Thai Government told not to rush West coast development

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Government told not to rush West coast development
SUCHAT SRITAMA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE TOURISM industry has cautioned the government about developing the West coast of Thailand as a new destination, saying it should take time to ensure the areas are fully prepared before marketing them.

"Introducing or promoting new destinations is not a big question for the private sector, but we worry about readiness and capability if the government rushes to open areas to draw visitors," Ittirit Kinglake, president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said yesterday.

Tourism development could take time, perhaps years, for the areas to have complete infrastructure, good accommodations, attractive products and services, and skilled resources.

"Especially when we aim to attract quality tourists, we need to have good destinations first," he said.

The National Tourism Committee or the Tourism Ministry are expected to seek Cabinet approval for a tourism development master plan covering eight clusters nationwide by September.

Hua Hin, Cha-Am and Pran Buri on the West coast will be the first combined area to be developed as a sustainable tourism model. Other clusters such as Lanna in the North, Andaman in the South, the East coast and the Northeast with its cultural theme will follow.

The government should not rush to open the West coast and should not take top-down endorsement. It should begin talks with locals and residents before considering any development.

Many visitors to Hua Hin and Cha-Am come from other parts of the country. The two resort towns welcomed only 2 million foreign visitors generating Bt10 billion last year - much lower than 10 million in Phuket and more than 5 million in Chiang Mai.

"We already learned from the failure of Koh Chang on the east coast, where the government and private sectors are set to draw tourists. The island is now claimed as a damaged destination and poorly managed," he added.

Pornthip Hirunkate, vice president for marketing at the council, said she agreed with this project as it would help the private sectors in Cha-am and Hua Hin to gain more business.

"All of us in the tourism industry almost promote Cha-am and Hua Hin together. Of course, Hua Hin is more known than Cha-am, and when described as different provinces, it makes Cha-am less attractive.

"Currently they belong to different provinces, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan. It would reduce so many obstacles and bureaucratic red tape.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Government-told-not-to-rush-West-coast-development-30263873.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-07

[fareastguy]

Quote:

Hua Hin, Cha-Am and Pran Buri on the West coast will be the first combined area to be developed as a sustainable tourism model.

​Does this mean just more trash, go-go bars, sex bars/restaurants, walking streets & inflated prices...
I feel sorry for the "local/domestic" Thais who use these areas now as their preferred holiday destination, they'll be priced out once this takes off !!!

It's a bit like East coast (Pattaya) comes to the west coast... Pattaya being the only type of sustainable tourism model Thailand knows !!

[Srikcir]

The Thai coastline on the Andaman Sea might better be considered the West Coast. What other kind of coast would it be?

Certainly Hua Hin and Cha-Am coast face the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. But then so is all the land to the west of the Chao Praya River.

Rather than referring to the West Coast that might confuse international travellers, TAT might consider a more creative and distinctive name like the Royal Coast (for the Royal Residence in Hui Hin) or Joy Shores (for all the water entertainment venues).

Or for the satirists: Sea-Scam Shores

[sprq]

Yes, let's package all of Thailand into saleable chunks for tourism exploitation, turn everything that's genuine into theme parks.

Me, I go to places that have had no tourism "development". They're far more satisfying as travel experiences.

[elgordo38]

Quote Tourism development could take time, perhaps years, for the areas to have complete infrastructure, good accommodations, attractive products and services, and skilled resources end of quote. Might water, sewage, clean air be part of this equation. How much water do 28 million tourists use by the way.

[NCC1701A]

china just lost 2.2 TRILLION US DOLLARS in the stock market in the last 30 days... wake up Thailand...

[PattayaPhom]

Cha am and HH are already popular destinations, look at any holiday/long weekend and the places are heaving with traffic backed up on Petchkasem. As for Foreign tourists the high season in the two places is always busy with restaurants etc showing this....what are they talking about doing???

[cheshiremusicman]

Hua Hin on the WEST COAST?????

HH is on the south EAST COAST. If they can't even get it's location correct, what chance do they stand in having anything useful to contribute to its development?

[Aforek]

" Hua Hin, Cha-Am and Pran Buri on the West coast will be the first combined area to be developed as a sustainable tourism model "

one or two monts ago, they told about Hat peuk thian, ( Petchaburi ) as port arrival for the ferry from Pattaya

now they speak of Pran buri, it's not the same side ; they want to ruin all this coast ?

[jgriff]

When will they learn that not all places need to be tourist traps?