The Ministry of Tourism and Sports held a meeting yesterday (Oct 6) with government agencies, tourism organisations and private-sector representatives to finalise details of the proposed fee, including how it would be collected and how accompanying tourist insurance would operate.

The proposed fee would initially apply to eligible foreign tourists arriving by air. Collection from tourists arriving by land and sea would be delayed for one year, reported the Ministry of Tourism & Sports.

The ministry estimates that at least B8 billion a year would remain for tourism development after collection and insurance costs are deducted.

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the measure was intended to help fund the maintenance and development of tourist attractions while providing insurance coverage for foreign visitors.

He said Thailand had welcomed more than 22 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of 2026, generating more than B1 trillion in revenue.

“Maintaining confidence requires addressing both traveler safety and the quality of tourist attractions,” he said.

Under the draft, revenue would go to the Thai Tourism Promotion Fund. Part of the money would be used to provide insurance for tourists who pay the fee, including coverage for death and medical expenses subject to the terms of the policy.

The remainder would be used for the rehabilitation and development of tourist attractions, as well as conservation and restoration of natural resources.

The ministry says this would reduce the need to rely solely on the annual government budget for tourism-related projects.

An online consultation held from Aug 24 to Sept 28 attracted 5,954 participants. Of those, 80.50% supported the draft regulation, while 78.30% supported the proposed B450 rate.

The consultation also found disagreement over applying the same fee to visitors entering by air, land and sea.

Of note, so far an "eligible foreign tourist" is defined as any non-Thai national entering the Kingdom on a tourist visa, visa exemption stamp or visa on arrival for leisure, holiday or family visits, who does not fall into one of the official exemption categories.

The draft rules specifically exclude the following individuals from paying the B450 fee:
• Legal Workers: Holders of valid Thai work permits.
• Local Cross-Border Commuters: Border-pass holders who cross into Thailand daily or for short regional trade.
• Transit Passengers: Air travelers passing through an airport without officially clearing Thai immigration.
• Transport Personnel: Active flight crews and ship crews.
• Infants: Children under the age of two.
• Officials: Diplomats, official passport holders, and designated guests of the Thai government.

However, officials are still actively reviewing how to handle non-tourist long-stay foreigners, such as those on Retirement Visas (Non-Immigrant O-A/O) or Elite/Privilege Visas.

The Tourism Ministry has noted that simply holding a long-stay visa does not guarantee a free pass yet; the exact operational mechanisms for these categories will be finalised right before the proposal goes to the Cabinet.

Regardless, it was explained yesterday that for collection methods, 36.26% of respondents favoured incorporating the fee into travel tickets, which the ministry said would minimise procedures and avoid delays at immigration checkpoints.

The private sector also urged the government to ensure the fee did not deter visitors or create delays at border crossings.

Representatives suggested possible exemptions for border traders and frequent cross-border travellers, as well as clear communication about who would be covered by the scheme and what benefits they would receive.

The proposed insurance scheme is also still being developed. The ministry said it wants medical facilities to be able to verify whether a tourist has paid the fee and process claims efficiently, with the aim of reducing unpaid medical bills currently borne by the public system.

Private-sector representatives also called for transparency over the collection and spending of the money, including insurance costs, claim payments and the results of tourism-site development projects.

The ministry said it would consider oversight mechanisms to ensure the fund is managed transparently.

The proposal is being presented as part of an international trend, with the ministry saying more than 80 countries, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand, impose various tourism taxes or fees.

Representatives at the meeting yesterday included the Tourism Council of Thailand, Thai-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Thai Hotels Association, Central Group, The Mall Group, Siam Piwat, King Power, Platinum Group, international airlines and GrabTaxi (Thailand).

The ministry will now consolidate feedback from the meeting and online consultation before submitting the revised draft to the National Tourism Policy Committee and then the Cabinet.

Further discussions will be held with airlines, the Immigration Bureau and other agencies on collection methods, exemptions, insurance procurement and how the fund will be spent.