Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced recently the Suratthani Rajabhat University’s Samuibased International School of Tourism will be developed as the center of tourism studies in the south with an initial annual funding of Bt20 million as Thailand gears up to attract more foreign tourists.

Dr. Prayote Kupgarnjanagool, vice president for planning and development at the International School of Tourism, said the prime minister who presided over a Cabinet meeting on Oct. 22 on the campus, asked that the institution develop training programs that will compliment Thailand’s growing tourism industry.

“They would like to turn this as the main school for tourism,” Dr. Prayote told Samui Express. “The government thinks tourism is very important for Thailand to become a world-class destination. We can make a lot of money through tourism.” IST currently has over 300 students. Some of them are from China, Burma, Laos and Cambodia.

http://samuiexpress.net/home/news/local-news/general-news/745-samui-eyed-as-hub-for-tourism-studies

Hubba, Hubba!