The Ministry of Tourism and Sports stated that Thailand has a measure to compensate foreign tourists stranded due to war at 2,000 baht per person per day, while joining forces with hotel associations and service sectors to reduce accommodation costs further.
Ms. Nattariya Taweewong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, revealed that due to the conflict in the Middle East causing flight cancellations and a large number of tourists stranded in Thailand, the ministry has been urgently consulting with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Tourism Industry Council of Thailand (TICT), hotel associations, and related service agencies to devise systematic assistance plans, especially for tourists who arrived earlier and are facing budget issues due to extended stays beyond their plans.
As an initial relief measure, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports will provide assistance for force majeure cases where tourists cannot return home by compensating 2,000 baht per day according to regulations. They will closely survey and monitor these tourists. Simultaneously, the ministry has coordinated with hotel associations to offer accommodation discounts at affordable rates and instructed tourism agencies to create special travel packages to help reduce expenses and encourage continued tourism during the waiting period.
Additionally, the ministry has ordered the local TAT offices, in cooperation with provincial tourism and sports offices and volunteer tourist assistants, to conduct field surveys at hotels to assess needs and provide necessary support, particularly in major tourist provinces like Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok. For tourists whose visas are about to expire or overlap during this period, officials will provide full advice and assistance.
“We consider this an opportunity amidst a crisis to create a positive impression among tourists that in difficult times, we do not abandon them but take care of them thoroughly to assure that anyone traveling to Thailand will be cared for until safely returned home,” she said.
The reporter added that the compensation payment refers to the regulations of the Foreign Tourist Relief Fund Management Committee, B.E. 2557 (2014) and its 2024 revision, which set criteria for assistance in cases of travel disruptions due to force majeure, natural disasters, or unforeseen situations. The regulation allows compensation for losses or damages from extended stays in Thailand at a rate not exceeding 2,000 baht per person per day for at least 8 consecutive hours and up to a total of 20,000 baht per person.
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