Bangkok, Sept. 16 -- Thailand is moving closer to introducing a 450 THB (15 USD) fee for foreign tourists, with the Government aiming to create a new source of funding worth more than 10 billion THB a year to support visitor insurance, tourism infrastructure and destination development.

The proposal is undergoing public consultation until September 28 before being returned to the National Tourism Policy Committee for consideration and subsequently submitted to the Cabinet. The Government hopes to begin collecting the fee in the first quarter of 2027.

Under the current draft, foreign tourists will pay 450 THB per person, regardless of whether they eventually enter Thailand by air, land or sea.

Several categories will be exempt, includin...