Travel scheme farce

The rollout of the “Tiew Thai Khon La Krung” campaign, or Thailand Travel Copay scheme, last week has proved to be unmitigated disaster, with no resolution in sight. This embarrassing episode reflects not only gross incompetence, but entrenched political pettiness among policymakers.

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The scheme was designed to stimulate domestic tourism by subsidising travel and accommodation costs similar to the We Travel Together” campaign under the Prayut government, to boost Covid-hit tourism. Under the latest scheme, the government would cover up to 50% of hotel room rates during the low season.

A total of 500,000 entitlements were allocated to the public, funded by money diverted from the suspended digital wallet initiative. But within minutes of registration opening, the system buckled and stopped. Registrants were instructed to verify their identity via the Interior Ministry’s ThaID app.