What happened
- System Limitations: Airlines lack the necessary back-office infrastructure to easily embed and track the fee.
- Nationality Tracking: The levy does not apply to Thai citizens, but airlines do not routinely collect nationality or passport details during booking. The government's solution was to charge all passengers and reimburse Thais, which airlines found administratively burdensome.
- Operational Efficiency: Collecting payments at airports for unpaid levies is difficult as it is not a standard payment processing location. The industry suggested the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), a digital immigration system already used by foreign visitors, as a more feasible collection mechanism. The Ministry had previously asked airlines to implement the collection, but stakeholders agreed TDAC is a better option administered by the Immigration Bureau
The Thai government's Tourism Ministry proposed that airlines act as intermediaries to collect a 300-500 Baht tourism levy from passengers. The aviation industry, including IATA and the Airlines Association of Thailand (AAT), rebuffed the plan. Key reasons for rejection: