The Ministry of Finance and Tourism are preparing to propose to the Cabinet the 'Thai Tourism Can Continue' measure to reduce taxes, hoping to attract tourists to visit the North and help restore flooded areas. Mr. Chulaphan Amornvivat, Deputy Minister of Finance, said that the Ministry of Finance is preparing to propose tax measures to help flood-affected areas in many provinces, including home repairs, vehicle repairs, and repairs of property installed in buildings to help people in flood-affected areas. They will also discuss with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports about organizing tourism activities to bring tourism money back to flood-affected areas so that the northern economy can recover. He admitted that Mae Sai District, Chiang Rai Province will take a long time to clear some areas, but it will not take long for shops to reopen and businesses to operate normally. At present, some shops have started to open for business, but from the overall picture that the media has shown of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces, it is admitted that the general public is still panicking, causing cancellations of accommodation, hotels, and restaurants, even though some tourist attractions are not affected. The government wants to draw purchasing power to flood-affected areas, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation's disaster zone announcement. It is preparing to present to the Economic Stimulus Committee and the Cabinet meeting the 'Thai tourism measures can continue' by deducting taxes for tourists visiting flooded areas. For private companies, the expenses for organizing conferences and seminars can be deducted from corporate income tax. The Economic Stimulus Committee expects to meet in late October to early November to set up a subcommittee on driving the economy and a subcommittee on digital money, including soft loans and low-interest measures to help entrepreneurs and small people. Source: Thai News Agency
