Thailand is weighing up two new charges that together could add around €39 to the cost of a trip. Neither tax is in force yet, but both are moving through the approval process, so anyone planning a holiday there in 2027 should keep an eye on them.

The first is a departure tax of 1,000 baht (about €27) on anyone leaving the country by air, Thai or foreign. It would revive a levy that was scrapped roughly two decades ago, and the Finance Ministry says it could simply be added to airline tickets rather than collected at the airport. Public consultation runs until 29 October 2026, and there's no confirmed start date. Officials have suggested the money could fund domestic tourism promotion or travel insurance and emergency medical coverage for visitors.

The second is a 450-baht (€12) entry fee for foreign tourists arriving by air, which could launch in the first quarter of 2027 if the Cabinet signs off. Deputy Prime Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, formerly of Dusit Thani, says the revenue would pay for visitor safety, insurance and improvements to underfunded attractions, and points out plenty of other countries charge similar fees. Under the current draft, one payment covers repeat entries within 30 days; entries after that could trigger a second charge. Work-permit holders are exempt, but there's no blanket exemption for long-term or multiple-entry visa holders. Land and sea arrivals would be added a year later.

Crunch the numbers and it adds up. Both new charges are separate from the existing airport passenger service charge, which Airports of Thailand raised from 730 to 1,120 baht in June 2026 at six major airports including Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai. If everything lands, a foreign tourist flying through one of those airports could face combined fees of 2,570 baht (€68), of which €39 would be new.

The tourism industry isn't happy. The Association of Thai Travel Agents has asked the Finance Ministry to pause the departure tax, warning it could cut passenger numbers, prompt airlines to reduce flights and undercut the country's ambition to become a regional aviation hub. The timing is delicate: arrivals are already down 4% year-on-year at around 24 million, well short of the nearly 40 million recorded in 2019, and the government's 2027 strategy is betting on higher-spending visitors interested in wellness, food, nature and luxury.

There's one more change to factor in. From 15 September 2026, visa-free stays for affected passport holders — including Belgium and Luxembourg — dropped from 60 to 30 days. Anyone who entered before the change keeps their original allowance, but longer trips now need a visa, such as the Destination Thailand Visa for eligible applicants.

Why it matters: if you're booking Thailand for 2027, budget for the possibility of both fees, check the current visa-free limit for your passport, and watch for final approval — the charges could still be amended or dropped before they take effect.