Two Levies on the Table
Thailand's government is weighing two separate charges that would collectively add around €39 to the cost of an international trip for eligible visitors. One levy targets people flying out of the country, regardless of nationality. The other would apply only to foreign nationals arriving by air.
Neither fee has been enacted. The outbound charge is open for public feedback until late October, while the inbound levy awaits cabinet sign-off and could take effect early next year if approved. Finance Ministry Permanent Secretary Lavaron Sangsnit said in a statement that the departure levy would likely be folded into ticket prices rather than collected at airport counters. He framed the proposal as a revival of an older charge set at half the current figure roughly twenty years ago, arguing that those who travel internationally are better positioned to shoulder the cost.
The proposed outbound charge stands at 1,000 baht, equivalent to around €27. It would apply equally to Thai citizens and foreign passport holders leaving by air. Lavaron indicated that revenue might support domestic tourism promotion or help fund emergency medical cover and travel insurance schemes.
The inbound fee sits at 450 baht, or about €12. Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, formerly head of the Dusit Thani hotel group, has backed the charge, telling agencies to draft transparent rules for collection and expenditure before presenting the plan to cabinet. According to Suphajee, funds would go toward visitor safety measures, insurance programmes and upgrades at under-resourced sites. She noted that many other countries operate similar systems.
Who Pays, and When
Draft language for the arrival fee reportedly excludes people holding work permits and a handful of other groups. It does not appear to exempt holders of long-term or multiple-entry visas outright. A single payment would cover repeat entries within a 30-day window, tied to the associated insurance policy. Arrivals beyond that period could trigger another charge. Those details remain provisional pending final approval.
If implemented, the inbound levy would initially apply only to air passengers. Collection at land and sea crossings would be delayed by a year, according to the timeline outlined by officials. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said more than 80 per cent of respondents in a recent online consultation supported the fee, though the consultation's methodology and sample size were not disclosed.
Both proposals sit alongside an existing airport service charge that Airports of Thailand raised in June from 730 baht to 1,120 baht for international departures. That increase, now in force at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai, brings the current departure fee to around €30. Stacking the new levies on top would push the combined bill for an eligible foreign tourist to 2,570 baht, or roughly €68. Of that total, the two proposed charges account for €39; the rest is already payable. A family of four subject to all three fees would face a combined outlay of around €274.
Industry Concerns
Travel industry groups have pushed back, warning that higher costs risk eroding Thailand's appeal relative to neighbouring markets. The Thai Travel Agents Association argued that the departure levy could prompt airlines to trim frequencies and reduce passenger volumes, ultimately hurting inbound traffic. The association also cautioned that the move runs counter to Thailand's stated ambition to function as a regional aviation hub.
Visitor numbers offer some context for the debate. Through early October, Thailand had received around 24 million foreign tourists, down four per cent year on year. That figure remains well short of the nearly 40 million arrivals recorded in 2019. The Tourism Authority of Thailand projects roughly 33 million visitors for the full year, marginally above the 32.97 million who arrived in 2025.
The revenue question unfolds against a backdrop of persistent budget shortfalls. Lavaron's remarks acknowledge that the government has consistently spent more than it collects, a pattern that has shaped the search for new income streams. Yet the dual levies have not been formally linked to any single spending commitment, leaving questions about how proceeds would be allocated and tracked.
Shifting Visa Rules and Strategy
The fee proposals come alongside other changes affecting how visitors enter and stay. From mid-September, the visa-free allowance for certain passport holders dropped from 60 days to 30. Belgium and Luxembourg are among the countries affected, according to the Royal Thai Embassy in Brussels. People who arrived before the rule change keep the longer stay period originally granted. Those planning extended visits can apply for alternative visa categories, including the Destination Thailand Visa for eligible applicants.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has outlined a 2027 strategy aimed at attracting higher-spending visitors and distributing arrivals more evenly across established and emerging areas. Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool described the plan as a commitment to reshape the sector around quality and long-term competitiveness, with wellness, food, nature and luxury experiences singled out as priorities. The strategy targets revenue growth of at least five per cent over 2026 levels.
The dual levies have not been presented as formal components of that strategy, though they sit within the same broader debate about how Thailand balances volume, value and fiscal need. Industry critics worry that layering new costs onto a market still recovering from pandemic-era disruption may push price-sensitive travellers toward alternatives in Southeast Asia, where several governments have moved in the opposite direction by lowering entry barriers or waiving fees to rebuild arrivals.
What Happens Next
The departure levy remains in public consultation until 29 October. No implementation date has been announced, and the proposal will require further procedural steps before taking effect. The arrival fee awaits cabinet consideration and could be introduced in the first quarter of 2027 if approved, though that timeline is contingent on completing legal and administrative groundwork.
For now, travellers face uncertainty. Those booking trips for early next year will need to monitor official announcements to understand whether the fees will apply to their itinerary, how exemptions will be defined and whether payment systems will be integrated into booking platforms or handled separately. The debate underscores a tension familiar across tourism-dependent economies: the need to generate public revenue without pricing out the visitors that revenue depends on.
