Travelers leaving Thailand may soon have to pay an extra 1,000 baht (about 40,000 won, or $31) per person, as the Thai government moves to revive a departure tax for the first time in 35 years. The government says the measure would shore up public finances and support the tourism industry, but local travel operators are pushing back, warning it would add to travelers' costs.
An Extra 40,000 Won to Leave Thailand? Departure Tax Set for Revival After 35 Years
Thailand's Revenue Department is reviewing a bill that would impose a 1,000-baht departure tax on each passenger flying out of the country, according to the Bangkok Post and other local media on the 13th.
The measure could apply not only to Thai nationals but also to all foreign travelers, including Koreans.
The tax is being discussed as applying only to air passengers, with those leaving Thailand by land or sea exempt. If adopted, the levy would most likely be collected in advance by airlines or ticket agents as part of the airfare.
Lavaron Sangsnit, permanent secretary at Thailand's Ministry of Finance, said the draft legislation allows for a levy of up to 5,000 baht but that the rate actually applied under subordinate regulations would be 1,000 baht.
The government's plan is to ease fiscal pressure and support the recovery of the tourism industry by taxing people who can afford to travel abroad.
Sangsnit said part of the revenue collected from foreign travelers could be used to fund insurance or emergency medical assistance for foreign visitors.
This would not be Thailand's first departure tax. The country introduced one in 1983 to curb the outflow of foreign currency from overseas travel by its own citizens and foreign permanent residents.
At the time, the levy was 1,000 baht for those departing by air and 500 baht for those leaving by land or sea. Thailand scrapped the land and sea levy in May 1986 and halted collection of the air departure tax in July 1991.
If the new measure takes effect, it would mark the return of the departure tax after about 35 years.
Tourism Industry Pushes Back: Travelers May Stay Away
Thailand's tourism industry opposes the departure tax, arguing that the added levy would raise travel costs and ultimately erode the competitiveness of the country's tourism sector.
Chai Arunanondchai, chairman of the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), said he had sent letters to the finance minister, the minister of tourism and sports, and the head of the Revenue Department, conveying concerns that the economic losses from the tax could outweigh the revenue it generates.
The burden would fall especially hard on families traveling together, students studying abroad, small business owners and employees who make frequent overseas business trips, the council said.
With airfares, accommodation and insurance already costly, adding a departure tax could dampen demand for overseas travel, it said.
Foreign tourists could also delay trips to Thailand, visit less often or switch to cheaper destinations, the industry warned.
Tourism operators say such a shift could hurt the broader travel-related economy, including airlines, travel agencies, lodging and restaurants.
The Revenue Department plans to collect public comments on the bill through the 29th. Whether and when the tax takes effect will be determined through the legislative process.