CCSA will be asked to scrap Thailand Pass, THB300 entry fee to be postponed

Also, the plan to collect an entry fee of THB300 would be postponed as another measure to prevent foreign tourists from shying away from Thailand, the minister said.

Pipat said he would request the CCSA during a meeting on June 17 to terminate Thailand Pass once and for all to make it more convenient and more attractive for foreign tourists to visit the kingdom.

He would propose to the CCSA that foreign tourists should be freed from having to register for entry via the Thailand Pass website from July 1.

Thais returning from abroad have been freed from registering since June 1, but foreign tourists are still required to upload proof of Covid vaccinations and health insurance coverage.

“If the CCSA agrees to cancel Thailand Pass, it will be more convenient for foreign tourists to enter the country and they will no longer be required to purchase health insurance policies,” Pipat pointed out.

“This will attract more foreign tourists, especially those from neighbouring countries. More of them will cross the border to visit Thailand.”

Regarding the THB300 entry fee, Pipat said it might be collected from foreign tourists arriving by air in the fourth quarter this year or first quarter next year.

He said the tourism ministry will need two more months to study how to collect fees from tourists arriving by land or sea as they normally stay in Thailand for a shorter period than those arriving by air.

“It may not be fair to collect the same rate of THB300 from tourists who arrive by land or sea,” Pipat said.

He said when the ministry finishes the study, it would send its findings to the Cabinet for consideration. If approved, the fee rates would be enforced 90 days after they are published in the Royal Gazette.

Meanwhile, Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn said TAT would meet with tourism operators on Friday to brainstorm areas on how travel restrictions can be further eased.

For example, they would be asked whether they want the Thailand Pass system to be scrapped and whether they want the face mask rule to be abolished.

Opinions would also be sought on whether tour operators want Immigration form 6 for foreigners to be scrapped as well.

The proposals would be sent to the CCSA for consideration, Yuthasak said.

TAT expects 7 to 10 million foreign arrivals and 160 million domestic trips this year with tourism revenue of THB1.5 trillion.

From January 1 to June 6, the number of foreign arrivals reached 1.4 million, Yuthasak noted.

He said TAT expects its Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2022 in Phuket to generate an income of THB1.29 billion from 8,900 business deals at the fair.

The event was held at Angsana Laguna Hotel from June 8 to 10. It was the first onsite tourism fair in two years since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.