Thailand to charge tourists

“Landing fees” were once controversial in Thailand has rebranded its “ tourist fee”, expected to take effect from mid-2025.

International passengers at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand. (Photo: Bangkok Post )

The recent move by the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports has received the attention of many foreign tourists, including many Vietnamese.

Thailand's Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said the new tax, called the "tourism fee," will be submitted to the Thai Cabinet for approval in the first quarter of 2025.

In the first phase, those arriving by air will be affected first. Mr. Sorawong also informed that the money will be used to buy insurance for foreigners, the rest will be added to the tourism development fund.

The fund will support improvements to tourist attractions, including the construction of disabled facilities and toilets for tourists.

The “tourist fee” was originally called “Kha Yeap Pan Din,” or “landing fee,” and was approved in principle by the Cabinet in February 2023. The initial target was to levy 300 baht (about $8.88) on foreigners arriving by air and 150 baht (4.44 USD), aiming to help revive Thailand’s tourism industry after the Covid-19 pandemic. However, due to controversy, authorities decided to change the name.

Kanchanaburi, a mountainous province located on the poetic River Kwai, has attracted many Vietnamese tourists recently.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand is developing an application to collect “tourist fees”, linked to the Krungthai Bank system. The current insurance premium will remain the same, which is no more than 60 baht/person. Tourists can still buy other types of travel insurance on their own.

The insurance payout under the “tourist fee” in case of death is set at one million baht and a maximum of 500,000 baht for injuries. The “tourist fee” insurance covers stays in Thailand of no more than 30 days. About 87% of foreign visitors to Thailand stay for less than a month.

After the first phase, the Cabinet may consider adjusting the tax on arrivals by land and sea to the same level as air travelers to avoid accusations of unequal treatment. The “tourist fee” will not apply to cross-border traders, who have a separate passport.

According to a recent forecast by the Thai Tourism Association, the number of Thais traveling abroad this year will increase only slightly by 5-7%, reaching an estimated 10 million people. This figure is still lower than the 12-13 million Thais traveling abroad before the Covid-19 outbreak.

Explaining this situation, the Thai Tourism Association said that the country's economy is stagnant and travel costs are rising, forcing people to consider more carefully about traveling abroad.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/thai-lan-sap-thu-phi-khach-du-lich-5026353.html