BANGKOK: A new government-backed tourism stimulus package, the "Half-Half Thai Travel" project, has been hit by a wave of confusion and a system crash, prompting swift clarification from the Thai government.
Public registration, initially expected on June 24, has now been firmly set for July 1, 2025, after a rush of eager participants overwhelmed the system.
The chaos unfolded on the evening of June 24, when a significant number of people attempted to register for the scheme via the https://www.google.com/search?q=TieowThaiKhonLaKhrueng.com website and the "Amazing Thailand" application.
This surge caused the system to crash, leading to widespread public frustration and sparking the hashtag #เที่ยวไทยคนละครึ่ง (Half-Half Thai Travel) to trend on X (formerly Twitter).
The misunderstanding stemmed from comments made by Sorawong Thienthong, the Minister of Tourism and Sports, who had indicated that public registration would open on the evening of June 24, with travel benefits commencing on July 1.
This announcement followed a Cabinet approval on June 24 for economic stimulus projects, totalling 110 billion baht, which included the 1.75 billion baht "Half-Half Thai Travel" initiative.
Addressing the disruption, Deputy government spokesman Anukool Pruksanusak issued a clear statement on Wednesday.
He confirmed that while the Cabinet has indeed endorsed the economic stimulus budget, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is currently focused on registering participating businesses for the "Half-Half Thai Travel" project.
This business registration opened on June 25 and will continue until June 30, 2025, via the project's website.
The TAT has confirmed that a wide range of businesses are eligible to participate, including restaurants, souvenir shops, OTOP (One Tambon One Product) outlets, tourist attractions, spas, car and boat rentals, and hotels/accommodations.
For the general public, Anukool reiterated that the registration system for individuals and accommodation bookings will officially open on July 1, 2025, at 8am (Thai time), accessible through both the TieowThai Khon La Khrueng website and the Amazing Thailand application.
Successful applicants will be able to utilise their travel benefits from July 4 to Oct 31, 2025. - The Nation/ANN
