Thai Tiew Thai Plus: Cabinet Pitch Set for Sept 22
Surasak to submit the Thai Tiew Thai Plus tourism scheme to the Cabinet on Sept 22, requesting a 4 billion baht budget and 1 million quotas.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The Thai Tiew Thai Plus tourism scheme will be proposed to the Cabinet on September 22.
- The project uses a 4 billion baht loan budget, aiming to generate over 20 billion baht in economic circulation.
- It provides 1 million quotas (max 5 per person) via a 50% government and 50% public co-payment model.
- The program runs from November 2026 to February 2027 with strict anti-price gouging measures.
The government is preparing to launch a new domestic tourism stimulus package titled Thai Tiew Thai Plus. Surasak revealed that the project is scheduled to be presented to the Cabinet for approval on September 22. The initiative will utilize a 4 billion baht budget sourced from government loans, with expectations to drive economic circulation exceeding 20 billion baht.
Under this scheme, subsidy coupons will be valued at 1,500 baht per quota for primary cities and 2,000 baht for secondary cities. Operating on a co-payment principle similar to the Khon La Khrueng (Let's Go Halves) project, the government will fund 50% while participants cover the remaining 50%. The coupons will benefit a wider range of tourism operators beyond restaurants, including spas, souvenir shops, massage services, and travel packages such as diving and boat tours.
The current phase will issue a total of 1 million quotas, allowing each citizen to utilize a maximum of 5 quotas throughout the program. Registration is slated for October 2026, and the vouchers will become redeemable starting in November 2026 until December 15, 2026, before pausing for a one-month New Year holiday break.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The scheme will resume usage from January 16, 2027, through February 28, 2027, spanning a total operational period of three months.
"The Ministry of Finance has designed the system to prevent accommodation price hikes. Previous tourism stimulus projects where 1 quota was capped at 3,000 baht and paid in lump sums received complaints about price increases."
Surasak
Preventing inflated accommodation prices and opportunism during the stimulus period remains a key focus for the Ministry of Finance, addressing complaints received from past campaigns. Surasak noted that the project builds upon lessons learned from previous phases dating back to the administration of former Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha. Currently, about 1,000 operators and tourists remain blacklisted, while only 4 violators were found in the most recent project, indicating a decrease in fraudulent activities.
Implementing a Flat Rate system and strict price verification requirements for Thai Tiew Thai Plus highlights a structural effort by authorities to close pricing loopholes common in co-payment stimulus policies. By requiring accommodation operators to submit prior baseline pricing documentation and enforcing strict penalties with tourist police involvement, the government aims to minimize short-term price manipulation by unscrupulous vendors.
To safeguard against fraud and price gouging, hotel and accommodation operators must submit official rate confirmation documents during registration. Because room rates during November—the start of the high season—should remain consistent with the previous year's rates, price declarations are mandatory. Furthermore, tourist police will intervene upon receiving reports of unauthorized price surges, while the Ministry of Finance believes the Flat Rate design will render price inflation unprofitable for operators.
Source: Matichon Politics
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