Thailand's Department of Tourism has proposed raising the security deposit that every licensed tour business must lodge, taking the rates back to their pre-pandemic level. The public consultation on the draft runs until 30 September 2026, and inbound tour businesses — the licence category that handles foreign visitors — would see their deposit rise from THB 30,000 to THB 100,000. For an agent abroad, nothing changes on the day the rule is adopted. What it does change is the cost of being a small licensed operator in Thailand, and that is worth understanding before you choose a ground partner. This guide, from a Thailand DMC for travel agents, sets out what has been proposed and what it means for supplier checks.
Explera DMC is an IATA TIDS-registered ground handler (96215733) trusted by 2,380+ agency partners, with in-house transport, licensed guides and 24/7 support. Reach the trade desk at b2b@explera.co.th.
What is proposed
The Tourism Business and Guide Committee approved the draft regulation in principle on 13 August 2026, and the Department of Tourism opened a 45-day public consultation on it from 17 August to 30 September. As reported by The Nation, the proposed deposits by licence category are:
- Specific-area tour businesses: from THB 3,000 to THB 10,000.
- Domestic tour businesses: from THB 15,000 to THB 50,000.
- Inbound tour businesses: from THB 30,000 to THB 100,000.
- General tour businesses: from THB 60,000 to THB 200,000.
Existing licence holders would have one year after the regulation takes effect to top up their deposit. An operator whose current licence has less than 180 days left to run would keep the existing deposit until that licence expires. The stated aim is to bring the rules into line with the recovery in tourism and current economic conditions, and to strengthen tourist protection.
These are regulatory figures lodged with the state, not prices, and they are the reason this post quotes numbers at all.
The objection from the trade
The proposal has not been welcomed by everyone. The Thai Travel Agents Association has argued, as reported in August, that a higher deposit will not stop tourist scams because fraudulent operators do not register in the first place, and that it takes cash away from licensed businesses that need it for staff and service. Its concern is that some smaller operators may close, leaving room for unlicensed ones. The consultation exists to hear exactly that kind of argument, so the final rates are not yet settled.
What it means for an agent abroad
The deposit is part of what a licence means. It is money a licensed tour business lodges as security for its obligations to tourists. A company operating without a licence has lodged nothing. That is one more reason to check your Thai ground partner's licence, as our guide to vetting Thai ground supplier licences sets out: the number, the name it is issued in, and the category.
The category matters more after this change, not less. Inbound handling of foreign visitors sits in the inbound and general categories. A supplier holding a narrower licence has always been the wrong counterparty for an overseas agency's file; a higher gap between the tiers makes it slightly more tempting to stay in a narrower one.
Watch for changes in small suppliers. If the higher rates are adopted, the one-year transition means any effect on small operators would arrive gradually through 2027. A supplier that goes quiet, changes company name or asks to be paid through a different entity is worth a second look in that period.
What to watch next
The consultation closes on 30 September. After that, the draft goes back through the Department of Tourism and the committee, and the final rates and the date they take effect will be set in the published regulation. Until then, treat the figures as proposed. We will not describe them as in force before they are.
How to package it
Supplier due diligence is part of the product. Where a credential is in progress rather than held, we say so: Explera's TAT licence is in application, and our registrations are listed on our trade credentials page. Ask your Thailand DMC for the same plain answer on every document it holds. Our group travel and MICE desks work with agencies across our source markets, and the full range of Thailand DMC services for travel agents goes on one quote. Send the brief to the trade desk.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Thai tour business security deposit?
It is a sum a licensed tour business lodges as security for its obligations to tourists, set by licence category. A business operating without a licence has lodged nothing, which is one reason to check a supplier's licence.
How much would the deposit rise?
Under the draft, inbound tour businesses would move from THB 30,000 to THB 100,000 and general tour businesses from THB 60,000 to THB 200,000. Domestic and specific-area businesses would also rise. The figures are proposed, not yet in force.
When would the new rates apply?
Not yet. The public consultation runs to 30 September 2026. If adopted, existing licence holders would have one year after the regulation takes effect to top up their deposit.
Does this change anything for my current Thai bookings?
No. It is a draft affecting what Thai operators lodge with the state, not what clients pay or how bookings work. It is a reason to check that your ground partner holds the right licence category.
Who opposes the increase?
The Thai Travel Agents Association has argued that higher deposits burden licensed operators without stopping unlicensed ones, and could push some small companies out of business. The consultation is the forum for those objections.
