Thailand has announced a tax on inbound international visitors, starting as soon as the announcement is published in the Royal Gazette, expected within a short time. The tax will be the equivalent of $10, relatively mild compared to those imposed in some other areas.
Thailand had been planning a tourism tax for some time, but put off plans during the pandemic for fear of depressing visitor numbers even more; the country went from 40 million visitors in 2019 to 6.5 million in 2020, with the largest share of last year's coming from elsewhere in Asia. Based on those numbers staying steady for this year, the tax will raise about $65 million.
Thailand currently allows visitors, but imposes a 14-day quarantine routine that also involves three Covid-19 tests during the quarantine. The funds from the tax will go partly to aid tourism destinations, and will also reimburse the medical system for costs of treating travelers with inadequate travel medical insurance.
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