TAT Discusses Plan to Push for More Tourism in Betong

[webfact]

 

by Krajangwit Johjit

    

BETONG (NNT) - The Betong Tourism Association has revealed that the organization and businesses in Betong’s tourism sector have discussed a plan to guarantee 60 seats on each Nok Air flight bound for the newly opened airport in exchange for the airline agreeing to reduce round-trip fares from Bangkok to 5,000 baht.

 

Narin Ruengwongsa, the association’s vice-president, said tour operators tabled the offer with the airline, which agreed to reduce round-trip ticket prices to approximately 6,000 baht.

 

Given that those tickets are now around 7,000 baht, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has urged the airline to cover the difference of 1,000 baht – a suggestion Nok Air has not yet approved.

 

Narin stated that the TAT will continue to discuss the matter with all parties involved. If the TAT is successful in reaching an agreement with Nok Air, services to and from Betong will resume on May 2.

 

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Nok Air’s services between Bangkok and Betong were suspended shortly after they began on March 14th. The airline cited a lack of passenger interest in its decision to suspend operations.

 

Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon dismissed concerns about possible operational glitches at the southern airport, following reports that the Southern Border Provinces Administration Center was seeking additional funding to assist the Department of Airports in funding the airport’s operations.

 

Gen Prawit insisted the airport is operational in his capacity as chair of a panel on the development of southern border provinces. He stated that operations will not be impacted while the budget request is resolved.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-26

 

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[hotchilli]

From Chinese, Europeans, Scandinavians to Indians, Russians then digital nomads to anyone else who is wealthy and now Betong... 

T.A.T chasing the dream.

[Sydebolle]

Of course, the 7,000, then 6,000 and now proposed 5,000 Baht are too costly for an all domestic flight without paying overflight rights etc. - compared to other tariffing; for less than 20,000 Baht you're in for a Bangkok-Europe on a pristine carrier.

A flight to Penang/Malaysia (120kms East of Betong) sees higher costs but can be reached below 5,000 Baht - return. 
A flight to Singapore on Scoot is also cheaper than the Nok Air offering. 

a) is there enough meat on the bone to justify a dedicated flight or could Betong be covered out of Narathiwat or Penang? What is the passenger potential at what price level; any market study done? 
b) Betong has now two airports, a defunct old runway and the new "international" airport - albeit not a single flight
c) why on Earth should the Tourism Authority of Thailand burn taxpayers money in promoting a dead horse and subsidize flights with 20%? Rather put Betong on the tourism map with what the place has to offer - if anything ....... 

[soi3eddie]

Ticket prices far too expensive to stimulate even domestic tourism when alternatives far cheaper. Don't see this route lasting long. It is also on the "essential travel only" advice of the UK government (and possibly other countries' advice too).

 

For security reasons, the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

• Pattani
• Yala
• Narathiwat
• Southern Songkhla province. This does not include areas north of and including the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and areas north-west of and including the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Pedang Besar.

Consular assistance is available throughout Thailand, except for the provinces noted above. See Terrorism

Edited March 26, 2022 by soi3eddie

[Will B Good]

Crazy notion, but is there any (significant) demand for tourism in this part of the world?

 

Tourists generally want to go to places that they want to go to, not where government ministers would like them to go to.

 

Cart and horse spring to mind.

[MarcelV]

2 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Crazy notion, but is there any (significant) demand for tourism in this part of the world?

 

Tourists generally want to go to places that they want to go to, not where government ministers would like them to go to.

 

Cart and horse spring to mind.

I think there might be good demand from mainland Chinese, but the timing of this airport couldn't be worse in that regard.

I've been to Betong four times, but as I live in Narathiwat it is not that far for me. Still, quite a trek through the mountains. About 5 hours by car is my guess.

Edited March 26, 2022 by MarcelV

[RichardColeman]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

T.A.T chasing the dream.

TAT Chasing anything !

[rott]

8 hours ago, MarcelV said:

I think there might be good demand from mainland Chinese, but the timing of this airport couldn't be worse in that regard.

I've been to Betong four times, but as I live in Narathiwat it is not that far for me. Still, quite a trek through the mountains. About 5 hours by car is my guess.

How far/how long from Hat Yai.? 

[Stocky]

13 hours ago, rott said:

How far/how long from Hat Yai.? 

About 250km from Hat Yai, or around 6hrs drive. Though it's probably quicker to drive there via Malaysia (if not for Covid), as the roads are better.

I don't really understand the airport, sure the locals will find it very handy (provided there are flights), but 90% of tourists to Betong (before Covid) came from Malaysia. If you really need to fly somewhere it's only 120km and about 2.5hrs from Betong to Penang Airport. I doubt it will attract that many domestic tourists and even fewer foreigners. The exception being Chinese tourists, as suggested in an earlier post, they are quite keen on visiting towns and cities populated by the Chinese diaspora. But until China reopens the borders for its citizens to travel that isn't going to happen.

 

Betong was popular with Malaysians as a weekend destination, both for the nightlife and the food, and it does feel like a Malaysian Chinese town. But for the Anglo-Siam treaty of 1909 it would be part of Malaysia, which is culturally where it belongs.

 

.

Edited March 27, 2022 by Stocky

[rott]

So it is mainly Chinese and not Muslim, that is interesting.

Western tourists are presumably rare, but not likely to encounter problems.? 

[Stocky]

24 minutes ago, rott said:

So it is mainly Chinese and not Muslim, that is interesting.

Western tourists are presumably rare, but not likely to encounter problems.? 

Betong has a mixed community but it's predominantly Thai-Chinese rather than Thai-Malay. It's remote within Thailand lying at the very far end of Yala province, as far away from Yala city as possible to be, but but for the border it's very well connected to Malaysia . The border is with Perak, west side of Malaysia, not Kelantan. Perak has a high Chinese community, they came as tin miners. The Chinese in Betong are really a part of of that community.

 

It hasn't really had any trouble with the insurgency. Westerners do visit, but usually coming in from Malaysia. I visited Betong many years ago when working in Malaysia.

 

. 

Edited March 27, 2022 by Stocky

[Pmbkk]

On 3/26/2022 at 6:59 AM, RichardColeman said:

TAT Chasing anything !

 

I thought it was usually TAT chasing it's tail.. or so it seems..????