Key points
- Thailand's Revenue Department is consulting on a 1,000-baht tax on every air departure, for travelers of all nationalities
- Separately, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has proposed a flat 450-baht entry fee for foreign visitors
- Neither charge is law yet, and each would start only after publication in the Royal Gazette
- Tickets bought before the departure tax takes effect would be exempt, even for flights after that date
Two new charges could add 1,450 baht to a foreign visitor’s trip to Thailand, but neither is in force yet
Thailand is preparing two new charges for international travelers. The Revenue Department is consulting on a draft Departure Tax Act that would charge 1,000 baht (~US$30) every time you fly out of Thailand, whatever your nationality, according to the consultation published on Thailand’s central law portal. Separately, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports has proposed a 450-baht (~US$13) entry fee for foreign visitors, the Government Public Relations Department reported.
Today, foreign tourists pay neither. If both proposals are approved, a foreign visitor flying in and out of Thailand would pay 1,450 baht in new charges per trip.
Will I have to pay a departure tax to leave Thailand right now?
Not yet. The draft is open for public comment on law.go.th until late October 2026, and anyone can submit a response there. It would only take effect 180 days after it is published in the Government Gazette. No date has been set.
Under the draft, the rate would be set by ministerial regulation, up to a legal maximum of 5,000 baht per departure. In the first phase, only departures by air would be taxed, at 1,000 baht each. Departures by land and sea would be exempt.
The tax would apply to everyone leaving Thailand, tourists included. That part is new. Thailand’s previous departure tax, introduced under a 1983 emergency decree, covered Thai nationals and foreigners living in Thailand, but not tourists. It stopped being charged on air departures on July 1, 1991.
How would the departure tax be collected?
Your airline or ticket agent would add it to the fare, so most travelers would pay it when they book. Travelers who don’t buy a ticket through a carrier would pay under rules set by the Revenue Department.
Departure tax would not apply where the passenger's ticket was purchased before the Act comes into force, even if the passenger departs from Thailand on or after the commencement date.
Who would be exempt?
The draft copies the exemptions from Thailand’s existing passenger service charge. They include children aged two or under, international transit passengers who stay in the transit area, airline crew on duty, passengers on government aircraft, and official guests of the Thai government.
When would Thailand’s tourist entry fee start?
Not before 2027, and in two phases. The fee would apply to air arrivals first, 180 days after the rule is published in the Royal Gazette. Visitors arriving by land or sea would start paying about 360 days after that. The government says the gap is meant to avoid congestion at busy land crossings, particularly along the Malaysian border.
Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the money would go toward upgrading Thailand’s tourism infrastructure and safety standards. Options for paying include the airline ticket, an official website, a mobile app and kiosks at entry points.
What this means for travelers
Nothing changes for trips you take now. Both charges still need government approval, and neither has a start date. If the departure tax passes, booking before it takes effect means you won’t pay it, even if you fly later.
Thailand’s other entry rules still apply in the meantime, including being ready to show proof of funds when you arrive.
