Travellers, take note. Those planning a trip to Southeast Asia will soon have to pay a tourist fee in Thailand.
The Thai government announced that Cabinet has given the approval to start collecting a fee from tourists as of June 1st, 2023.
Tourists arriving by air must pay 300 baht to enter the country, which is equivalent to around $11 CAD.
Travel + Leisure reports that the tourist tax will be included in the total cost of the plane ticket.
Those arriving by land or water will have to pay 150 baht at the border, which is equivalent to just under $6 CAD.
The tourist fee in Thailand will be waived for those who arrive in the morning and then depart in the evening.
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According to the statement, the fee will be used for “expenses related to taking care of tourists.”
Thailand introduced a “fully-reopen-to-tourism” policy back in October 2022, welcoming all international tourists and offering extended stays in the country.
Under the new policy, Canadians can enjoy an extended stay in Thailand for 45 days, up from 30 days, until March 31st, 2023.
Thailand is far from the only destination to introduce or increase its tourist tax in 2023.
According to Euronews, Venice and Valencia have also introduced a similar fee, and Barcelona will increase its tourist tax in April.
Many countries already have similar fees in place, and the EU is implementing a tourist visa in November 2023 that requires all non-residents to fill out a paid application to enter.
However, it’s a small price to pay to explore the globe and with our powerful Canadian passports, we’re lucky to be able to do so.
