At 12:15 PM on June 17 at Government House, Tourism and Sports Minister Sermsak Tienthong announced after the Cabinet meeting that registration for hotel operators to join the “We Travel Together” tourism stimulus program has officially opened. Additionally, a meeting of the economic stimulus committee, managing a budget of 157 billion baht, will be held tomorrow to further discuss the program, ensuring that the initiative and budget allocations are fully in motion.
Mr. Sermsak also revealed that the Cabinet has approved Thailand’s policy to bid for hosting a Formula One (F1) race. Under a memorandum of understanding (MOU), Thailand intends to host the F1 race for five years starting in 2028, with an estimated total budget of over 40 billion baht. The funding will be allocated annually and must be reviewed and approved by the Cabinet each year. Today’s Cabinet discussion focused on the project’s framework, which will now undergo further detailed study.
The Prime Minister has assigned Mr. Sermsak to chair the bidding committee, which includes the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, relevant directors-general from the Ministry of Transport, and other stakeholders. He confirmed that the timeline for planning until 2028 is sufficient, as preliminary designs have already been drafted. The government has been working in collaboration with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) and the F1 organization.