Thailand’s ฿450 tourist fee may be delayed until June or July 2027
The proposed charge for foreign air arrivals still needs Cabinet approval, followed by a legally required 180-day transition period.
Thailand may begin collecting a proposed ฿450 fee from foreign visitors arriving by air no earlier than June or July 2027, rather than the first-quarter start previously targeted by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
The National Tourism Policy Committee is scheduled to conduct its final assessment on November 12. The ministry expects to submit the draft to Cabinet the following week. Cabinet approval and publication in the Royal Gazette must precede a mandatory 180-day transition before collection starts.
Matichon reported that the ministry’s permanent secretary, Natthriya Thaweevong, said revisions were continuing on exemptions, collection arrangements and the readiness of technology and infrastructure. Including the charge in airline ticket prices is considered the simplest collection method.
Natthriya said some proceeds would fund insurance covering illness or accidents among foreign tourists in Thailand. The proposal has sparked disagreement over unpaid hospital bills between tourism associations and the Health Ministry.
An online consultation held from August 24 to September 28 received 5,954 responses. Support for the draft rules stood at 80.5%, while 78.3% endorsed the ฿450 amount.
Exemptions in the draft cover work permit holders, people travelling on diplomatic or official passports, border-pass holders, passengers in transit, crew and children younger than two. The ministry has said this list remains subject to revision.
The charge is distinct from a proposed ฿1,000 departure tax covering air passengers regardless of nationality. The Thai Hotels Association opposed that proposal in October, and the Finance Ministry was reported to have put it on hold.
