Thailand plans to introduce a 300 baht (S$11.40) tourism tax on foreign visitors by the end of 2025, announced Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong.
The tax is scheduled to begin during Thailand’s high season later this year, pending official publication in the Royal Gazette in March.
“The tourist fee may not be a large amount that would put tourists off, but if collection is complicated, it will be inconvenient. Our aim is to make the process as smooth as possible,” said Sorawong.
Foreign travelers arriving by air will pay 300 baht per person per trip. Those entering by land or water will also pay 300 baht but can make multiple entries within a 30 to 60-day period.
The ministry is working to integrate the tax collection with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), which starts on May 1, 2025, according to The Nation.
The Thai government is developing a one-stop service to make tax collection straightforward for travelers.
The collected funds will provide life and accident insurance coverage for all foreign passport holders visiting Thailand.
“Several embassies have confirmed this scheme is a good plan as it will allow travelers to access insurance,” Sorawong stated.
The minister does not anticipate a decline in foreign arrivals due to the small tax amount.
The 300 baht tourism tax was first proposed and approved under former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government in February 2023. The plan was put on hold during Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s administration, which hoped tourism revenue would reach at least 3 trillion baht annually.
Private tourism businesses have opposed the tax, warning it could hurt tourism flows and reduce Thailand’s competitiveness as a tourist destination.
Thailand joins other destinations implementing tourist taxes to manage the impact of high tourism volumes on infrastructure and local resources.
The tax revenue will fund tourist site upgrades and provide compensation for injuries and deaths among foreign visitors.
About 70 percent of foreign arrivals to Thailand come by air. The country received 40 million tourists in 2019, which dropped to 11 million by 2022 due to COVID-19. Thailand expects about 36 million foreign travelers in 2024.
