Thai Cabinet nods for new tax break as tourism stimulus

BANGKOK, November 29 (TNA) - The Thai Cabinet has approved an additional tax break to stimulate the domestic tourism. Nattaporn Jatusripitak, an adviser to Thai Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, told journalists of the new measure on Tuesday, following the Cabinet's weekly meeting. Under the new tourism stimulus measure, Nattaporn said, Thai tourists are eligible to each receive a tax deduction of up to 15,000 baht from their spending on hotels and tour packages in the country until the end of this year. Nattaporn assessed that the newly-approved measure, which is on top of a similarly-existing domestic tourism stimulus measure having been effective since the beginning of this year is expected to boost spending on domestic tourism of about one billion baht in total. The advisor noted that the two measures enable Thai people to each have a total tax deduction of up to 30,000 baht throughout 2016. According to the advisor, the Ministry of Commerce plans to soon propose another tax break for New Year shoppers to the Cabinet for further consideration and decision. Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha ordered checks on the validity of tour agents and tour guides to ensure that they legally operate with official licenses. (TNA)