Bangkok: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, announced that the "Thai Travel Plus" project will not be submitted to the Cabinet this month as it is still awaiting budget approval. The scheme, aimed at boosting tourism, will require more time for consideration and is dependent on the finalization of its budget.

According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Supajee, in her role as Chair of the Sub-Committee on Trade, Tourism, and Community Economic Development under the Joint Public-Private Sector Committee for Economic Problem Solving, stated that discussions regarding the project are ongoing. The budget allocation remains a critical factor, and deliberations have been held with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Mr. Ekniti Nitithanprapha, to explore potential support for the initiative. Emphasizing a broad-based benefit approach similar to the "Half-Price Travel" scheme, Ms. Supajee stressed that the project aims to benefit all businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), rather than concentrating advantages in one area. The project will build upon the existing framework of the "Thai Help Thai Plus" initiative.

When questioned about the possibility of submitting the proposal to the Cabinet after public consultations, Ms. Supajee confirmed that it would require additional time. She explained that the proposal had been introduced by Mr. Surasak, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, but needed further budget considerations by Mr. Ekniti. As the minister responsible for overseeing the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ms. Supajee assured that the project's reasonableness and economic stimulation goals were under careful review. The final form of the "Thai Travel Plus" project and its budget are still under consideration, with no confirmation on whether it could be implemented by the end of the year.