The agency is at the final stage of a study on the plan and hopes to launch the fund this year.

“The sector needs to have a special financial-assistance unit in order to help build the country’s image, deal with crises, and assist tourists on a large scale in case of big problems. Tourists visiting the Kingdom during or after a crisis will be covered with a safety package, including during periods of martial law,” Yuthasak said.

TAT will ask the government for a budget of Bt200 million to run the fund in the first year.

Earlier, TAT established a Tourist Assistance Centre to help foreign tourists, mostly individuals on a case-by-case basis, when they suffered serious injuries or were killed. The unit also facilitated other minor requirements such as translations, medical services, and complaints.

The Tourist Assistance Centre has been transferred to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Yuthasak said TAT would continue to promote Thailand as a quality leisure destination and increase the proportion of high-spending tourists from the current 40 per cent of total arrivals to 60 per cent.

Targeted “quality tourists” are from the Middle East including Oman and Iran, Russia, China, and Japan.

This year, TAT will open two offices overseas, one in the Canadian city of Toronto and possibly one in Brazil. It is also considering opening more domestic offices, bringing the number to 40 this year.

Furthermore, cross-border tourism will be in focus. TAT will urge airlines to operate more routes in cities throughout Asean in a bid to boost intra-region travel.

TAT targets 30 million arrivals this year and total tourism revenue of Bt2.4 trillion.