UNSEEN THAILAND CAMPAIGN:

TAT blasted for poor hotels and service

THA says places need to be checked before choosen for tourist campaigns

BANGKOK: -- Thai tourists have hurled complaints at the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Unseen Paradise campaign, citing poor service and substandard accommodation.

“Hotels participating in the campaign offer such bad services even though they are being promoted by a government agency,” a Thai Hotels Association (THA) spokesman said.

He declined to name the offending establishments.

He said that most of the hotels in the campaign were not easily accessible and few were in popular locations.

“The TAT should inspect the quality of these hotels before promoting them,” the spokesman said.

Not wanting to let the complaints tarnish the image of all Thai hotels, the association will discuss with its ways to solve the problem with its members.

Top of the agenda is a petition to the TAT to have its regional offices consult with hotels before including them on the list of recommended properties.

The Unseen Paradise campaign began earlier this year with the aim of enticing Thai tourists to travel domestically with room discounts of between 25 and 50 per cent.

Kasikornbank is a sponsor of the campaign, and the THA said that one problem was hotels in the campaign welcomed only credit cards issued by Kasikonbank.

TAT deputy governor for the domestic market, Juthaporn Rerngronasa, denied there had been complaints over the standard of accommodation.

She said that all 50 properties in the programme were top hotels and resorts. Aside from a Bt100,000 fee which covers advertising and marketing activities, the properties have to qualify to be on the list, and pass many criteria, including having distinctive design, architectural splendour, and good location.

The hotels are located in all parts of the country, including Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Kanchanaburi, Loei, Phuket, Trang and Ubon Ratchathani.

--The Nation 2004-06-14

UNSEEN THAILAND CAMPAIGN:

TAT blasted for poor hotels and service

THA says places need to be checked before choosen for tourist campaigns

BANGKOK: -- Thai tourists have hurled complaints at the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Unseen Paradise campaign, citing poor service and substandard accommodation.

“Hotels participating in the campaign offer such bad services even though they are being promoted by a government agency,” a Thai Hotels Association (THA) spokesman said.

He declined to name the offending establishments.

He said that most of the hotels in the campaign were not easily accessible and few were in popular locations.

“The TAT should inspect the quality of these hotels before promoting them,” the spokesman said.

Not wanting to let the complaints tarnish the image of all Thai hotels, the association will discuss with its ways to solve the problem with its members.

Top of the agenda is a petition to the TAT to have its regional offices consult with hotels before including them on the list of recommended properties.

The Unseen Paradise campaign began earlier this year with the aim of enticing Thai tourists to travel domestically with room discounts of between 25 and 50 per cent.

Kasikornbank is a sponsor of the campaign, and the THA said that one problem was hotels in the campaign welcomed only credit cards issued by Kasikonbank.

TAT deputy governor for the domestic market, Juthaporn Rerngronasa, denied there had been complaints over the standard of accommodation.

She said that all 50 properties in the programme were top hotels and resorts. Aside from a Bt100,000 fee which covers advertising and marketing activities, the properties have to qualify to be on the list, and pass many criteria, including having distinctive design, architectural splendour, and good location.

The hotels are located in all parts of the country, including Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Kanchanaburi, Loei, Phuket, Trang and Ubon Ratchathani.

--The Nation 2004-06-14

There is a committee at the TAT that addresses this sort of problem. But the problem needs to be shown.

Yeah right Doc - A committee!

Yeah right Doc - A committee!

Well .... committees do slow things down

Yeah right Doc - A committee!

Well .... committees do slow things down

But the 100,000 baht registration fee probably cuts down on discussion on standards.

I don't remember which famous person it was that said "A committee is a group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary".

Who is Richard Harkness?

"What is a committee? A group of the unwilling, picked from the unfit, to do the unnecessary." Richard Harkness

Sorry thought this was Jeopardy

OK CMG - Double or Quits?

I'll take famous quotes for $200 please Megashox

Who is Richard Harkness? I assume that he's not widely known of outside of the US.

OK - Who was it that said "A camel is a horse designed by a committee"?

CMG - Your time begins now!

I have no Idea.....do I have a lifeline with Jeopardy? if so I'd like to use it now.