Minister of Tourism and Sports Pipat Ratchakitprakarn reiterated on Tuesday that Thailand will continue to charge every visitor a 300-baht landing fee (“Kha Yeap Pan Din”).

Pipat responded after the opposition parties discussed this matter during a two-day general debate on February 17-18.

He said the fee would be collected even though it was a policy implemented before he took the reins of the ministry.

Pipat said the fee would be used to buy insurance for foreign travellers while the leftover will be added to the tourism development fund, which will be managed by the permanent secretary of the Ministry Of Tourism and Sports and representatives from 10 organisations.

He promised to ensure the funds would be spent appropriately, and could be scrutinised.

Pipat explained that the landing fee was collected after the Erawan Shrine bombing incident in 2015, which left many foreign travellers injured and the Budget Bureau had to compensate them.

The Nation