The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is moving forward with collecting a 450 Baht foreign tourist fee, following overwhelming support in an online public consultation where over 80.50% agreed with the proposal. The ministry plans to submit the proposal to the National Tourism Policy Board and the Cabinet for approval. The fee is projected to generate over 8 billion Baht annually for the tourism fund. The collection will initially be implemented for air travel, with an aim to begin in the first quarter of 2027. Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) assesses that recent floods have not significantly impacted the overall tourism landscape. Forward bookings for the fourth quarter show strong recovery, particularly from long-haul markets and China, with plans to launch major global events to boost foreign arrivals to 33 million for the entire year of 2026.
A meeting was held at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports on October 6, 2026, to discuss the implementation of the foreign tourist fee. The session was attended by numerous representatives from both public and private sectors, including Minister of Public Health Pata-phan Poompat, the Thai Tourism Council, the Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Central Group, The Mall Group, and international airlines. The meeting concluded with a clear direction to proceed with the measure.
The primary objectives of the fee are to reduce the tax burden on Thai citizens and to channel revenue back into tourism destinations. Surasak Wongsakrajang, Minister of Tourism and Sports, stated that from the beginning of the year until September 2026, Thailand welcomed over 22 million foreign tourists, generating more than 1 trillion Baht in revenue. The collection of this fee, a practice adopted by over 80 countries worldwide, is intended to provide insurance and life coverage for tourists. This will help alleviate the burden of medical expenses on public healthcare facilities, especially in border areas where collection might be difficult, and reduce the tax burden on the general public.
After deducting collection and insurance costs, it is estimated that at least 8 billion Baht per year will be channeled into the fund for the promotion of Thai tourism. This fund will be used for the development of tourist attractions, conservation of resources, and support for safety agencies, thereby reducing sole reliance on the national budget.
The results of the online public hearing, which ran from August 24 to September 28, 2026, revealed that out of 5,954 respondents, 80.50% agreed with the draft announcement, and 78.30% approved the fee rate of 450 Baht per person. A significant portion of respondents, 36.26%, suggested collecting the fee through “air tickets” to streamline immigration processes and reduce delays.
Regarding the collection method, the draft announcement proposes deferring the collection for land and water travel for one year, initiating the collection only for those entering Thailand via air travel. The private sector has requested that exemptions be considered for border traders and regular cross-border travelers, and has emphasized the need for transparency in the reporting of the fund’s income and expenditures.
Following this, the ministry will consolidate all proposals to finalize the draft announcement before submitting it to the National Tourism Policy Board and the Cabinet for consideration. If approved and published in the Royal Gazette, there will be a 180-day preparation period for system implementation, with an expected commencement of the fee in the first quarter of 2027.
In terms of the overall tourism industry, Thapanee Kiatphaiboon, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), estimates that the recent flood situation has not had a significant impact on major tourist destinations. Issues with flight delays and lost baggage have been resolved and returned to normal.
For the fourth quarter, forward bookings show a clear positive trend, especially from long-haul markets in Europe and the United States, which have returned to normal. The Middle Eastern market has shown a strong rebound, improving from a projected negative growth of 28% to a current negative of only 6.5%, with expectations of returning to positive growth by the end of the year. The Chinese market experienced a 17-18% expansion during the Golden Week, exceeding the target of 250,000 visitors.
Despite challenges in short-haul markets, such as Malaysia, due to the strong Thai Baht, TAT has prepared promotional plans for the final three months of the year, including a continuous series of major international events. These events will be held in both major and secondary cities, such as the Royal Barge Procession, Vijitr Chao Phraya, the Loi Krathong Festival, Countdown celebrations, the Diwali Festival (targeting the Indian market), and the IMF meeting, as well as world-class music festivals like Tomorrowland and EDC, and The Weeknd concert. These combined efforts are expected to drive foreign tourist arrivals to Thailand to reach the target of 33 million for the entire year of 2026.