No tourism co-payment scheme this year - Tourism Minister

13 Sept 06:22 Key points summarised by AI

Tourism Minister Sorawong Thienthong ruled out the "Rao Tiew Duay Kan" co-payment scheme for this year, citing no allocated budget and its design for low-season tourism, not the upcoming high season.
Instead of the co-payment, the government plans to launch a "Winter Festival" campaign and promote the annual Loy Krathong festival to attract more foreign visitors.
The tourism sector faces negative impacts from various factors, including severe flooding in northern provinces like Chiang Rai, the Middle East conflict, and a strong baht currency, leading to significant drops in hotel occupancy.
Despite these challenges, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) remains confident in achieving its target of 36.7 million foreign arrivals for the year and projects growth in domestic tourism.

Nationwide crackdown launched on illegal nominee shareholders and land holdings

Yesterday 15:20 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul initiated a nationwide crackdown on illegal Thai nominee shareholders in foreign-run businesses and land holdings to safeguard national interests.
The government will integrate efforts across all relevant agencies to target illicit foreign operations, forced sales of illegally acquired property, and high-risk land ownership schemes.
Key strategies include auditing suspect land and building holdings, establishing a long-term monitoring system, and cross-referencing data from various authorities to trace ultimate beneficial owners.
Prime Minister Anutin emphasized that no influential figures or corrupt officials are above the law, promising straightforward prosecution, asset seizures, and protection for enforcing officers.
Beyond land ownership, the integrated crackdown will also extend to tackle transnational crimes, including drug and human trafficking.