New Thai Government Enforces $9 Entry Fee for Tourists Arriving by Air

22 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

How about those on marriage as well as retirement visa/extensions? I exp

30 minutes ago, LALes said:

What about residents on Retirement visas? We're not tourists. Or, is this just another across the board falang tax?

But that's all we are, unless you have gained citizenship...we.maybe be on one year visas but still require 90 day reports. If you haven't understood that yet, you've got it all wrong.

45 minutes ago, pest said:

More delays on arrival ffs

Yep, how many arrive with Thai Baht? so they now need a phone with three days notice for your digital arrival card, you need proof of your hotel booking, proof of onward travel, and now they want you to have 300 Baht for the privilege! The world is imploding and these clowns are worried about 300 Baht, unbelievable.

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has announced that the 300-baht entry fee for foreign tourists arriving by air in Thailand will be proposed at the first Cabinet meeting of the new "Anutin 2" administration. The plan to charge travelers entering by land and sea a 150-baht fee has been set aside to avoid impacting cross-border commuters and day-trippers. This move is part of the government's broader strategy to boost tourism revenues.

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The proposed air arrival entry fee has sparked debate, with discussions focusing on the potential economic benefits against the need to maintain a welcoming image. Phiphat suggested renaming the fee to portray a more positive message, distancing it from its original term, "fee for stepping on the land." Additionally, the Bhumjaithai Party is planning a major reorganization of the civil service, merging the Ministry of Tourism and Sports with the Ministry of Culture into the new Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

Phiphat argues that combining these departments will enhance strategic alignment between tourism and cultural initiatives, key to Thailand’s economy. Concurrently, a new, dedicated Ministry of Sports will be established for focused management. These government restructures are anticipated to be completed within six months, with Sabida Thaiseth and Surasak Phancharoenworakul expected to lead the new ministries.

Looking forward, these changes aim to improve Thailand's tourism sector's efficiency and cultural integration, though the impact remains to be seen. Analysts will be watching closely as the government implements these plans, assessing their influence on international tourism and domestic perceptions, reported The Nation.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Nation · 26 Mar 2026

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17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has announced that the 300-baht entry fee for foreign tourists arriving by air in Thailand will be proposed at the first Cabinet meeting of the new "Anutin 2" administration. The plan to charge travelers entering by land and sea a 150-baht fee has been set aside to avoid impacting cross-border commuters and day-trippers. This move is part of the government's broader strategy to boost tourism revenues.

Get today's headlines by email

The proposed air arrival entry fee has sparked debate, with discussions focusing on the potential economic benefits against the need to maintain a welcoming image. Phiphat suggested renaming the fee to portray a more positive message, distancing it from its original term, "fee for stepping on the land." Additionally, the Bhumjaithai Party is planning a major reorganization of the civil service, merging the Ministry of Tourism and Sports with the Ministry of Culture into the new Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

Phiphat argues that combining these departments will enhance strategic alignment between tourism and cultural initiatives, key to Thailand’s economy. Concurrently, a new, dedicated Ministry of Sports will be established for focused management. These government restructures are anticipated to be completed within six months, with Sabida Thaiseth and Surasak Phancharoenworakul expected to lead the new ministries.

Looking forward, these changes aim to improve Thailand's tourism sector's efficiency and cultural integration, though the impact remains to be seen. Analysts will be watching closely as the government implements these plans, assessing their influence on international tourism and domestic perceptions, reported The Nation.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Nation · 26 Mar 2026

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Wow, brilliant timing. Just as some airfares have doubled or tripled, you introduce this? Should really increase tourist volume. Government just want to show that they are just as incompetant as the last shower.

In case someone queries my double/triple fare statement. I am in the Philippines but have an apartment in Thailand, so I (we) visit quite often. Before the Iran war, sites like Trip.com were offering flights for Php8 or 9k, without check in bag. After Iran war started, this almost immediately became Php13 or 14k and about a week later it was Php21 or 22k.

1 hour ago, pest said:

Departure would be better it was 500 before

That was a passenger service charge for the use of airport facilities, not a tax. It is still charged (though more than doubled), but is incorporated into the air ticket.

48 minutes ago, Karlik Pu said:

Very simple - it will be imposed on your air ticket to Thailand:)

During the first several attempts to impose this zombie tax, the airlines stated quite clearly that they cannot add a tax which will apply only to foreign passengers, so adding it to the ticket price is a non-starter - unless the government wants to set up an elaborate bureaucracy to refund the tax to Thais, which I don't think they want to do.

47 minutes ago, Kiwiken said:

So will this be included in Airfares or are they levying it the airport. If so What if you have no thai money on arrival?

It will almost certainly become part of the TDAC - fill in the form and pay the tax online before arrival. That would be the only real explanation for why TDAC was introduced so urgently after several years without any entry cards - it's really just a vehicle for collecting the foreigner tax. Let's see if I'm right...

Thailand: We have to boost tourism, it adds so much to our economy!

Also Thailand: We need to impose a tax on tourists, because they're draining so much from our economy!

Thailand: We want to encourage more long-stay tourists!

Also Thailand: We need to cut the visa-free entry period in half, because foreigners who stay a long time are all criminals!

8 hours ago, 1tooth said:

Good, hopefully it will deter the riff raff from visiting Thailand.

Oh yeah, like 300 baht is going to stop anyone from coming - 555

Stark contrast to how Cambodia is handling increased fuel prices - https://aseannow.com/topic/1390791-cambodia-suspends-fines-as-fuel-prices-soar/

Personally, 300B isn't going to alter any plans I have.

This is at least consistent with the government thinking and practice to raise prices when less are coming🤣

Greed never ends in leading their thinking!

But I promise not to step on the land...

2 hours ago, andyman57 said:

Good call at a time when flights are sky high and being cancelled I no let's put a 300 baht fee on top love it

Please explain. The passenger fee is needed to offset the costs of processing the visitors. Why should the non traveling Thai public be expected to subsidize the foreign visitors? 300 baht is insignificant. The fee could go to 5,000 baht and people would still come.

I also suggest you visit the AOT passenger arrival data for 2026. The increased volume over the past 12 months offsets the middle east disruption. There has been a surge in visitors from Europe and India. Although Chinese visitor numbers are still in the doldrums, the Chinese and Korean carriers have picked up alot of the Gulf carrier capacity drop. The big concern remains the reduced Chinese visitor count.

ok, ask the 300 baht

AND STOP THE DUAL PRICING in national parks and other places

where foreigners pay up 10x MORE than thais

2 hours ago, pest said:

Departure would be better it was 500 before

It's 700 now built into your air ticket

Another thing that I noticed today, by accident, that has sneakily gone up is the fees on using an ATM machine here. I'm like most here and don't use them these days as too expensive (not most tourists though)... but through circumstance today I needed to use a foreign card, so went down to a SCB ATM and they now want 350 baht to use it. That's a very recent hike by all info I'm aware of... nice slight-of-hand there in the midst of everything else going up and everyone's attention is on fuel and food etc.

1 hour ago, Feingeist said:

The classic difference between Thais and Chinese is that when business is slow, Thais increase their prices, whereas the Chinese lower theirs to boost demand.

It’s all well and good giving sound bites as quotes, but what’s the end result?

How much is discounted?

Does it increase quality tourists, or does it just result in lower profits?

Why not make it 1000 baht and include 30 days full cover medical insurance.

2 hours ago, pookett said:

Nobody really cares if they charge it or not. The problem, as always, will be in the implementation of actually taking the money.

Just chuck it on the airport fee to the airlines, they then raise their ticket prices by the 0.00?% required to cover it.

Yeah do that... make Thai citizens paty the tourist tax too !

TDAC was the first phase for this entry tax... that will change from free to costing Bt.300.00.

would that apply to Re-Entry permits

2 hours ago, Feingeist said:

The classic difference between Thais and Chinese is that when business is slow, Thais increase their prices, whereas the Chinese lower theirs to boost demand.

that's why Thais are much richer then Chinese ... LOL

Irrelevant money that will not be noticed. Don't care.

Great time to introduce it when airfares are already about to rise 30%+ .....NOT!!!

4 minutes ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Irrelevant money that will not be noticed. Don't care.

In a nut shell yeah.

If a few $$$$ entry tax is a deal breaker... then one could not afford to holiday in the fiirst place.

10 hours ago, 1tooth said:

Good, hopefully it will deter the riff raff from visiting Thailand.

Thailand encourages "riff raff" to come which is why I can't be bothered with it now. Even my wife is debating her annual trip home. The more hassle and costs they add the less so called quality tourists will come. 25 years ago Thailand was an exciting place to visit but now it's full of riff raff and wealthy dick heads. Fun and interesting people are few and far between. Other countries are looking more attractive every year and not much more hassle to go to meaning 300 bt could be the tipping point for many.

First sensible comment I’ve seen on this post gotta laugh at the idiots who post things like it’ll stop the riff raff etc sure ok for people on one time visit but people who live here travel every few months adds up in a year and it’s just another greed scam anyway.

Wonder when the next Scam will arrive to offset declining numbers. There must be a posistion in Anutins party with the title of Enforcement Scam Minister who's job is to sit on his arse all day thinking of how to extract more money from potential tourists. What next a checkpoint where you pay to enter a beach.

2 hours ago, visalady said:

It's 700 now built into your air ticket

It was, but was increased to 1120 baht a while ago.

They're sneaking those fees into the fares, aren't they. This new 300 baht will be no different.

I wonder how much will be filtered off into certain individuals secret bank accounts, but not making Phuket and Pattaya safer for tourism and residents

4 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

I wonder how TAT will spin this???

I don't think they have to as no one will notice the few baht increase especially compared to the high taxes already imposed on the tourist's flight costs from their own country.

I can't imaging a family from the UK for example saying, "Our holiday which will probably costs us four thousand pounds will now go up because the cheeky bugggers in Thailand have increased the cost by five pounds six shilling and sixpence, reet let's cancel the holiday and go to Blackpool instead!"😀

4 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

The worst way would be to try and collect it on arrival, it would only make things exponentially worse.

Why can't they add it to the ticket price there is already....

Thailand Advance Passenger Processing User Charge

Thailand International Arrival And Departure Fees

Thailand Passenger Service Charge

Just add another line???

• Don’t forget to complete your electronic tourist information arrival form.

3 minutes ago, Jiggo said:

I wonder how much will be filtered off into certain individuals secret bank accounts, but not making Phuket and Pattaya safer for tourism and residents

Phuket is already safe, 13 million holiday makers come every year, there are a few incidents due to the vast number of tourists, many self inflicted like the total drunk last week who had his money taken at an ATM at an ungodly hour of the night, but the odds of that happening are probably less than the chances of it happening in their own countries.

I have lived here for four years full time and have visited for 30 years on long holidays, never a problem.

I refer to the proverb, "One swallow does not make a summer. "

3 hours ago, baansgr said:

But that's all we are, unless you have gained citizenship...we.maybe be on one year visas but still require 90 day reports. If you haven't understood that yet, you've got it all wrong.

I know what you mean, I have been here for four years on a temporary year by year visa extension (retired) but I know I am not a local and never will be, some long term farangs not to realise they have the same status as a tourist, they do not live here, they are still visiting.

I knew the situation before deciding to come but I am under no illusion that my status is permanent, that is why I keep £20k in reserve in case we have to do an immediate runner out of Thailand for whatever future even might occur.

18 minutes ago, thaibreaker said:

It was, but was increased to 1120 baht a while ago.

They're sneaking those fees into the fares, aren't they. This new 300 baht will be no different.

It is currently Bt.730.00, it will increase to Bt.1120.00 on June 20.