In a surprising move, Thailand is set to close all duty-free shops in the arrival terminals of its airports. The government has specific reasons for this decision.
According to the Bangkok Post on Friday (July 5, 2024), the plan to shut down duty-free shops in the arrival terminals of Thai airports was announced by the Ministry of Finance.
A spokesperson for the Thai government said that three duty-free operators have agreed to suspend their operations in the arrival terminals of eight international airports: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Hat Yai, U-Tapao, Samui, and Krabi.
Travelers through these international airports can purchase duty-free items. This includes up to 200 cigarettes, 250 grams of cigars or tobacco, and 1 liter of alcoholic beverages.
According to statistics, duty-free sales at terminals amounted to 3.02 billion baht.
The Ministry estimates that closing duty-free shops in arrival terminals will increase foreign tourist spending by 570 baht per person per trip.
The Nation reported that while the closure of duty-free shops in airport arrival terminals may result in lost revenue for duty-free operators, the additional 3.46 billion baht generated annually will boost overall production, investment, and job creation.