Thailand to develop five sites as quality tourist destinations

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Rebranding plan to develop five sites as quality tourist destinations
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

Phra That Chae Haeng Temple is a landmark in Nan, which was selected by the Tourism Ministry as one of five destinations to be rebranded. Nan will be repositioned as a destination for biking and ageing-tourism.

BANGKOK: -- Five sites have been pinpointed by the Tourism Ministry to be developed as quality destinations as part of a rebranding plan aimed at boosting high-spending tourists.

"Each of the cities will get rebranding and repositioning based on their uniqueness and strength as well as their main target market," Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said last week.

The five sites are Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Pha-ngan and Nan.

Bangkok will be presented as a destination for world heritage river cruises, which will complement other activities such as shopping, dining, weekend getaways, and history and culture appreciation.

Pattaya, which is now stereotyped as a nightlife and beach resort city, will be refocused as a world-class sports and family destination.

Koh Pha-ngan, host of a popular full moon party, will be turned into a Thai-style party central. The idea is to attract foreigners to come and experience more Thainess.

In Phuket, premium cruising and MICE (meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition) businesses are targeted besides sun-tanning and diving.

The famous Nan province in the North, where tourists love to flock to during the winter, is set to become an eco-tourism magnet focused on biking and also ageing tourism. Tourists aged over 50 are the main target for the province as Nan is a quiet town with natural beauty and a slow pace of life. The province is also a safe town for visitors as well as locals.

Many of Nan's historic attractions have been preserved or restored. A walk around the town can feel like taking a trip back in time to the 14th century.

Last year, Nan welcomed nearly 500,000 visitors, of whom 70 per cent were Thais and 30 per cent foreigners, mostly Europeans, Koreans and Japanese. The peak period falls in the cool season.

Kobkarn said if officials can achieve rebranding and repositioning of all five cities by next year as planned, it would not only raise their image as a quality destination but also attract quality tourists and make them want to extend their stay.

Last year, the average length of stay in Thailand was 9.8 days, the longest in Asean. Spending per head per trip was also at the top level in the region at US$1,400 or Bt42,000.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Rebranding-plan-to-develop-five-sites-as-quality-t-30248882.html


-- The Nation 2014-12-01

[rasmus5150]

Let me be the first to say "Good Luck", you are certainly going to need it.

[banglassie]

Quality this quality that. Time to move back to Sisaket and forget the world including this country..

[pinkpanther99]

Nan?

Have you ever been to Nan?

Jesus Christ.

"A walk around the town can feel like taking a trip back in time to the 14th century."

You're not kidding.

With all due respect, I don't mean to offend but I could think of a number of other places I'd put on the list before Nan.

[Thailand]

Family night out on walking street!

[Thailand]

Nan?

Have you ever been to Nan?

Jesus Christ.

"A walk around the town can feel like taking a trip back in time to the 14th century."

You're not kidding.

With all due respect, I don't mean to offend but I could think of a number of other places I'd put on the list before Nan.

I have but it was shut. At least I think it was!

[iReason]

"...as part of a rebranding plan aimed at boosting high-spending tourists."

Just like the guy in the TAT produced, "I Hate Thailand" video?

"The five sites are Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Pha-ngan and Nan."

I guess Koh Tao doesn't need any help. They have developed their own unique rebranding of Thainess...

[culicine]

Refocusing Pattaya should be an interesting endeavour. The bars will be shut down or what?

[thailiketoo]

This lady went to school with Hillary Clinton (same school don't know if they were classmates). She is quite intelligent and has held important positions in banking and the family business is Toshiba of Thailand.

How do you re brand Pattaya and why would you want to? It's already successful.

I keep wondering when she will get the idea of rolling dice and playing cards while the country makes billions.

[EricBerg]

"Pattaya, which is now stereotyped as a nightlife and beach resort city, will be refocused as a world-class sports and family destination."

Though I've never been there, I have seen hordes of lowlifes at Suvarnabumi and before at Don Mueng with destination Pattaya. Exchanging those thousands for quality tourists and families? How on earth will they do that? And what about the thousands of jobs in the entertainment business there? Will the prostitutes and bouncers be trained for different jobs? No way they would do that. Liquidating Pattaya in it's present function would cost heaps and heaps of money. Those quality tourists they intend to get will never show up in large numbers in Thailand. The country and it's people cannot accommodate them. Scams on all levels by all professions including police scare off the quality tourists.

"Koh Pha-ngan, host of a popular full moon party, will be turned into a Thai-style party central. The idea is to attract foreigners to come and experience more Thainess."

After prostitution and clubbing paradise they want to convert backpackers paradise, another money generator. The Thainess part sounds especially worrying.

Quality (= rich) people in Phuket have been taking a raincheck for a few years already. The top end real estate properties for rent or sale are doing very poorly. Even the Hong Kong Chinese seem to chose other destinations for investing and spendiong their weekends and holidays. Beautiful properties remain empty even after loweringf prices several times. For the intended cruises again there will be the staff problem.

The cute tourism minister has been producing much air again. But this plan is even worse than het bracelets plan. Can't she be replaced?

[doggie888888]

Family night out on walking street!

The kids might learn to play ping pong

[taony]

"world heritage river cruises"

[jabis]

Why can't they just stop with these announcements - they make me laugh so much my stomach is hurting

[mataleo]

stop harrasing tourists first

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=823495661006630&set=o.372600356127607&type=2&theater

[toonsai]

Pattaya a quality destination OMG. Thailand the hub of failed announcements by incompetent and corrupted officials

[Thai at Heart]

I am going to bookmark this to rememer to check in on this page, every year until the day I pop my clogs.

Lets see how long this all takes....

[Fred Flinstone]

The concepts sound good -easier said than done .

But credit where its due , sounds like a great "'Vision of possibilities "

Some Might think rebranding Pattaya in Particular is difficult .

But people need to remember "anything is possible"

Yes it might mean cleaning up the Bars and sleaze and building some infra-structure but what a great idea!

Pattaya i see already has some nice Hotels that once the place is cleaned up would accommodate the sports fans.

Golf , tennis , marathon races , sailing , Beach Volley ball , Power boats, Boxing titles , and many others it certainly would work.

But real commitment to closing hundreds of bars would be needed .

Currently , Quality people are just too modest to be interested in its current state.

I wish them luck there.

As for cruises thats always nice at sunset on a river , i hope they build appropriate vessels so dining can be had , and some musicians play etc.

The Northern aspect again captures imagination and sounds equally inviting to people who like to experience all on offer.

It absolutely beautiful countryside in the Northern Thailand , my daughter still shows her friends her Elephant ride photos.

And my wife bought a suit case full of arts and crafts.

i have to Hand it to this general if he sees this through.

Tough actions required but a brilliant idea and congratulations , i am sure it will pay off and achieve the aim.

[balo]

"Pattaya will be rebranded as a world-class sports and family destination."

I'd like to see that with my own eyes.

[falangjim]

Thainess n. -. the act of never being accountable for your actions .

Hey Somchai, why did two innocent Burmese workers spend months in jail for a crime they didn't commit?

Oh, Lek, you know that's just Thainess.

[The stuttering parrot]

Last year the average stay was 9.8 days the highest in the ASEAN .

However due to a military coup martial law the KohTao murders and continuing scams we are once again reduced to having to put out articles like this to try and put a spin on what we have to offer.

Now if you were a betting man what's the odds on them cracking down on walking street after the recent crack down on the happy endings in bkk ?

[nong38]

Stop the world I want to get off!

Have these people any idea what they are doing? Have they ever been to any of these places? Why would travellers of any ilk go there just because these "experts" say so? THey have never ever seen or used any of the World renowned Travellers Guides which potential tourists will have.

I think I need to go and lie down now!!!

[nong38]

Last year the average stay was 9.8 days the highest in the ASEAN .

However due to a military coup martial law the KohTao murders and continuing scams we are once again reduced to having to put out articles like this to try and put a spin on what we have to offer.

Now if you were a betting man what's the odds on them cracking down on walking street after the recent crack down on the happy endings in bkk ?

Is a happy ending a bit like the end of Happy Hour when you get 3 in just before normal prices are resumed?

[ginjag]

Nan?

Have you ever been to Nan?

Jesus Christ.

"A walk around the town can feel like taking a trip back in time to the 14th century."

You're not kidding.

With all due respect, I don't mean to offend but I could think of a number of other places I'd put on the list before Nan.

I have but it was shut. At least I think it was!

That must have been mid week they close it as there is a safety issue of overcrowding. haha.

[mataleo]

This is joke

Pattaya, which is now stereotyped as a nightlife and beach resort city, will be refocused as a world-class sports and family destination.

Koh Pha-ngan, host of a popular full moon party, will be turned into a Thai-style party central. The idea is to attract foreigners to come and experience more Thainess.

world-class sports? in where? filthy sea? In what stadiums or arenas? theres one that when holded Buakaw figt last time it was a joke, no parking etc lots complains... Who comes to pattaya for a sport?

Lets face it, if there would be no bars and no girls in Pattaya no one would come here.....

Koh Pha ngan Thai style party? lol so they want young farangs go to thai issan style music dancing is it? The idea is to attract foreigners to come and experience more Thainess. Yeh sign me in

[Commerce]

The concepts sound good -easier said than done .

But credit where its due , sounds like a great "'Vision of possibilities "

Some Might think rebranding Pattaya in Particular is difficult .

But people need to remember "anything is possible"

Yes it might mean cleaning up the Bars and sleaze and building some infra-structure but what a great idea!

Pattaya i see already has some nice Hotels that once the place is cleaned up would accommodate the sports fans.

Golf , tennis , marathon races , sailing , Beach Volley ball , Power boats, Boxing titles , and many others it certainly would work.

But real commitment to closing hundreds of bars would be needed .

Currently , Quality people are just too modest to be interested in its current state.

I wish them luck there.

As for cruises thats always nice at sunset on a river , i hope they build appropriate vessels so dining can be had , and some musicians play etc.

The Northern aspect again captures imagination and sounds equally inviting to people who like to experience all on offer.

It absolutely beautiful countryside in the Northern Thailand , my daughter still shows her friends her Elephant ride photos.

And my wife bought a suit case full of arts and crafts.

i have to Hand it to this general if he sees this through.

Tough actions required but a brilliant idea and congratulations , i am sure it will pay off and achieve the aim.

That was a sarcastic post wasn't it? To me, it sounds like a load of codswallop (on a serious note!)

[ginjag]

Last year the average stay was 9.8 days the highest in the ASEAN .

However due to a military coup martial law the KohTao murders and continuing scams we are once again reduced to having to put out articles like this to try and put a spin on what we have to offer.

Now if you were a betting man what's the odds on them cracking down on walking street after the recent crack down on the happy endings in bkk ?

Is a happy ending a bit like the end of Happy Hour when you get 3 in just before normal prices are resumed?

Just loved Parrot's----DUE to the military coup. ha ha ha ha.

[Commerce]

Last year, Nan welcomed nearly 500,000 visitors, of whom 70 per cent were Thais and spending per head per trip was also at the top level in the region at Bt42,000.

Yeah! Pull the other one! Take out the 70% Thais, who probably spent in the region of 20,000B max, and Bob's your Uncle... FARANG spent on average 70,000B, and they were not the quality tourists!

Go do one missus, and think again....

Me thinks you forgot places like Ayutthaya, etc.

Then again, you don't want low class tourists running around, like wild monkeys in Lopburi!

[JOC]

The concepts sound good -easier said than done .

But credit where its due , sounds like a great "'Vision of possibilities "

Some Might think rebranding Pattaya in Particular is difficult .

But people need to remember "anything is possible"

Yes it might mean cleaning up the Bars and sleaze and building some infra-structure but what a great idea!

Pattaya i see already has some nice Hotels that once the place is cleaned up would accommodate the sports fans.

Golf , tennis , marathon races , sailing , Beach Volley ball , Power boats, Boxing titles , and many others it certainly would work.

But real commitment to closing hundreds of bars would be needed .

Currently , Quality people are just too modest to be interested in its current state.

I wish them luck there.

As for cruises thats always nice at sunset on a river , i hope they build appropriate vessels so dining can be had , and some musicians play etc.

The Northern aspect again captures imagination and sounds equally inviting to people who like to experience all on offer.

It absolutely beautiful countryside in the Northern Thailand , my daughter still shows her friends her Elephant ride photos.

And my wife bought a suit case full of arts and crafts.

i have to Hand it to this general if he sees this through.

Tough actions required but a brilliant idea and congratulations , i am sure it will pay off and achieve the aim.

[iReason]

The concepts sound good -easier said than done .

But credit where its due , sounds like a great "'Vision of possibilities "

Some Might think rebranding Pattaya in Particular is difficult .

But people need to remember "anything is possible"

Yes it might mean cleaning up the Bars and sleaze and building some infra-structure but what a great idea!

Pattaya i see already has some nice Hotels that once the place is cleaned up would accommodate the sports fans.

Golf , tennis , marathon races , sailing , Beach Volley ball , Power boats, Boxing titles , and many others it certainly would work.

But real commitment to closing hundreds of bars would be needed .

Currently , Quality people are just too modest to be interested in its current state.

I wish them luck there.

As for cruises thats always nice at sunset on a river , i hope they build appropriate vessels so dining can be had , and some musicians play etc.

The Northern aspect again captures imagination and sounds equally inviting to people who like to experience all on offer.

It absolutely beautiful countryside in the Northern Thailand , my daughter still shows her friends her Elephant ride photos.

And my wife bought a suit case full of arts and crafts.

i have to Hand it to this general if he sees this through.

Tough actions required but a brilliant idea and congratulations , i am sure it will pay off and achieve the aim.

"...my daughter still shows her friends her Elephant ride photos."

Perhaps you can get her together with her friends to watch this "Training" video of elephants.

You really are clueless aren't you?

"And my wife bought a suit case full of arts and crafts."

Any Ivory in there?

[The stuttering parrot]

Yeah Ginny the coup !

It was in the news you know.

So was the Koh Tao murders.

Martial law to.

Still are and tourist numbers are way down.

But you know all that your just looking for your usual nibble!