Bangkok, Thailand — Foreign tourists visiting Thailand could soon face up to ฿2,570 in cumulative travel charges per round-trip under a series of new state-backed levies, sparking strong pushback from the country's travel and hospitality sector.
The most recent proposal involves an overhaul of Thailand’s 1983 departure tax framework. Under new draft legislation spearheaded by the Finance Ministry and the Revenue Department, the scope of the departure tax would expand beyond Thai nationals and foreign permanent residents to include “travellers of every nationality.”
If enacted, ordinary international air tourists flying out of the Kingdom would pay an initial ฿1,000 departure levy, embedded directly into airfares. The bill also establishes a legal ceiling permitting the charge to climb as high as ฿5,000 per departure in the future.
Anatomy of the ฿2,570 Total Charge
The Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA) calculated that a foreign visitor arriving and departing by air could soon absorb three distinct government and airport fees:
-
Entry Levy (Proposed – ฿450): Championed by Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul, this incoming fee specifically targets foreign tourists to provide baseline medical and death insurance coverage during their stay. It currently awaits Cabinet review.
-
Passenger Service Charge (Active – ฿1,120): Implemented on June 20, 2026, Airports of Thailand (AOT) raised this airport service fee across its six major international gateways—including Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang—by 53.4%, jumping from ฿730 to ฿1,120.
-
Departure Tax (Proposed – ฿1,000): The Revenue Department's new proposal on outbound air travel, applicable to every qualifying departure.
Combined, a tourist would face ฿450 upon arrival and ฿2,120 in departure and airport facility charges when flying home, bringing total travel-related surcharges to ฿2,570 per person.
Stated Objectives vs Industry Backlash
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas publicly defended the departure tax proposal on October 7, arguing that the policy is intended to curb outbound overseas holidays by Thais and encourage domestic tourism spending.
However, travel associations have pushed back against applying the levy universally. ATTA Secretary-General Dr. Adith Chairattananon warned that stacking multiple arrival and departure fees risks dampening price competitiveness and places undue strain on inbound operators. ATTA’s board convenes on October 8 to finalize a formal objection to the bill.
Implementation Timeline and Exemptions
The proposed departure tax remains in the regulatory pipeline and is not yet in force. The Revenue Department’s public hearing runs through October 29. Should the bill clear legislative hurdles and achieve Cabinet and parliamentary approval, it would carry a 180-day grace period following its publication in the Royal Gazette.
Proposed exemptions include:
-
Children aged two years or younger
-
Transit passengers connecting through Thai airports
-
Designated official traveler categories
-
Tickets issued prior to the law taking effect
At present, only the ฿1,120 AOT Passenger Service Charge is actively collected via airline bookings. Neither the ฿450 tourist entry fee nor the ฿1,000 departure tax is being charged to