Thai PM Champions Songkhla as New Global Cruise Hub

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Picture courtesy: The Nation

 

In a bold move to transform Songkhla into a bustling hub for global cruise tourism, the Thai government has empowered the Transport Ministry to conduct an extensive study on the development of its ports.

 

With aspirations to welcome luxury liners, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has highlighted the province's untapped potential to attract high-spending foreign tourists, leveraging Songkhla's strategic location as a transport nucleus in southern Thailand.

 

During an off-site cabinet meeting held in Songkhla, the Prime Minister underlined the region's readiness to host international cruise ships, underscoring this initiative as a strategic step towards enhancing its tourism infrastructure.

 

The feasibility study will delve into the possibility of integrating Songkhla as a key stopover, broadening tourist access to the enchanting southern locales of Thailand.

 

Nithi Siprae, the Deputy Governor for Marketing Communication at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), revealed the current popularity of Koh Samui among cruise liners departing from Singapore.

 

He expressed TAT's efforts to entice these operators to consider docking at Songkhla, promoting enticing day trips to the exotic southern destinations. Nithi championed Songkhla's unique position as a transportation pivot in the lower Southern region, highlighting its rich tapestry of cultures, its strategic positioning between two seas, and its distinct local charm.

"Songkhla has always been a favoured destination for Malaysian tourists arriving both by air and road," noted Nithi, emphasising how the introduction of cruise tourism could further bolster the province's maritime allure.

 

In a testament to its cultural vibrance, Prime Minister Paetongtarn toured the historic Old Town in Songkhla, a locality aiming for UNESCO creative city status. Last year, this neighbourhood was recognised in Green Destinations Foundation's Green Destinations Top 100 Stories, reflecting its commitment to sustainable tourism.

 

Recent statistics indicate that Songkhla's allure is on the rise, with the province generating over THB 50.2 billion in 2024, thanks to a surge of 6.99 million tourists—split nearly equally between international and domestic visitors. The top foreign arrivals hailed from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, and China.

 

Songkhla's ambitious strategy to position itself as a premier destination for cruise tourism underscores a wider national agenda to capitalise on its cultural and geographical assets, promising a vibrant future for Thailand's tourism industry, reported The Nation.

 

-- 2025-02-20

 

 

[ozz1]

Another hub just what we need I don't understand why they are so keen on all these hubs

[JoePai]

Just now, ozz1 said:

Another hub just what we need I don't understand why they are so keen on all these hubs

This one is to curry (her family’s) favour with the Southerners 

[newbee2022]

I am sooo happy to live in the country of hubs.

No any  other country can offer that❗

[sherwood]

She really has no idea.