The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) plans to launch domestic tourism packages to stimulate travel as the Covid-19 crisis subsides.
TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the cabinet has approved all three domestic tourism packages in principle.
In the next step, the TAT will work out the implementation of each package and come up with strategies to stimulate travel during the first two months after packages are introduced, from July to August. Otherwise, people will have to wait until October to travel, he said.
The domestic tourism packages comprise Kam Lang Chai, Thiew Pan Suk, and Rao Pai Thiew Kan.
The four-month-long packages will be effective from July until October 2020.
In the Kam Lang Chai package, the government will subsidise travel costs for 1.2 million village health volunteers and medical personnel of sub-district health promotion hospitals by 2,000 baht per head.
As for the Rao Pai Thiew Kan package, the government will subsidise accommodation costs by 40% or up to 3,000 baht/room/night and give away 600-baht e-vouchers through the "Paotung" application.
Meanwhile, Pattaya mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem said the city is planning promotional activities in preparation for the government's relaxing of Covid-19 measures in the next phase.
The Pattaya Music Festival, Pattaya International Fireworks Festival, and Pattaya Countdown are among big events scheduled for this year.
"The government has launched many projects to help revive tourism. Although this year's tourism will not be able to match the previous year's, I believe the situation will gradually improve and return to normal soon," Mr Sonthaya said.
The TAT has projected a 60% decrease in the number of foreign tourists in Pattaya this year due to Covid-19.
In a separate development, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha thanked the United States for its support through USAID over Thailand's handling of the pandemic and its efforts to help bring more than 2,000 Thais home.
He also told the US that Thailand is developing vaccines against Covid-19 and is ready to cooperate in the global virus fight.
Additionally, the German embassy in Bangkok announced that Thailand has been removed from its list of risk areas of Covid-19. No more quarantine will be required in Germany upon arrival from Thailand.