Thailand Delays Tourist Entry Fee – What to Know

One of the world’s most visited countries, Thailand, has chosen to delay – yet again – plans for a controversial tourism entry fee, officially called the “Kha Yeap Pan Din (stepping onto Thai soil fee)”. Originally planned for introduction in 2025, this charge is now likely in the second or third quarter of 2026. The move seeks to further assist Thailand as it continues to recover from the worldwide tourism slump due to the COVID-19 crisis. This provision gives international tourists the opportunity to visit Thailand without paying anything additional on top of existing visa and immigration fees, a small financial respite for the time being as the country works to pick up on lost ground in international tourism. Thailand’s proposed tourism arrival fee, enacted in principle by the Thai Cabinet in early 2023, was used as a tool to upgrade the nation’s tourism infrastructure and provide basic insurance to tourists. Under the plan, international tourists would be required to pay 300 baht (approximately $9.25 USD) for those who fly in – and for those who enter the country through any land or sea border, they would be charged 150 baht (about $4.60 USD). The scale of fees is according to the different levels of administration and infrastructure costs for various regimes.