Thailand scraps tourist entry fee

Thailand scraps tourist entry fee - the roll-out has been delayed to next year (image courtesy Shutterstock)

Thailand has scrapped the launch of a tourist tax citing slow visitor numbers and economic uncertainty.

The entry fee for tourists was slated to launch this year, with a 300THB fee for all arrivals by air. A reduced rate of THB150 was planned for those arriving by boat or overland from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia or Malaysia. The measures were agreed back in 2023 following concerns about overtourism. However, the tax has now been pushed back to the middle of 2026, according to the Thai government.

The funds from the tax were to go towards improving tourism infrastructure and providing insurance coverage for tourists.

The delay has been blamed on sluggish tourist arrivals with numbers falling short of targets. By July this year, Thailand had registered around 17 million arrivals, which is around five percent less than the same period last year. The government said it was keen to analyse tourist numbers in the upcoming high season in the fourth quarter of the year. Analysts believe arrivals will increase by about three percent in 2026.

Thailand was riding a high earlier this year with filming for HBO hit The White Lotus taking place in Bangkok and on various Thai holiday islands. The popular TV drama was expected to drive interest in visiting Thailand.

The country has also rolled out more streamlined arrivals arrangements with the launch of a new digital entry system earlier this year. In May, the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) became a mandatory online immigration form for all non-Thai nationals entering Thailand, replacing a paper form. Travellers must submit the form, which includes personal and travel details as well as a health declaration, within three days of arrival in Thailand.