Thailand plans to double visa-on-arrival fees starting next month.
From September 27, a 15-day stay visa on arrival will go up to THB2,000 for the 19 qualifying countries, which includes the biggest source market China.
Other countries which require a visa on arrival include India, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Maldives and Taiwan.
China made up more than a quarter of Thailand’s 29.8 million foreign arrivals last year and is expected to surpass eight million by the end of this year.
The government gave no reason for the sudden hike but the timing is unfortunate.
Tourism officials are seeking to boost confidence and encourage travellers not to cancel trips following the recent wave of bomb attacks in tourist resorts across the country.
No group has claimed responsibility for the bombings yet.
