Thailand tourist fee of 450 baht from 2027: who pays

Thailand has approved a plan for a mandatory fee for foreign tourists: 450 baht per person, starting at the beginning of 2027. This was reported on October 30, 2026 by the outlet Tourprom citing The Thaiger. Here is what the source says exactly, who it affects and how to prepare for a trip.

What was approved

According to Tourprom, the fee will be 450 baht, which is about 13 US dollars. In the first stage the fee will be charged only to those entering the country by air. For land and sea borders the introduction has been postponed for a year.

Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports expects to collect at least 8 billion baht a year. The money is planned for two purposes:

• automatic basic insurance for everyone who enters, covering medical expenses for injuries;
• restoring natural areas and renewing tourist sites.

Who will not pay

The source names three categories that will be exempt from the fee:

• infants under two years;
• transit passengers;
• foreigners with an official work permit in Thailand.

Everyone else will have to pay. For an ordinary tourist this means that in 2027 about 13 dollars per person will be added to the price of the trip.

How the money will be collected

The final mechanism is not named in the source. According to polls Tourprom refers to, 36.2% of respondents proposed building the 450 baht into the price of the air ticket, to avoid queues at passport control. If that is decided, you would see the fee in the taxes and charges line when buying a ticket.

The Thai Hotels Association and the Association of Thai Travel Agents object to the scheme. Their main argument: most tourists already arrive with their own insurance, and nobody wants to pay for insurance twice. The dispute over the size of the fee and over whether to include insurance in it is not yet closed.

How this differs from the exit tax

These are two different projects. The 1,000 baht exit tax for all air passengers has been postponed, and details are in Thailand delays the 1,000 baht exit tax. The 450 baht tourist fee, by contrast, has been approved and should start in early 2027. Tourprom separately notes that the exit tax was frozen last week.

What to do if you are planning a trip

1. If you fly before the end of 2026, the fee does not affect you.
2. If you are booking tickets and a hotel for January 2027 or later, budget 450 baht for each adult and each child over two.
3. When buying a tour, ask the tour operator whether the fee is included in the price.
4. Watch flight prices: the HotTrip flight search shows the cheapest dates.
5. Arrange insurance separately, as described in travel insurance for trips abroad. According to the source, the basic cover from the fee covers only medical expenses for injuries, not trip cancellation or full treatment.
6. If you fly with a connection, note that transit passengers will be exempt. See flights with a layover for how to build such a route.

Frequently asked questions

When will the 450 baht fee start?

According to Tourprom, in early 2027. An exact date is not named in the source.

Who will be exempt from the fee?

Infants under two years, transit passengers and foreigners with an official work permit.

Does only air arrival pay?

In the first stage yes. For land and sea borders the introduction has been postponed for a year.

How much is it in other currencies?

According to Tourprom, about 13 US dollars. The actual amount depends on the exchange rate on the day of payment.

Is this the same as the 1,000 baht exit tax?

No. The exit tax has been postponed, while the 450 baht tourist fee has been approved. These are two different payments.

Cover: photo by Markus Winkler on Pexels