Thailand Proposes New 1,450 Baht Arrival and Departure Tourist Fees

As of October 8, 2026, the Thai government is actively evaluating two separate fiscal proposals that would significantly alter the cost structure for international visitors. The first is a 450-baht tourist arrival fee, which has recently moved toward formal government review following a successful public consultation phase. The second is a proposed 1,000-baht departure tax, currently under feedback review by the Finance Ministry. If both measures are enacted, they would apply to all nationalities, including Thai citizens in the case of the departure tax, effectively increasing the cost of a round-trip air journey by 1,450 baht.

These proposals reflect a broader trend in Southeast Asia toward leveraging tourism-related revenue to fund infrastructure and environmental preservation. While neither measure has been officially signed into law, the momentum behind these discussions suggests that the Thai government is prioritizing the diversification of tourism funding. The potential implementation of these fees follows years of debate regarding the sustainability of Thailand's tourism model and the need for dedicated funds to manage the impact of high visitor volumes on national infrastructure.

All international travellers arriving in or departing from Thailand by air will be impacted if these measures are approved. Thai citizens are also included in the scope of the proposed 1,000-baht departure tax, meaning no domestic or international passenger would be exempt from the exit fee.

Makutet expects that the Thai government will likely phase in these fees gradually to avoid a sharp decline in short-term tourism demand. We anticipate that the arrival fee will be prioritized as a digital-first collection process integrated into airline ticketing systems, while the departure tax may face more significant pushback from local residents, potentially leading to exemptions for frequent domestic commuters.