The Ministry of Tourism and Sports. along with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is about to waste another 211 million dollars on a “new campaign”

This new Ministry of Tourism and Sports campaign, scheduled to begin in March 2012, is called “Miracle Thailand Year 2012.

Somtam

I wrote about this back in August 2011, when the money sought by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports was only 100 million dollars.

The money that the Ministry of Tourism and Sports wanted then was a waste and now wanting even more for this flood-delayed 9-month campaign is an even bigger waste.  This is the Ministry of Tourism and Sports and the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s mantra – throw more money at it.

From The Nation, Govt budgets Bt6.3 bn for ‘Miracle Year’ tourism campaign to start in March:

The government has earmarked Bt6.34 billion for the “Miracle Thailand Year 2012″ campaign set to start in March, the Tourism and Sports Ministry says.

What a waste of good money.  Over 200 million dollars for another campaign that is just like all the previous failed campaigns.

A source at the Tourism Ministry said it would fund the budget along with the Agriculture and Culture ministries and the Prime Minister’s Office. The Tourism Ministry’s share is Bt5.4 billion, including Bt4.8 billion from the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

I have absolutely no idea what those numbers mean as nothing adds up unless the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is using the bulk of the Tourism Authority fo Thailand‘s budget and supplementing it with farm money.

TAT, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and tourism associations will work together on the details of the campaign.

What details?  Upload a few crappy videos to YouTube, say “Good Morning” on Facebook, and contract out travel books that are incorrect and inaccurate.

Tourism Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said yesterday that the campaign would develop key cultural events such as the Songkran festival, Thailand Grand Sales, the Candle Festival and Loy Krathong as world-class events. For example, the length of such events could be extended from a week to month, as well as expanding single areas to tourism clusters.

The world’s biggest outdoor water fight and shopping are cultural events?  Songrkran, a three-day holiday/festival (that isn’t even Thai) has already been stretched to about 3 weeks in April.  Getting drunk and throwing water at each other for one week or more is a world class event?

Meanwhile relevant ministries will join forces to organise new events to stimulate spending by local and foreign visitors. The Tourism and Agriculture ministries plan to make Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue a walking street to sell One Tambon One Product items and feature artistic performances. TAT will also be responsible for creating events related to highlighted products in each district in key tourist destinations.

I can see this already – the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports marketing Thai products to the Thai people.  There will be no additional marketing to foreigners and the Tourism Authority of Thailand cannot create anything – they will wither copy or contract it out and it will be another campaign with another name that does the same as the rest of the crappy campaigns.

However, not everyone in the tourism business is enthusiastic about the scheme in and of itself.

No one in their right mind would be the least bit enthusiastic about this junk.

Sisdhivachr Chevarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, called for a long-term plan from the government to ensure the sustainability of Thai tourism and the travel industry.

“Long term plan” is a phrase that does not exist in the Thai Government’s dictionary.

“Creating world events luring tourist arrivals is not enough for long-term business. Promotion plans for strengthening local tourism enterprises and incentive plans for overseas investors should be among the first priorities,” Sisdhivachr said.

Who wants to visit Thailand after they saw 3-4 months of flooding on TV and have been reading all about the suspected Hezbollah terrorist that was captured two weeks ago.

Recently 17 countries issued travel warnings and advisories against visiting Thailand after the US government posted a warning about a terrorism threat in Bangkok. Chumpol said China, Germany, France and Israel had since lifted their advisories.

It was more like 22 countries and although the advisories are reported as being “lifted” there are some strong cautions for tourists on most Embassy web site pages.

He added that the ministry would write to the US Embassy in Bangkok by next week calling for the lifting of the warning, which has had an impact on the Thai tourism industry.

Only the US Embassy in Bangkok? Why not all the rest of the embassies?  Right. I forgot.  This whole terrorism fiasco, caused by the Thai Government, is still being blamed on the American Embassy.

Go right ahead Mister Ministry of Tourism and Sports and make sure you tell us how the US Embassy told you to “go pound sand”.

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