A recent forecast suggested that the kingdom might only receive 1.2 million foreign visitors this year, which fell short of the 1.5 million target. The extra money, which the administration is referring to as “a booster shot budget,” would be used to reach the 1.5 million target and bring in more foreign tourists. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the minister of tourism and sports, said yesterday that his office anticipates receiving a 2 billion baht “booster shot budget” to promote Thai tourism this year after complaining to the prime minister. According to the tourism and sports minister, “This man, Danucha, has never sanctioned a budget for the Tourism and Sports Ministry.” Phiphat revealed that after being turned down by the individual in charge of allocating more funds, the Director of the Covid-19 Loan Screening Committee, Danucha Pitchayanan, he went to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and asked for the extra money. The Thai Tourism Authority received more funding than my ministry. The amount we received this year was significantly less than the 5 to 6 billion baht we used to receive annually. In the next year, it will be 2.2 billion Thai Baht. Phiphat initially believed that one billion baht would be enough to entice more Westerners to visit Thailand. According to PM Prayut, the tourism industry’s revenue contributed to the expansion of the Thai economy. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, which brings in money, has a minimal budget. Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwan, who is in charge of the National Sports Development Fund, will contribute the additional one billion baht, according to Phiphat, who expressed optimism that the government will approve the first budget of one billion baht. Travel for sports is encouraged by the Prawit department.
