Thailand will charge foreign visitors a 300-baht entry fee from February 2026, with 70 baht ring-fenced for medical cover and the rest for tourism upgrades. Air passengers pay through their ticket, land and sea arrivals pay at the border.
Cover image: immigration queue at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport — photo by Suyash.dwivedi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Thailand will introduce a flat 300-baht tourist entry fee (about USD 8 to 9) for all foreign nationals from February 2026, collected through the air ticket for fly-in visitors and at border checkpoints for land and sea arrivals.
The levy, often called Kha Yeap Pan Din (a charge for stepping onto Thai soil), was approved in principle by the Cabinet in 2023 but repeatedly delayed. Fresh reporting from the Chiang Rai Times says the government now intends to roll it out in February, after airlines complete integration of the fee into ticketing. Of the 300 baht, 70 baht will fund basic medical and accident insurance that activates on entry, with the balance earmarked for tourism infrastructure, public facilities and emergency response. The measure is distinct from the separate cut in visa-free stays to 30 days from 15 September 2026, and travellers need to budget for both.
How much is the Thailand tourist entry fee and who must pay?
The Chiang Rai Times reports a single flat rate: 300 baht for every foreign visitor, regardless of whether they arrive by air, land or sea. Earlier proposals for a lower land-border rate have been dropped. The charge applies to short-term leisure visitors. Thai citizens, holders of work permits or long-term visas and diplomats are expected to be exempt, with final details on transit passengers and age thresholds for children still being confirmed. The government describes the target group as short-stay tourists rather than residents or frequent regional commuters, who may qualify for waivers once the regulation is published.
At current exchange rates 300 baht sits around USD 8 to 9 and EUR 7 to 8. That puts Thailand below the entry or sustainability fees charged by several regional competitors, but it is still a universal levy rather than a nationality-specific visa charge. Travellers from visa-exempt countries who previously paid nothing beyond airfare will now see an explicit line item.
When does the 300-baht fee start and how will it be collected?
Implementation is set for February 2026, according to the Chiang Rai Times, which cites recent government updates. The first timeline floated in 2023 slipped after airlines warned that ticketing changes and border-system upgrades needed months of testing.
- By air: the fee will be added to the ticket price and shown as a separate component, similar to existing airport taxes. Collection through the airline avoids extra queues at immigration.
- By land and sea: payment at the checkpoint, with officials saying on-site systems should reduce rather than lengthen immigration delays.
- Proof of payment: for fly-in guests the e-ticket will constitute proof; land and sea travellers are expected to receive a receipt that pairs with the new Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) introduced in May 2025.
The Wego travel blog reports the same February window and notes that the government wants the border rollout to coincide with school-holiday traffic, when land crossings from Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos peak. Operators have been told to prepare signage in Thai, English, Chinese and Korean ahead of the launch.
What does the fee pay for? The 70-baht insurance and tourism upgrades
Of each 300-baht payment, 70 baht is ring-fenced for medical and accident insurance that begins on entry. The Chiang Rai Times says that cover is intended as basic protection for hospital visits and accidents during the stay, not as a substitute for comprehensive travel insurance. Travellers who still need evacuation, trip cancellation or high-limit medical cover should keep a separate policy in place, as detailed in our guide to vaccinations and health preparation for Thailand.
The remaining 230 baht is allocated to tourism-related upgrades. Examples cited include public toilets and accessibility improvements at attractions, road and signage repairs, emergency-response capacity and safety enhancements at sites such as the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) and Doi Tung in Chiang Rai, plus maintenance of border facilities. The framing from the Tourism Ministry is that visitors fund the infrastructure they use, rather than the general budget.
| Component | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Medical and accident insurance | 70 baht | Basic cover activated on entry |
| Tourism infrastructure fund | 230 baht | Facilities, roads, safety and emergency response |
| Total fee per foreign visitor | 300 baht | Flat rate, air/land/sea |
How does the entry fee differ from Thailand's visa-free stay cut?
Two changes are running in parallel and travellers often conflate them. The visa-free stay cut from 60 to 30 days from 15 September 2026 governs how long visitors from more than 60 countries and territories can remain without a visa. The 300-baht entry fee is a separate, universal charge for stepping onto Thai soil, regardless of visa status. One determines duration, the other imposes a fixed levy.
In practice an Australian, British or Indian traveller who previously enjoyed 60 days visa-free will from mid-September receive 30 days and, from February, also pay 300 baht on entry. Those who need a visa or e-visa still pay the visa charge on top of the 300 baht. Budgeting for both matters: the visa-free cut affects itinerary length, the entry fee affects upfront cost, and neither is visible in the base fare until airlines update ticket breakdowns.
What should visitors do before travelling?
- Check the ticket breakdown. From February, confirm your airline has added the 300 baht as a labelled tax or fee; if it does not appear, keep a receipt for checkpoint payment.
- File the TDAC. Thailand requires the digital arrival card within 72 hours before travel for visa-exempt and visa holders alike.
- Keep separate insurance. Treat the 70-baht cover as basic local assistance, not as full travel insurance, especially for hospital cash and evacuation.
- Allow for border processing. Land travellers through Poipet, Padang Besar and the Laos crossings should build in extra time during the first weeks of the new system.
Thailand welcomed more than 35 million foreign arrivals in 2019 before the pandemic and has made tourism central to its recovery, so even a small per-visitor levy aggregates to significant funding for maintenance and safety. For context on entry requirements that have not changed, see whether Thailand is safe to visit and the country-specific visa checklists.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the 300 baht if I transit through Bangkok without clearing immigration?
Final exemptions are still being confirmed, but transit passengers who do not pass through Thai immigration are expected to be excluded. The Chiang Rai Times notes that children and frequent regional travellers may also see waivers, but the regulation has not yet published the definitive list.
Is the 300-baht fee refundable if I cancel my trip?
For air travellers the fee is collected through the ticket, so refund rules will follow airline and fare-class terms. If the ticket is refundable, the fee component should be refunded with it. Land and sea payments handled at the border are unlikely to be refundable after entry.
Does the 300 baht replace Thailand's visa fee?
No. The entry fee is additional. Travellers who require a visa, e-visa or extension still pay those charges separately. The fee applies even to visitors who enter under the new 30-day visa-free regime.
Will the fee appear when I book my flight now for travel in March 2026?
Airlines are still integrating the charge, so tickets issued before the system update may not show it. In that case you will pay at the border and retain the receipt, which pairs with immigration records and the TDAC submission.
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