PHUKET: Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakan said he plans to ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to propose at the next meeting of the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) an end to the Thailand Pass registration scheme, believing that once it is lifted the number of foreign tourists will rise to 30,000 per day.
Mr Phiphat said this while in Phuket to make preparations for Gen Prayut's visit to the island resort province on Monday to inspect implementation of education and tourism policies.
He said an increase in tourist arrivals would help economic recovery.
With support from the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, tourist attractions have been rehabilitated and maintained to draw more tourists.
"Once Thailand Pass is lifted, I am confident the number of daily tourist arrivals will go up to about 30,000. The number may go up to 40,000-50,000 later in the year. In the past, the highest number of daily arrivals was 100,000. We have to fight to retake this target," Mr Phiphat said.
Mr Phiphat said when Gen Prayut is in Phuket on Monday he would ask the prime minister to propose at the next meeting of the CCSA for the Thailand Pass requirement to be lifted.
At present foreign natinals must still apply for Thailand Pass registration. They need to provide passport and vaccination details and a US$10,000 health insurance policy. The system will then automatically issue a Thailand Pass QR code for the applicant.
Thai nationals are no longer required to apply for registation.
