New tourism management plan to be adopted at Phu Thap Boek

PETCHABUN, 26 October 2015 (NNT) - Tourism measures will be adopted to assure hill tribe communities at Phu Thap Boek remain undisturbed by modern Thai society.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavarangkul is expected to meet with the Natural Resources and Environment Minister regarding the tourism management at Phu Thap Boek.

The Royal Forest Department has been tasked with protecting the ecosystem at the popular tourist attraction. The Ministry Natural Resources and Environment will also ensure that tourist activities are in compliance with laws and regulations.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is tasked with creating employment and revenue for the Hmong ethnic minority at Phu Thap Boek, while allowing them to maintain their traditional way of life.

Ms. Kobkarn said the tourism management at Phu Thap Boek will serve as a model for mountain tourism elsewhere in Thailand, in efforts to strike a balance between growing tourism and environmental conservation.


-- NNT 2015-10-26

Joint meeting to resolve influx of visitors to mountain tourist spot



PHETCHABUN: -- Visit to Thailand's famous northern mountain tourism spot Phu Thap Boek in Phetchabun province may be reorganised following influx of visitors over the weekend, causing one of the worst traffic jams on the single narrow mountain road.

The problem of traffic jams and also fear of the deteriorating ecological environment of the mountain tourism spot will be raised at a joint meeting of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and the Ministry of the Natural Resources and Environment today.

Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavarangkul said the influx of tourists to Phu Thap Boek over the weekend was a concern for authorities, indicating that there might be a need to reorganise visit to the mountain tourist spot.

Some measures, including the limitation of the numbers of visitors to tourist might be considered, she said.

Other tourism measures to be considered would also assure that hill tribe communities at Phu Thap Boek remain undisturbed by urban culture.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is in charge of creating employment and revenue for the Hmong ethnic minority at Phu Thap Boek, and of allowing them to maintain their traditional way of life.

Meanwhile the Royal Forest Department is in charge of the ecosystem at the popular tourist attraction.

She said the meeting today would try to make Phu Thap Boek serve as a model for mountain tourism elsewhere in Thailand.

These measures to be discussed would enable mountain tourist spot to remain its identity which is a balance between growing tourism and environmental conservation, she said.

Besides, it would ensure that visit to the spot would be more convenient, she said.

Over 20,000 tourists flocked to Phu Thap Boek, the famous mountain resort in Phetchabun province, at the start of the three-day long weekend last Friday causing traffic jam on the single narrow road to the mountain top.

The influx of tourists to this popular resort came against the backdrop that the Royal Forest Department and the Social Development and Welfare Department have started cracking down on land encroachers and, at the same time, tried to impose a new order to prevent overdevelopment. Several resorts have come under investigation for illegal land occupation and construction.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/joint-meeting-to-resolve-influx-of-visitors-to-mountain-tourist-spot


-- Thai PBS 2015-10-26