Thailand plans to introduce tourist tax in the first quarter of 2027

The Thai government is set to start levying a 450 baht (about $13.5) tourist fee on foreign nationals in the first quarter of 2027, despite calls from the private sector to delay the initiative. It's from sb.by.

As TASS notes with reference to the Bangkok Post newspaper, at the first stage, the decision will affect travelers arriving in the country by air. The measure will bring in about 8 billion baht ($ 239 million) each year. Part of the money received will be spent on travel health insurance, which will help save about 7 billion baht ($ 209 million) of public funds annually allocated for these purposes. The remaining money will go to a special fund for the development and modernization of tourism infrastructure.

Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Surasak Phantyarynvorakun pointed out that the practice of covering the cost of tourists is already applied in more than 80 countries. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Nattharia Thaviwong added that following the public hearings that ended on September 28, more than 80% of almost 6,000 respondents supported the concept of introducing a fee, 78.3% approved the rate at 450 baht.

Representatives of more than 30 public and specialized private organizations participated in the discussion of the project, including the operator of the largest airports of the Kingdom Airports of Thailand, the Civil Aviation of Thailand, the Hotel Association and the Travel Agents Association. Earlier, representatives of the tourism industry proposed to postpone the launch of the system due to ongoing floods, but the relevant agency confirmed its desire to adhere to the scheduled schedule.

The idea of a fixed fee for foreign tourists is being considered in Thailand from 2020. Among the possible payment methods is its inclusion in the price of air tickets and hotel rooms. Venice is considering raising the fee for tourists three times