Thailand is preparing a higher foreign tourist levy alongside tougher visa rules, stricter entry screening and tighter monitoring of arrivals as officials confront rising hospital bills, tourist accidents, foreign crime and falling confidence in the sector.
Thailand is moving towards a higher foreign tourist levy as the government simultaneously tightens visa rules, intensifies entry screening, and expands surveillance of overseas arrivals amid rising concerns over unpaid hospital bills, tourist accidents, falling visitor confidence, and foreign criminal activity. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phanjaroenworakul confirmed the long-delayed tourist tax could rise above the previously proposed ฿300 level to fund expanded insurance coverage, including treatment at private hospitals, while authorities also prepare to scrap 60-day visa exemptions and impose stricter controls through Thailand’s digital arrival system introduced in May last year.
Thailand plans a higher tourist levy, tighter visa rules and stricter entry controls amid rising hospital costs, tourist accidents and foreign crime concerns. (Ministry of Tourism and Sports)
Thailand is moving closer to imposing a long-delayed levy on foreign tourists entering the kingdom. The move follows a wider tightening of policies towards international arrivals. Only days earlier, the cabinet approved plans to curb visa exemptions for foreign visitors. Meanwhile, authorities also announced stricter screening measures for tourists entering Thailand.
Now Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phanjaroenworakul has confirmed that the proposed tourist entry fee may rise above the previously planned ฿300 level.
The levy has circulated within government policy discussions for over a decade. However, it was formally proposed in 2015 and repeatedly delayed afterwards. Successive governments backed the proposal.
Successive Thai governments backed tourist levy plans but failed repeatedly to implement the policy
Nevertheless, none managed to implement it. Earlier plans fixed the fee at ฿300 per visitor. Now, officials say inflation and rising insurance costs have altered the calculations significantly. As a result, the ministry is considering a higher fee structure linked directly to expanded insurance protection.
Mr Surasak said most revenue generated by the levy would support tourist insurance schemes. Meanwhile, remaining funds would finance tourism infrastructure and attraction maintenance. Earlier proposals focused mainly on emergency coverage.
However, the latest plan would extend protection into Thailand’s private hospital sector. Consequently, the final fee remains under review while officials assess projected treatment costs and insurance liabilities.
The government says unpaid medical bills from foreign visitors continue to burden the healthcare system heavily. Studies cited by officials estimate annual losses at roughly ฿2.5 billion. At the same time, foreign tourists remain regularly involved in fatal and non-fatal accidents across Thailand.
Motorcycle crashes and rising hospital bills drive push for wider tourist insurance coverage plans
In particular, rented motorcycles continue to feature prominently in serious crashes involving visitors. Many tourists are unfamiliar with Thailand’s road conditions and traffic systems. Consequently, emergency treatment costs linked to foreign visitors remain persistently high.
Authorities say Thailand’s roads continue to present major risks for overseas tourists. Therefore, officials want broader insurance mechanisms capable of absorbing rising treatment costs.
Mr Surasak said expanded coverage would include treatment at private hospitals, where charges are significantly higher. Moreover, the ministry believes stronger insurance systems could reduce financial pressure on state hospitals currently handling uninsured foreign patients.
The ministry is now examining two possible collection methods for the levy. However, both approaches present operational and administrative complications. One proposal would add the charge directly to airline tickets for passengers entering Thailand.
Airlines resist tourist levy plan as officials shift collection focus towards the TDAC system instead
Earlier governments also explored that option. However, airlines have objected strongly to the arrangement. According to Mr Surasak, carriers cannot easily separate foreign passengers from Thai nationals during ticket purchases. As a result, airlines may need to charge every arriving passenger initially.
Under that scenario, Thai citizens would later apply for rebates through a government system. However, officials fear the process could trigger confusion, complaints, and administrative delays. Consequently, attention has shifted towards a second collection mechanism tied directly to immigration procedures. Under this proposal, foreign tourists would pay the levy through the Thailand Digital Arrival Card system, known as TDAC.
All foreign arrivals are now required to complete the TDAC process before entering Thailand. Therefore, officials believe the platform offers a simpler and more targeted collection method. The ministry currently favours this approach.
Moreover, officials say the digital system would improve monitoring of foreign arrivals entering the country. At the same time, authorities believe the system would reduce disputes involving airlines and Thai passengers.
Officials seek broader insurance cover while reviewing final tourist levy costs and details carefully
Mr Surasak said the ministry is finalising operational details carefully. However, he stressed that officials do not want the levy to damage traveller sentiment or tourism demand. Nevertheless, the final amount remains unresolved. Instead, authorities say the fee will depend largely on projected insurance premiums and medical treatment costs.
The ministry is expected to hold discussions soon with the Thai General Insurance Association. Those talks will focus on insurance premiums, coverage levels, and operational details.
However, questions remain over the exact scope of compensation available under the proposed scheme. Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the Thai Hotels Association, said authorities must clarify what incidents would qualify for coverage.
For example, he questioned whether flood-related injuries would qualify under the insurance plan. He also raised concerns over train construction accidents involving tourists.
Thailand tightens visa rules and tourist oversight as officials confront rising foreign crime concerns
In addition, motorcycle crashes involving unlicensed riders remain another unresolved issue. Industry representatives also want greater clarity regarding spending priorities linked to the levy. Specifically, hotel operators want officials to define how much revenue would fund infrastructure upgrades and tourism projects.
The levy proposal comes amid broader government efforts to tighten oversight of foreign visitors. Earlier this week, authorities confirmed plans to scrap the current 60-day visa exemption arrangement for travellers from 93 countries.
Instead, officials are preparing to restore shorter entry periods. Authorities are considering a return to 30-day and 15-day allowances, alongside visa-on-arrival systems used previously in 2024.
Officials say the visa revisions respond to growing concerns over illegal activities involving foreigners in Thailand. In recent months, authorities have intensified scrutiny of foreign nationals across several sectors. Investigations have focused on illegal employment, visa overstays, and criminal operations involving overseas suspects. Meanwhile, active screening measures at entry points are also being strengthened.
Thailand seeks visa flexibility for India, while tourism targets fall amid global instability concerns
Mr Surasak said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coordinating communications with foreign governments regarding the visa changes. The ministry leads Thailand’s national visa policy committee.
Therefore, it will oversee diplomatic coordination and implementation. At the same time, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports wants exemptions adjusted for selected markets considered strategically important.
India remains one of Thailand’s five largest tourism markets. However, Indian nationals currently qualify only for visas on arrival. Mr Surasak said the ministry favours granting Indian visitors a 15-day visa exemption instead. Officials believe the measure could help maintain arrivals from the market despite wider visa tightening.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has also been instructed to revise tourism targets for 2026. Officials fear prolonged instability linked to the United States-Iran conflict could weaken international travel demand further.
Thailand cuts tourism expectations as analysts warn arrivals may fall sharply below official targets
Thailand originally targeted 33 million foreign arrivals for 2026. However, authorities have now lowered the official target to 32 million visitors. Even so, several analysts expect arrivals to reach only 28 million under current conditions.
Despite tightening visa rules, Mr Surasak insisted shorter exemption periods should not significantly affect arrivals. According to ministry data, the average foreign tourist currently stays in Thailand for only nine days.
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Nevertheless, the government is now moving simultaneously on stricter entry controls, revised visa rules, and the long-delayed tourist levy. Together, the measures represent one of the sharpest policy shifts in Thailand’s tourism sector in recent years.
It comes as Thailand’s foreign tourism industry finds itself in crisis. Not only are numbers falling, but international confidence is also waning, particularly over the security and safety of visitors to the country.
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