Tourism Ministry joins with banks and digital services to stimulate Songkran spending

[webfact]

Tourism Ministry joins with banks and digital services to stimulate Songkran spending



BANGKOK, 30 March 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has joined hands with digital partners to offer spending and travel incentives at the same time as promoting safe and appropriate revelry during the holiday period.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said her ministry expects up to 495,000 foreign tourists to enter Thailand during the Songkran festival and up to 8 billion baht in circulation, up 34 percent from last year. Domestic spending is forecast at 7 billion baht.

The ministry has joined with the Thai Bankers Association to waive deposit and withdrawal fees during the period of April 13-17 to promote circulation of money. Its digital partners are also offering promotions and rewards for dining, shopping and engaging in sporting activities from April 11-17. The promotions can be found at www.ais.co.th.

Kobkarn has assured that up to 4,000 police officers have been deployed to ensure safety during the festive period and that travelers will be safe. Nonetheless, she asked that revelers act appropriately and be mindful of their safety.


-- NNT 2016-03-30

[colinneil]

Thais dont need any help spending at songkran.

They need help to stop them overspending.

[ldiablo]

And in related news. Foreigners to be charged for goods upwards of 10 times what the locals pay. And double on ATM withdrawal fees during the period of April 13-17 after which the pricing will return to the normal 2 times.

Edited March 30, 2016 by ldiablo

[jamesbrock]

Wait, aren't there over 200,000 police in Thailand? Are 196,000 of them in inactive positions, or has the Tourism and Sports Minister deployed up to 4,000 police officers to a specific area?

[DNPBC0]

Much of this article is a GDP hype whiich illustrates the problem with measuring economic success in terms of spending for the sake of spending. Thais (don't we all?) need to set their priorities in terms of paying off debt and saving to avoid high interest and high hire purchase rates in the future. Yes, money needs to circulate, but not if it bolsters debt or is spent on the kind of trivial and totally frivolous products promoted by the many unscrupulous commercial organisations whose only interest is self-interest, Thailand often seems to take pride in never having been colonised ,,,, of course, it has - by the worst of Western consumerism. The ultimate irony is that Thais think that they are Buddhists

[Pib]

The ministry has joined with the Thai Bankers Association to waive deposit and withdrawal fees during the period of April 13-17 to promote circulation of money.

I bet you the govt had to threaten an Article 44 action to get the banksters to briefly lower their fees.

[Strangebrew]

What fees? So that mean I get money back? at Citibank I pay no Fees.

[Lannig]

I'm confused. Does this mean that we can withdraw money from any ATM anywhere and that the usual 25 or something bahts fee will be waived?

[Langsuan Man]

I'm confused. Does this mean that we can withdraw money from any ATM anywhere and that the usual 25 or something bahts fee will be waived?

Me too, but does this latest "stimulus" package also include out of province online transfers ?

Further, does it cover the 180 THB fee for using a foreign ATM card at a Thai bank since it is being pushed by the Ministry of Tourism ?

And finally, why does the link given in the story "The promotions can be found at www.ais.co.th" lead me to Advanced Info Service home page ?

[wabothai]

This chick should be working for the IRS as a cashier, absolutely not fit having a roll in tourist affairs.