'Father of tourism' slams Phuket greed

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'Father of tourism' slams Phuket greed


Wichit na Ranong: The father of Phuket Tourism.

PHUKET: -- Wichit na Ranong – known to many on Phuket as the Father of Phuket Tourism – has weighed into the growing debate over the industry on the island, slamming greed and delivering “a last warning” to the island that it must clean up its act.

Interviewed by a new Thai-language magazine, Saphan Hin, Mr Wichit, whose family owns the Pearl Hotel in Phuket Town, the Indigo Pearl Resort at Nai Yang Beach, and the Toyota dealerships on the island, among other businesses, said that the lack of any real tourism planning had allowed the island to spiral “out of control”.

The result, he says, is general disorganisation, with deteriorating environment: dirty and unorganised beach area, airport congestion, traffic jams, negative impact on local people and other problems. “Tourists want to come to Phuket, which has resulted in more and more business people wanting to invest in Phuket, establishing hotels, restaurants and other businesses.

“But people’s greed has grown, which has resulted in their good-heartedness shrivelling and criminality growing.

“The problems have been evident for a while”, he says, “manifesting in environmental degradation and a rising tide of criticisms from tourists, and growing bad effects on ordinary local people. Tourism should not have a negative impact on local people.”

He warned that Phuket may no longer be counted as a world class tourism destination because of a slide in the overall quality of the destination.

“Tourists come to Phuket for the beach and if the beach is not attractive, there is no reason for them to come. We don’t have to try to improve any other facilities if the core product is deteriorating as the tourists won’t come any way.” He also criticised central and local authorities for their inability to address the problems.

“Most of the governing bodies in Phuket, unfortunately, don’t understand tourism development in depth yet and there is no evidence that they have engaged any expert for advice.

“They may know tourism from the tourist’s perspective, but do not consider the view of professional tourism administrators to manage the destination. This has created a concern as they have both money and authority, but fail to do their job thoroughly.”he argues.

“Moreover, governors appointed by the Central Government come for just a short period of time and move on. “How could they solve the problems in such a time frame?

“I have heard many people say they come and they go but the problems stay.

“The old problems remain unsolved and the new ones are accumulating.

“Central to fixing Phuket’s woes, he said in the interview, “is cleaning up the messiness along the island’s beaches.

“Phuket’s beaches are the core products. There are many shops, bars, food stalls, restaurants, sun beds, discotheques and others businesses along the beach that make a mess out of the core product itself.

“The beaches must be clean and and well organized, otherwise it is useless trying to improve or create other attractive services and facilities.”

At the end of the interview, Mr Wichit urges the next generation of business people on the island, “Be the leader and not the follower for the products and services. Be creative.

“And be honest to your own profession and your guests

Mr Wichit is a direct descendant of famed 19th Century Phuket Governor Kaw Sim Bee.

In the 1980s, recognising that the tin industry on the island was in permanent decline, he led the drive to establish a new industry, tourism, to take its place, successfully lobbying the government to support it, and making many overseas trips to establish the island on the tourism map.

Mr Wichit is the first President of the Tourism Council of Thailand and was the founding president of the Phuket Tourist Association. He was also formerly on the board of Thai Airways International and Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/%E2%80%98father-of-tourism%E2%80%99-slams-phuket-greed-41172.php


-- Phuket News 2013-08-03

[andreandre]

This guy needs to be the next governor....at least he can see that this place is in dire need of some serious action if it is to regain its lost sheen....

A huge task at hand because the rot is so deeply entrenched , by so many and varied self interests from the basic lounger on the beach right up to the multi million baht land grab scams and all interests in between..

Where the hell would one even start?

[Jingthing]

Father knows best ...

Edited August 3, 2013 by Jingthing

[LivinginKata]

Good ideas, but he will never be voted into any position of governing control. Pity ...

[Briggsy]

He must be well connected to issue criticism of the powers that be on Phuket whilst simultaneously running some big businesses there.

[KanomPang]

What a sensible bloke, sees things for what they are and what needs to be done, but will anyone listen?

[aviadbkk]

Bullshit!! Head of the snake IMHO...no word on the local mafia? No word on private taxis? No word on ridiculous prices? If the beach is his only problem than who cares what he said

[johnlandy]

I do not debate anything Wichit has said, furthermore would not argue that Phuket is not the worst tourist destination in SE Asia where the cancer known by the name of greed is endemic.

Thai's hate Caucasians including the Caucasian tourists that are the hands that feed them. (probably hate all tourists for that matter)

Greed is at the very grassroots of life throughout the realm.

Greed is the motivational factor in all facets of life in the realm. It is greed, greed and more 'eff*# greed..

They would benefit by being psychoanalysed by Sigmund Freud himself "who would probably have to admit defeat"

Edited August 3, 2013 by johnlandy

[poohy]

Good ideas, but he will never be voted into any position of governing control. Pity ...

Yes, for sure, he sounds like he knows what he's talking about , that for sure will make sure he does not ever get into government on the island!

[aTomsLife]

He must be well connected to issue criticism of the powers that be on Phuket whilst simultaneously running some big businesses there.

He runs big businesses, and is therefore well connected and able to issue criticisms.

Agreed with your comment, just not its order.

[virtualtraveller]

tactfully no direct mention of the mafia which I'm sure he must well know about.

[Notstupid30]

Like what he has said but its like this everywhere these day in Thailand ....

[LivinginKata]

Like what he has said but its like this everywhere these day in Thailand ....

From my own observations over 17 years, and travels throughout Thailand, I would say that Phuket has the edge.

[wilcopops]

Ditto for every other part of Thailand too?

[catweazle]

Even though this sounds like a good start and a glimmer of hope for Phuket, I read between the lines that the core and most pressing issues, like Tuk Tuk and taxi mafia, the parking situations, IMPACT of LOCALS on TOURISTS (i.e. bludgeoning, stabbing, beating, head-on collisioning them to death), safety, water, waste, etc. will remain virtually ignored. It takes a little more than beach cleanups, whining about people's greed and pointing out previous achievements to clean up and reinvent Phuket and restore confidence not only in Phuket as a tourism destination but Thailand as a whole.

[CIHUAHUA]

He was listening ! NEXT step is ?

[JetsetBkk]

I don't want to poor scorn on what this bloke says as I agree with most of it, but...

But people's greed has grown, which has resulted in their good-heartedness shrivelling and criminality growing.

According to the owners of the supermarket that is up on the left in soi Cokmakham in Rawai (the soi opposite Nikita's restaurant on the beach), the land opposite the supermarket - on the east side of the soi - is owned by this man. And all that land has now been fenced off. So no parking there any more while visiting the supermarket and almost impossible to turn around in the soi. A lot of premises in that soi with wide access have now put down items to stop vehicles turning round.

The supermarket owners said they offered to rent some land opposite their supermarket as a car park, but he wasn't interested.

Yes, I know it's his land and he can do what he wants with it. Flame on!

[bunuel]

As someone who has written about sustainable tourism development around the world for many years, I find Khun Wichit's words a very welcone breath of fresh air, and his mention of the total lack of planning was music to my ears. What Thailand needs to do is to understand they are killing the fatted calf through short-sighted policies, and that clients will go elsewhere unless things improve. Official denials of obvious realities do not fool industry professionals or potential clients. Would be great for Thailand if Khun Wichit became Tourism Mnister, because he is just what is needed!

[Lancelot]

Despite the pressure for change voiced by foreign ambassadors -with the notable exception of the US ambassador- real change will only come from the Thais, them selves.

Time will tell if they have the will to confront some of the more outlandish scams...

[chatette]

Khun Wichit has been saying this for decades. But one man can't do much if the policy makers and enforcers don't listen or are beneficiaries of the corruption that's ruining Phuket, and Thailand.

[theblether]

The man didn't mention the real problems, why?

The core problem is that tourists quite fancy the idea of having a vacation that doesn't involve getting beaten to a pulp, murdered, chopped in half with a boat propeller, ripped off by rifle waving jet ski scammers, robbed, mugged and........blah blah.

They'd maybe even handle the idea of an untidy beach if they could be spared the rest of it.

[Halion]

Even though this sounds like a good start and a glimmer of hope for Phuket, I read between the lines that the core and most pressing issues, like Tuk Tuk and taxi mafia, the parking situations, IMPACT of LOCALS on TOURISTS (i.e. bludgeoning, stabbing, beating, head-on collisioning them to death), safety, water, waste, etc. will remain virtually ignored. It takes a little more than beach cleanups, whining about people's greed and pointing out previous achievements to clean up and reinvent Phuket and restore confidence not only in Phuket as a tourism destination but Thailand as a whole.

Excellent post and identification of the real issues. Cleaning the beaches is so far down the list of real priorities but he can say this as it is directed at no one in particular.

[RamblingSam]

I've never visited Phuket, but have other parts of Thailand. I think the word 'Envy' should replace that of 'greed', and I think a fair number of tourists treat Thais as if they are 2nd/3rd-class citizens very much like many 17th-19th century European colonials did. On the other hand, Thailand has always been very 'inward-looking', values the fact that it was never Colonised as was the case with virtually all the countries that surrounded it. If, Thailand got those running it's tourist industry to be intensively trained by their European and American counterparts, so they knew first hand how 'differently' tourism industry operates outside Thailand, and then gave these people the 'Teeth' to change things via regulations in Thailand, many more people would visit the country. This is of course a rather generalised view of how things currently are,

[JetsetBkk]

I particularly like this bit:

Moreover, governors appointed by the Central Government come for just a short period of time and move on. "How could they solve the problems in such a time frame?"

I reckon there's a "Phuket lottery" in Bangkok. All the prospective governors buy a ticket and the lucky one gets to come here for a couple of years. It's just like winning the real lottery - no need to do anything, just sit back and watch the money come rolling in.

[drdoom6996]

Bullshit!! Head of the snake IMHO...no word on the local mafia? No word on private taxis? No word on ridiculous prices? If the beach is his only problem than who cares what he said

IMHO after reading the entire article, GREED says a lot to what you are talking about without speaking to each disaster one at a time. If anybody really cares what you said or think. I'm really looking forward to your next post, NOT!

[HerbalEd]

So sad and so true. I don't go to Phuket anymore ... nor Pattaya. And I tell all my farang friends who come to Thailand to avoid them also.

[BarryM]

Hes been running tourist businesses since year dor. Its him and his ilk that are part of the problem. Its only now its hurting his pocket he mentions it

[oldsailor35]

I wonder, do the Phuket beach front traders, e.g. pay a reasonable levy to carry on their business on the beach and if so how is this money spent.

In Queensland all the major towns have beach cleaning tractors running up and down the beaches early morning with sifters leaning the sand so that when the users arrive the beach is perfectly clean. This is a council service.

[oldsailor35]

This guy needs to be the next governor....at least he can see that this place is in dire need of some serious action if it is to regain its lost sheen....

A huge task at hand because the rot is so deeply entrenched , by so many and varied self interests from the basic lounger on the beach right up to the multi million baht land grab scams and all interests in between..

Where the hell would one even start?

Start right the waters edge and work inland. Jetsky's first, then beach traders, Taxis & Tuk Tuks, then Hotels, Bars and restaurants and so on. Form an office for each of these stages and keep them under strict supervision, no corruption allowed in any office.

Edited August 3, 2013 by oldsailor35

[LivinginKata]

For sure the beach vendors pay 'licence' money, but I doubt much goes to the public coffers. I suspect most goes into an official's pocket.