Report Thailand Eyes Passenger Fee Hike to Fund Airport Upgrades

[snoop1130]

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

In a move aimed at bolstering infrastructure, Thailand's Transport Ministry has tasked Airports of Thailand (AoT) with exploring a potential increase in the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) at six major airports. The charge for departing passengers may see a rise of 100 Thai Baht, as the country examines its fees compared to international standards.

 

Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit revealed the initiative, citing the need for thorough analysis. "We're looking at how our charges measure up to other major airports, like those in Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong," he explained. The findings are expected by September.

 

Currently, Thailand's PSC rates might be below the global average, prompting the ministry to consider a hike. The additional revenue is intended to enhance airport services and fund a significant expansion project at Suvarnabhumi Airport, including the development of its southern terminal.

 

“Most of our departing passengers are foreign tourists," Suriya noted. "If the study supports an increase, it seems justified, as the additional income will be invested in essential upgrades."

 

The minister clarified that this consideration is unrelated to any liquidity issues or commercial income shortfalls for the AoT. Instead, it aims to align fee structures with international norms and better reflect the actual costs of services provided.

 

AoT's acting president, Paveena Chariyathitiphong, confirmed the study is already underway. The primary goal is boosting income to transform Thailand's airports into key aviation hubs for Asia. The review focuses on upgrading facilities to enhance convenience, particularly for transit passengers.

 

Once the study concludes, AoT plans to present its proposal to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand and the Civil Aviation Board. The target is to have new rates in place before year-end.

 

Presently, the AoT charges 730 Baht per international departing passenger and 130 Baht for those travelling domestically. With the proposed increase, these fees aim to secure the necessary investments for the future of Thailand's aviation infrastructure.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-07-25

 

 

[freedomnow]

They will be going round in circles with the Yes/No choice on this one for 10 years same as the other one.

 

[ikke1959]

GReed. greed, greed.. bad air quality. unsafe roads, scamming, double standards and pricing, alcohol limited buying hours, no vaping, and on and on goes the list and now an extra fee for what??? more double standards, scam and pocketfilling

[KhunBENQ]

6 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

GReed. greed, greed.. bad air quality. unsafe roads, scamming, double standards and pricing, alcohol limited buying hours, no vaping, and on and on goes the list and now an extra fee for what??? more double standards, scam and pocketfilling

You forgot war games at the border. Thailand not been in the headlines in the west for a while.

Now they are.

Foreign offices issuing warnings.

Excellent tourist "promotion'.

Feel sad for those whose jobs depend on it.

[watchcat]

23 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

GReed. greed, greed.. bad air quality. unsafe roads, scamming, double standards and pricing, alcohol limited buying hours, no vaping, and on and on goes the list and now an extra fee for what??? more double standards, scam and pocketfilling

 

Not to mention the tripple amount you have ta pay when visiting a hospital!

[daveAustin]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Most of our departing passengers are foreign tourists," Suriya noted. "If the study supports an increase, it seems justified

Of course. Can’t go charging Thais. 

[impulse]

If a $3 increase is going to keep anyone from coming to Thailand, I doubt their spending will be missed.

 

[blaze master]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

GReed. greed, greed.. bad air quality. unsafe roads, scamming, double standards and pricing, alcohol limited buying hours, no vaping, and on and on goes the list and now an extra fee for what??? more double standards, scam and pocketfilling

 

The air quality issue will be a huge reason thailand crumbles in the coming decade or so. 

[ezzra]

When times are hard, (or just need cash) go milk the tax. fees, and levies payers' cow. MOOOO...

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

In a move aimed at bolstering infrastructure, Thailand's Transport Ministry has tasked Airports of Thailand (AoT) with exploring a potential increase in the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) at six major airports. The charge for departing passengers may see a rise of 100 Thai Baht, as the country examines its fees compared to international standards.

More charges levied on tourists... why doesn't the government fund the infrastructure to attract more travelers, then more revenue will come in.

[Mburo]

Here we go again…..

[BangkokReady]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

GReed. greed, greed.. bad air quality. unsafe roads, scamming, double standards and pricing, alcohol limited buying hours, no vaping, and on and on goes the list and now an extra fee for what??? more double standards, scam and pocketfilling

 

And outright racism.

[ikke1959]

15 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

More charges levied on tourists... why doesn't the government fund the infrastructure to attract more travelers, then more revenue will come in.

The Thai Government has destroyed the tourism and now they have no idea how to solve this problem and attrack more tourists.. The only thing in Thailand is that everything is money based but not on investments, or updating old things to become a modern and safe place, but as I mentioned, the airquality, unsafe roads, double pricing and standards are based on the outdated idea that foreigners have a lot of money and are rich, as you can read in some comments that they claim that it is only $3... but they forget that visiting a national park cost 600 THB a person as for a Thai only 50 or so.. and same we could read about taxis, and hospital bills and the list can go on... Thailand needs to reform as you write, indeed and invest in tourism and when they have to offer things they can charge, but now they only want to make money what they are missing, which will give the opposite effect. 

[renaissanc]

Whatever the new fee, the mandatory 35% Corruption Tax will have to be deducted from it to feed the usual %$#& bags. So there will be no more than 65 Baht left over.  62.23 million passengers x 35 Baht = 2,178,050,000 Baht for new cars, huge TVs, mansions, maids, shopping trips, etc.  Not that the %$#& bags don't have enough of these already, but they must have more, I suppose.

[BangkokReady]

10 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

in some comments that they claim that it is only $3... but they forget that visiting a national park cost 600 THB a person as for a Thai only 50 or so.. and same we could read about taxis, and hospital bills and the list can go on...

 

Indeed.  It might "only" be $3, but it's about the impression it gives of the Thai attitude to foreigners, that they are there for the milking, and that makes Thailand come across as pretty hostile to tourists.  They need to work on attracting tourists and making Thailand seem more welcoming to them, not that they wish to squeeze more money out of them.

[lordgrinz]

So, offer less and increase the prices? That's definitely the Thai way of doing business.

[edwardflory]

The solution:

ANYONE upon 1) entering or 2) leaving Thailand via air or land border pays 100bt. 

BUT

How the monies are collected is a different story.

[Mr Meeseeks]

4 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

You forgot war games at the border. Thailand not been in the headlines in the west for a while.

Now they are.

Foreign offices issuing warnings.

Excellent tourist "promotion'.

Feel sad for those whose jobs depend on it.

 

They lurch from one crisis to another as their inability to manage anything properly becomes evident.

 

Nobody will come in significant numbers while this nonsense is going on at the border.

[Peterphuket]

4 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

You forgot war games at the border. Thailand not been in the headlines in the west for a while.

Now they are.

Foreign offices issuing warnings.

Excellent tourist "promotion'.

Feel sad for those whose jobs depend on it.

Indeed, I am sorry to say but it does indicate again the intiligence level of the Thai elite.
Yes I know the money they do have, (although airport can't improve them?)
But using brains that is mostly too much to ask.

[Plutho]

The introduction of tourist taxes at airports was probably introduced under false promises that it would cover tourist insurance, which probably didn't come to anything, but they put the money in their own pockets, considering all the begging funds that start as soon as someone has had an accident and, as usual, had no insurance and want others to pay for their stinginess/stupidity!

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The Thai Government has destroyed the tourism and now they have no idea how to solve this problem and attrack more tourists.. The only thing in Thailand is that everything is money based but not on investments, or updating old things to become a modern and safe place, but as I mentioned, the airquality, unsafe roads, double pricing and standards are based on the outdated idea that foreigners have a lot of money and are rich, as you can read in some comments that they claim that it is only $3... but they forget that visiting a national park cost 600 THB a person as for a Thai only 50 or so.. and same we could read about taxis, and hospital bills and the list can go on... Thailand needs to reform as you write, indeed and invest in tourism and when they have to offer things they can charge, but now they only want to make money what they are missing, which will give the opposite effect. 

100% correct... Thailands lack of foresight is actually driving people away, 

[Will B Good]

 

 

 

Well! No one can accuse them of rushing this decision.

[shackleton]

And as usual they will be Flip Flopping over the should we increase or not 

Might upset the Foreign Tourists coming to Thailand 

I think not 🫣

 

[BerndD]

The traveller does not notice such a fee increase directly, as the amount is included in his flight ticket and the fees incurred there are not broken down.

[digger70]

Thailand Eyes Passenger Fee Hike to Fund Airport Upgrades 

 

Great , anything else they  can come up with to discourage the tourists.

They Like the Money , not the people .

[DLock]

The vacuum in leadership is steering this rudderless administration to make dumb decisions...

[BusyB]

https://www.fodors.com/news/news/what-is-the-united-states-250-visa-integrity-fee

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, BerndD said:

The traveller does not notice such a fee increase directly, as the amount is included in his flight ticket and the fees incurred there are not broken down.

 

Thailand has one of the cheapest Airport Taxes - plenty of bashing going on here without people realising how high the taxes are in their own countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, Plutho said:

The introduction of tourist taxes at airports was probably introduced under false promises that it would cover tourist insurance, which probably didn't come to anything, but they put the money in their own pockets, considering all the begging funds that start as soon as someone has had an accident and, as usual, had no insurance and want others to pay for their stinginess/stupidity!

 

Did this 'Tourist Tax' actually go through ?? - things have been very quiet since the original announcement, they delays etc...

 

But, it would be excellent optics for Thailand if this tax existed and it supported medical care for tourists injured or falling unwell here.

[phetphet]

They always seem to quote international norms when it suits them. When it doesn't, you get: "This is Thailand. You don't understand."