The launch of the government’s eagerly awaited Half-Half Thai Travel programme descended into chaos this morning after both key registration platforms suffered catastrophic failures within minutes of going live.
At 8am today, July 1, hopeful holidaymakers logged on to the Amazing Thailand app to secure discounted accommodation entitlements, but were instantly met with error messages reading, “An error occurred. Something went wrong,” or were repeatedly booted out of the system altogether.
The meltdown was compounded by the ThaID application, which is vital for identity verification. That system also collapsed under the sheer weight of users, leaving thousands unable to complete the mandatory checks to finish registration.
By 8.47am — nearly an hour after registrations opened — officials confirmed not a single slot had been claimed. All 500,000 entitlements, including 300,000 for major tourist cities and 200,000 for emerging destinations, remained untouched as exasperated users vented their fury online.
The embarrassing technical fiasco highlights a staggering lack of preparation, given that the government had widely promoted the programme and anticipated fierce competition for the subsidies.
Designed to inject life into Thailand’s domestic tourism sector, the scheme promised generous discounts for registered Thai citizens aged 18 and above holding a valid national ID card.
Under the plan, travellers can claim up to five entitlements: three nights in major tourism provinces and two in smaller destinations.
Government subsidies were set to cover 50% of weekday accommodation costs (up to 3,000 baht per night) in major cities, and 40% on weekends and public holidays. In emerging destinations, the subsidy rate was 50% on all days, reported The Nation.
The entitlements operate on a first-come, first-served basis, sparking huge demand the moment bookings were scheduled to open. But instead of a tourism revival, frustrated citizens were left in digital limbo.
Officials have yet to confirm when the technical issues will be resolved or whether the quota will be extended to compensate for the disruption.
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