"Pay to Enter"… Thailand Charges Entry Fees to Foreign Tourists

"Tourist Treatment Costs and Tourism Facility Improvements to Be Funded"

On July 31st (local time), tourists are sightseeing at Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok, Thailand. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] Starting next year, foreign tourists entering Thailand are expected to pay an 'entry fee' of approximately 11,300 KRW. The collected entry fees will be used for tourist medical treatment costs and improvements to tourist facilities.

According to recent local media such as The Nation, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand plans to request cabinet approval next month for a bill to collect entry fees from foreign tourists starting early next year. Pipat Ratchakitprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, explained, "If cabinet approval is obtained in October, the bill will be published in the Royal Gazette and take effect 90 days later," adding, "It is appropriate to start collecting the entry fee at the beginning of next year, which is the peak tourist season."

The National Tourism Policy Committee of Thailand approved a plan in January to collect an entry fee of 300 baht (approximately 11,300 KRW) from overseas tourists. However, the entry fee for foreign tourists entering via land routes has not yet been determined. Minister Pipat stated, "It is unfair to apply the same entry fee when tourists use different modes of transportation," and added, "We are currently working on calculating the costs that foreigners entering via land routes should pay."

The entry fee will be used for treatment costs if tourists are injured in accidents, as well as for improvements to facilities such as restrooms at tourist sites. Minister Pipat added, "Before the spread of COVID-19, the Thai government spent 300 to 400 million baht annually (approximately 11.34 billion to 15.12 billion KRW) to treat injured foreign tourists."

Meanwhile, with the lifting of social distancing measures and increased demand for overseas travel, Thailand's Bangkok has been identified as the most popular travel destination from South Korea. According to a report released last month by Gmarket analyzing the 'endemic (periodic infectious disease outbreak) overseas travel' trend, Bangkok ranked first among endemic travel destinations. Following were Guam (13.7%), Hawaii (12%), Da Nang (11.6%), and Ho Chi Minh City (8.3%) ranking second to fifth, respectively.