BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand plans a new tourist fee for foreign visitors. Cash will fund attractions, safety and environmental clean-up. Amount and start date still unknown.
Tourism Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul unveiled the proposal on August 10. Money goes into a new fund to boost Thai tourism.
New fee for foreign visitors
The fee targets international tourists only. Small tourism businesses will also get a slice of the revenue, according to the minister.
How much visitors will pay remains up in the air. The government has not set a figure yet.
Fund to boost attractions and safety
The planned fund will back existing and new attractions. It will also pay for visitor insurance and other safety measures.
Officials want to make Thailand safer for tourists while sprucing up destinations.
Environment repair gets a slice
A chunk of the money will go toward restoring environmental areas damaged by tourism.
No details on how much or which sites will get priority.
State backs domestic travel with 1.75 billion baht
Alongside the fee, the ministry proposed the Thai Travel Thai Plus program. The state will cover 50 per cent of eligible travel costs, up to 3,000 baht per claim.
Around 500,000 claims are planned. Each person can use the benefit up to five times. The program covers all 77 provinces.
Vouchers and bookings via Pao Tang app
An extra 1,000-baht voucher is on the table. It can be used for meals, attractions, tourism products, community goods, guided tours and rental cars.
Bookings and payments go through the Pao Tang app from Krungthai Bank. Users need a Thai bank account and a national ID number.
Domestic tourism takes a hit
The ministry expects the four-month domestic program to spark more than 26 billion baht in economic activity. But in the first five months of 2026, domestic tourism revenue dropped four per cent.
Blame the Middle East conflict, rising fuel costs and weak spending during the low season from May to October. The cabinet must review the subsidy program by August 31. If delayed, a start is planned by the end of 2026.
The proposals were presented at a meeting led by Suphajee Suthumpun, deputy prime minister and commerce minister. Also present: Sabeeda Thaised from the culture ministry and Natthriya Thaweevong, permanent secretary of the tourism and sports ministry.