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Thailand's Finance Ministry is facing a coordinated backlash over plans for a new 1,000-baht tax on international air departures, which would apply to Thai citizens and foreign nationals leaving the country.
Three major tourism bodies have formally objected, warning that the charge could raise ticket prices, weaken passenger demand and eventually affect airline routes. The draft law would also allow the levy to be increased to as much as 5,000 baht without a further Act of Parliament.
For foreigners living in Thailand, the proposal matters because it would apply whenever they depart Thailand by air, whether travelling for holidays, work, education, family reasons or business. It would be collected through airline tickets, rather than at a separate airport desk.
The Revenue Department opened public consultation on the proposed Departure Tax Act on September 30, with the process due to close on October 29. The proposal has not received confirmed Cabinet approval and no start date has been announced.
Under the draft, land and sea departures would initially remain exempt. Children under two, qualifying transit passengers and certain official government guests would also be exempt.
Tourism Minister questions levy on foreign visitors
The proposed 1,000-baht charge would cover international air passengers of every nationality. This represents a broader scope than Thailand's former departure-tax framework, which covered Thai citizens and foreign permanent residents.
Thailand introduced the earlier framework in 1983, later exempting land and sea departures in May 1986 and international air travel in July 1991. The new proposal would therefore restore a tax on air departures after 35 years.
If passed, the law would take effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. Section 8 of the draft sets a maximum charge of 5,000 baht per passenger, with ministers able to adjust the rate by regulation within that ceiling.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said on October 8 that he had not known foreign visitors would be included. He said he had initially understood the proposal as one aimed at Thai citizens travelling overseas.
Surasak said he would obtain the draft law and discuss it with Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanpraphas. He also questioned whether foreign visitors should face new charges both on arrival and departure.
The government is separately considering a 450-baht tourist entry fee for eligible foreign arrivals, initially targeting passengers arriving by air. Only the existing airport charge is currently in force; neither the proposed entry fee nor the departure tax has been implemented.
Airports of Thailand increased its international passenger service charge from 730 baht to 1,120 baht on June 20, an increase of 390 baht, or about 53.4%.
If the 1,000-baht departure tax and 450-baht entry charge were both introduced, eligible foreign visitors using Airports of Thailand airports would face travel-related charges totalling 2,570 baht: the 1,120-baht airport fee, the proposed departure tax and the proposed entry fee. For a family of four, that would be 10,280 baht.
Travel and hotel groups warn over flights
The Association of Thai Travel Agents, or ATTA, was among the first to take a formal position against the proposal. Its secretary-general, Dr Adith Chairattananon, confirmed the organisation had prepared an objection for Ekniti. ATTA is led by president Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn.
ATTA said international departures should not be treated simply as discretionary holiday spending. Thai travellers also fly abroad for employment, education, trade, investment and other economic purposes, it said.
The association warned that passengers already face higher airport charges while a separate foreign tourist entry fee is being considered. It also said households and small businesses were still recovering from serious flooding and difficult economic conditions.
Higher fares could weaken demand, reduce aircraft load factors and make certain international routes less commercially attractive, ATTA argued. Airlines could respond by reducing frequencies, capacity or planned services.
The Thai Hotels Association joined the opposition on October 9. Its president, Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, said the group had written to the Revenue Department director-general, raising concerns about Thailand's competitiveness against other regional tourism destinations.
The THA said reduced outbound demand could also affect inbound tourism because airlines need sufficient traffic in both directions to sustain international routes. Hotels, restaurants, retailers, tour operators and smaller businesses dependent on foreign visitors could be affected if connectivity declined, it said.
The Thai Travel Agents Association, or TTAA, added its objection on October 11. President Kalayanee Asanee said the body had written directly to Ekniti, arguing the charge would burden Thai travellers regardless of their income or reason for travel.
TTAA also raised long-running concerns over VAT treatment for overseas tour operators and questioned the Revenue Department's online consultation process, including how respondents' identities are verified and whether questions clearly distinguish between taxing Thai citizens and foreign visitors.
Finance Ministry cites revenue and domestic spending
Ekniti has defended the plan as a way to strengthen government revenue and discourage Thais from taking overseas holidays, keeping more spending within Thailand's domestic tourism economy.
However, the levy would also apply to foreign visitors and to Thai travellers departing for non-holiday reasons. Aviation industry sources told The Standard that airlines were unlikely to absorb the additional expense, meaning passengers would ultimately pay higher fares.
The flat 1,000-baht charge could be particularly significant for low-cost and short-haul passengers, as it would represent a greater share of a cheaper regional fare than of a long-haul premium-class ticket.
Thailand's fiscal 2025 accounts recorded a deficit of about 898.8 billion baht, up 20.6%, while all three main tax collection departments missed revenue targets. Public debt reached around 65.08% of gross domestic product, below but closer to the country's 70% ceiling.
The ministry has not published a verified revenue forecast for the proposed departure tax, and no comprehensive economic impact assessment was identified in the reporting.
Internationally, some countries impose considerably higher combined departure taxes and airport charges. An African Airlines Association study using September 2024 data found combined charges of $297.70 in Gabon and $294 in Sierra Leone, although these figures include multiple taxes and airport fees rather than a standalone departure levy.
14 October 2026