More and more each day, I see the Tourism Authority of Thailand, display their lack of computer skills especially online and especially using Social Media. Today was no different.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook Fail Again
Today, they announced a contest to win a T-shirt and posted a link to another site that had information about a Muay Thai exhibition in Ayutthaya. On the site there are three questions and a comment form. No place to enter name or email I question the Tourism Authority of Thailand about this and apparently you have to be at the exhibition and provide the answers. Nowhere in their post or on the website does it say this.
They posted another contest last night and again today. This one has two different areas you can enter. One is to submit a photo and the other is to submit a blog. Yes, it says to submit your blog. Mine would be a few gigabytes to upload.
Tourism Authority of Thailand Contest 1
Tourism Authority of Thailand Contest 2
Tourism Authority of Thailand Contest 3
I questioned them about submitting an entire blog last night and by 1000 this morning had no answer so I posted that Tourism Thailand once again doesn’t answer questions on Facebook. About an hour later, I was give an answer – all they told me to do was visit the same web site and provided the link. A non-answer.
Questioned again about the absurdity of submitting an blog, I was told that I was to submit my “blog” in the “detail box” and upload a photo. Nowhere does it explain this. So, they want me to create a blog post and post a photo. Maybe.
Looking at the rules, item #4 states:
4. All blog (which won the prizes) become the property of Amazing Thailand and can be used by Amazing thailand for their website, reviews, and can be quoted upon at any time.
Hmmmm. So, if I am one of the lucky winners, I forfeit my blog and it becomes the property of Amazing Thailand (Tourism Authority of Thailand). They can’t even capitalize their own country!
And, to top all of this, a couple of days ago, after the tsunami hit Japan, Amazing Thailand posted some phone numbers for Thai Embassies and Consulates so that people could check on their loved ones. They also included a link to the International Red Cross website – which was incorrect. Big help. I corrected them, and they did respond quickly with a thank you and a corrected post on Facebook.
It just amazes me that the Tourism Authority of Thailand Staff are so inept, especially at using Social Media. On one occasion, the Tourism Authority of Thailand Khon Kaen office told me that they couldn’t post on Facebook due to a shortage of IT staff. Totally Clueless.
And to top it all off, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is in violation of Facebook’s Promotions Guidelines when they state the following:
The names of the blog winners will be posted on Facebook Amazing Thailand
This is a quote from the Facebook Promotions Guideline web page:
You will not administer a promotion through Facebook, except through an application on the Facebook Platform. Administration includes operation of any element of the promotion, such as collecting entries, conducting a drawing, judging entries, or notifying winners.
Hopefully, this doesn’t happen to the Amazing Thailand Facebook page:
In addition to our other remedies, we may remove any materials relating to the promotion or disable your Page, application or account if we determine in our sole discretion that you violate any of our policies.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand needs to get more computer savvy, follow the rules, and learn how to use Social Media.
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UPDATE 16 March 2011
Late last night the Tourism Authority of Thailand reposted the link to the Muay Thai contest – so I gave it a quick look and they have changed the rules. Now you answer 3 questions and also add your email address to the comment form.
From the site -
Get the traditional shirt from World Wai Kru Muaythai Ceremony and Thai Martial Arts Festival just answer the following question with your e-mail (just for 10 persons)
I know – question should be plural. More importantly there are no rules, no start/finish date, no disclaimers, no Terms of Service Agreement, no nothing.
Would be nice if they had some clear cut instructions and rules but this is the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
The text was modified to remove a broken link to https://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php.
The text was modified to remove a broken link to https://www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php.
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