The Thai cabinet on June 16 approved a domestic tourism package worth 22.4 billion THB (720 million USD) to revitalise a key sector hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tourists at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai cabinet on June 16approved a doꦏmestic tourismꦡ package worth 22.4 billion THB (720 million USD) torevitalise a key sector hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deputy government spokeswoman Traisuree Taisaranakul saidthe stimulus, proposed by the Tourism and Sports Ministry and the FinanceMinistry, will run from July to October. The first 18 billion THB of the package will fund subsidiesfor accommodation, food and other services provided at tourist destinations. A further 2.4 billion THB will fund holiday travel for 1.2million health volunteers and officials of sub-district hospitals, who will usethe services of tour firms. The remaining 2 billion THB is to subsidise domestic flightfares for a total of 2 million trips. Tourism, which accounts for around 20 percent of Thailand’sGDP, is among the first sectors affected by COVID-19. Thailand saw a sharp decline of 58.2 percent in domestictrips in the first five months of 2020, resulting in revenue losses of 57.9percent. Data of the Tourism Authority of Thailand showed that foreigntourist arrivals contracted by 60 percent in January-May to 6.69 millionpeople. Spending from foreign tourists plunged 59.6 percent to 332 billion THB. Thailand welcomed nearly 40 million foreign holidaymakerslast year./.
Thailand is planning to reopen its borders to tourists from countries which have comparably low coronavirus infections as it is striving to revitalise the pandemic-hit tourism industry.
Around 1,000 foreign visitors are expected to be allowed to enter Thailand per day and the standard 14-day COVID-19 quarantine rule will be waived, according to an implementation plan to be submitted for approval of the country’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
Thailand has gone 21 straight days with no new COVID-19 cases recorded on June 15, keeping the total number of infections in Thailand at 3,135 with 58 deaths.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Tourists at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
