Thailand’s three main private tourism organisations have called into
doubt the competence of top politicians and officials charged with managing the
country’s tourism industry.
The Bangkok Post reported
recently that the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA), the Association of
Domestic Travel (ADT) and the Association of Thai Travel Agents had called for
the government “to put the right man in the right job” and to listen to advice
from the private sector.
They say this is essential to
prepare the tourism industry for Asean economic integration in 2015, and an
acknowledgment that the main weakness of Thailand’s tourism industry is a
shortage of officials with sufficient knowledge and a devotion to the field.
“Ever since the Tourism and
Sports Ministry was set up, only a few people in authority have ever had real
knowledge about tourism, service provision and marketing,” said TTAA president
Suthipong Phuenphiphop.
The Post reported that it was
well known among tourism professionals that the current Minister of Tourism,
72-year-old Chumpol Silpa-Archa, speaks barely a word of English and therefore
avoids going to important meetings involving high-ranking officials from other
countries.
Thailand tourism organisations
also urged the government to consult the private sector before making decisions
and to allow the sector to participate in monitoring the transparency of
megaprojects.
Recently, when Mr Silpa- Archa
raised the possibility of building a Formula 1 track in Chiang Mai, Thai media
immediately questioned the real purpose of such a high-cost project.
Government corruption is another
serious problem that may see Thailand lose out to other Asean countries once
the Asean Economic Community (AEC) comes into being in 2015, the three
organisations said.
“Take Suvarnabhumi airport,” said
ATD president Yutthachai Soonthronrattanavate. “It should be a world-class
facility, but its problems include structural cracks and poor performance.
“We have to admit that Thailand
is no longer an Asean tourism hub. The industry has declined over the past five
years, and now other countries are catching up. That means Thailand could
ultimately miss out under the AEC.”
Meanwhile, at a seminar entitled
“The AEC and the Tourism Industry”, Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan
urged the government and the private sector to join hands to create a new
tourism growth model.
He said that, in order to benefit
from the AEC, Thailand must increase spending on research and development,
create more intellectual property and come up with new exotic travel
destinations that can be linked to other Asean countries.
The government has drawn up plans
to prepare for the AEC, but the execution of the plans remains weak, Dr Surin
said.
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