The government will grant tax waivers for organisers of large international concerts, sporting events and festivals as it steps up efforts to make Thailand a tourism hub.
The Board of Investment said on Thursday that organisers of large international events requiring an investment of at least 100 million baht would receive an import duty exemption on equipment and facilitation for the temporary entry of the required foreign staff.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has been promoting event-related tourism as part of his “Ignite Thailand” campaign to improve economic growth, which has averaged less than 2% a year for the past decade, trailing Southeast Asia.
Mr Srettha pointed to the Eras Tour by American pop star Taylor Swift as an example of how major concerts and events can stimulate travel and related spending. He said he admired Singapore authorities for offering organisers incentives to choose the city-state as the exclusive location for six Swift concerts in Southeast Asia.
The Thai government, meanwhile, recently confirmed that the country has been chosen as the site for two major events.
Summer Sonic, a music festival from Japan that will be staged in Bangkok in August for the first time, is expected to attract 350,000 people, Mr Srettha said this week.
Thailand has also sealed a deal to host Tomorrowland, an annual dance music festival that originated in Belgium, starting in 2026.
Paetongtarn Shinawatra, deputy chair of the national soft power committee, said her committee was working to abolish any regulations that pose an obstacle to the event industry.