Thai tourism operators have criticised plans to introduce or increase travel-related taxes, saying the measures are unjustified without clear details on how the revenue would support tourism development.
Airports of Thailand (AoT) is set to raise international passenger service charges from 730 baht to 1,120 baht from June 20 across its six airports. At the same time, the Finance Ministry is studying a new departure tax for Thai travellers, while the proposed 300-baht tourism fee for foreign arrivals remains under review.
Industry leaders said authorities have failed to explain how the additional revenue would be used, despite AoT reporting strong profits. They also urged greater stakeholder involvement and called on AoT to focus on improving Suvarnabhumi Airport’s competitiveness against regional hubs such as Hong Kong International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport and Incheon International Airport.