Thailand Tourist Entry Fee: Not in Force, THB 450 Proposed
No, you do not pay a tourist entry fee today. It is still a proposal at the hearing and approval stage: a flat THB 450 per person, replacing the earlier THB 300 by air and THB 150 by land or water. Collection would start 180 days after a Royal Gazette announcement.
On this page
Do you pay a tourist entry fee? No, so plan your trip without it. The live proposal is a flat THB 450 per person, and the ministry still has to take the draft to the National Tourism Policy Committee and then the Cabinet.
Where it stands
The fee is a proposal of THB 450 per person that has not passed the Cabinet. If you have seen THB 300 or a June 2023 start, that was the first draft, which the new proposal replaces.
The ministry’s permanent secretary aims to start real collection in the first quarter of 2027. That is a target, not a legal date.
What the proposal says
The fee is flat, whether you arrive by air, land or sea. It replaces the earlier proposal of THB 300 for air and THB 150 for land and sea.
- Phase 1 covers air travel and starts 180 days after the announcement is published in the Royal Gazette.
- Phase 2 covers land and sea travel and follows about 360 days after phase 1.
- The two phases are meant to ease congestion at busy crossings, particularly along the Malaysian border.
The funds would go toward upgrading Thailand’s tourism infrastructure and safety standards. Part of the revenue would buy insurance for fee-paying tourists, covering death and medical costs under the policy terms.
Who pays
The fee would fall on eligible foreign tourists. No exemption list is published for the latest draft, and the 2023 draft is the only published list.
| Group | 2023 draft |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic, consular or official passport holders | Exempt |
| Persons permitted to work in Thailand | Exempt |
| Transit passengers | Exempt |
| Infants and children up to 2 years | Exempt |
Frequent land travellers may get a multiple-entry option bundled with insurance cover. Nothing here is final.
How you would pay
The proposal lists five channels.
| Channel | Status |
|---|---|
| Built into the airline ticket price | Proposed in 2026 |
| Online via an official website | Proposed in 2026 |
| Through a mobile app | Proposed in 2026 |
| Self-service kiosks at entry points | Proposed in 2026 |
| Other methods approved by the Tourism Fund Committee | Proposed in 2026 |
Most respondents to the consultation favoured collecting through the air ticket, to cut steps and delay at immigration. If that wins, the fee would appear in your fare rather than at the immigration counter. The 2023 draft made proof of payment a supporting document for entry permission.
Timeline
Air arrivals would be charged first, 180 days after a Royal Gazette announcement. No such announcement is confirmed.
What to do before you fly
If you book a flight for a date after the target start, keep the proposed THB 450 per person in mind. Land travellers sit outside the first phase, which holds land and water arrivals back for 1 year. Watch for the Royal Gazette announcement, because the 180-day air clock starts only on publication.
Entry rules that apply today are in the visa exemption guide and the TDAC arrival card guide.
Not confirmed: Royal Gazette announcement: none confirmed. Exemptions for the latest draft: not confirmed. Check the Ministry of Tourism and Sports before you book a flight after the target start.
Common questions
Do I pay a tourist fee to enter Thailand now?
Not yet. The fee is a draft that still goes to the National Tourism Policy Committee and then the Cabinet.
How much would the Thailand entry fee be?
A flat THB 450 per person, whether you arrive by air, land or sea.
Would air or land travellers pay first?
Air arrivals first. The draft holds land and water arrivals back for 1 year.
Why do older articles say THB 300?
THB 300 by air and THB 150 by land or water was the Cabinet-approved draft of 2023. The 2026 proposal replaces it with THB 450.
Who would be exempt from the Thailand tourism fee?
The 2023 draft exempted holders of diplomatic or official passports, work-permit holders, transit passengers and children up to 2 years. The THB 450 draft covers eligible foreign tourists.
How would I pay the Thailand tourism fee?
One proposed channel is a charge built into your airline ticket price. A website, a mobile app and kiosks at entry points are also proposed.
When will Thailand start charging the entry fee?
The ministry aims to start real collection in the first quarter of 2027. By law the air phase starts 180 days after the Royal Gazette announcement.
Read next
Sources and reader comments
Official sources:
- Government Public Relations Department (thailand.prd.go.th): Thailand Proposes New THB450 Tourism Fee for All Foreign Visitors, 17 Aug 2026 (Wayback copy; the live site refuses automated fetch) (opens in a new tab)
- Government Public Relations Department (prd.go.th): Cabinet approves collecting the tourism fee from foreign visitors, 15 Feb 2023 (Wayback copy) (opens in a new tab)
Company and press pages (not official sources):
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