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Foreign Travel Tax: Burden or Fairness Tool?

Foreign Travel Tax: Burden or Fairness Tool?

MGR Online•General•17d ago

Reader Briefing

A public criticism questions the fairness and effectiveness of a proposed 1,000 Baht foreign travel tax, arguing it unfairly burdens citizens and fails to address root causes of Thailand's tourism issues.

  • •A popular page 'KANT' is analyzing the government's plan to reinstate a 1,000 Baht tax on Thais traveling abroad.
  • •The proposed tax aims to fund domestic tourism subsidies, such as the 'เที่ยวคนละครึ่ง' campaign.
  • •Critics argue the underlying logic is outdated, as foreign travel is no longer exclusive to the wealthy and the tax doesn't solve domestic tourism's core problems.

Overview

  • •On May 7, the page "KANT - Luxury Design Lifestyle" published a post discussing the AOT's planned increase in airport fees.
  • •The Thai government is studying the revival of the Royal Decree on Departure Tax B.E. 1983 to collect an additional 1,000 Baht fee from Thai citizens traveling abroad.
  • •Thai travelers may face a total additional cost of 1,390 Baht per trip, comprising a 390 Baht AOT Passenger Service Charge (PSC) increase and the proposed 1,000 Baht exit fee.
  • •Airport of Thailand (AOT) announced an increase in the Passenger Service Charge (PSC) from 730 Baht to 1,120 Baht, effective June 20, 2026.
  • •The proposed 1,000 Baht exit fee is intended to supplement funds for domestic tourism programs like 'เที่ยวคนละครึ่ง'.
  • •The proposed policy is criticized for being based on an outdated assumption that only the wealthy travel abroad.
  • •Critics state that collecting funds from outbound travelers to subsidize domestic tourism does not address fundamental issues with domestic travel pricing and quality.
  • •The government is currently studying the revival of the Royal Decree on Departure Tax, and it has not yet been submitted to the Cabinet.

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Key Quotes

Surasak Pholjanareo (Minister of Tourism and Sports)
"Simply put, collecting from those who travel abroad to help Thais who don't have the opportunity to travel abroad."
พูดง่าย ๆ ว่าจัดเก็บคนที่ไปเที่ยวต่างประเทศ เพื่อมาช่วยคนไทยที่ไม่ได้มีโอกาสไปเที่ยวต่างประเทศ
KANT (Page)
""Able to afford" and "Should pay?" are two different things."
จ่ายไหว" กับ "ควรจ่ายไหม" คือคนละเรื่อง
KANT (Page)
"We pay 1,000 baht for others to get free travel coupons, then pay another 1,000 next trip."
เราจ่าย 1,000 บาทเพื่อให้คนอื่นได้คูปองท่องเที่ยวฟรี แล้วทริปหน้าก็จ่ายอีก 1,000
KANT (Page)
"Today, it's said to start at 1,000 because "it's a figure previously collected in the past"; next year, it can be raised to 2,000 according to law."
วันนี้บอกเริ่มที่ 1,000 เพราะ "เป็นตัวเลขที่เคยเก็บในอดีต" ปีหน้าขยับเป็น 2,000 ก็ทำได้ตามกฎหมาย

Key Entities

Organization

KANT
A popular social media page that analyzes and criticizes government policies, particularly those related to travel and lifestyle.
Airport of Thailand (AOT)(AOT)ℹ️
The state-owned company that operates major airports in Thailand and announced an increase in airport fees.

Person

Surasak Pholjanareo(นายสุรศักดิ์ พันธ์เจริญวรกุล)ℹ️
The Minister of Tourism and Sports who explained the rationale behind the proposed foreign travel tax.

Law

Royal Decree on Departure Tax B.E. 1983(พ.ร.ก. ภาษีการเดินทางออกนอกราชอาณาจักร พ.ศ. 1983)
The existing law that the government is considering reviving to impose a 1,000 Baht fee on Thais traveling abroad.