Though Thailand tested the waters with the Sandbox and Test and Go reopening schemes last year, the tourism industry still struggled to post arrival numbers anywhere close to the pre-pandemic level, as the total number of foreign visitors last year tallied 427,869.
Further relaxation of the Test and Go scheme might create better momentum for this year, as 646,812 visitors have arrived between Jan 1 and April 19, but the government's goal of 10 million visitors this year will not generate enough income for the whole industry, tourism-related operators say.
On Monday, the Thai Hotels Association (THA) submitted a petition to the government asking related authorities to reconsider collecting the full rate of the land and building tax this year, claiming the new levy will harm struggling tourism operators.
