Thai govt defers cash payout plan for domestic tourism

Thai Ministry of Tourism said Tuesday that a proposal to provide cash handouts to tourists visiting lesser-known provinces has not yet been approved by the cabinet.The proposal, which calls for an award of 1,500 baht to Thais travelling “off the beaten track”, was not among the topics discussed in Tuesday’s weekly cabinet meeting, Tourism Minister Weerasak Kowsurat told reporters.Weerasak said he has not even seen the proposal in person.Nonetheless the minister confirmed his support for the idea, saying any policy which injects revenue into tourist destinations is a sound one.Quoting sources in the finance ministry, media agencies reported earlier this week that officials were considering the subsidy as a measure to promote traffic to what the authorities call muang rong or “Secondary Cities” – 44 provinces which receive fewer tourists than big names like Bangkok and Chiang Mai.