Thailand is considering a 450-baht entry fee for foreign tourists to fund visitor insurance, improve tourist attractions and ease the government’s burden from unpaid medical bills. The proposed Thailand tourist fee remains under public consultation until September 28, with no confirmed implementation date.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports wants to establish a permanent funding source for tourism development rather than relying entirely on annual state budgets. Revenue would go towards visitor protection, infrastructure improvements, environmental restoration and support for local communities.
Medical expenses are a major consideration. According to The Nation, the government currently bears approximately 7 billion baht annually in unrecovered medical costs involving foreign nationals, although earlier reports have cited considerably lower figures.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the proposed fee would help finance insurance coverage for visitors while supporting the industry’s long-term development.
Under the current proposal, eligible foreign visitors would pay 450 baht regardless of whether they enter Thailand by air, land or sea.
One payment would cover multiple entries within 30 days, provided visitors remain covered by the insurance included in the scheme. Exemptions would apply to several groups, including work permit holders, diplomatic passport holders, transit passengers, crew members and children under two.
Collection would begin with air passengers once the relevant regulations take effect, with land and sea arrivals following one year later.
The proposal follows earlier plans to introduce a tourist entry fee, which previously set different rates depending on how visitors entered the country.
Tourist levies are already used internationally. New Zealand collects a NZ$100 visitor levy, while Bhutan charges most international visitors US$100 per night. Amsterdam also imposes a tourism tax equivalent to 12.5% of accommodation costs.
Thailand’s proposed system differs by combining an entry charge with insurance coverage and allowing repeat visits within a 30-day period.
The proposal also comes shortly after Thailand introduced new visa rules on September 15, reducing the standard visa exemption for eligible tourists from 60 to 30 days.
The fee remains a separate measure and would not change visitors’ permitted length of stay.
Following the September 28 consultation deadline, the proposal will return to the National Tourism Policy Committee for further consideration before being submitted to Cabinet.
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