Thai Hotels Association president Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says Thailand expats should get the travel stimulus deals just like all Thais already get. After all, they live and work in Thailand and contribute to the economy.
Besides, they also pay taxes just like any Thai.
That is why Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi says expats in Thailand should have equal rights, just like locals.
Of course, this push by the Thai Hotels Association is not to benefit expats in Thailand, although of course it will if implemented. Instead, it is aimed at improving hotel occupancy now that the country is shut down to international travelers.
The now month-long domestic tourism stimulus package aimed at Thais, and put into place by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha’s government is also not doing anywhere near as well as government officials said it would.
After all, local Thais are afraid of spending money on holidays in a deteriorating Thai economy and prefer to stay at home and keep money in savings instead.
With occupancy levels remaining low then, the Thai Hotels Association believes they can improve them by including expats in the next round of the travel stimulus deals package.
Whether expats will be included in the travel stimulus deals, however, is up to the Thai government and not to Khun Nunbhakdi unfortunately.
She also recommends tax deductions are made available to anyone who is spending on tourism and that the subsidy for accommodation spending should be increased to 50% from its current 40%.
This is necessary as a number of hotels in Thailand are likely to close permanently in coming weeks if the occupancy rate cannot be increased.
Meanwhile, the Thai Hotels Association is attempting to get financial support so they can help save them.
Thailand also has a September 26th deadline for stranded tourists to leave the country, which means the hotel occupancy rate is likely to fall much further after that unless more incentives are put into place.
Source: Bangkok Post