Travel agents oppose B1,000 levy

Photo: Earl Andre Roca / Pexels

Thailand is considering a 1,000 baht departure tax on air travel, built into the airfare and paid by all departing travellers of every nationality. The Revenue Department is running an online public hearing on the Draft Departure Tax Act from 29 September to 29 October 2026. On Thursday (8 October), the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta) asked the Finance Minister to reconsider, and the Tourism and Sports Minister has raised concerns about overlapping costs for tourists. It is only a proposal for now, and nothing is final.

What is being proposed

• A departure tax of 1,000 baht per trip would apply to air travel.
• It would be built into the airfare, so you would not see it as a separate charge.
• The 1,000 baht figure is an initial rate.
• It would apply to all departing travellers, whatever their nationality. An earlier draft covered only Thais and permanent foreign residents, but it was amended to cover everyone.

Where things stand

The Revenue Department's online public hearing on the Draft Departure Tax Act runs from 29 September to 29 October 2026. On Thursday (8 October), Atta petitioned Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas and asked the ministry to reconsider.

How the costs could add up for foreign visitors

Atta says the total burden on a foreign traveller could reach 2,570 baht per trip. That figure combines three charges:

Why travel agents are objecting

Atta's honorary secretary-general, Adith Chairattananon, and the association's petition make several points:

• A flat rate hits budget trips hardest. Families, students and small operators would feel it most, especially people who travel often for business.
• Travel is not only leisure. People go abroad for education, work, trade and investment.
• Spending could shift elsewhere. Tour operators and tourists may have to cut other budget items, which Adith says would hurt travel-related services.
• The timing is poor. Households and small businesses are still recovering from floods. Adith says any tax increase must account for the recovery period and should not assume all travellers have high purchasing power.
• A tax built into fares has side effects. It could dampen price-sensitive demand and add collection burdens.
• Airlines may respond. Weaker demand could lead them to cut flight frequency and seat capacity.
• Outbound travel has value. Atta backs two-way tourism, meaning travel abroad strengthens ties with other countries. Thai outbound travellers are projected to reach 13.1 million this year.
• Revenue is not the whole story. Atta says tax revenue alone is not proof of cost-effectiveness. The impact on spending, jobs, investment and other tax receipts should be weighed too. It cites a European Commission study as showing that taxes can affect traveller numbers and spending patterns.

Atta wants the draft delayed. It also wants a cumulative impact assessment carried out with tourism and transport agencies and the private sector.

The government's reaction

Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul is concerned about redundant costs for tourists. His ministry will talk to the Finance Ministry to understand the rationale.

Finance reportedly intends to use the revenue for domestic tourism promotion. How the funds would be distributed is still unclear, as is any overlap with the goals of the tourism fee. The minister says this lack of clarity makes the levy hard to explain to travellers, especially foreign visitors.

What it means for travellers

• Foreign visitors would pay 1,000 baht more per departing flight, hidden in the ticket price.
• Together with the existing airport charge and the planned 2027 tourist fee, the total could reach about 2,570 baht per trip.
• Budget travellers and families would notice the change most.
• Possible knock-on effects are fewer flights and seats, and operators passing costs on or trimming what they offer.
• Public comment is open until 29 October 2026, and the tourism minister is questioning the plan. Nothing is final.

Information sourced from Bangkok Post.