Thai government abandons plans to charge tourists for entry
13 June 2024 11:43
The Thai government does not intend to introduce the previously planned tourist tax on foreign tourists. This was reported by the local edition of The Nation, citing a statement by Prime Minister Settha Thavisin, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
The idea to introduce a fee for tourists visiting the country appeared in the country even before the pandemic – the first discussions of the project took place in 2018, but the deadlines for its implementation were repeatedly postponed.
The authors of the initiative envisaged that foreign travellers would pay a fee of 300 baht (about $9) if they flew into the country and 150 baht ($4.5) if they arrived by land or water. The funds were planned to be used to restore Thailand’s natural sites and develop tourist destinations.
But recently, Thai Prime Minister Settha Thaksin said that the 300-baht fee “can only generate revenue in the short term”.
However, according to him, tourists coming to Thailand can spend much more money on shopping and leisure, which, in turn, will have a positive impact on the economy and the population’s income.
“According to various surveys, many cities and islands in Thailand are recognised as world-class tourist destinations. We should focus on encouraging rational ideas that can contribute to further development rather than listening to certain disturbing opinions,”
– said a Thai government official.
In 2022, 11.8 million tourists arrived in Thailand, while before the coronavirus pandemic, there were about 40 million annually.
TheMinistry of Finance writes that, according to the Ministry of Tourism of Thailand, from the beginning of 2024 to mid-April, more than 10 million foreign tourists visited the country, bringing $13.5 billion to the state’s economy.
Most of them are citizens of China (more than 2 million people), Malaysia (1.39 million), Russia (695,000), South Korea (619,000) and India (546,000). By the end of the year, the number of travellers visiting Thailand is expected to exceed 35 million. Last year, more than 27 million foreigners visited the country.
