Tourism Minister Surasak is preparing to collect a 450-baht fee from foreign tourists, expected to take effect next year. The "Thai Thiew Thai Plus" campaign will launch on 1 October, distributing 1,000-baht coupons via the Pao Tang app.
On 14 Aug 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Surasak Pancharoenworakul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, revealed progress on collecting fees from foreign tourists. The National Tourism Policy Committee has approved the initial method and rate and will proceed to a public hearing to gather opinions from citizens and stakeholders. The proposed fee is 450 baht, with various collection methods under consideration, including through airline tickets, websites, apps, kiosks, or incorporating it into hotel charges.
Mr. Surasak emphasized the necessity of this policy, stating that the collected funds will be allocated to a fund for developing tourist sites, infrastructure, supporting research, personnel development, promotion, as well as insurance and health safety for tourists. He noted that most agree Thailand needs such a fund to develop tourism in many areas. Without it, Thailand risks reaching saturation or decline, especially as government budgets shrink annually. The government aims to raise funds outside the budget to drive and elevate tourism on all fronts.
Regarding the domestic tourism and economic stimulus project under the “Thai Thiew Thai Plus” campaign, it is scheduled to officially start on 1 October. The Ministry of Finance wants it to follow the "Thai Chuey Thai Plus 60/40" program ending in September. The program is expected to use budget from a loan decree to support Thai entrepreneurs affected by the economic crisis. Initially, it will distribute 1,000-baht coupons, usable across various service sectors beyond just restaurants to broadly distribute income in the service industry, with a limit of 50 coupons per person, accessible via Krungthai Bank’s Pao Tang app.
“The project will only proceed once the backend systems and the Ministry of Finance’s registration platform are fully ready to avoid bottlenecks that could make usage difficult or cause confusion as seen in the past. We aim to launch as quickly as possible but must ensure full readiness for the public to use it smoothly without problems,” he said.
Ms. Nattariya Taweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, added details on the foreign tourist fee. Originally planned at 300 baht or 10 USD, the latest study considering economic factors, inflation, and related costs found the appropriate base rate should be over 490 baht. However, 450 baht (about 15 USD) was deemed suitable without overly impacting tourists. The fee collection is expected to start via air channels next year, taking effect 180 days after Royal Gazette publication. Collection at land and water entry points will begin later, after 360 days of preparation due to complexity and border checkpoint density, especially at key points like Sadao.