BANGKOK: Thailand’s cabinet on Tuesday approved a tax incentive it hopes will get Thais to visit provinces that do not attract huge numbers of foreign and domestic tourists.
The junta will allow Thais a tax deduction of up to 15,000 baht($457.74) on what they spend on items, such as food, hotels and accommodations, in 55 “secondary” provinces with less tourism income than others, Finance Minister Apisak Tantivorawong told reporters. The provinces offering the tax break include parts of the country’s south, north and northeast regions.
The government predicts a record 35.4 million foreign visitors this year, up 9 percent from last year.