Thailand plans 450-baht tourist fee for air arrivals in first quarter of 2027
In short
Thailand intends to introduce a tourism fee of 450 baht (about $13.5, or 1,142 rubles) for foreign visitors arriving by air in the first quarter of 2027, with land and sea arrivals to follow a year later. A separate departure tax of 1,000 baht for air passengers is out for public consultation until 29 October. Both proposals still need government approval, and officials have not said whether the tourism fee will be folded into airfares or paid separately.
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Thailand plans to introduce a tourism fee for foreign visitors in the first quarter of 2027, starting with travellers who arrive by air, TASS, Interfax and Vedomosti reported. TASS put the fee at about $13.5. Interfax, citing Thai Examiner, and Vedomosti said it would be 450 baht, which Vedomosti converted to about 1,140 rubles. Travellers arriving by land and sea would begin paying a year later, Interfax reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The fee is to cover medical insurance and death benefits, Interfax reported, citing Thai Examiner. Thailand expects to collect 8 billion baht (20 billion rubles) a year and to direct the money to modernising tourism infrastructure and insuring foreign travellers. The Tourism and Sports Ministry proposes one 450-baht fee regardless of how a visitor enters, introduced in stages beginning with air passengers, according to Vedomosti, which cited a Thai government statement. [ 2 , 3 ]
How the fee would be paid has not been settled. Interfax reported it is still unknown whether it would be included in the price of an air ticket or paid through an app, a website or a payment terminal. Vedomosti listed the same three options as under consideration. [ 2 , 3 ]
Separately, the Thai Revenue Department has put a draft departure tax for passengers of all nationalities out for public discussion, Vedomosti reported. For those leaving by air it proposes a base rate of 1,000 baht per trip, about 2,540 rubles. The consultation runs until 29 October, according to the department’s website. Combined with the tourism fee, the payments would total 1,450 baht, or roughly 3,680 rubles, for a traveller arriving and leaving by plane, Vedomosti said. [ 3 ]
The tourism fee must first be considered by the National Committee on Tourism Policy and the cabinet, Interfax reported, citing Thai Examiner. After approval the document must be published in the Royal Gazette, and the new rules would take effect 180 days after publication. Government and tourism industry representatives have supported the initiative, according to Interfax. [ 2 ]
For Russian travellers, the reports place the plan alongside other changes. Vedomosti noted that Thailand reduced the visa-free stay for Russian tourists from 60 to 30 days on 15 September, and that on 25 September the authorities had already discussed raising the tourist fee to 450 baht. Experts from the Russian Union of Travel Industry do not expect the new costs to affect demand significantly, Vedomosti reported. Tez Tour commercial director Voskhan Arzumanov estimated the 450-baht fee at about 1–2% of the average package price, the newspaper said. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The fee would add a fixed cost to trips to one of the most popular destinations for Russian travellers, and it comes after Thailand cut visa-free stays for Russians from 60 to 30 days on 15 September. Thai authorities expect the measure to raise about 8 billion baht a year for tourism infrastructure and medical insurance, while industry representatives cited in the reports do not expect demand to fall much. If the departure tax is also adopted, the combined payments would reach 1,450 baht per air passenger.
Key facts
- Thailand plans a tourism fee of 450 baht (about $13.5, or 1,142 rubles) for foreign tourists, to be introduced in the first quarter of 2027, starting with air arrivals. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Travellers arriving by land and sea would begin paying the fee a year later, according to Thai Examiner as cited by Interfax. [ 2 ]
- The fee is to include medical insurance and death benefits, and Thailand expects to collect 8 billion baht (20 billion rubles) a year for tourism infrastructure and insurance for foreign travellers. [ 2 ]
- A separate departure tax for passengers of all nationalities, with a base rate of 1,000 baht (about 2,540 rubles) for air passengers, has been put out for public consultation until 29 October. [ 3 ]
- Together the two payments would total 1,450 baht, or about 3,680 rubles, per air passenger. [ 3 ]
- The Tourism and Sports Ministry proposes a single 450-baht fee regardless of the mode of entry, introduced in stages starting with air passengers. [ 3 ]
- On 15 September Thailand cut the visa-free stay for Russian tourists from 60 to 30 days. [ 3 ]
- Russian Union of Travel Industry experts do not expect the new costs to have a significant effect on demand; Tez Tour commercial director Voskhan Arzumanov estimated the 450-baht fee at about 1–2% of the average package price. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Thailand plans a tourist fee of 450 baht for foreign visitors, to be introduced in stages beginning with air arrivals in the first quarter of 2027. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The fee is intended to fund tourism infrastructure and medical insurance for foreign travellers. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The proposal requires approval before taking effect. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the tourism fee will be included in the airfare or paid through an app, website or payment terminal. Interfax says this is not yet known; Vedomosti lists the same options as still under consideration.
- Whether the separate departure tax will be adopted, and in what form. It is only a draft put out for public discussion by the Thai Revenue Department until 29 October, per Vedomosti; no other document mentions it.
- When exactly the fees would take effect. Interfax reports that after approval the document must be published in the Royal Gazette and rules take effect 180 days later; the first quarter of 2027 is described as a plan.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports that Thailand intends to introduce a tourist fee of about $13.5 in the first quarter of 2027. [ 1 ]
- Interfax, citing Thai Examiner, reports the fee would be 450 baht (1,142 rubles), starting with air arrivals and later extended to land and sea crossings. [ 2 ]
- Vedomosti reports Thailand is considering two payments totalling 1,450 baht for air passengers and that the departure tax draft is out for public discussion until 29 October. [ 3 ]