over 350 million baht. The Health Ministry needed government cash to compensate hospitals. The Ministry has a contract with Krungsri Bank to handle the charge’s finances. In addition to kiosks, a smartphone app, and a website payment…