Thailand to start collecting entry fee from foreign tourists early next year

Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on September 5 that the Cabinet may be requested in October to approve collection of entry fees from foreign tourists, expected to be implemented early next year.
Thailand to start collecting entry fee from foreign tourists early next year ảnh 1Illustrative image (Source: Xinhua/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Tourism andSports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan said on September 5 that the Cabinet maybe requested in October to approve collection of entry fees from foreigntourists, expected to be implemented early next year.

Pipat said the Naresuan University is studying theappropriate entry fee rate for foreign tourists arriving by land and the studyshould be done within this month.

Then, the entry fee rates will be submitted to theCabinet for approval in October, Pipat said, noting that once approved, therates will have to be published in the Royal Gazette and they will take effect90 days later.

The minister said the enforcement of entry fee rateson foreign tourists will take effect early next year.

The National Tourism Policy Committee approved theTourism and Sports Ministry’s proposal to collect a 300-THB (8 USD) fee fromevery tourist entering the country in January.

But Pipat later said it would not be fair to use thesame rate for tourists who arrive by different modes of transport, so he hadassigned the university to study the appropriate rate to be collected fromtourists arriving by land.

Pipat said tourists who arrive by land tend to stayfor a shorter duration than those arriving by air.

He said the entry fee would be used to buy insurancefor foreign tourists so that the government would not have to solely shouldercosts of treatment of foreign tourists injured in accidents.

He revealed that the government spent about 300 millionto 400 million THB each year for treating injured foreign tourists before the COVID-19pandemic./.
VNA

See more

A pepresentatives of UXO Lao programme briefs on mine survey and clearance in Luang Prabang province (Photo: VNA)

International delegates inspect UXO clearance efforts in Laos

To realise the Convention on Cluster Munitions’s goals, the Lao Government has incorporated all international targets into its “Safe Path Forward III 2021–2030” national strategy and stayed committed to its national Sustainable Development Goal 18 – “Lives Safe from UXO”.

The forum on ASEAN's role in the Indo-Pacific region and prospects for cooperation with Argentina takes place on September 10 (Photo: VNA)

ASEAN highlights its central role in Indo-Pacific

The Ambassador of Indonesia, the country holding the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN in Argentina, stressed that maintaining peace and stability, along with an open, transparent regional environment based on mutual respect, are fundamental conditions for a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

A street in Bangkok, Thailand. (Illustrative photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Thailand’s business activity shows signs of gradual recovery

As of August 31, Thailand had more than 1 million active legal entities with total registered capital of 24.13 trillion THB. The service sector accounted for the largest share, with 552,830 entities, or 54.48%, followed by wholesale and retail with 332,791 entities (32.79%) and manufacturing with 129,215 (12.73%).

Prime Minister Hun Manet (front row, centre) and Labour and Vocational Training Minister Heng Sour (front row, right) visit a garment factory in Preah Sihanouk province. MLVT (Photo: khmertimeskh.com)

Cambodia records 7,458 more enterprises in three years

A Cambodian official said that the growth should not be assessed solely by the number of newly established enterprises and facilities, but also by their contributions to investment, production, job creation and household incomes.

The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) convenes in Manila, the Philippines, on September 9. The Vietnamese delegation is led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang (fifth, left), head of the ASEAN-Vietnam SOM.(Photo: asean.org)

Vietnam calls for stronger ASEAN unity, resilience

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang urged ASEAN to make full use of existing mechanisms to enhance dialogue, build trust and prevent risks and conflicts, particularly by strengthening the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), and cooperation based on international law.

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta (Photo: VNA)

Timor-Leste diversifies economy, seeks to attract investment

The President noted Timor-Leste is pursuing sustainable development, stronger regional connectivity and expanded international cooperation while seeking investment opportunities in energy, tourism and emerging economic sectors to reduce its dependence on oil and gas revenues.

Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hai Luu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN (Photo published by VNA)

Vietnam cooperates with UN to advance gender equality

Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hai Luu highlighted Vietnam’s positive achievements in promoting gender equality, noting that 13 of the 20 targets under the national strategy on gender equality had been met or exceeded by 2025.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on September 9, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Russian public, experts praise top Vietnamese leader’s visit

Positive reactions to General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit have reaffirmed Vietnam’s steady foreign policy amid global changes, while highlighting the enduring trust and friendship between Vietnam and Russia, which are working together to create new breakthroughs in bilateral cooperation.

Thailand eases rules for foreign enterprises

Thailand eases rules for foreign enterprises

The regulatory adjustment is part of Thailand's efforts to simplify regulations governing foreign business operations and clarify licensing requirements, while simultaneously fostering economic development and enhancing the country's international competitiveness.