Thailand advances B450 tourism fee plan affecting foreign arrivals to Phuket

Thailand has advanced a plan to charge foreign visitors a B450 tourism fee, a proposal that would affect international travellers entering the country for destinations including Phuket. A 30-day public hearing will be held before the plan is reviewed again and potentially submitted to the Cabinet.

The National Tourism Policy Committee approved the draft principles and notification governing the fee at a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun on 14 August 2026.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the proposed B450 charge would apply to foreign visitors entering Thailand by air, land or sea. The amount is higher than earlier proposals for B300 air arrivals and B150 land or sea arrivals.

Tourism and Sports Permanent Secretary Natthriya Thaweevong said updated calculations accounted for economic growth, inflation and other factors since the original proposal in 2023. Some models produced figures above B490, but officials settled on B450 as a level they considered balanced and unlikely to significantly deter visitors.

The fee, known in Thai as “kha yeap pan din”, would be paid into a dedicated tourism development fund. Authorities say the money would support insurance coverage for foreign visitors, tourism attractions and infrastructure, new visitor experiences, research and conferences, and training for tourism personnel.

Collection would be introduced in phases. Air arrivals would be charged 180 days after the relevant notification is published in the Royal Gazette. Land and sea arrivals would follow approximately 360 days later, allowing authorities more time to address congestion at border checkpoints, particularly along the Malaysian border.

Officials are also considering multiple-entry arrangements linked to the duration of a visitor’s insurance coverage. Under the example discussed, a traveller making repeated entries during a one-month covered period could pay the fee only once.

Possible payment methods include adding the charge to airline tickets, online payment through websites or mobile applications, and kiosks or mobile devices at entry points. The private sector and other stakeholders will be invited to comment during the public consultation.

Air-arrival collection is expected to begin in early 2027, with April and the Songkran travel period identified as a possible timing. After the hearing, the proposal will return to the National Tourism Policy Committee for further consideration before any Cabinet decision.