Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2005 9:35 pm Post subject: NEW THAI TOURISM MINISTER OUTLINES POLICIES
Bangkok, Thailand, August 19, 2005 – Mr. Pracha Maleenont has been appointed the new Minister of Tourism and Sports following the latest Cabinet reshuffle in early August 2005.
In his first policy statement, he pledged to revive the tourism industry in the six southern Andaman provinces and undertake campaigns to boost visitor arrivals to Thailand. “Reviving business to Phuket and South Thailand remains our top priority.” Mr. Pracha said.
The 58-year-old son of the founder of Thai TV Channel 3, a popular local TV station, graduated from Elmhurst College U.S.A, and has been in politics since 1996.
He said he will closely follow the implementation of the Andaman tourism recovery strategy as approved by the Thai cabinet on 10 May 2005.
This will involve designing and rebuilding beaches to their natural state, enhancing safety and security, building confidence among international travellers, and designing special packages and special fares to provide incentives and opportunities for domestic and international travellers to start travelling again.
All the revival projects at the major beaches of Patong and Kamala in Phuket are targetted for completion by November 2005.
He urged the international tourism industry to strongly support South Thailand as the people there have been affected by the December 2004 tsunami and need to re-establish their livelihood.
“By holidaying in South Thailand, visitors can help the local economic recovery as well as ensure jobs and income,” Mr. Pracha said.
He said TAT will continue to make every effort to achieve the target of 13.38 million international visitors and 76 million domestic trips for 2005 in spite of the consequences of the high oil prices, Thai economic slowdown, the situation in Southern Thailand and the lingering impact of the tsunami.
The target revenue earnings would also remain unchanged at 450 billion baht from international markets and 347 billion baht from domestic tourism.
In order to achieve these targets, the Cabinet has approved an additional 1,500 million baht budget of which 800 million baht is to be spent on marketing and promotions in key potential markets including China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand and 600 million baht on boosting domestic tourism.
The remaining 100 million baht will be spent on establishing a new tourist channel as a joint venture between TAT and the Mass Communications Organisation of Thailand, about which detailed discussions are now under way.
Part of the overseas marketing budget will be used to subsidise charter flights to bring tourists directly to South Thailand.
At the same time, the government will promote other beach destinations like Hua
Hin, Cha-am, Samui, Chumphon all of which are on the Gulf of Thailand with more than enough tourist infrastructure and hotel supply.
The Minister said efforts would be made to boost the attraction of the Thailand
Privilege Card by attracting more private sector investment in it.
The Royal Thai Government will also pay attention to promoting Chiang Mai as the tourism hub of Northern Thailand by stressing new products like the Chiang Mai Night Safari and giving them wider exposure through public relations activities.
Another significant policy will be to position Thailand as the film-making capital of Asia by making it more convenient for interested film-makers from abroad to both shoot their films and documentaries here and do post-production work.
The Minister said the government would reduce the bureaucratic procedures that
foreign film-makers have to follow in getting permission to film in Thailand. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
Wasn't this the woman politician , former beauty queen, [I think woman, but this is Thailand] who a couple of years ago, banned some Newsweek type magazine printed in the UK for writing about the sex industry in Pattaya... The writer had interviewed a number of falangs and they were talking how they had boom boomed 30 times in 15 days...etc.....
Well she was quoted, I think in the Bangkok Post,as saying all of the writing was nothing but lies and more lies...... She had just been to Pattaya for her own investigation and saw "absolutly no prostitution"
[ the Thai Version of Helen Keller]
I think she now has something to do with taking girls and women from making three, four, fire, thousand baht a week [but not as prostitutes of course] and giving them some training so they can earn three, foru , five thousand a month......
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Album
FAQ
Quizzes
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
