Thailand’s government has reintroduced a proposed foreign tourist fee that has undergone multiple revisions over the past six years. The latest version of the policy sets the entry charge at THB 450 per international visitor, marking an increase from the previous framework that charged THB 300 for air arrivals and THB 150 for land and sea entries.
The National Tourism Policy Committee has endorsed the draft principles and regulatory notification for the fee structure. The proposal now advances to a 30-day public consultation period before returning to the committee for further review. Following this stage, the measure would require Cabinet approval to proceed toward implementation.
If approved and implemented, the fee collection would begin with air travelers, with land and sea arrivals subject to the charge at a later date. Tourism officials attributed the higher fee to inflation, shifts in economic conditions, and increased insurance costs compared to the previous proposal.
The fee represents the latest iteration of a policy that Thailand has repeatedly approved, postponed, and modified since its initial proposal. In 2024, the government had abandoned the plan entirely as it prioritized tourism recovery efforts. The potential implementation timeline for the current version extends to the first quarter of 2027, contingent on successful completion of the remaining approval processes.
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