Gov’t Proposes 3,000 Baht Handout to Boost Tourism

Visitors at a cafe in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai province, on June 8, 2020.

BANGKOK — The government on Tuesday proposed several measures to revive the devastated tourism industry as the coronavirus pandemic appears to be winding down. 

One of the plans agreed by the ministries of finance and tourism involve a handout of 3,000 baht to boost domestic tourism, which was crippled by the virus outbreak, Lawan Saengsanit, director of the Fiscal Policy Office said.

Lawan said proposed measures include gift vouchers, a 3,000 baht handout for travelers 18 and older, and a 10 to 20 percent cashback program for those who spend more than 3,000 baht. 

If adopted by the government, the handouts will be implemented in July, when the Songkran substitute holiday is scheduled.

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Logistic details of how the payment will be doled out would be decided later, he said. Thais have been visiting beaches and gyms in force since they reopened June 1.

Read: A Week Into ‘Phase 3,’ People Flock to Beaches, Gyms

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Tuesday marks 15 days of zero domestic infections. Panprapra Yongtrakul, spokeswoman of the government’s pandemic center, said that Thailand will be at a low risk of a second wave after 28 days of zero domestic infections, or twice the incubation period.

However, two Thais returning from overseas were found infected with COVID-19, officials said, adding that both returnees are currently in state quarantine. One is a male student, 22, returning from Saudi Arabia, and the other is a Thai female office employee, 31. 

The total infected in Thailand are 3,121, while a total of 2,973 have recovered. No new deaths were reported.