Airport Departure Tax, Bangkok

Bangkok has a new airport but the Departure Tax still has to be paid. Be aware: There are no signs saying that you need to buy one, but you will not get through security, if you did not pay the 500 Baht. You can pay the tax right beside the entrance to the departure gates.

When leaving Thailand everybody will pay a 500bht airport fee, even if you have been in country for less than a month.
You will also pay more the longer you stay past a month. This fee has something to do with visa tax/fee? We didn't have to pay this because we left after one month exactly. The fee goes up the longer past a month that you are in Thailand. If I remember after 4 days it will cost you an extra 200bht per day. This is the fine as I found out from my last trip, I overstayed by 5 days and had to pay an extra 1000bht.
So keep this in mind to prevent being stuck in the airport or rushing around at the last minute to find cash.

Most countries include the country's departure tax in the price of the airline ticket you buy. Unfortunately, Thailand isn't one of those countries. You need to remember to put aside 500 baht(per person) for the departure tax. As soon as you check in-there will be kiosks, where you can pay the money to a person or use the machine. I prefer the machine, since they are much faster and you can pay for departure tax for a whole family/group of friends at the same time. You will give the receipt of the tax to the man/woman who punches a whole in it -before you go thru customs.

The departure tax must be paid in cash. One time i ran out of cash and had to get a credit card advance to pay the tax. Just put the money aside as soon as you enter Thailand.

I arrived at the airport with my last 1000 Baht and thought that I would have a good junk of that for the next time I come back and to encourage me to do so.

Well after giving my super nice taxi driver a good tip. I had 700 ( I lived about an hour from the airport) to take home.... or not.

I have been only to about 14 or so airports in the world, but the Bangkok airport was the first one that I had to pay a tax that was not included in the ticket already. 500 Baht, not a huge fee, but I was lucky I did not go to the Burger King in Terminal 2 frist before I paid my taxes. When you are on a budget and have NOTHING else for back up it would be good if the travel agancy told you these things. (In the mines deffence.. they might have tried)

If you are leaving Bangkok by plane, keep 500 B per person for the airport taxes. Anyway, after passing the customs you can exchange back your useless thai notes in a bank inside the embarking section.

500 bath

Just left Bangkok a couple of days ago. Effective Feb1, 2007; you no longer need the 500 baht to leave. It is now included in taxes on the airline ticket. Wonderful place to visit.