Big push for local tourism

The Finance Ministry will launch a major domestic tourism promotion. (Bangkok Post photo)
The Finance Ministry will launch a major domestic tourism promotion. (Bangkok Post photo)

The Finance Ministry has agreed to a plan to launch a major domestic tourism promotion next month by giving 2,000-3,000 baht vouchers to 4 million people and free trips to 1.2 million medical personnel.

The campaign is aimed at boosting the economy and reviving tourism, said Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

According to the minister, the Finance Ministry agreed to the scheme proposed by the Tourism and Sports Ministry. Under the promotion, one million tourism vouchers will be allocated to each of the country's four regions.

Krungthai Bank will develop an app for the allocation of the vouchers, which will be provided between July and October.

While the government has reopened many more businesses and activities under its third phase of easing of the countrywide lockdown, many tourists are still hesitant about travelling.

Mr Phiphat said the two ministries will finalise the overall budget and details of the scheme and the finance minister will submit it for cabinet approval later this month.

The thank-you gift for 1.2 million medical personnel such as village health volunteers and  hospital workers is to encourage them to take trips of up to three days using local tourism operators.

For the possible replacement Songkran holidays expected in July, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) governor disagreed with the idea of the having an entire week as a holiday. Instead, he said the government should have a holiday on the Friday or the Monday of each week throughout July to avoid large crowds gathering.

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Vocabulary

  • allocation: an amount or share of something that is given to someone - การแบ่งส่วน
  • boosting: increasing - เพิ่ม
  • cabinet: the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy - คณะรัฐมนตรี
  • campaign: a planned series of activities - การรณรงค์
  • economy: the relationship between production, trade and the supply of money in a particular country or region - เศรษฐกิจ
  • encourage: to cause someone to have more confidence or hope about something - ทำให้มีกำลังใจ
  • gather (verb): to come/bring together in a group - รวมกลุ่ม, รวมตัวกัน, จับกลุ่มกัน, ชุมนุม
  • hesitant (adj): slow to speak or act because you feel uncertain, embarrassed or unwilling - ลังเลใจ, สองจิตสองใจ, ไม่แน่ใจ
  • replacement: someone or something that takes the place of another - ผู้การทำหน้าที่แทน, การทำหน้าที่แทน
  • revive: to come or bring something back to life, health, existence, or use - ทำให้ฟื้นชีพ
  • scheme: a plan that is developed by a government or large organisation in order to provide a particular service for people - แผนการ โครงการ
  • voucher (noun): a printed piece of paper that can be used instead of money to pay for something, or that allows you to pay less than the usual price of something ใ - บสำคัญจ่าย

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