Singaporeans planning on vacationing in Thailand may have to pay a ฿300 (S$11.80) fee called a tourism tax during the upcoming “high season” later this year.
According to Thai news outlet The Nation, the fee will be per person, per trip.
Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said that the scheme will allow visitors to access travel insurance.
Provided that it is endorsed by the Royal Gazette in March, the minister expects the tax to be collected starting this upcoming “high season”.
However, the full details, including an exact date, of the deployment are still unclear.
Mr Sorawong said that the ministry is currently working on linking data to the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) to make the tax collection simpler. The TDAC will come into force on May 1.
The minister said he does not expect the ฿300 tax to scare away travellers from visiting Thailand.
“The tourist fee may not be a large amount that would put tourists off,” he said. However, he also added that tourist’s could have a sour experience if the collection process was inconvenient.
“Our aim is to make the process as smooth as possible,” he added.
Foreign visitors who travel to Thailand by air will have to pay ฿300 per person, per trip. Those who enter Thailand through land or sea will have to pay a similar fee, however, they will be able to enter and exit several times within 30 to 60 days.
The scheme was previously shelved under now-ousted Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin out of fear it would adversely affect tourism revenue.
Also read: S’poreans visiting Thailand from 1 May must submit online immigration forms
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Featured image adapted from กระทรวงการท่องเที่ยวและกีฬา on Facebook and Suvarnabhumi Airport on Facebook.