Govt Pledges To Upgrade Tourism Potential

[george]

Govt pledges to upgrade tourism potential of tsunami-hit provinces

BANGKOK: -- Tourism and Sports Minister Sontaya Kunplome today revealed the government's plans to repair and restore the six provinces affected by last week's tsunamis, announcing an ambitious programme to create a new tourism image for the region with a diversity of quality tourist attractions.

Mr. Sontaya said that the country's six southern Andaman provinces of Phuket, Krabi, Phang-nga, Trang, Ranong and Satun would be not only restored to their original state, but upgraded into a world-class tourism area.

Noting that in the past, the six provinces had engaged in fruitless competition with one another, he said that under the new plans the provinces would be encouraged to work together to boost tourism potential.

The government would also address the problem of land encroachment, which had led to the degradation of tourist destinations in the area, he said.

However, he said that with cooperation from local organizations, the government would be able to solve the region's problems, drawing on the huge number of high quality tourist attractions in the six provinces, as well as the region's good transportation links.

Under the blueprint for recovery in the six Andaman provinces, the areas will be drawn up into distinct zones.

Phuket, which suffered relatively little tsunami damage, will remain a centre of the seaside resort industry, and will act as a centre to disperse tourists to other attractions in the vicinity.

On Koh Phi Phi, meanwhile, the government will extend beachfront areas, thus, reducing the number of hotels on the island and expanding the amount of the island given over to natural resources.

The island will be primarily promoted as a destination for day trips from the mainland.

In the Phang-nga resort of Khao Lak, which bore the brunt of the damage, the government will seek to roll back the beachfront area, promoting the resort as an area for activities associated with the seaside and nature.

Land controlled by the state in the Andaman provinces will be strictly zoned, with regulations concerning the types of businesses allowed in each area.

Local communities, meanwhile, will be encouraged to set up homestays and eco-tourism packages.

In Phuket, the government will accelerate plans to turn the island into a duty-free zone, while encouraging investment in man-made tourist attractions.

Of the 580 hotels operating on Phuket before the disaster, 423 are now open for business, providing 25,782 rooms.

In Phang-nga, however, only 792 rooms are now available, compared to 5,026 before the tragedy.

--TNA 2005-01-03