Thailand may charge tourists entry fee to make up for treatment costs
The Thai government and private enterprise representatives backed a proposed fee for tourists, citing an 80-country precedent and mounting unpaid hospital bills.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul chaired discussions in Bangkok on October 6 to advance the measure. The 450 baht ($13) fee is designed to address a 7 billion baht ($207.8 million) financial burden shouldered by the local healthcare system after treating uninsured visitors.
It will also establish a tourism fund, which is expected to generate more than 8bn baht ($237.4mn) annually for the maintenance of national sites.
An online public consultation yielded 80.5% support for the policy. The framework will now proceed to the tourism policy board and the Cabinet for final approval.
Support from private sector
Private sector leaders endorsed the initiative but stressed the necessity of transparent messaging. Business representatives estimated that over 80% of international arrivals, particularly those travelling from Europe and the Americas, already hold personal travel insurance.
Consequently, they urged the government to clearly communicate the specific conditions and benefits of the new policy to avoid alienating prospective visitors.
The Ministry of Tourism and Sports will hold further consultations with airlines, the Immigration Bureau and other key stakeholders.
These upcoming meetings will finalise the logistical aspects of the initiative, including precise collection methods, potential exemptions, insurance procurement processes and the exact allocation of the generated revenue.
