Cash bailout for stranded tourists

BANGKOK, 22 February 2012: Ministry of Tourism and Sports will introduce a compensation scheme for tourists stranded in Thailand and review the guide registration law to prepare for the advent of a free-trade era in 2015.

The ministry confirmed it was prepared to remove unfavorable articles in the Act of Tourism and Guide Registration 2008, which could disadvantage Thailand in a free trade era of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015.

The ministry spokesperson, Watchara Kannikar, said the ministry will review the law to prepare for AEC 2015.

“AEC could be an opportunity or constitute a threat for Thailand’s tourism industry depending on how we approach the new era,” he said.

The government’s goals are lofty. By 2015, it hopes tourism will earn Bt2.2 trillion in revenue and draw more than 30 million international tourists, 10 million more than it expects in 2012.

Once the AEC era begins, ASEAN member countries will represent an overall population of 580 million people and a vast pool of labour that could move between member countries.

There are concerns that it could lower the quality of tour guiding in the country, or take jobs away from Thais in the tourism sector.

In addition, the country will require a compensation scheme to aid tourists who suffer from unethical practices. If a scheme is not introduced the free-trade era could spur more problems and a downgrade quality without a compensation channel for tourists.

A tourism spokesperson indicated that travel agencies would have to contribute to the fund and there is a proposal that the government should match the private sector’s contribution.

The objective is to make tour operators more responsible in their dealings with tourists. Often, fierce competition in the industry leads to unfair treatment of clients.

“It is too early to reveal the details of the proposed contributions and the make-up of the overall fund,” he said.

The initiative was prompted in part by the bankruptcy, 27 January, of a Russian travel agency Lanta Voyage Company, which left more than 500 Russian tourists stranded in Thailand. The ministry stepped in to help them initially and the Russian government eventually paid repatriation expenses.

“The case serves as a reminder that we must have a compensation mechanism in place, possibly through insurance. However, setting up the fund is a very difficult task because it involves multiple parties.”

The project should start with inbound tourism and then be extended to include compensations for Thais who are stranded overseas when on holiday.

He accepted that it would raise travel agency expenses, however, it would be good for the industry in the long-run.

The former Abhisit Vejjajiva government in April 2011 established the Committee to Resolve Tourist Issues chaired by Deputy Prime Minister, Suthep Thaugsuban.

It launched a Bt20 million tourist service centre at Suvarnabhumi Airport to provide assistance to visitors and accept complaints from travellers.

However, the tourism ministry hopes to expand the scheme to include Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai.

According to Suvarnabhumi Airport’s tourist service centre, 2,600 visitors asked for information. An average of 30 tourists a month requested a translator to help coordinate or resolve issues with the Airports of Thailand, Immigration Bureau, the Customs Department and Tourist Police Division.

The Tourist Police Division is supposed be staffed by officers who can speak at least one foreign language, but the duty of translation has been transferred to the centre or to expatriate volunteers who work closely with the police division.