Measures to promote tourism in secondary provinces

BANGKOK, Aug 15 (TNA) -- The cabinet approved a tax deduction program for tourists visiting home stay accommodations and extended a deadline for the development of old houses into home-stay hotels in secondary tourist provinces. Nathaporn Jatusripitak, adviser to the Prime Minister’s Office Minister, said the cabinet endorsed tax deduction for tourists who stayed at non-hotel accommodations at tourist destinations in second-tier provinces. Such an accommodation must have four rooms and can accommodate up to 20 visitors. Visitors to such places can deduct up to 15,000 baht from their taxable income this year. The measure would cost 50 million baht worth of state revenue from income tax but the government could increasingly promote tourism in second-tier provinces, Mr Nathaporn said. Meanwhile, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said that the cabinet endorsed an amendment to the Interior Ministry’s regulation on hotel buildings. The amendment extends the deadline for the improvement of tourism-related buildings from Aug 18 this year to Aug 18, 2021. The cabinet resolution benefits home-stay accommodations and the government hopes the deadline extension will help promote tourism in second-tier provinces. Earlier the Interior Ministry required such buildings to be improved to meet safety standard within two years from Aug 17, 2016. The standard focuses on fire-proof materials, fire-fighting equipment, alarms and lighting. (TNA)