Travel agents slam B1,000 exit tax

[Gaybutton]

Once again, somebody had to be the first one to come up with imposing a 1000 baht departure tax while meanwhile the whole world is facing significantly higher prices due to the Iran war. Great timing! Brilliant idea!

At the moment this is in the discussion stage. You get 3 guesses as to the likelihood of this coming into effect.

From what I am reading, this is to affect Thai travelers. If I am interpreting correctly, this will not affect you.

"When was the last time you propositioned a woman and she said yes?"
- Woody Allen (Walter Hollander), 'Don't Drink the Water'
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Travel agents slam B1,000 exit tax

Fraught timing for departure levy

by Molpasorn Shoowong

April 29, 2026

The Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) strongly opposes the government's plan to levy a 1,000‑baht departure tax on Thai travellers, warning it will hamper two‑way tourism and hurt the economy during a cost-of-living crisis.

Chotechuang Soorangura, vice-president of TTAA, said the goal to raise more revenue was understandable, but the principle behind the scheme was unacceptable.

He said it remains unclear how much of the budget will be allocated to each type of stimulus, undermining transparency in how the fund will be managed.

Tourism businesses remain fragile amid the Middle East war, grappling with pressures from the rising cost of living.

Other public authorities are preparing to collect additional fees from travellers, such as airport passenger service charges, which are additional costs that weigh on travellers' sentiment.

"If imposed, this levy will clearly affect outbound travel, which could in turn hurt inbound arrivals as air traffic relies on two-way demand to survive and sustain capacity," said Mr Chotechuang.

Earlier this week, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the Finance Ministry previously planned to levy a 1,000-baht departure tax on Thai travellers by reviving the 1983 Emergency Decree on the Departure Levy, which has been suspended for more than two decades.

Mr Surasak said with outbound travel estimated at 10 million passengers a year, this tax could generate around 10 billion baht in revenue, which could be distributed for domestic tourism stimulus instead of solely relying on the government budget.

The ministry intends for the scheme to be separate from the 300-baht tourism tax, which applies only to foreign arrivals.

Mr Chotechuang said it was unclear how the tax would be collected, as it would apply only to Thai travellers, not foreigners, unlike Japan's departure tax, which applies to all departing passengers.

During Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn's tenure as tourism and sports minister, there were problems with levying a 300-baht fee from foreign visitors via airlines.

Aviation bodies viewed the scheme as impractical given airlines' operating systems, and could be regarded as discriminatory under International Civil Aviation Organization rules.

Kriangphon Piyaekchai, another vice-president of TTAA, said if the government wants to raise tourism-related tax revenue, there are many alternative measures that would not hamper outbound travel or restrict people's ability to travel. One option is regulating unlicensed operators, such as illegal accommodation, and bringing them into the formal system to widen the tax base.

The government could also continue tourism incentives that require limited funding, such as tax deductions for domestic travel, noted the association.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ge ... 0-exit-tax
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Finance, Tourism to discuss THB1,000 levy on Thais travelling abroad

by THE NATION

April 29, 2026

Vinit Visessuvanapoom, director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office (FPO) and Finance Ministry spokesman, said the matter would require further discussion, especially on legal issues and whether it could be implemented.

Although the 1983 Emergency Decree on Departure Levy already provides a legal basis, details of enforcement in the current context still need careful consideration.

Previously, Surasak Phancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, said the ministry had discussed with the Finance Ministry the possibility of bringing the law back into use to collect a fee from Thais travelling abroad.

He cited information that an average of about 10 million Thais travel overseas each year, which, if charged at THB1,000 per person, would generate around THB10 billion a year for the state.

Revenue earmarked for 10 million ‘Half-half travel’ entitlements

The main purpose of the measure is to use the revenue to support the ‘Half-half travel’ programme, with 10 million entitlements, to stimulate domestic tourism spending and reduce the outflow of money to overseas tourism.

The policy is designed as a way of ‘bringing money back into the system’ from Thais with the ability to travel abroad to support the domestic economy.

The measure would apply only to Thais, not foreigners, to avoid duplication with an entry fee, or ‘arrival fee’, which has been proposed for foreign tourists at THB300.

The aim is to channel the money into a tourism development fund and set up an insurance system.

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/policy/40065612