T A T Launches ' The Little Big Project' To Promote Tourism And Save Environment

[webfact]

TAT launches 'The Little Big Project' to promote tourism and save environment

BANGKOK, 11 April 2013 (NNT) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is launching a campaign called “The Little Big Project”, in the hope of promoting the country’s tourism and helping save wildlife animals and the environment.

Deputy TAT Governor Pongsathorn Kessasamli said the TAT is launching a project under the theme of “Voluntourism”, hoping to promote the country's tourism industry as well as to save the animals and the environment.

According to him, the project is aimed at inspiring worldwide travelers to take their vacation in Thailand, where they will have an opportunity to do something meaningful while being on holiday; adding that selected participants will learn how little things can make such a big difference. They will also have a life-changing experience for themselves and others.

Since modern travelling is more than just having fun, the TAT has initiated a digital marketing campaign called “The Little Big Project”, which is directed at travelers who are looking for a purposeful vacation, during which they can make this world a better place to live in.

Participants will be tasked with 5 missions, including saving the elephants, helping hill tribe children, rescuing turtles, developing the Andaman coast, and preserving coral reef.

Those who are interested in the project may register now until May 20, 2013. For more information, please visit www.TheLittleBigProjectThailand.com


-- NNT 2013-04-11

[trainman34014]

Hmmm; they should try educating their own people to clear up all the filthy mess they leave behind them everywhere they go, then perhaps tourists might be more interested in helping out when they see a lovely clean and tidy country they are visiting.

[dcutman]

Deputy TAT Governor Pongsathorn Kessasamli said the TAT is launching a
project under the theme of “Voluntourism”, hoping to promote the
country's tourism industry as well as to save the animals and the
environment.

Participants will be tasked with 5 missions, including saving the
elephants, helping hill tribe children, rescuing turtles, developing the
Andaman coast, and preserving coral reef.

Sounds like a great Idea. To bad the govt is focusing these issues on tourism and not on the local population of Thailand.

I can say it was a life changing experience for me, on my first boat tour on the rivers and canals in BKK.

Edited April 11, 2013 by dcutman

[jamhar]

You can say what you want,

but TL's tourism marketing is second to no one.

NICE idea!

These guys are constantly dreaming up different angles.

TL's governing body could use a couple of lessons from them.(unfortunately )

[Bluespunk]

perhaps should talk to own ministers who tried to reduce protection for a number of local endangered species at environmental conference here in bangkok a few months back.

[BrianCR]

Thai school children are taught how to save animals and the environment and are given lots of practice with "field trips" (a waste of time according to some posters). The problem is in educating the parents to inspire and keep the kids interested. Easy? Not so, as environmental studies were not taught when they went to school! I think in general this TAT concept is a good idea and I feel sure that after its inception Thai tourists and local schools will be invited to participate so, please no Thai knockers, let's give it a chance and see what happens. Have a good day!

[Bellweather]

Ha Ha Ha, got to laugh. We have the " 7 dangerous days " campaign, " hunt the smog " and now the " the little big project ". Have they hired the Brothers Grimm to turn out these fairy tales ?

[AleG]

I thought one needed a work permit to do volunteer work in Thailand. Are they going to change the laws, look the other way or what?

[Bellweather]

Hmmm; they should try educating their own people to clear up all the filthy mess they leave behind them everywhere they go, then perhaps tourists might be more interested in helping out when they see a lovely clean and tidy country they are visiting.

Great point. I have travelled a lot in my life and other than observing basic litter rules never thought about cleaning up any mess the locals in any country caused

[BrianCR]

Sorry about second posting PC jammed

Edited April 11, 2013 by BrianCR

[AleG]

I thought one needed a work permit to do volunteer work in Thailand. Are they going to change the laws, look the other way or what?

If I may answer myself, I thought so:

Foreign volunteer workers need to have valid Visas and Work Permits even if they are not paid for the work they are doing in Thailand.

Foreigners are legally required to have a work permit for any work they do in Thailand, not having a legal Work Permit can result in fines, jail, deportation and blacklisting.

[Buchholz]

Participants will be tasked with 5 missions, including saving the elephants, helping hill tribe children, rescuing turtles, developing the Andaman coast, and preserving coral reef.

.

Whoa, whoa whoa... back the truck up...

Posted by george on 2003-04-23 21:31:30 in Thai visas, residency and work permits

The penalty for working without a valid work permit in Thailand is basically the same as for overstay:

Jail, fine, deportation and possibly blacklisted from entering the Kingdom again.

Read this info: http://www.thaivisa.com/303.0.html

I repeat, there is NO exceptions.

All foreigners need a valid work permit.

About 200 western foreigners per year are deported for illegal work.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/865-work-permit/?view=findpost&p=3257

[Mampara]

Again the foreigner comes to the rescue especially the ferang, but when he gets hear, what happens? He/She gets beaten, robbed, raped, murdered, exposed to double pricing, and faced with all means of money extortion from the very people who are supposed to protect them. I ask you with "hat in hand" would you really wish to come hear under those conditions?

[Bluespunk]

deleted

Edited April 11, 2013 by Bluespunk

[BrianCR]

Again the foreigner comes to the rescue especially the ferang, but when he gets hear, what happens? He/She gets beaten, robbed, raped, murdered, exposed to double pricing, and faced with all means of money extortion from the very people who are supposed to protect them. I ask you with "hat in hand" would you really wish to come hear under those conditions?

Sorry to ask but which part of Thailand are you living in? Obviously the wrong part!

[BrianCR]

I thought one needed a work permit to do volunteer work in Thailand. Are they going to change the laws, look the other way or what?

If I may answer myself, I thought so:

Foreign volunteer workers need to have valid Visas and Work Permits even if they are not paid for the work they are doing in Thailand.

Foreigners are legally required to have a work permit for any work they do in Thailand, not having a legal Work Permit can result in fines, jail, deportation and blacklisting.

As TAT is owned and managed by the Thai Government it will not be very hard for them to instigate visa exemptions or even create a new type of visa

[Bluespunk]

I thought one needed a work permit to do volunteer work in Thailand. Are they going to change the laws, look the other way or what?

If I may answer myself, I thought so:

Foreign volunteer workers need to have valid Visas and Work Permits even if they are not paid for the work they are doing in Thailand.

Foreigners are legally required to have a work permit for any work they do in Thailand, not having a legal Work Permit can result in fines, jail, deportation and blacklisting.

don't worry TAT will just add an extra charge to pay for a permit, they'll have all the bases covered in this latest money spinning wheeze.

to be fair to TAT it is the sort of holiday i would look at, it's just that i doubt their motives are environmental. money and numbers is their goal.

[Buchholz]

don't worry TAT will just add an extra charge to pay for a permit

.

Probably. They certainly won't be paying for it.

.

A work permit must be obtained from a Thai labour office and costs 3,100 baht

.

Although, the probably also won't cooperate as sponsors.

.

You obtain it with the help of your employer. Both of you need to submit paperwork.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

As TAT is owned and managed by the Thai Government it will not be very hard for them to instigate visa exemptions or even create a new type of visa

.

Good.

Let them issue work permit exemption letters BEFORE announcing that it is ok to violate Labor Ministry work permit laws and Foreign Ministry visa laws. That they don't mention it at all lends one to believe that this time, as previously, they haven't even considered the illegality of their latest campaign.

p.s.

It must be hard for them. They or any other entity has never done so before.

.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[DocN]

So let me get this straight;

"developing the Andaman coast"...what does that mean?

And if it means "developing"...how does that work with "saving the corals"?

"Helping hill tribe children"...you mean the same children that get looked down upon by most Thais, get no help whatsoever from the government, sometimes not even the citizenship to Thailand???

So...since Thailand (and its people) do not have any clue about racial equality, environment, protecting endangered species and so on...TAT are taking the farang -the people that are not protected from scams, are ridiculed when raped, are doubbe priced and mainly are just asked to leave their money here before they are kindly asked to leave the country again as soon as possible- and prey on them?

Is that what I read here?

So "we" should do, what Thailand, its government and most of its people dont give a hoot about AND pay for it?

There are environmentally friendly ways of travelling in Thailand, there are organisations already existing, that support hill tribes, local communities, endangered animals and the likes.

Go figure!

[Thai at Heart]

Give it 6 months and the crackdown on foreign operators offering voluntourism to illegally working farangs will be huge.

This almost reads like a honey trap.

[JetsetBkk]

The web site is quite amazingly well done. There are some clever people working here.

But the official rules are daunting: http://www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com/images/file/Official-Rules-The-Little-Big-Project-R040413.pdf

[Buchholz]

here.

But the official rules are daunting: http://www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com/images/file/Official-Rules-The-Little-Big-Project-R040413.pdf

.

Thanks for that...(shoulda checked earlier myself)

Good grief, it's staggeringly revealing.

http://www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com/

Nothing in the OP about the whole "Project" is actually just a small short-term competition, nothing about it being a free trip to the winners of the competition, and nothing about it being limited to 10 winners.

.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[Thai at Heart]

The web site is quite amazingly well done. There are some clever people working here.

But the official rules are daunting: http://www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com/images/file/Official-Rules-The-Little-Big-Project-R040413.pdf

Well, I have to say, I am absolutely gobsmacked by the website. I would like to believe that TAT came up with this all on their own, and if they did, great job. It has a Discovery Channel series written all over it.

[grado]

great news for save econemy

[BrianCR]

Buchholz, on 11 Apr 2013 - 11:04, said:

BrianCR, on 11 Apr 2013 - 10:47, said:

As TAT is owned and managed by the Thai Government it will not be very hard for them to instigate visa exemptions or even create a new type of visa

.

Good.

Let them issue work permit exemption letters BEFORE announcing that it is ok to violate Labor Ministry work permit laws and Foreign Ministry visa laws. That they don't mention it at all lends one to believe that this time, as previously, they haven't even considered the illegality of their latest campaign.

p.s.

It must be hard for them. They or any other entity has never done so before.

.

Because there is no mention of a visa/wp doesn't mean they haven't looking into the matter. I do believe that TAT advertise for tourists but never mention the visa. Interesting to note that to take part in this programme people have to book perhaps, legalities will be taken care of at that time. I seem to remember with the VIP Club a few years back visas were automatically issued to members with no problem? Perhaps your are not understanding that a government can change/alter visa/wp rules as and when it sees fit! Don't forget that the Labor Ministry and Foreign Ministry are both controlled by Government Minsters so, problem solved! Edited April 11, 2013 by BrianCR

[AleG]

The web site is quite amazingly well done. There are some clever people working here.

But the official rules are daunting: http://www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com/images/file/Official-Rules-The-Little-Big-Project-R040413.pdf

Oh... so it's a publicity stunt not a program..

[jbrain]

I guess the arriving tourists will get a number and some promotion stickers on their suitcase, similar to those car rally's one may heve seen during the weekends.

[BrianCR]

Proves a good point - get the full information before slagging the place off and don't believe all you read on web-sites!

[BrianCR]

The web site is quite amazingly well done. There are some clever people working here.

But the official rules are daunting: http://www.thelittlebigprojectthailand.com/images/file/Official-Rules-The-Little-Big-Project-R040413.pdf

Oh... so it's a publicity stunt not a program..

Would be termed a promotion by most people!