Thailand's proposed 450-baht entry fee for foreign visitors would start with air arrivals, with land and sea entry about a year later. It is still a draft: nothing is being charged and no start date exists. Our Thailand team covers the 6 October consultation in its briefing on the 450-baht visitor fee. This note is for agents who quote and brief groups.
Where the Proposal Stands
- Support. An online consultation from 24 August to 28 September drew 5,954 respondents. According to The Nation, 80.50% backed the draft and 78.30% backed the 450-baht rate.
- Next steps. The draft must go to the National Tourism Policy Committee and then the Cabinet, and be published in the Royal Gazette.
- Air first. The August draft starts collection from air arrivals 180 days after publication. Land and sea entry points would follow about a year later.
- Insurance. Part of the fee would buy insurance covering death and medical expenses for those who pay it.
Collection Through the Ticket
No collection method has been confirmed. In the consultation, the most popular option, at 36.26%, was collection through the airline ticket. If that is chosen, a group would pay the fee with its airfare and not through the ground package, so the charge would sit with whoever sells the air.
Quoting a Group Meanwhile
Do not put the fee in a group quote today, and do not present it as law. For departures a long way out, mark it on the quote as a proposed government charge that may apply. Groups that fly in would be affected before groups that arrive overland or by sea. Private-sector representatives asked for exemptions for regular cross-border travellers, but the reports do not say any will be granted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thailand's 450-baht entry fee being charged now?
No. It is a draft and has not been approved.
When would it start?
No date exists. The August draft counts 180 days from publication in the Royal Gazette for air arrivals, with land and sea entry about a year after air.
Should I add it to a group quote?
Not as a current charge. Mark it as a proposed government charge on departures a long way out, and check again once the Cabinet has decided.
Where Explera Fits
We plan programmes across our destinations: Thailand, Japan, Korea and New Zealand. Our Thailand team checks entry rules for each group before it quotes, and handles hotels, guides and vehicles once the dates are confirmed.
Write to b2b@explera.co.th or message +66 93 656 8090 on WhatsApp. Explera Thailand holds TAT licence No. 14/05119. Explera DMC is IATA TIDS-registered (96215733) and an ASTA member (900408341).
