Thailand Tourist Entry Fee: 450 Baht Plan, Not Charged Yet

AI illustration of Bangkok temple silhouettes with a passport and suitcase. — AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of an actual border procedure.

The Thailand tourist entry fee is not charged yet. Thailand is still working on a plan to charge foreign visitors a flat 450 baht, and no official start date exists. This guide separates what the government has confirmed from what is still a target.

As of October 30, 2026, we checked the plan against the Government Public Relations Department update, the Nation Thailand report on the committee decision, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand release on the 30-day visa rule. However, we did not find a Royal Gazette notice for the fee, and we have not paid it ourselves. Therefore, treat every date below as a target until the government publishes that notice.

Where the Thailand tourist entry fee stands today

The fee is a proposal, not a rule. In its August 17, 2026 update, the Government Public Relations Department called the 450-baht figure proposed and said the Ministry of Tourism and Sports was preparing a public hearing. As a result, you should not expect a charge at the airport today.

Several steps have happened since then, but none of them starts collection. The National Tourism Policy Committee approved draft principles in mid-August, according to Nation Thailand. Then a public consultation ran until September 28, per a Bernama report in The Star.

On October 7, the Thai Examiner reported that a government and industry meeting backed the charge but did not authorise collection. The consultation drew 5,954 responses, and 78.30% backed the 450-baht amount. Still, the proposal must go back to the committee, then to the Cabinet, and then to the Royal Gazette.

Thailand tourist entry fee: old plan vs current proposal

The 300-baht figure you may have seen is out of date. However, the government’s current proposal replaces it with one flat rate. The table below compares the two plans.

Item	Earlier plan	Current proposal (August 2026)
Air arrivals	300 baht	450 baht
Land and sea arrivals	150 baht	450 baht, but collected later
Who pays	Foreign visitors	All foreign visitors
Status	Replaced	Proposal; public consultation closed September 28
Land and sea start	Not set	About 360 days after air collection starts
Collection start	Not set	Target of early 2027; not confirmed

The Government Public Relations Department describes the new rate as flat, regardless of how you arrive by air, land, or sea. In addition, Nation Thailand lists the earlier 300-baht air and 150-baht land and sea figures, so the air rate rises by half.

When the Thailand tourist entry fee could start

Officials target the first quarter of 2027, but that is a target. Nation Thailand says collection would take effect 180 days after the notification appears in the Royal Gazette. Meanwhile, the Thai Examiner stresses that early 2027 is not a confirmed launch date.

Our own arithmetic shows why the date looks tight. For example, a notice published on October 2 would put day 180 on March 31, 2027, and we did not find a notice by October 30. As a result, a later start is possible, although no official source says so.

Air travellers would pay first. Land and sea arrivals would follow about 360 days later, according to the Government Public Relations Department, and Nation Thailand links the delay to border congestion. Therefore, a traveller crossing by land from Malaysia would pay later than a traveller flying into Bangkok.

AI illustration of a Thailand travel planning desk with a calendar, calculator, and coins. — AI-generated conceptual illustration; not an actual event or official procedure.

What the Thailand tourist entry fee would cost you

The Thailand tourist entry fee would be 450 baht per person, about US$13.50 at the government’s own conversion. For example, a couple would pay 900 baht, and a family of four would pay 1,800 baht. In addition, an air traveller would pay 150 baht more than under the earlier 300-baht plan.

The money would go to the tourism fund. Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said it would pay for tourism infrastructure and safety standards, per The Star. Payers would also receive medical and death insurance, subject to final terms, according to the Thai Examiner.

Exemptions remain open. The Thai Examiner reports that frequent cross-border travellers and border traders asked for special treatment. Therefore, ask before you assume that a child, a transit passenger, or a long-stay visa holder is exempt.

The payment method is open too. The government update lists the airline ticket, an official website, a mobile app, and self-service kiosks as options. The airline ticket drew the most support in the consultation at 36.26%, but the government has not formally chosen it.

AI illustration of a traveller walking toward an airport exit with palm trees outside. — AI-generated conceptual illustration; not an actual event or official procedure.

How the 30-day visa-free rule fits in

The fee is separate from the visa-exemption change. The Tourism Authority of Thailand says the 30-day tourism exemption for 60 countries and territories took effect on September 15, 2026, and its release does not mention an entry fee. Therefore, the 30-day stay is in force today, while the fee is still pending.

Our Thailand visa exemption guide covers the 30-day rules in detail. In addition, our Thailand Visa on Arrival guide covers the three countries that still qualify for visa on arrival.

What to do about the Thailand tourist entry fee before you book

Treat 450 baht per person as a possible extra cost for 2027 trips, not as a fixed number.
Watch for the Royal Gazette notice, because the 180-day countdown starts there.
Check your airline ticket breakdown later, because adding the fee to the ticket is one option under discussion.
Follow the Government Public Relations Department and the Tourism Authority of Thailand for official updates.
Be cautious with any site that sells an entry-fee payment today, because the government has not chosen a payment method.

As of October 28, Nation Thailand still reported no Cabinet approval and no Royal Gazette notice. The Thailand tourist entry fee plan can change at the committee, Cabinet, or Gazette stage. Therefore, recheck the official pages below before you rely on any date or amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay the Thailand tourist entry fee now?

No. We found no official notice that collection has started. The Thai Examiner also reported on October 7 that the latest meeting did not authorise it.

How much will the Thailand tourist entry fee be?

The Thailand tourist entry fee proposal is a flat 450 baht per foreign visitor, about US$13.50. The earlier 300-baht air and 150-baht land and sea figures are out of date. However, the amount can still change before the Cabinet signs off.

Is the entry fee part of the 30-day visa-free change?

No. The 30-day visa exemption took effect on September 15, 2026, while the fee is still a proposal. In addition, the TAT release on the visa change does not mention a fee.