Tourism Council of Thailand promises to raise standards of tourist safety

By Chadamas Chinmaneevong, ttgasia.com

The Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) says they are “joining hands with state agencies including the Department of Land Transport, Marine Department and Tourism Authority of Thailand to improve tourist safety standards nationwide and overturn perceptions of the country as a dangerous tourist destination.”

The project is a reaction to the many, many safety related incidents that occur, and are reported overseas, to tourists visiting Thailand.

The Tourism Council of Thailand says that countries like UK and China are expressing concerns about their citizens heading to Thailand for holidays.

TCT’s vice president Wasuchet Sophonsathien says that at least 1,000 tour buses out of 15,000 buses nationwide should meet the standards within this year. (Just doing the maths, that’s 14,000 buses nationwide that WON’T be checked this year?)

Wasuchet, who is also the president of the Thai Transportation Operators Association, added that certified tour buses would also receive a safety standard logo. Government bodies like the TAT, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, will promote the logo and set an example by using these certified buses.

The logo will be publicised through Chinese government websites as well, he noted.

In addition, TCT members in popular beach destinations including Pattaya, Phuket and Krabi have been working closely with the Thai Marine Department and local tour operators to look for illegal tour boats and unlicensed captains since the Phuket boat tragedy last July.

Wasuchet further revealed TCT will be launching tour boat standards by the end of this year. Plans for the next two years include getting tour boat operators to install GPS devices and providing GPS tracking wristbands to their passengers.

“This will help to upgrade Thai tourism standards concretely, and is the most important project of the council this year,” said TCT president Chairat Triratanajarasporn.

“Apart from improving land and marine transportation standards, TCT will also focus on other aspects of tourism safety such as food, accommodation, tour guides and cybersecurity. It will also set up a technology subcommittee to help tourism operators keep up to date with the latest technology.”