Thailand Wants Every Departing Passenger to Pay, Locals Included

Thailand’s Finance Ministry has floated a departure charge of 1,000 baht on air passengers, and unlike the tourist fees that dominate headlines elsewhere in Asia, this one is not aimed only at visitors. The draft applies to every nationality, which means Thai citizens and residents flying out would pay it too. Travelers leaving by land or sea are exempt at this stage.

The mechanics are simple. Airlines and ticketing agents would add the charge to the fare, so most people would see it as a line on their ticket rather than a counter payment at the airport. The draft also leaves room to grow: it allows a ceiling of 5,000 baht per departure, with the actual rate set later by ministerial regulation. Young children aged two and under, transit passengers, crew on duty without a fare, royals, visiting heads of state and certain official flights would be exempt.

Nothing is final. The Revenue Department is running a public hearing from September 30 to October 29, 2026, with comments collected through the government’s law.go.th portal. If the measure is enacted, it would take effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette, and tickets bought before that date would not be charged. Officials describe the aim as using resources more effectively while keeping fiscal discipline and gaining flexibility for future emergencies.

There is history here. Thailand’s original departure tax dates to 1983 and was designed to limit foreign currency outflows and protect the balance of payments; the new version widens the net to all nationalities. For travelers, the practical advice is to watch the Gazette rather than the hearing: with no start date and a six-month lead time after publication, flights booked now would almost certainly fall outside the charge.

Sources: The Star, The Star (ASEAN+)