Forget working from home, work from resorts, says Thai prime minister

The Nation/Asia News Network

BANGKOK — In a bid to help stimulate the tourism industry, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is urging people to go on working holidays as part of the “Workation Paradise Throughout Thailand” campaign.

Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Sunday that the campaign is being launched with the economy and public health in mind.

He said the Tourism and Sports Ministry has taken up the initiative and is looking for the best way to launch it.

“The new policy will encourage people to travel during weekdays, so they can work in new surroundings as well as help stimulate the tourism sector. It will also encourage tourism operators to adjust and develop their hotels and resorts from a new dimension to respond to the trend of working holidays,” he said.

Thanakorn added that is “workation” trend will boost revenue for the tourism industry and allow it to move forward sustainably.

The spokesman said the Tourism and Sports Ministry expects Thailand to earn up to 1.8 trillion baht from tourism this year. The 15 million foreign tourists expected this year should generate up to 800 billion in revenue, while domestic tourists should generate some 700 billion.

“The government will continue promoting tourism despite the ongoing spread of the Omicron variant. The authorities will come up with measures to prepare for transitioning to endemic. The measures will respond to the current situation by taking public health into account,” he said.

Though the government has launched the Rao Tiew Duay Kan (We Travel Together) co-payment scheme, it has not said whether a new subsidy will be launched for this “workation” scheme.

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