Friday 23 October

Customs exit and arrivals area inside Suvarnabhumi Airport

Money & fees

The 1,000-baht departure tax is on hold, not scrapped

Officials cited the Middle East conflict, high energy costs and the risk to tourism. The draft hasn't been withdrawn.

Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said on 22 October that the 1,000-baht tax on air departures won’t go ahead for now. He gave no new date.

Why it matters: fares stay as they are, but the tax could return.

Background The 1,000-baht departure tax

At the end of September 2026 the Revenue Department put a draft Departure Tax Act out for public hearing: 1,000 baht on everyone flying out of Thailand, Thai or foreign, collected in the ticket price, with land and sea departures exempt at first. The draft would take effect 180 days after publication in the Royal Gazette. On 22 October the Finance Minister put it on hold. It's separate from the long-delayed entry fee for foreign tourists, which isn't being collected either.

The story so far →Departure tax and tourist entry fee: where they stand →

Transport

Bangkok's 45-baht rail fare cap goes to Cabinet for funding

Foreign residents and visitors would keep paying full fares, and Rabbit cards wouldn't qualify for now. Cabinet met on 27 October without announcing a decision on the money.

The Transport Ministry has asked Cabinet for about 5.8 billion baht to fund a 45-baht cap across eight Bangkok rail lines.

Why it matters: without this money, the 1 January 2027 start can’t happen.

Background The 45-baht rail fare cap

Bangkok's train lines have different operators, so changing lines means paying a new fare. In June 2026 the Cabinet backed the principles of a common-fare plan: 17 baht to get on, and no more than 45 baht for a journey across lines. Riders would still pay full fare at the gate, and the government would refund anything above the cap to Thai nationals registered on the Paotang app who pay with a contactless bank card. Rabbit cards aren't accepted for now, and foreigners pay normal fares. The target start is 1 January 2027, and the plan still needs Cabinet funding.

The story so far →Getting around Bangkok →

Property

Pattaya raids follow the PM's nationwide nominee order

Police and land officials searched 12 sites in Pattaya's Bang Lamung district, tied to holdings worth more than 800 million baht. Of the 85 people under investigation, 31 are foreigners.

Chon Buri police, the Department of Lands and the provincial commerce office searched the 12 sites on 21 October under court warrants.

Why it matters: the raids came two days after Prime Minister Anutin told land offices nationwide to look past Thai “nominee” names on land held for foreigners.

The holdings under investigation: 12 companies, 11 houses and 16 plots of land.
The foreigners include 14 Chinese and seven Indian nationals.
Most reports say the 85 are under investigation; one says they have been charged. No arrests had been reported by 23 October.
Forced sales of confirmed holdings come with a Department of Lands deadline of 180 days to a year.

Background The nominee crackdown

Foreigners generally can't own land in Thailand, and many businesses on the Foreign Business Act's restricted lists need majority Thai ownership. A "nominee" setup puts land or a company in Thai names while a foreigner pays for and controls it, which breaks the Land Code (for land) or the Foreign Business Act (for businesses). Raids have spread since 2024 across Phuket, Koh Samui and Pattaya. This October, land offices were ordered to finish investigating 1,397 suspected companies, holding 2,360 plots, by December. Land confirmed as nominee-held faces a forced sale. Registered leases and condos within the foreign quota are legal.

The story so far →Renting and condo life →

What to do If you paid for and control land held by a Thai company whose Thai shareholders didn't put in their own money, that is the setup being investigated, and tidy paperwork won't make it legal. The legal routes: a lease registered at the land office (up to 30 years), or a condo in your own name within the building's 49% foreign quota, bought with money brought in from abroad.

In brief

TransportPattaya motorbike taxis go back to orange vests.
The Chon Buri governor cancelled the new dark-blue vests on 22 October after riders said they were hard to see at night.

Safety

Tourist boat hits Sathorn pier, at least eight hurt

Five foreign tourists were among the injured, by one count. The driver reportedly blamed a steering fault, which hasn't been confirmed.

A two-deck tourist boat hit the pontoon at Sathorn pier, by Taksin Bridge, in the early afternoon of 22 October, injuring at least eight people.

Why it matters: Sathorn is the main transfer point between river boats and the BTS at Saphan Taksin.

Reports differ on the numbers. Thaiger counted eight people with minor injuries; the Bangkok Post reported 12. The injured went to Samitivej Chinatown and Lerdsin hospitals.

What to do Stay seated or hold a rail as boats dock, and wait for the boat to stop before stepping off.

Law

Diner faces 1-million-baht claim over kaprao review

The claim cites defamation, the Computer Crime Act and a pricing law. Outlets differ on whether it's a police complaint or a lawsuit.

A Thai man says a hospital food-court shop is seeking 1 million baht from him after his video called its 260-baht kaprao overpriced. He says he received a court document; no hearing has been reported.

Why it matters: in Thailand, defamation can be a crime as well as a civil claim, and a true statement about a private matter with no public interest can still count. Good-faith fair comment is a defence, but it usually has to be argued, often in court. Foreigners have been sued over reviews before.

What to do Stick to facts (what you paid, what you got), skip the insults, and think twice before naming a business.

Visas & entry

Koh Phangan committee moves to revoke a visitor's visa

The 33-year-old is accused of threatening staff and refusing to pay hotel and national park fees; no criminal charges have been reported.

A Koh Phangan committee of district, police and immigration officials asked on 22 October for an Israeli breathwork guide’s visa to be revoked.

Why it matters: on Koh Phangan, a local committee can push for a visa revocation before any criminal charge is laid.

Immigration carries the decision out. Thai outlets report the visa as revoked and say deportation and a blacklisting are expected, but neither had been confirmed by 24 October. The complaints came from a hotel and from Than Sadet national park staff. She hasn’t responded publicly.

What to do Handle disputes with officials or businesses calmly, and through the tourist police on 1155.

The Thursday Newsletter

The week, every Thursday.

The stories that matter most, plus what's on and one guide, in the Thursday Newsletter.

What's on in Bangkok this weekend
Entry and visa changes, in plain English
One guide worth reading, kept up to date