Recently, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand stated that Thailand will start fromStarting from September 2023, foreign tourists will be subject to entry and exit fees.

The collection standard for entry fees is: foreign tourists who enter by air will be charged300 Thai baht, equivalent to approximately RMB 60, will be charged through a price increase on the original flight ticket. Foreign tourists who enter through land and water will be charged 150 Thai baht, equivalent to RMB 30, and will be charged through customs checkpointsAutomatic payment machine paymentOne day tourists can be exempted from this fee.

At the same time, the department also plans to request Thai police to support the crackdownZero yuan tourism activities and illegal tourism activities.

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Thailand's unique geographical location has created charming bays, towering mountains, and a long-standing Buddhist culture, creating golden temples and a warm and resonant pace of life. Thailand has abundant tourism resources and is a world-renowned tourist destination, with approximatelyMore than 500 tourist attractions, mainly including Bangkok, Phuket Island, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hua Hin, Sumi Island, etc.

The tourism industry is also one of Thailand's pillar industries, according to data from the National Tourism Administration of Thailand,In the first quarter of 2023, Thailand received a total of 6465737 foreign tourists, a year-on-year increase of 1199%, generating 256.2 billion Thai baht (approximately RMB 51.7 billion) in revenue. The top five countries in terms of foreign tourists were Malaysia, Russia, China, South Korea, and India. Thailand expects to receive over 25 million international tourists in 2023, with a tourism revenue target of 2.38 trillion Thai baht (approximately 480 billion yuan).

The large number of tourists has also brought a series of social problems, among which the most significant is the destruction of natural tourism resources. It is understood that the Maya Bay, located on Pipi Island in Thailand, has suffered extensive loss of vegetation on the shore and coral at sea due to factors such as excessive tourists and boat anchoring. The ecosystem has been severely damaged. Later, the Thai side announced the indefinite closure of the Maya Bay in order to restore the local ecology.

In addition, in recent years, there have been frequent safety accidents in Southeast Asia, and the protection of tourists' personal safety has also become a key concern for the development of Thailand's tourism industry.

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The Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports stated that each personThe entry fee of 300 Thai baht is not high for most foreign tourists. They expect to establish a tourism fund for 60% -70% of the entry fee to help Thailand develop new tourist destinations and upgrade public service infrastructure. This fee also includes Accidental death and dismemberment insurance for tourists during their stay in Thailand.

Meanwhile, the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports predicts that,nextIn four years, the total number of inbound tourists to Thailand will double from its peak of 40 million to 80 million, and the proportion of tourism economy in GDP will also increase to 25%,This expense is expected to add billions of baht in revenue to the national finance every year.

In fact, according to the investigation, the starting time for the entry fee for foreign tourists in Thailand was originally set to beIn June 2023, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand stated that this year is an election year, and the new government faces many uncertainties when forming a cabinet. Regulations related to entry fees have encountered many obstacles in the judicial process. Therefore, the introduction of entry fees has been postponed by three months, starting from September 1, 2023.

Major Thai airlines and some tourism companies also hold opposition to this, stating that they will charge through air ticketsThe 300 baht entry fee is a selective fee that violates the policy of priority equality under the International Civil Aviation Convention. The increase in tourism costs may affect the number of tourists to Thailand and lead to a decline in the tourism economy.