The Thailand government has announced eight new holidays for 2021 in a bid to stimulate domestic travel.
Several of the extra bank holidays fall on a Monday or Friday, allowing for long weekend staycations.
It unveiled four national holidays and four applicable to different regions across Thailand.
It includes an extra day for the Thai New Year Songkran holidays and a day in lieu for Buddhist Lent.
According to deputy government spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul, local governments and businesses can make their own decision to grant the extra holidays based on their operational needs.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand said the extension of the domestic tourism stimulus campaign has seen a spike in bookings for early 2021.
It received 200,000 hotel room bookings within the first 12 hours, said TAT governor, Yuthasak Supasorn, which is up about five-fold.
All transactions are now been closely monitored after many cases of fraud were uncovered in the previous phase of the ‘We Travel Together’ co-payment scheme.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
