CAAT to raise passenger entry-exit fee to 25 baht from February 1, 2026

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has issued a notification setting the rate, collection period and remittance method for the fee levied on passengers entering or leaving the country at 25 baht per person per trip, effective from February 1, 2026.

The move follows a resolution of the Civil Aviation Board’s meeting No. 3/2025 on December 3, 2025, which approved collecting the fee from air operators, calculated based on the number of passengers travelling into or out of the kingdom.

CAAT said the notification clearly sets out the rate, timeframe and remittance procedures to ensure transparent collection in line with the board’s resolution. The revenue is intended to support regulatory duties, as well as the development of Thailand’s civil aviation safety standards under the legal framework.

The authority stressed that the fee adjustment is in line with relevant laws and aims to strengthen oversight of Thailand’s civil aviation sector in an efficient and sustainable manner, while boosting international confidence in the country’s aviation system.

Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, director-general of CAAT, told Thansettakij that the authority plans to raise the entry-and-exit fee collected from air operators, based on inbound and outbound passenger numbers. 

The fee has been set at 15 baht per person per trip since 2015, but will be increased to 25 baht to address CAAT’s financial position.

He said CAAT is a non-profit agency responsible for regulating and overseeing Thailand’s civil aviation in accordance with laws and international standards. Its main revenue comes solely from this fee, with no budgetary support from the government. 

The authority currently has accumulated reserves of around 1.4 billion baht to cover operational cashflow, including salaries for more than 500 employees, building rent and technology equipment costs.

CAAT has faced losses because the fee has remained below cost for more than a decade, with the 15-baht rate unchanged while the current cost per passenger stands at 19.34 baht per trip. This estimate is based on passenger traffic of 72.42 million.

As passenger numbers rise, CAAT must draw more from its reserves, which would continue to shrink and could undermine its ability to operate. The proposed increase is aimed at reaching break-even so the agency can maintain operations and aviation standards, rather than expanding activities or generating profit.

Based on initial estimates, if the fee is raised to 25 baht, it would cover costs for only about three to four years, and would allow CAAT to reach break-even only by 2028. Manat said the authority does not want to impose a steep increase now, and any future adjustments would be considered later.

Under the law, CAAT is authorised to levy up to four types of fees. However, over the past decade it has collected only the entry-and-exit fee.

It has not pursued the other three fees it is entitled to charge:

• Flight operation fee: levied on operators for take-offs and landings at public airports nationwide
   
• Air cargo transport fee: levied on operators carrying cargo
   
• Aircraft fuel fee: levied on aviation fuel service providers or sellers at service points nationwide, at a per-litre rate set by CAAT

The authority said it is concerned such fees would ultimately be passed on to passengers through ticket prices.

CAAT said it is therefore adjusting only what it considers strictly necessary, and that any fee revisions by relevant agencies should reflect actual costs.