Thailand is considering increasing its long-discussed tourist entry fee for foreign visitors beyond the proposed 300 baht due to inflation and rising insurance costs, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul.
The fee, first proposed in 2020 but never implemented, would mainly fund tourist insurance coverage and support tourism infrastructure and attractions. Authorities are still deciding whether the fee will be collected through airline tickets or via the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system.
The discussion comes as the government also plans to end the current 60-day visa exemption for travellers from 93 countries and return to shorter visa-free stays similar to previous arrangements. Officials said the average tourist stay is only around nine days, so the change is not expected to significantly impact arrivals.
Thailand’s tourism authorities are also revising 2026 visitor targets amid concerns that the ongoing US-Iran conflict could affect international travel demand.