Thailand Shelves Planned 1,000-Baht Departure Tax to Protect Fourth-Quarter Tourism
BANGKOK — Thailand's Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas announced on October 22 that the planned 1,000-baht-per-trip departure tax will be shelved for now. The revenue department had earlier held a public consultation on the proposal.
Ekniti said the postponement aims to protect tourism momentum in the fourth quarter of 2026. With the Middle East situation pushing up energy prices and pressuring aviation and tourism, introducing a new levy now could further dampen travel demand. The government gave no new implementation date.
Tourism is a pillar of the Thai economy, and the year-end high season is crucial to annual tourism revenue. The industry had debated the levy's collection method and use of proceeds; the government said it will reassess the plan in light of economic and tourism conditions.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 曼谷素万那普国际机场 / Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok。图片：© Gleb Osokin - Russian AviaPhoto Team / CC BY-SA 3.0，Wikimedia Commons
