Government’s tight finances delay nod for 5th phase of travel subsidy scheme
The Cabinet has not given the approval yet to launch the fifth phase of the “Rao Tiew Duay Kan” (We Travel Together) scheme owing to the government’s financial constraints, Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the Cabinet meeting that the government could subsidise only 4 billion baht while the scheme in its present form would require 8.4 billion baht, Phiphat said.
“The Tourism Authority of Thailand [TAT] was also instructed by the prime minister to revise the details of the proposed project, especially on how to boost the country’s tourism in spite of having a reduced budget, in order to get approval,” he said.
If the project is adjusted, it will be proposed to the government again for consideration as the country aims to generate 2.38 trillion baht in revenue from the tourism sector – 1.5 trillion baht from the expected 20 million foreign tourists and 880 billion baht from Thai citizens travelling domestically.
Phiphat said the ministry had not proposed yet to the Cabinet the extension of opening hours at night entertainment venues.
This is not a suitable time to allow the entertainment businesses to prolong their operating hours, he added.
