Fresh short-term measures to stimulate the economy in the remaining months of the year are set to go before the Centre for Economic Situation Administration for vetting on Wednesday.
According to Deputy Prime Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow, the short-term measures will include the new tourism model, or so-called Phuket Model.
Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the ministry will propose that the centre allow 200 visitors from Australia and New Zealand to visit Thailand under the Phuket Model. The programme will be introduced in October.
Under the Phuket Model, visitors from Australia and New Zealand first must test negative for Covid-19 in their country of origin, then stay in quarantine for 14 days at designated places in Phuket.
"If they want to travel out of Phuket, they are required to stay in Phuket for 21 days first," Mr Phiphat said, adding that the permitted length of stay is up to 90 days from the date of arrival in Thailand and can be extended to a total of 270 days.
He said the government will evaluate later whether to extend the model to other provinces.
In a separate development, Rachada Dhnadirek, a deputy government spokeswoman, said the cabinet yesterday approved a reduction in the contribution by employers and employees to the Social Security Fund to 2% from the current 5%.
The reduction scheme will run for three months, from September to November.
Ms Rachada said the contribution reduction programme will help lower the financial burden of 12.79 million employees and 487,000 employers.
The cabinet also gave the go-ahead for insured persons under Section 39 of the Social Security Act to reduce their contribution to the fund to 96 baht a month from 432 baht a month for the three months from September to November.