Thailand Delays Powerful Tourism Tax Rollout Again Aiming For Strategic Launch In 2026 To Boost Visitor Confidence And Economic Growth

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

In a move that will thief sphere a robust post-pandemic tourism bounce, Thailand will hold nan motorboat of its much-discussed tourer introduction provender until 2026. Officials attributed their reluctance to adding much recreation costs to a operation of world economical uncertainties, skittish recreation request and nan impulse to show high-season visitant trends. By postponing nan projected interest until 2023, nan Thailand authorities seeks to support its competitory advantages wrong nan world tourism market, stimulate inbound tourism and guarantee that nan basal supporting systems (such arsenic nan Thailand Digital Arrival Card) are efficaciously developed and fresh to beryllium put into cognition astatine nan due time.

Thailand Delays Long-Delayed Tourist Entry Fee Until 2026 Amid Global Uncertainty

Thailand has postponed implementation of its overmuch discussed tourism introduction interest again, pinch nan planned implementation now expected successful 2026 (2nd aliases 3rd quarter). The postponement is conscionable nan adjacent installment successful nan nation’s long-drawn efforts to present a tourism taxation successful bid to cod much revenues for destination guidance and visitant security protection.

SHUTTERSTOCKOn July 14, nan Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand mentioned that 2025 will not beryllium a imaginable starting twelvemonth to statesman nan fee. Pointing to “uncontrollable outer factors” and continued volatility successful world recreation demand, nan Ministry said it would request to show upcoming highest tourer seasons earlier making immoderate decisions.

An Extended Timeline, Tinged With Uncertainty

The introduction fee, first announced successful 2021 during nan tenure of erstwhile Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, was slated to beryllium implemented successful 2022, pinch nan original interest of B$300 – astir USD 9.26 – first suggested. But that connection faced backlash and a drawstring of revisions that person delayed nan implementation of nan policy.

The aforesaid time nan interest was announced and nan National Tourism Policy Committee approved it, nan Tourism Authority of Thailand suggested that nan interest beryllium raised to THB 500 (around USD 15.43). This drew crisp rebuts from business circles and a return to nan first magnitude of THB 300.

For nan adjacent 2 years, nan scheme was consistently delayed. The commencement day shifted from April 2022 to precocious 2022 and early 2023 and past to June 2023. And when, contempt support of nan interest by nan Thai Cabinet successful February 2023, nan interest was postponed again until September 2023 only to person been placed on-hold and entrenched successful hold until 2024.

Political Transitions Impact Policy Direction

The turning constituent came successful June 2024 erstwhile then-Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin signaled that nan introduction interest scheme would beryllium abandoned altogether. The proviso was aimed astatine promoting Thailand’s post-pandemic betterment by eliminating imaginable obstacles to travel.

However, this determination was short-lived. The connection was rekindled soon aft nan caller authorities was established, by nan extremity of 2024, appointed Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong. The Ministry announced its volition to lucifer nan interest pinch nan motorboat of nan Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), a integer inaugural developed to modernize and simplify nan migration process.

The TDAC strategy went unrecorded connected May 1, 2025, successful anticipation of existent interest application. Under nan revamped policy, visitors would person had to salary THB 300 (USD 9.26) if they entered via aerial and THB 150 if they arrived by onshore and sea. Whoever this low-fee traveler would be, they would person cared for nan aggregate entries up to 30 aliases 60 days. Also anticipated was that nan interest would screen basal security for overseas visitors for nan clip of staying successful nan country.

Status Quo Remains for 2025

Though it has already built supporting accommodation for illustration nan TDAC, nary entranceway interest for overseas visitors has yet been introduced by Thailand. Diplomatic and tourer visa holders will not successful mid 2025 beryllium charged thing other successful comparison to nan regular visa and migration fees.

According to Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong, nan argumentation is still successful nan process of being thoroughly considered. The Ministry was taking a cautious attack and monitoring nan world tourism trends and geo-political business which keeps influencing nan world recreation trends.

The Ministry will re-evaluate this position erstwhile nan peak-season request has been viewed successful precocious 2025. It would not beryllium until that juncture that nan implementation timeline connected nan interest rollout could beryllium nailed down, pinch nan earliest imaginable spell unrecorded day presently believed to autumn betwixt mid and precocious 2026.

Thailand has delayed nan implementation of its projected tourer introduction levy until 2026, successful a bid to safeguard recreation betterment and alternatively promote much world visitors. The hesitation gave america clip to study request and guarantee nan caller integer presence strategy could beryllium smoothly implemented.

Industry Reactions and Expectations

Tourism operators successful galore parts of Thailand still divided down nan middle. Some backmost nan interest arsenic a measurement to put successful tourer infrastructure and supply captious security protection, while others are concerned that it could discourage budget-minded visitors — successful a region that is particularly price- and convenience-conscious.

The Thai authority still insist nan volition is not to oppress nor load nan tourists, but alternatively to activity ways to amended traveller’s acquisition and boost nan modular of nan nationalist work quality. With nan TDAC successful spot and mentation complete for a resource-effective postulation pinch nan astir impact, authorities opportunity it’s not a matter of if, but when.

For arsenic agelong arsenic Thailand grapples pinch economical revival, governmental changeover, and travel’s quickly changing ways, nan delayed introduction interest will beryllium connected clasp and group to footwear successful only erstwhile things are globally unchangeable and feasible locally.