PATTAYA, Thailand – The Civil Aviation Board has approved a steep rise in passenger service charges for Thailand’s six major airports, increasing the international airport tax from 730 baht to 1,120 baht per passenger. Domestic rates remain unchanged at 130 baht. Authorities argue that the increase, endorsed at the 3 December board meeting, is essential to modernise infrastructure and reinforce Thailand’s ambitions as a regional aviation hub.
The Airports of Thailand (AOT) says the additional revenue — projected at over 85.8 billion baht based on 2025 traffic figures — will be used to upgrade airport facilities and accommodate the continued growth of international arrivals. Before implementation, AOT must submit further documentation to the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), which will conduct stakeholder hearings before passing the proposal to the Transport Minister. Travellers must be given at least four months’ notice before the new fees take effect.
At the same time, the board has approved a smaller fee increase for Trang Airport: international PSC will rise from 400 to 425 baht and domestic from 50 to 75 baht, but only after key systems — CUPPS, CUTE, CUSS and CUBD — are installed and operational at no less than 50 percent capacity.
Despite the official rationale, public reaction has been far from positive. Social media has erupted with criticism, particularly targeting Suvarnabhumi Airport, where passengers frequently complain about inadequate and ageing toilets at departure gates, uncomfortable seating, limited charging points, unreliable free Wi-Fi and slow service standards that fall short of expectations for a global gateway. Many online users argue that “service quality should improve before anyone talks about raising fees,” warning that declining tourist satisfaction could eventually hurt Thailand more than the fee hike could help.
In fiscal year 2025, the six AOT airports — Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket and Hat Yai — handled nearly 126 million passengers across 788,095 flights. Yet the spike in fees has reignited an old debate: How can Thailand charge more when so many travellers believe they’re still getting less?
