Thailand raises international air traveler fee to 25 baht from February 1

Dhaka: The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) will charge international air travelers 25 baht per person on arrivals and departures from February 1, 2026, with the aim of stabilizing its financial conditions.

Air Chief Marshal Manat Chavanaprayoon, director of CAAT, said due to rising expenses, the cost per passenger reached 19.34 baht, while the agency kept the fee fixed at 15 baht since 2015 and depended on its funds for the additional costs. However, a constant increase of passenger numbers has rendered the process unsustainable and prompted the CAAT to raise the fee to 25 baht.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is an independent nonprofit agency that does not receive a government budget and relies mainly on passenger fees for income. The agency currently holds a reserve of 1.4 billion baht and utilizes it to pay more than 500 employees.

The recently adjusted fee of 25 baht is expected to cover expenses for the next three to four years, though the CAAT is not thinking of increasing the fee even further at this moment.