
The Tourism and Sports Ministry plans to propose a new Hotel Act dedicated to small and medium-sized hotels, aiming to register more than 500 illegal accommodations that cannot enrol in the current system.
Tourism Vice-Minister Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham said there are more than 90,000 small and medium-sized accommodations in Thailand that do not meet the criteria of a hotel business based on existing law.
Mr Jakkaphon said the ministry previously invited stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry to share their thoughts on the Hotel Act revision. Participants included representatives from the Department of Provincial Administration, the Tourism Council of Thailand, the Thai Hotels Association (THA), and guesthouse operators.
"Although the bill is expected to drop some restrictions to accommodate small and medium-sized hotels, safety remains the first priority. Operators should upgrade their properties to meet the new threshold," he said.
Mr Jakkaphon said in the South, some small guesthouses cannot register due to environmental impact assessments, while some operators in the North face restrictions based on city planning laws.
He said the organisations that enforce these laws will also be invited to formulate the new Hotel Act, which should be comprehensive.
The draft regulation proposed by the Tourism and Sports as well as the Interior ministries is expected to be put forward for discussion in parliament in April, although there are more than 200 drafts pending consideration at the moment.
Town planning laws
Thienprasit Chaiyapatranun, president of the THA, said the association is open to legalising more accommodation, but this does not solve the main issue. He said most hostels and guesthouses are not limited by the existing Hotel Act, but rather environmental and town planning laws.
A revised Hotel Act cannot overrule environmental and town planning laws, while the definition of small and medium-sized hotels discussed during previous meetings is still unclear, said Mr Thienprasit.
Many requirements for hotel construction have already been eased to accommodate small hotels, he said. Even old four-storey shophouses in Yaowarat can be revamped thanks to reductions in required space, said Mr Thienprasit.
He said the government should fix ministerial regulations to solve problems in each area case by case. This strategy is faster than amending the Hotel Act, which could take years to complete, said Mr Thienprasit.
Regarding tourism stimulus programmes, Mr Jakkaphon said the co-payment scheme for domestic tourism might launch in June this year, offering 1 million privileges.
He said the ministry expects to announce its plan and detailed strategies for its "Thailand Grand Tourism and Sports Year 2025", inviting stakeholders from the public and private sectors to listen on Feb 3.