Bangkok: Suriya Jungrungruangkit, the Pheu Thai Party's prime ministerial candidate, has outlined a new economic initiative featuring a 70% government subsidy and a 30% public subsidy. This proposal aims to increase the budget, while maintaining criteria similar to the previous "half-half" scheme. Suriya believes this approach could boost the economy and tourism, given the current economic challenges and the inadequacy of a 50/50 payment scheme to encourage spending.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Suriya Jungrungruangkit discussed the policy's potential, drawing comparisons with the existing "Half-Price" scheme. He noted that the government has introduced the "Half-Price Plus" scheme, but the ongoing downturn in tourism, particularly from international visitors, is hurting businesses and hotels. The reliance on Thai tourists during this economic slump to provide a 50% subsidy is proving unsustainable, prompting the proposal for a 70% government subsidy while keeping the eligibility criteria unchanged.
When questioned about the effectiveness of the 50% government subsidy and 50% public subsidy scheme, Mr. Suriya acknowledged that the economic downturn is discouraging people from spending or traveling. He expressed skepticism about the scheme's ability to support businesses or hotels effectively, explaining this as the Pheu Thai Party's rationale for proposing the adjusted subsidy model.