The Tourism and Sports Ministry had envisaged that the long-delayed 300 baht (US$9) fee would be announced in the Royal Gazette in March 2025, with a view to implementation later this year. That never happened. The priority just now is to monitor the no-charge TDAC (Thailand Digital Arrival Card) – the entry registration for all foreign passport holders from May 1 – before linking it to a tourist entry fee paid online.
Many countries do indeed charge an online fee for arrival registration whether visitors need a visa or not. The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization costs 16 pounds and the US’s Electronic System for Travel Authorization US$30. Some Asian countries, such as Cambodia, require most foreigners to obtain a pre-paid e-visa whilst claiming the accompanying electronic landing card is free of charge.
The previous Pheu Thai government, led by Srettha Thavisin, had hoped that the spending income from foreign visitors would exceed 3 trillion baht thus removing the need for supplementary cash from new fees. However, the current predictions are that reduced international tourism to Thailand will result in far less income in 2025, thus reviving the notion of a special tax on arrivals to increase revenue.
There are several practical problems to be solved before a new entry tax can be linked to TDAC. Software developers must be recruited and definitions of a “tourist” have to be agreed. The government has promised that up to 20 percent of each 300 baht collected will be spent on accident and emergency medical insurance, but who exactly can claim and under what circumstances is unknown. If a new landing tax is ever introduced, the devil will certainly be lurking in the detail. Maybe the whole idea really isn’t worth the trouble.
