Ranong tinkers with its springs

Ranong province is upgrading hot springs to lure more tourists to what it considers are its most important tourist asset.

On paper, Ranong is cited as a health and wellness destination, but in reality gaining a foothold in that lucrative market  is still some distance away.

Let’s say Ranong knows where it should be heading. But it still needs to invest heavily to improve its hot springs environment and train people to work effectively in the wellness industry.

Ranong province deputy governor, Jitra Promchutima, acknowledges the challenge and reports that the province will spend Bt4.9 million, this year, to hire a company to study how to upgrade the province’s best site, Pornrang Hot Springs, in Bangrin sub district.

Ranong is one of just a few hot springs in the country where the naturally heated water is free from hydrogen sulphite, which normally generates an obnoxious smell.

Ms Jitra said the study would look at the quality of the mineral water at Pornrang and how to landscape the area, add more pools and introduce an eco-trail, and accommodation. This year the province has added pools for both men, women, and one for disabled persons.

At present, Pornrang hot spring has two wells, one supplying a bathing pool on the upper area and the other a bathing pool next to a cold water stream. Each station has cold water nearby to allow bathers to cool down after a 20-minute soak in hot water at temperatures of 30 to 40 degrees Celsius. The site has outdoor and indoor showers and toilets built in a simple local style.

TTR Weekly’s trip observations noted there were sign posts, both in English and Thai, offering instructions and cautionary advice on how to use the hot spring.

However, there was room for improvement. There was a need to provide explanations on how the minerals benefit health and the ambient temperature at each pool. There were eight employees at the springs but none of them could communicate in English.

Since Pornrang hot spring is part of the Ngao Waterfalls National Park, Thais pay Bt20 to enter and foreigners Bt100, which is discriminatory and expensive for the size and scope of the park. Support for international visitors is mediocre in terms of language skills.

The dilemma for hot spring developers is that with every improvement, the natural ambience is eroded. Often the interpretation of what visitors require from a hot springs results in tacky designs, poor maintenance regimes and ultimately a product that becomes unhygienic and less appealing as its popularity grows. Upkeep and maintenance is a crucial factor that is often overlooked, giving an overall negative impression of the facility.

Left in their virgin state, hot springs are usually very appealing to the eye. But as developers move in to build tiled pools, changing rooms and toilet blocks, much of the ambience of a natural hot spring is lost.

To succeed provincial authorities should take a leaf out of the spa resorts’ manual on construction and landscaping. To be successful they need to balancing ambience, user-friendly facilities and quality in a manner that would justify higher entrance fees.

Pornrang hot spring is only 5 km from Ranong town centre, 6 km from Ngao Waterfalls National Park. The hot springs are open from 0800 to 1800 and are located 2 km down a sealed, secondary road, off the main Petchakasem highway

Those who want to enjoy thermal mineral water in a more relaxed environment can stay in bungalows managed by the Ranong Provincial Authority Organisation just short walk from the hot springs. Each of the 10 bungalow has two beds and can accommodate two to three persons at an overnight rate of Bt1,000. Call 077 825 946.