Bangkok (VNA) – The Thai Government is developing a strategy to turn Thailand into the region’s hub for halal tourism, Spokesman Chai Wacharonke said on July 8.
He added that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered all tourism-related agencies to promote the country as a Muslim-friendly destination.
His announcement came after Thailand was ranked 5th among non-Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries on the Global Muslim Travel Index by Crescent rating and Mastercard. The rankings were based on the conveniences offered to Muslin travellers, including halal food options, travel environment and ease of accessing a place of worship.
The halal tourism industry is growing exponentially, with at least 168 million Muslims expected to travel the world this year, a 15% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels, Chai said, highlighting Thailand is attractive to Muslim travellers due to its multicultural atmosphere and wide selection of Muslim-friendly amenities and halal dining options.
A part of the success, he said, was due to the government’s roadmap on halal industry development for 2024-2028, including the establishment of the Thai Halal Industrial Centre that is tasked with boosting the value of the country’s halal products in the wider market.
🍒 In the future, the government will set up the National Halal Industry Committee to steer the nation’s efforts to become ASEAN’s hub for halal products, he said./.
Thailand accommodated over 17.5 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2024, who brought the Southeast Asian country a revenue of over 825 billion THB (about 22.6 billion USD), according to the Thai Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
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Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
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The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
