Thailand’s Tourism Authority reopened its Half-Half Travel Thailand subsidy program on July 10, aiming to stimulate domestic tourism with over 1.5 million people registered within a day of launch.
The revived initiative, backed by a 1.75 billion baht government budget, allows citizens to receive a 50 percent subsidy on accommodation, dining, and tourism activities. Registration is available through the Amazing Thailand mobile app and the program’s official website. Participants may claim up to five entitlements: three for stays in primary tourism hubs and two for travel to secondary destinations. Each entitlement permits one hotel room per night, and all bookings require full payment directly to certified hotels.
Access to the program requires prior identity verification via ThaID, a government digital ID service. This process is mandatory before entitlements can be activated. According to TAT, using its proprietary application, rather than relying on external platforms, allows for direct collection of user behavior data to better support tourism planning and service customization. App updates now enable hotels to post separate rates for weekdays and weekends, enhancing pricing flexibility for travelers.
TAT addressed earlier technical setbacks by introducing a new registration domain, restructuring the identity verification sequence, scaling up its Call Center staff, and enhancing customer support via LINE messaging. These improvements followed complaints related to pricing anomalies and system performance. The agency confirmed that hotels with inflated prices beyond recent trends would face penalties, including potential exclusion from the program.
As of 8:30 a.m. on July 11, more than 1.58 million individuals had signed up. Out of the total entitlements, 91,008 had been booked and paid for, while 408,992 remained available. Over 5,200 businesses are currently enrolled in the program, spanning accommodations, restaurants, wellness services, tourist attractions, local product vendors, and transport providers.
Support and registration are entirely remote. Users can access assistance through the program website, the Amazing Thailand app, by calling the hotline at 02-483-0963, or messaging the LINE Official Account @ThaiTravelCopay. Services are available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
