Speaking at a press conference at The Pago Design Hotel Phuket in Ratsada yesterday (Oct 24), BAC Phuket President Chinnawat Udomniyom announced the ‘Final Chance’ campaign for hotel licence applications.
Mr Chinnawat stressed that this is the final opportunity for hotel owners to apply for licences before the relaxed regulations expire on Aug 18, 2025, leaving less than 10 months.
He urged all hotel operators to attend the event, branded as a ‘special general meeting’, to understand the requirements and prepare for the licensing process.
The ‘special general meeting’ will be held at the Grand Ballroom of The Pago Design Hotel from 12:30 to 5pm next Wednesday (Oct 30).
The meeting will guide members through the hotel licence application process, with support from relevant agencies.
The event will provide resources such as document preparation, blueprints, and assistance from architects and engineers to ensure businesses are ready to apply for their hotel licences within the required timeframe, he explained.
Existing members of BAC Phuket can attend the meeting for free with one guest. Non-members interested in attending can request to join by contacting 097-9964888 or adding Line @bacphuket to reserve a seat in advance, Mr Chinnawat said.
BARRIERS
Manosit Jaengjob, Chairman of the Subcommittee for Promoting Small Hotels at the Tourism Council of Thailand, explained that many hotel operators in Phuket are currently unable to meet the legal requirements for applying for a hotel licence.
To address the issue, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued a special regulation for Phuket to remove some obstacles, such as requirements for vacant space.
Additionally, the rule for preparing an environmental report (IEE) has been adjusted, allowing hotels with up to 49 rooms (previously 29 rooms) to be eligible.
For hotels with more than none rooms but fewer than 49, a summary environmental report (COP) must be prepared instead of a full report.
“The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment has already signed a new draft of this regulation, which will soon be discussed in the Cabinet meeting. This creates a great opportunity for hotel operators in Phuket to meet the conditions necessary to apply for a hotel licence once the new regulation comes into effect,” Mr Manosit said.
The goal is to help small and medium-sized accommodation businesses obtain their hotel licences before the regulation expires.
SUPPORT
Ratchan Chatisutthi from the Phuket branch of the SME Bank stated that the bank has set a target to help over 500 small and medium-sized hotels in Phuket obtain business licence.
It is estimated that these small hotels can accommodate more than 20,000 tourists per day.
With an average occupancy rate of 60%, this could generate over B8.88 million in revenue per day, or about B3.24 billion per year, Mr Ratchan said.
“If these businesses are properly licensed, the government could collect over B226 million per year in VAT, contributing to over B9.7 billion in the economy annually,” he noted.
Wirayut Suwannaphakdi, from the Phuket Provincial Public Works and Town & Country Planning Office, pledged his support by saying that the department is fully prepared to support hotel operators in applying for licences before the deadline.
Senator Nipon Ekwanich, a member of the Senate Group for SMEs and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Promoting SME Entrepreneurs, emphasised that the event was an excellent opportunity for the Phuket SME Bank to collaborate with other agencies to move this initiative forward.
“Since tourism is the main industry in Phuket, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in driving the local economy and supporting its growth,” he said.
“The committee has recently developed strategies to help SMEs grow by promoting sustainable tourism practices. This includes the ‘Go Green’ initiative, which supports the Carbon Footprint policy, aiming to position Thai SMEs as globally recognized businesses. These efforts also aim to help Phuket become a ‘World Class Destination’,” he added.