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Thailand Tourist Fee Set at 450 Baht: Samui Visitors
· Luxy Samui
A 450 baht entry fee for foreign visitors was approved in principle on 14 August 2026, but collection has not started.
Thailand has taken a new step towards an entry fee for foreign tourists. On 14 August 2026, the national tourism policy board approved in principle a flat fee of 450 baht per visitor. This is about 14 US dollars. The fee is not being collected yet. It still needs a public consultation, cabinet approval and publication in the Royal Gazette.
What was approved
The idea of a tourist fee is not new. Earlier versions set 300 baht for arrivals by air and 150 baht for arrivals by land or sea. The Wego travel blog notes that the cabinet first approved the idea in principle in February 2023, and that the start was delayed several times after that.
The new version is simpler: one amount of 450 baht for all foreign visitors, whether they arrive by air, land or sea. Skift and Siam Legal report that the meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, and that a 30-day public consultation followed.
When it could start
The fee would start for air arrivals 180 days after the rule is published in the Royal Gazette. Land and sea arrivals would follow about one year later. Sources give slightly different estimates for the start. Skift mentions the first quarter of 2027 for air travellers. Siam Legal considers early to mid 2027 more realistic. No official start date has been announced.
What the money is for
According to Skift, the revenue would pay for visitor insurance and safety, tourism infrastructure, the development of less-visited destinations and environmental work. Siam Legal describes an insurance plan in which every visitor would have basic accident and emergency medical cover. It puts expected revenue at close to 10 billion baht a year.
What is still open
- How the fee will be collected. Options mentioned include the air ticket, an app, kiosks or the digital arrival card system.
- Who will be exempt. Earlier drafts exempted groups such as small children and transit passengers, but the final list is not confirmed.
- The exact start date.
What it means for your stay
If you travel to Koh Samui in the coming months, there is nothing to pay and nothing to do. The fee does not exist yet. If you travel later in 2027, it may apply. For a family of four, if nobody is exempt, it would add 1,800 baht to the trip, which is small next to the cost of flights. Be careful with websites that ask for payment of a Thai tourist fee today, because no official collection system is open. In the meantime, you can browse our villas for rent in Koh Samui.
