TCT: New government must build harmony
June 30, 2011 by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit
Filed under News, Thailand
BANGKOK, 30 June 2011 – Tourism Council of Thailand says it wants the next government to build harmony and resume as quickly as possible membership in the World Heritage Convention to rebuild confidence.
TCT Policy and Planning president, Kongkrit Hiranyakit, said there are uncertainties about political stability and this could undermine Thailand tourism industry.
“It takes at least six months to correct a negative perception over security,” he said.
TCT hopes the new government will rebuild relations with neighbouring countries in the Mekong Region, add new tourist attractions, while developing old tourist destinations to give international visitors confidence in the country.
“Fortunately, th
ere has not been any violence this year. So, Thailand welcomed 5.6 million tourist arrivals in the first quarter, up 15.02% from 4.66 million visits during the same period last year,” Mr Kongkrit added.
He warned that resigning from the UNESCO World Heritage Convention had damaged the country’s image and could in the long-run cost the country dearly in visits linked to World Heritage sites.
“The next government has to solve this problem quickly and return to the WHC while maintaining the country’s sovereignty as well,” he said.
This year, TCT estimates tourist arrivals would grow by 5% to 8% giving the country 16.73 million to 17.21 million visits and estimates revenue of Bt6.22 billion to Bt6.40 billion in tourist receipts.
Meanwhile, domestic tourism should grow by 5% to 95.23 million trips from 90.7 million trips in 2010 and generate and estimated revenue of Bt3 billion.
“Fortunately, there has not been any violence this year.”
This bureaucrat is already singing for his supper from the next regime, rather neglecting the dozens killed in the South and the election-related murders across the country. Just because people in positions of power such as Khun Kongkrit make wild and unsubstantiated claims, it doesn’t mean they are true. The decision to walk out on the heritage mob had nothing to do with principle, but everything to do with politics.
1. I agree with Khun Kongkrit but I have already commented that iis no need to worry about the resignation from WHC because we can always derive opportunity out of crisis and I have presented what we should do.
2. I agree that we should rejoin WHC because they still welcome Thailand and this will be good PR for Thailand again in world’s news headlines but we must be firm to protect sovereign rights. And we should use this case for the benefit of our tourism marketing, I believe tourism professional will know how to do it.
3. Naturally in every society and country, there are conflict, but the conflicts must be in within the rule of law without risk of loss for the economy and country’s image. We shouldn’t care much about the conflict if it democratic in nature. We have to make the poor understand or the grassroots what is the impact on the economy so they will protest according to the rule of law.