Hotels push for subsidy to be based on revenue

The Thai Hotels Association (THA) has proposed that the Thai Teaw Thai Plus subsidy scheme be based on hotels' revenue rather than their star ratings. At a meeting, THA president Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun expressed concerns about potential excessive rate hikes during the scheme, similar to issues reported in previous phases. THA suggested using the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion (Osmep) criteria, which categorize business size based on revenue and employee numbers, instead of the ministry's proposed system.

This could help small and medium-sized hotels, as five-star hotels owning the category doesn't guarantee a large enterprise. Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul proposed excluding five-star hotels from the scheme to boost business for smaller properties. The THA also suggested that the co-payment scheme should include only licensed properties to ensure fair competition and incentivize proper registration of businesses.