BANGKOK: Thailand’s proposed “landing fee”, often described as a tourist tax, has resurfaced once again, as the authorities prepare to revive a plan to charge foreign visitors 300 baht (US$9) per person.
The concept is straightforward: a government collects a fee from incoming visitors and channels the money into tourism-related needs, such as infrastructure upgrades, environmental management, visitor safety and welfare support.
Around the world, similar schemes are already in place in many destinations, especially those under pressure from high visitor numbers or rising public costs linked to tourism.
For Thailand, the idea has been circulating for years rather than emerging suddenly. It gained traction after serious incidents involving foreign tourists, including the 2015 Erawan Shrine bombing and the 2018 Phuket boat disaster, when the state still had access to central budget funds to help support emergency assistance and compensation.
A more decisive shift came when that central-budget support was no longer expected to continue.
At the same time, the state was also facing the recurring cost of unpaid medical treatment for some foreign tourists, adding to the argument that a dedicated fund should be created specifically for visitors rather than relying on Thai taxpayers to absorb the burden indefinitely.
The policy goal has therefore been to build a ring-fenced fund to support insurance and assistance for tourists more sustainably.
Thailand’s travel-fee proposal has most recently been described by officials as a 300-baht charge for air arrivals and 150 baht for arrivals by land or sea, though implementation has been repeatedly delayed.
That is why the issue is back before policymakers. Recent reports indicate that the Tourism and Sports Ministry wants to move the measure forward again, with the collection mechanism expected to be raised for Cabinet consideration.
The plan has been presented as a way to improve tourism standards, strengthen safety arrangements and support longer-term sustainability in one of Thailand’s most important economic sectors. - The Nation/ANN
