Tourism industry needs to adapt quickly to ‘Thailand 4.0’, TAT says

[rooster59]

Tourism industry needs to adapt quickly to ‘Thailand 4.0’, TAT says

By THE NATION

 

AS THE GOVERNMENT plans to use its “Thailand 4.0” policy to escape from a middle-income gap and make the nation a high-income country, one of the key economic drivers – tourism – needs to accelerate its strategy to cope with the change, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says.

 

Tourism contributes about 20.6 per cent of Thailand’s gross domestic product, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

 

Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of TAT, told Krungthep Turakij newspaper that tourism was the industry that had come closest to the Thailand 4.0 goals in terms of high income generation and distribution. 

 

Moreover, tourism enhances the Thai economy while maintaining the country’s traditions, culture and identity as well as valuing nature, he said.

According to the WTCC, the world’s tourism landscape will be changed by 2020 when more than 1.6 billion people will travel. Of that total, 416 million tourists will travel to the Asia-Pacific region, where Thailand is a key player. 

 

If Thailand’s tourist numbers continue to grow at the Asia-Pacific rate of 6.5 per cent per year, it will welcome 41.5 million visitors in 2020. And if the growth figure returns to its past record of 15 per cent per annum, visitor numbers will leap to 71 million that year. It will be the first time the numbers of tourists and locals will be equal. 

 

TAT believes this growth must be driven by innovation, technology, creativity and public-private cooperation under the Pracha Rath programme to build up strength from within at the local level before connecting to the world economy, using the nation’s strengths in cultural services, biological diversity and long-standing culture.

 

TAT says it will move towards Thailand 4.0 with five mechanisms: sustainable tourism management; development of environmental factors and infrastructure to support tourism; modern marketing for future changes; establishment of tourism enterprises and start-ups based on innovation; and an efficient network of private and public agencies here and overseas throughout the tourism supply chain.

 

While the environmental factors will be taken into account as tourism infrastructure is developed, modern marketing will work to keep pace with technology and fast communications. 

 

Existing markets will be retained, while new markets will be sought out, instead of competing for customers.

 

Establishing a cooperative network will involve distributing the benefits of tourism benefits back to local areas and promoting community participation.

 

Aside from preparing for expected higher numbers of tourists, Thailand may also have to prepare itself for structural changes in its own population, such as a higher proportion of elderly people, which will complicate marketing. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/business/EconomyAndTourism/30316434

 

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-05-27

[NCC1701A]

I wonder when they will get on line 90 day reporting operational again?

 

 

[NanLaew]

I am having a problem working out of there is any "high income country" that has more than 20% of its eggs in the tourism basket.

 

39 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

... If Thailand’s tourist numbers continue to grow at the Asia-Pacific rate of 6.5 per cent per year, it will welcome 41.5 million visitors in 2020. And if the growth figure returns to its past record of 15 per cent per annum, visitor numbers will leap to 71 million that year. It will be the first time the numbers of tourists and locals will be equal. ...

Since Thailand's tourism growth will neither exceed the current 6.5% nor reattain the magical 15%, I think the chance of Thai's being 'outnumbered' by visitors is unlikely.

 

Sounds very much like someone at TAT found out how to make graphs in excel.

[Cadbury]

48 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

".....maintaining the country’s traditions...."

And some of these traditions would be?

1. Having the second highest road toll in the world, much to the peril of tourists travelling on public and private transport.

2. Charging tourists double or more than Thais to visit national parks and the like.

3. Taxi rip-offs by varying methods right throughout the country. (Taxi industry needs to be told via Section 44 to move to "Thailand 4.0")

4. Maintaining minimum immigration counters (entry and exit) at major tourist airports.

5. Protection of organised tourist scam artists by the RTP.

6. Random pavement urine drug testing for foreigners.

7. Soldiers patrolling the streets with serious weaponry.

8. Knowing where every tourist is from day to day and sometimes night to night.

 

 

[11223344]

Thailand 4.0 ... like having functional website for railways? I guess that's too high tech and we need to wait for Thailand 5.0

 

In the meantime 4.02 beta is enough to "securely" store all your fingerprints when you dare to buy a (rip-off) tourist sim-card

[WhizBang]

Wow, that was certainly a mouthful.

 

Now that we have had our weekly TAT laugh, next....

[RichardColeman]

Being so reliant on tourism in an Isis and Islamist fundamentalist world just means a potential quick return to dirt poor country in the event of a serious bombing campaign.  

[yellowboat]

4.0 seems to be having more WiFi installed everywhere.  Like many have stated, important websites keep going down, which should never go down.  PHP on Linux is over 20 years old now and is solid.  4.0 is like other talk of "reform", non-substantive and non specific, just a lot of flapping of the gums.   

[champers]

Infrastructure is key. No tourist likes to step out of their hotel onto a road with poor pavements or no pavements. Crossing the road should not be a high risk activity. The rail network is below par and outside Bangkok public transport is in the control of criminals.

[Lupatria]

Good luck on your long way to go from 0.4 to 4.0

[Orton Rd]

Thailand is so 1980's/90's  as a tourist destination for westerners, it has lost a lot of it's attraction now, but they have the charming Chinese to make up the short fall.! I would never recommend anyone come here these days, Japan is far more interesting, civilized and safe.

[berybert]

If you want higher numbers treat people better. Its simple. Don't let people get away with murder because they have money and don't jail people for murders they haven't committed because they don't have money.

You might be surprised how many people have respect for the actual rule of law.

Edited May 27, 2017 by berybert

[ELVIS123456]

TAT actually believes this to be true:

 

 

[Moti24]

"Aside from preparing for expected higher numbers of tourists, Thailand may also have to prepare itself for structural changes in its own population, such as a higher proportion of elderly people, which will complicate marketing. "

 

I don't believe I'm reading this crap!  It's not April 1st, is it!

[YetAnother]

i used to listen to what TAT said; now , reading anything in a title about TAT just turns me off

[Anythingleft?]

Seems to be a torrent of these media postings just lately. Must be something in the drinking water....

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[natway09]

Absolute rubbish.

They are slowly losing their traditional tourists who at least spend money & are courteous  to a pack of "Cheap Charlies" 

(but in greater numbers ) who are rude, abusive & arrogant.

The authorities are too miserable to spend monies on needed infrastructure on simple things like grease traps & sewerage treatment plants  but can spend mega bucks on submarines & high speed trains.

Before long, we will all live in a sewer along with the waters around Thailand that are not contaminated already soon will be un swimmable

[janpharma]

8 hours ago, Cadbury said:

And some of these traditions would be?

1. Having the second highest road toll in the world, much to the peril of tourists travelling on public and private transport.

2. Charging tourists double or more than Thais to visit national parks and the like.

3. Taxi rip-offs by varying methods right throughout the country. (Taxi industry needs to be told via Section 44 to move to "Thailand 4.0")

4. Maintaining minimum immigration counters (entry and exit) at major tourist airports.

5. Protection of organised tourist scam artists by the RTP.

6. Random pavement urine drug testing for foreigners.

7. Soldiers patrolling the streets with serious weaponry.

8. Knowing where every tourist is from day to day and sometimes night to night.

 

 

...And no notice of the English language...

[JAG]

4 hours ago, yellowboat said:

PHP on Linux is over 20 years old now and is solid.  4.0 is like other talk of "reform", non-substantive and non specific, just a lot of flapping of the gums.  

I'm afraid I don't have a clue what the first sentence means - this technological pigmy has yet to emerge from the long grass, but you are definitely right about Thailand 4.0 being an exercise in bumping their gums...

[Chama1]

10 hours ago, Cadbury said:

And some of these traditions would be?

1. Having the second highest road toll in the world, much to the peril of tourists travelling on public and private transport.

2. Charging tourists double or more than Thais to visit national parks and the like.

3. Taxi rip-offs by varying methods right throughout the country. (Taxi industry needs to be told via Section 44 to move to "Thailand 4.0")

4. Maintaining minimum immigration counters (entry and exit) at major tourist airports.

5. Protection of organised tourist scam artists by the RTP.

6. Random pavement urine drug testing for foreigners.

7. Soldiers patrolling the streets with serious weaponry.

8. Knowing where every tourist is from day to day and sometimes night to night.

 

 

You forgot to mention the growing censorship that will inevitably lead to a vocal tourist being detained and a media event showing how their attitude is being corrected by the Thai legal system. Most Westerners are used to being able to speak freely and voice opinions.

[elgordo38]

12 hours ago, rooster59 said:

If Thailand’s tourist numbers continue to grow at the Asia-Pacific rate of 6.5 per cent per year, it will welcome 41.5 million visitors in 2020

It this happens the country will implode. Not enough water electric infrastructure spending poopy storage. Its funny how these people look off into the distance and see all that so called prosperity coming down the pipeline yet never give a thought to the country's already strained ability to deal with it truly amazing Thailand. 

[wakeupplease]

T 4 to TAT means 4x the amount of Bull to put out

[garyk]

After about 10 years in Thailand I am coming back home to the U.S. more and more. I only stayed a few months the last hop. I own a home here, and it is not any more expensive to live here than in Thailand. And it is clean. The park fees are the same after the 10 fold increase for Thai parks. Government censorship, I personally do not see why anybody would want to live there full time. It was ok for the first few years exploring the country and country around Thailand.

IMO it ain't what it is cracked up to be.

[hawker9000]

2 hours ago, garyk said:

After about 10 years in Thailand I am coming back home to the U.S. more and more. I only stayed a few months the last hop. I own a home here, and it is not any more expensive to live here than in Thailand. And it is clean. The park fees are the same after the 10 fold increase for Thai parks. Government censorship, I personally do not see why anybody would want to live there full time. It was ok for the first few years exploring the country and country around Thailand.

IMO it ain't what it is cracked up to be.

To stay or to go...  Some went essentially all-in when they came here in the 1st place, have no viable Plan B, and can't just pull up stakes & return to their home countries now even if they want to.  Some have families and/or businesses as well.  They'll all spend the rest of their days in denial, defending and rationalizing and apologizing for everything Thai, and dismissing objective criticisms.  'Can't really blame them: it's just human nature to try & adapt and make the best of a deteriorating situation in which you're heavily invested, economically or emotionally.  You see them here seeking vindication and commiseration all the time (i.e., the "have-never-seen-in-30-years"/love-it-or-leave-it/why-are-negative-posts-allowed crowd).

[wakeupplease]

9 minutes ago, hawker9000 said:

To stay or to go...  Some went essentially all-in when they came here in the 1st place, have no viable Plan B, and can't just pull up stakes & return to their home countries now even if they want to.  Some have families and/or businesses as well.  They'll all spend the rest of their days in denial, defending and rationalizing and apologizing for everything Thai, and dismissing objective criticisms.  'Can't really blame them: it's just human nature to try & adapt and make the best of a deteriorating situation in which you're heavily invested, economically or emotionally.  You see them here seeking vindication and commiseration all the time (i.e., the "have-never-seen-in-30-years"/love-it-or-leave-it/why-are-negative-posts-allowed crowd).

Just need to add lying to themselves which is ok, but lying to others shows what they are really like and expect not welcome back in their own country.

[the guest]

3 hours ago, garyk said:

After about 10 years in Thailand I am coming back home to the U.S. more and more. I only stayed a few months the last hop. I own a home here, and it is not any more expensive to live here than in Thailand. And it is clean. The park fees are the same after the 10 fold increase for Thai parks. Government censorship, I personally do not see why anybody would want to live there full time. It was ok for the first few years exploring the country and country around Thailand.

IMO it ain't what it is cracked up to be.

That about sums it up. Thailand used to be a great place, but as with all good things, this comes to an end. 

[Anythingleft?]

It this happens the country will implode. Not enough water electric infrastructure spending poopy storage. Its funny how these people look off into the distance and see all that so called prosperity coming down the pipeline yet never give a thought to the country's already strained ability to deal with it truly amazing Thailand. 

Reinvesting revenues does not seem to be high on any of the main service providers "to do" list, just keep on with the highly profitable option of taking what you can when you can

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[JAG]

To stay or to go...  Some went essentially all-in when they came here in the 1st place, have no viable Plan B, and can't just pull up stakes & return to their home countries now even if they want to.  Some have families and/or businesses as well.  They'll all spend the rest of their days in denial, defending and rationalizing and apologizing for everything Thai, and dismissing objective criticisms.  'Can't really blame them: it's just human nature to try & adapt and make the best of a deteriorating situation in which you're heavily invested, economically or emotionally.  You see them here seeking vindication and commiseration all the time (i.e., the "have-never-seen-in-30-years"/love-it-or-leave-it/why-are-negative-posts-allowed crowd).

Some of us stay, precisely for the reasons you have outlined (family, homes etc). We don't like all that is happening, and as far as we can we say that. We're certainly not all of the "love it or leave it" persuasion that you describe.

[YetAnother]

TAT seems a bunch of buffoons posing as knowledgeable authorities

[Blue bruce]

Why don't they start with immigration.  How many expats live permanently in Thailand and how much do permanent expats contribute to the Thai economy.