Thailand to Charge 450 Baht Tourist Fee, Fund Film Rebates
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Supajee Suwannaphun is pushing to impose a 450‑baht ‘land‑stepping’ fee on foreign tourists, with the revenue earmarked for tourist safety, insurance and attraction development, and possibly to boost the Cash Rebate incentive for overseas film shoots. She said the proposal has been reviewed by the national tourism policy committee and will be sent to the Cabinet after public consultation, while efforts are underway to speed up delayed Cash Rebate payments by forming a new committee.
Supajee Suwannaphun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, who oversees the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, disclosed the plan to collect a tourism fee from foreign visitors, known as the ‘land‑stepping’ fee. She said the matter had already been deliberated by the National Tourism Policy Committee, with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports proposing a rate of 450 baht per person. She has instructed relevant agencies to work out full details—collection procedures, disbursement, and the purpose of the funds—ensuring every step is transparent and auditable before opening it to public consultation and submitting it to the Cabinet.
Addressing concerns that the fee might deter tourism, Supajee noted that many countries impose similar charges and stressed that Thailand must define clear objectives, such as safeguarding tourists, providing travel insurance, and developing under‑funded attractions. At the same time she has assigned Wirasak Kowsutat, chairman of her advisory team, to examine whether part of the fee could legally be used to bolster the Cash Rebate measure for foreign film productions if the regular budget proves insufficient.
Regarding the Cash Rebate itself, Supajee said the latest meeting was not about creating new rules but about solving delays in payments caused by the post‑government‑transition holdup in appointing the committee. A new committee has now been formed, and work will be accelerated to clear the backlog.
She also floated the idea of aligning support systems for the film industry so that foreign productions under the Tourism and Sports Ministry and Thai filmmakers under the Culture Ministry receive equal treatment, suggesting that merging the two ministries’ responsibilities in the future could streamline support measures and keep them moving in the same direction.
