BANGKOK, Thailand – Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenvakul has outlined details of the Thai Tiew Thai Plus scheme, which will offer 1 million benefits to encourage domestic travel during the fourth quarter of 2026 and continue into early 2027. The programme is designed to encourage more Thais to travel domestically while spreading tourism income to hotels, restaurants, attractions and other businesses across the country.
Surasak said each person would be allowed to use up to five benefits under the programme. The government will subsidise accommodation at a flat rate based on actual costs, capped at 2,000 baht per night, with the measure intended to keep spending reasonable and discourage excessive increases in room prices. The scheme will also provide tourism vouchers under a co-payment system. The government will contribute up to 1,500 baht for travel in major cities and 2,000 baht for secondary destinations, with travellers contributing the remaining amount.
Unlike previous measures that focused heavily on restaurants, the new vouchers will cover a wider range of tourism-related services. Eligible spending is expected to include spas, massages, tour packages and activities such as diving and boat trips. The broader coverage is intended to spread spending throughout the tourism supply chain rather than concentrating benefits on accommodation and dining businesses. Registration is expected to open on October 1, 2026.
The benefit period will be divided into two phases. The first will run from November 1 to December 15, 2026, followed by a second period from January 16 to February 28, 2027. The approximately one-month gap around the New Year holiday is intended to allow the scheme to support travel during periods when additional stimulation is considered necessary. The programme will use 4 billion baht in loan funding, with the government expecting it to generate approximately 20 billion baht in economic circulation.
Surasak said the government would also focus on preventing fraud and artificial increases in accommodation prices. More than 1,000 operators and travellers who were previously involved in fraudulent activity under earlier tourism schemes have already been placed on a blacklist.
Accommodation operators will also be required to submit documents confirming their room rates for the corresponding period of the previous year. Authorities will use the information to monitor prices and improve transparency during the programme.
The minister also commented on Wat Phutthaisawan in Ayutthaya, describing it as an important historical, religious and tourism site. The temple is home to a revered reclining Buddha, royal monuments and the distinctive riverside prang overlooking the Chao Phraya River, making it an important cultural attraction in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province.
Regarding recent news involving individuals associated with the temple, Surasak said visitors could distinguish individual behaviour from the religious, historical and cultural value of the site. He expressed confidence that Wat Phutthaisawan would continue to attract residents and tourists visiting Ayutthaya to pay their respects and explore the historic site.
