Arkhom asks hoteliers to allow travel scheme postponements

Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith has asked hotel operators nationwide to allow those reserving booking rights under the “We Travel Together” scheme to postpone their check-in date.

All hotel operators should allow people who have booked rooms under the scheme to move their schedule free of charge or receive a refund, said the minister, adding the postponement or refund will not affect their rights under the scheme.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry is considering asking the cabinet to approve an extension to the We Travel Together scheme to Oct 31, according to the minister.

Krung Thai Bank would adjust the scheme’s payment system, he said.

“People who have booked a room from Dec 2, 2020 can now contact the hotel to reschedule their reservation. Hotels can proceed with the rescheduling requests once the system is ready,” Mr Arkhom said.

Bangkok reported 19 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, most of them contracting the virus from Samut Sakhon and Rayong, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesman Pongsakorn Kwanmuang said.

The capital city’s tally rose to 217, the fourth highest in the country after Samut Sakhon, Rayong and Chon Buri.

The Centre for Covid-19 situation Administration (CCSA) has categorised the 19 new cases into four groups.

The first group has one patient who has a connection with a cluster in Samut Sakhon. The infected person is a 49-year-old woman now at Bang Khun Thian Geriatric Hospital.

The second group has one case, a Thai man suspected of contracting the virus from a cluster in Chon Buri.

The third group contracted the virus at at-risk places and were in close contact with previous cases. There are 15 people in this group — 14 Thais and one from Myanmar.

The fourth group consists of two patients. Public health authorities are determining where they contracted the virus.

The BMA spokesman also disclosed a timeline of a 44-year-old male Covid-19 patient who died on Dec 31. He had visited three entertainment venues in the city.

Twelve people contracted the virus from the man. A total of 279 people were in close contact with him.