Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports Artthakorn Sirilatthayakorn confirmed that a 300 baht tourist fee will be implemented for international visitors in the near future. This fee will be used to pay for health insurance for foreign visitors, as well as to maintain and upgrade tourism infrastructure. According to him, the policy is important, contributing to increasing the value of Thailand's tourism industry.
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Mr. Artthakorn added that the additional costs may affect the psychology of international tourists, but this problem can be solved through effective and clear communication of the benefits of the policy. The Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand emphasized that the country will continue to implement many other policies and measures to promote the development of the tourism industry, with the goal of welcoming 40 million international visitors in the coming time, equivalent to the period before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The policy was approved in principle by the Thai Cabinet in 2023. A comprehensive study on the impacts and benefits has also been completed. The initial plan was to charge 300 baht (about 10 USD) for visitors arriving by air and 150 baht (about 5 USD) for visitors arriving by land and sea. However, successive Tourism Ministers since 2023 have repeatedly delayed its implementation due to concerns about the negative impact on tourism recovery and growth.
From January to September 2025, Thailand welcomed about 24.1 million international visitors, down 7.5% compared to the same period in 2024. Of which, the number of visitors from key markets such as China decreased sharply, reaching only about 3.4 million, equivalent to a decrease of nearly 35%. In contrast, some other markets such as India and Russia recorded positive growth. Another bright spot is that the average spending per trip of international visitors to Thailand is estimated at about 46,000 baht (about 1,400 USD), an increase of more than 1.7% compared to 2024.
Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/thai-lan-chuan-bi-trien-khai-ke-hoach-thu-phi-du-lich-300-baht-voi-khach-quoc-te-20251006141448611.htm
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