TAT: HOTEL STANDARDS IN THAILAND

The TAT, the Foundation of Standard and Human Resources Development in Service and Tourism Industry, the Thailand Hotels Association, and other relevant agencies are working together in implementing the project to improve the hotels’ standard in our kingdom. The project aims to boost our guests’ confidence and satisfaction in staying in our accommodations.

As for the hotels’ criteria, each accommodation room in one-star hotels must be at least 10 cubic meters with a 3-ft bed as well as other general amenities.

And for 2-star hotels, their rooms must be no smaller than 14 cubic meters with a 3-ft bed, hotel furniture and decorations, as well as general amenities. Meanwhile, the 3-star hotels, the rooms have to be at least 18 cubic meters in size. Each room must include a 14-inch television w/ remote control, bathtub, room services, conference rooms, business centers and other related services. Moving up to another star, the standard rooms in 4-star hotels must be no smaller than 24 cubic meters, with a 3.5-ft bed and a 20-inch TV with more than 8 operating channels. Further, the rooms must be comprehensively decorated. All 4-star hotels need to have restaurants, fitness centers, swimming pools, and a number of extensive conference rooms.

Coming to the premium 5-star hotels, their standard accommodation rooms have to be at least 30 cubic meters in size. Moreover, 4-ft bed, 20-inch television with 12 operating channels, communication facilities, large bathrooms and clean sanitary are a must. The interior and exterior designs must also be extravagantly decorated. To be a five-star hotel, it must have more than 3 selections of suites, and it needs to have top-notch international restaurants, fitness and massage centers, swimming pools, and of course, conference rooms with complete business and security facilities. Right now, our kingdom has 119 hotels ranging from two to five stars.

Well, for hotel operators who are interested to join the standard certification project, they can contact the Foundation of Standard and Human Resources Development in Service and Tourism Industry at 0-2281-9496. Not to mention, by taking part in this program can promote the tourism industry in Thailand as well.

For further details, please visit the TAT’s website or call its hotline number at 1672.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 13 January 2006

Amazing. They now measure hotel rooms in "cubic meters". I don't think so.

Yes, I love this cbm-thing. So LxBxH 2x2x10 meters would be 5-star. OL.

3ft bed? I hope that's widthnot length.

I thought that rooms were messured in square meters, the way they messure you could get a room with 10 m to the ceilling and a very small floor area.

The people at TAT aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer are they

On a more serious note, I've stayed in many hotels all over the country. 500bt in Songkla (amazing VFM) to 2500bt beachside on Samui (nice place), and most types in between. The odd sh*thole but overall mostly ok. Where I think they often let themselves down is in the small things; chipped plates and cups, slightly damaged room furniture making it look tatty, inroom radios not working, things like that. It seems that maintenance isn't very high on their to do list.

Fire alarm and sprinkler system are a nice thing to know about. I'll pay a bit more for that.