Thailand’s financial sector is set to benefit from an additional public holiday, as declared by the Royal Thai Government Gazette. The special holiday is part of a government initiative to facilitate travel flexibility and stimulate the tourism, service sectors, and the overall economy during the Songkran festival.

 

This move aligns with the Cabinet’s decision from February 13, and marks a strategic effort to distribute travel and boost economic activities nationwide.

 

The Royal Thai Government Gazette’s latest announcement indicates that the Bank of Thailand, under the signature of Governor Sethaput Suthiwartnarueput, has agreed to an extra holiday for financial institutions. This special holiday is designed to support the government’s policy to promote domestic travel and economic growth during the traditional Thai New Year, reported KhaoSod.

 

With the approval of the Cabinet, Friday, April 12, 2024, will be an additional non-working day for financial institutions. This measure is expected to create a four-day weekend, providing an opportunity for Thai citizens to travel and partake in all of Thailand’s Songkran festivities, which could in turn invigorate the nation’s local economy.

 

In related news, following UNESCO’s recognition of Songkran as an intangible cultural heritage, Thailand announced plans for the World Songkran Festival nationwide. This celebration aims to showcase local traditions and activities associated with the festival across the country’s provinces and districts. The journey towards UNESCO recognition began in 2020 when the government applied to the organisation.

 

Alongside this announcement, the Labour Ministry is considering raising the minimum wage for certain professions as a Songkran gift, with an expected announcement within a year.

 

Additionally, discussions about providing a full monthly salary for maternity leave are underway. In another development, the State Railway of Thailand introduces a game-changing 90-day advance booking service for CNR express trains on key routes, addressing the surge in travel demand expected during the upcoming Songkran festivities.

 

By Nattapong Westwood

Caption: Photo courtesy of KhaoSod

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-03-01

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

It will boost or not the economy, but hopefully it will not boost the number of road accident deaths ? ...not so sure though...

3 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

It will boost or not the economy, but hopefully it will not boost the number of road accident deaths ? ...not so sure though...

According to "official stats", daily road deaths actually fall over Songkran.

But that is not the picture is portrayed.

Believe at your peril (but yes, stay off the roads.)

RTP Smoke & mirror every year.🙃🙃

51 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

This special holiday is designed to support the government’s policy to promote domestic travel and economic growth during the traditional Thai New Year, reported KhaoSod.

 

With the approval of the Cabinet, Friday, April 12, 2024, will be an additional non-working day for financial institutions. This measure is expected to create a four-day weekend, providing an opportunity for Thai citizens to travel and partake in all of Thailand’s Songkran festivities, which could in turn invigorate the nation’s local economy.

Where is Cloud Cuckoo Land please, just north of Issan?   5555

An additional non-working day for financial institutions, but for the poor people who live from hand to mouth........nowt. 

To boost economy Thailand government and the 5-6 Sino-Thai monopolists should announce extra salary for all the workers.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

extra holiday for financial institutions.

 

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

an additional non-working day for financial institutions

On my calander Fri 12th is already marked as a holiday. 12-16.

Thai economists are special, more inactivity to boost growth. Novel.

 

Or is it that the commies have taken over.

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand’s financial sector is set to benefit from an additional public holiday,

A revolutionary new Thai economic theory, soon to be adopted by an admiring world.

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

Where is Cloud Cuckoo Land please, just north of Issan?   5555

An additional non-working day for financial institutions, but for the poor people who live from hand to mouth........nowt. 

 

Lots of Issanites are employed by in government jobs and will be getting an additional day. Also some of the millions employed in Bangkok will be able to return a little bit earlier. Many even have office jobs in companies (!) and I know a few who have already booked a day or two's leave to get back and join the party even earlier. 

Thailand the hub of non working days and extra holidays.... And than they are worried about the economy. I have never learned that more holidays are good for the economy. Mostly the opposite.. but with almost 40 days off in a year it is no wonder that that the economy will decline

Joke of the day

1 hour ago, KhaoNiaw said:

 

Lots of Issanites are employed by in government jobs and will be getting an additional day. Also some of the millions employed in Bangkok will be able to return a little bit earlier. Many even have office jobs in companies (!) and I know a few who have already booked a day or two's leave to get back and join the party even earlier. 

 

Does a banking holiday mean everyone in government and private sector has  a holiday?

9 minutes ago, BenStark said:

 

Does a banking holiday mean everyone in government and private sector has  a holiday?

 

Government has already announced the holiday I believe? Private sector, up to them? But a lot of Isan company employees use leave days at Songkran. You'd imagine that the banks in the North East are mostly staffed by Isan employees (not to mention Bangkok). It doesn't seem of much value to keep pushing the idea that the residents of the Isan region are all poor farmers living hand-to-mouth. 

5 hours ago, observer90210 said:

It will boost or not the economy, but hopefully it will not boost the number of road accident deaths ? ...not so sure though...

 

there is no evidence that road deaths and injuries increase over songkran, they remain relatively consistent with the rest of the year. the 'increase' in deaths is media hype put about by lazy 'journalists' who refuse to research before they write. next!

It's not a question of spare time, but a question of money in the wallet. You can give one extra month for holiday, but without money they can't spend Monopoly's papers.

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand’s financial sector is set to benefit from an additional public holiday, as declared by the Royal Thai Government Gazette. The special holiday is part of a government initiative to facilitate travel flexibility and stimulate the tourism, service sectors, and the overall economy during the Songkran festival.

So an extra day for the chosen ones, but for the day workers it's life as normal?

Please collect your free UNESCO super soaker in the baggage reclaim hall 🤔

RTP get another day off from not working on all the other days?

"...financial sector is set to benefit from an additional public holiday"

If one additional day benefits financial sector, why stop there? Think of the economic growth if additional holiday lasted a week ("holiweek"?)! But why stop there? A month would be gangbusters growth!!!

I think the world should take note, to repair the economy give financial institutions a days holiday

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

RTP get another day off from not working on all the other days?

 

Well, yes, if the RTP is part of Thailand's financial sector. 

Paid or unpaid holiday. That is the question.