The cabinet on Tuesday approved two extra government holidays in mid-2016 to allow two long holiday weekends and boost domestic tourism, Tourism and Transport Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said.
Since Coronation Day of 2016 falls on May 5, which is Thursday, the cabinet approved a Tourism and Sports Ministry proposal to declare Friday, May 6, an extra holiday, to enable the people to take a four-day break from May 5 to May 8.
The cabinet also approved the ministry's proposal to declare Monday, July 18, an extra holiday. This will allow a five-day holiday from July 16 -20. July 19 is Asanha Bucha Day and July 20 the end of Buddhist Lent.
Ms Kobkarn said the ministry hopes the two extra-long holidays will help stimulate domestic tourism as statistics show that 70% of Thai people like to travel during a long holiday.
The tourism minister also said the ministry will next year additionally declare "12 cities that can't be missed" to attract both Thai and foreign tourists.
The ministry has set revenue targets from tourism at 2.3 trillion baht for 2016 and 2.5 trillion baht for 2015, she said.
Ms Kobkarn said the smoke haze over the South coming from Indonesia has not yet affected arrangements for the vegetarian festival to be held in Phuket from Oct 13-21.