Where’s the flood prevention plan?

BANGKOK, 29 September 2011 – Tourism Council of Thailand suggests the government should overall its flood prevention strategy as the annual rainy season storms and flooding cause substantial suffering and economic damage to the country.

TCT president, Piyaman Tejapaibul, joined other industry representatives, this week, in demanding the new government find a long-term solution after vast areas of central Thailand including   Chiang Mai in the north.

In the north, Chiang Mai’s famous Night Bazaar is under a metre of water today after Ping River overflowed its banks. Riverside resorts may have to close to due to flood damage.

At least one Thai daily newspaper condemned the government for being more concerned about building casinos and pursuing a policy that will bring 500,000 more cars on the road to please its voters rather than acting decisively on flood prevention measures.

However, both Democrat Party and Pheu Thai Partly led governments in the past were guilty of  placing long-term flood prevention plans on the back burner. There was insufficient budget assigned to flood prevention infrastructure even though flooding in the central plains is an annual occurrence that causes substantial damage to the country. In the pursuit of high profile mega projects, the need to safeguard citizens from life threatening floods has been ignored. Read more

TCT: New government must build harmony

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.

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TCT organises copycat event

BANGKOK, 7 June 2011-Tourism Council of Thailand will organise a debate on the tourism policies of the main political parties competing in the national election 3 July.

The debate will be held at Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, Bangkok, 1400 to 1700, 16 June, right on the heels of a similar debate organised by its arch rival Federation of Thai Travel Agents on 14 June.

The TCT’s board says it hopes the debate will give its members a clearer picture of political party policies towards tourism.

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TCT calls for togetherness

BANGKOK, 23 May 2011- Tourism Council of Thailand is calling on the government and private sectors to coordinate and work together to upgrade Thailand tourism industry.

TCT president, Piyaman Tejapaibul, said Friday the government and private sector needed to establish a new platform of togetherness if the country is to move ahead and meet its long-term tourism goals.

It identifies transport problems at tourist destinations as a major obstacle to growth, particularly in Phuket, Chiang Mai and Chang Island in Trat province. Read more

TCT backs new tourism routes

BANGKOK, 21 February 2011-The Tourism Council of Thailand has identified 30 new domestic tourism routes that if successful could generate as much as Bt3,000 million in revenue this year.

TCT is working with Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Thailand Incentive and Convention Association to develop routes that will be initially surveyed by teams of up to 40 participants financed from the TCT budget.

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Thai council cautious on 2011 forecast

BANGKOK, 4 January 2011— Tourism Council of Thailand believes tourist arrivals will improve by 10% in 2011, but warns that the industry needs a long-term commitment from government and an integrated tourism roadmap to secure sustainable growth.

TCT announced its forecasts, late last week, stating tourist arrivals in 2011 would grow by 8 to 10% to reach 17.01 or 17.32 million visits and generate Bt6 billion in tourism revenue.

But it cautioned that positive forecasts had to be tempered against the backdrop of continued political uncertainties in the country.

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Trips to Hat Yai down

BANGKOK, 24 November 2010 – The aftermath of last month’s flooding in Hat Yai continues to dampen tourism according to the Tourism Council of Thailand’s latest report.

The council warned that tourists from Malaysia and Singapore, the two main sources of business for the southern city, were still reluctant to travel.

Initial business feedback indicates that tourist arrivals will slip to 100,000 this month. At this time of the year the city would normally welcome 200,000 visits a month. Thais are the main group of visitors followed by Malaysians and Singaporeans

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Hat Yai starts clean up

BANGKOK, 4 November 2010 — Natural disasters will cost Thailand’s tourism industry about Bt50 billion in lost revenue, the Tourism Council of Thailand estimated yesterday.

Most of the estimated loss was attributed to the Hat Yai floods alone that devastated the southern town earlier this week.

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TCT mulls over master plan

BANGKOK, 24 September 2010 – Tourism Council of Thailand’s newly elected committee outlined a two-year plan, last Monday, to create a strategic plan for tourism development.

The private sector’s generated strategy will be ambitious promising a 20 to 30% growth in visitors over three years,  2013 to 2018, TCT stated at a press briefing.

TCT new president, Piyaman Tejapaibul, outlined the framework, but said detailed action plans would still need to be hammered out by committee members. The new president was elected, 26 August, and her optimistic assessment of the future surprised industry critics. She identified key points of the strategy during the briefing:

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TCT appoints new president

BANGKOK, 31 August 2010 – Managing director of Holiday Inn Resort Regent Cha-am, Piyaman Tejapaibul, was elected for a two-year term as the new president of TCT, replacing Kongkrit Hiranyakit.

The election took place, last week, in Bangkok at the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s head office.

Tasked with co-ordinating policy and projects between private sector associations and the government, the council has 68 ordinary members and 121 associate members.

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