BANGKOK, 21 August 2012 – The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation yesterday announced a major raise in entrance fees to 33 national parks across the country.
The department’s director-general Damrong Pidej said that due to a rapidly growing number of visitors, the department needed to implement new support strategies to fund the rising maintenance costs as well as to improve existing infrastructures and amenities in the country’s most frequented national parks.
Under the new rate, entrance fees for Thai nationals will increase by as much as 150%. The admission fee for Thai adults will jump from 40 baht to 100 baht, while Thai children’s fees will increase from 20 baht to 50 baht. Park entrance fees for foreign nationals will be raised from 400 baht to 500 baht, and from 200 baht to 300 baht for foreign children.
National parks affected by the new fees include Doi Inthanond in Chiang Mai, Khao Yai in Nakhon Ratchasima, Kaeng Krachan in Phetchaburi, Sai Yok in Kanchanaburi, Phu Kradueng in Loei, Koh Chang and Koh Samet in Trat, and Lunta islands in Krabi.
The new rates will be effective from Oct 1 onwards.
Director of the National Parks Office Vithya Hongvienchan elaborated that in addition to each park’s annual budget of 10 million baht, the increase in admission fees is expected to generate overall revenue of up to 500 million baht, up from the current 300 million, per year for the Department.
