BANGKOK, April 28 — Thailand is planning to reintroduce a departure levy on its own citizens travelling abroad, with proceeds earmarked to support domestic tourism programmes.
Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said the proposed 1,000-baht fee (RM121) would be collected from Thai nationals leaving the country under existing legal provisions that allow such a charge, The Bangkok Post reported yesterday.
He said the current legal framework, established under the 1983 Emergency Decree on Departure Levy, remains in force and permits the government to reinstate the fee, which previously stood at 500 baht (RM60.80) before being discontinued.
Surasak noted that the law sets a ceiling of 5,000 baht (RM608) per departure, giving authorities room to adjust the rate if necessary.
He estimated that with around 10 million outbound Thai travellers annually, the measure could generate up to 10 billion baht (about RM1.22 billion) each year.
The revenue would be channelled into a co-payment scheme aimed at subsidising domestic travel costs for Thai citizens.
Surasak added that discussions with the Finance Ministry are ongoing, and the proposal would require Cabinet approval before implementation.
He said he does not expect the levy to significantly deter outbound travel, claiming that travellers are more sensitive to airfares, while the funds raised would ultimately benefit domestic tourism development.
