Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced a delay in implementing the long-planned travel fee for foreign tourists, pushing the measure back until 2026.
Officials confirmed that the measure will not be enforced in 2025 as initially planned, citing ongoing external uncertainties and the need to assess international tourist demand.
According to The Nation, Chakrapol Tangsutthitham, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Sports, stated that the decision was made following a review by Minister Sorawong Thienthong, who deemed the current timing inappropriate due to ongoing external uncertainties. “We must wait to assess international tourist demand during the upcoming high season in Q4 this year,” Chakrapol explained. He added that the ministry needs more time to study the details and determine an appropriate fee structure based on the mode of travel—whether by land, sea, rail, or air.
The tourist entry fee is now expected to be introduced in Q2 or Q3 of 2026. The fee, which was approved in principle by the Cabinet in February 2023, is set at THB300 ($8.30) for air arrivals and THB150 ($4.15) for land or sea entries. The revenue generated will be used to enhance tourist sites and fund insurance coverage for foreign visitors.
The delay comes amid broader challenges facing Thailand’s tourism sector, particularly concerning Chinese tourist arrivals. Earlier this week, Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul blamed the Thai government’s controversial plan to legalize casinos for the dramatic decline in Chinese tourist arrivals. Anutin claims the policy has angered Chinese President Xi Jinping, who issued strong warnings to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra during a summit.
In a Facebook post, Anutin revealed details of a meeting between PM Paetongtarn and Xi, claiming President Xi warned the Thai government three times to cancel the casino legalization policy or face repercussions from China.
According to Anutin, the casino legalization policy has directly caused Chinese tourist arrivals to plummet by up to 90 percent, severely impacting Thai tourism operators and workers in service industries such as hotels, restaurants, and retail.
The former interior minister, who recently left the ruling coalition to join the opposition, warned that if the government fails to make a strong commitment not to resubmit the casino legalization bill to parliament, the damage to Thailand’s tourism sector would worsen. He urged the government to publicly announce the cancellation of the policy to prevent further harm to the industry.
