Thai nationals spared new Bt300 arrival tax coming in April
The proposed 300-baht arrival tax will not affect Thai nationals returning from overseas, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Friday.
However, he confirmed that the tax would be collected from all foreign tourists at every port of entry.
Half of the Bt300 payment will go to a tourism promotion fund, while 20 per cent will be help fund insurance cover for up to 45 days of each visitor’s stay in Thailand. The remainder will be set aside for administration costs, Phiphat explained.
He expects the arrival tax to be collected from April 1. The plan has been approved by the National Tourism Board and will be finalised by the Tourism Promotion Fund Committee before being submitted to Cabinet for approval, he added.
The minister predicts tax revenue of about Bt1.5 billion from some 5 million foreign tourists entering Thailand between April 1 and September 30, when the current fiscal year ends.
The Tourism and Sports Ministry proposed the arrival tax after a painstaking study including consultations with stakeholders in the tourism sector, according to Phiphat.
