An article in The Nation today, Strategic niches  have implications for education, human resource development, shows that a Distinguished International Professor in the Department of Organisational Development, Policy,and Development at the University of Minnesota knows more about Thailand tourism than the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

He lays out nine strategic areas that can help Thailand develop and expand exponentially, but it will most likely fall on the deaf ears over at the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

San Jow Khon Kaen

Professor Fry talks about strategic niches that are related to education and human resource development, but also carry over heavily into the tourism arena and follow along Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s Vision 2020.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand should read and take action, but most likely, they will not take advice from a Farang.

Quoting Professor Fry from the article in The Nation”

During the past several years I have had numerous discussions with Thai intellectuals and policymakers to try to identify Thailand’s future strategic niches. We arrived at nine key niches:

Niche marketing has been grossly overlooked by the Tourism Authority of Thailand despite their claims.

1) Thailand as “kitchen of the world”;

This makes sense as Thailand is the kitchen to the world with oodles of great restaurants, street vendors and lots of small mom and pop eateries and Thai Food is world renowned.  Offering tours with cooking classes is a logical choice.  But, will the Tourism Authority of Thailand promote this?

2) Tourism of many genres: medical, adventure, environmental, cultural, religious, retirement; (and Bangkok was recently named the best city in the world);

Not sure what idiots named Bangkok as the best city in the world, but they should have their heads examined.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand has failed miserably in marketing to the medical, religious, retirement and cultural aspects of Thailand.  They would rather promote water gun fights and transvestite beauty contests.

3) Related to tourism: MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions), with the impressive infrastructure of IMPACT, Queen Sirikit Centre, BITEC… and relatively low costs compared to competitors;

Definitely related to tourism, but the only things that the Tourism Authority of Thailand seems to promote at the Queen Sirikit Center is Big Sales geared toward Bangkokians and not to the foreign market.  Why not hold a convention or two in Khon Kaen?  We have a convention center on the campus of Khon Kaen University.  It would get the people out of the congested streets of Bangkok and bring some income to Isaan.

4) “Detroit of the East” (especially Rayong);

Having grown up just outside Detroit, I would not wish this nickname on any place.  Most people think of Detroit as one of the murder capitals of America or a big, dirty city.  I would think up some other nickname for the automotive industry in Rayong.

5) International education hub, with over 900 international programs at post-secondary level and a rapidly increasing number of international primary and secondary schools;

Except for the fact that everyone in the world knows that the Thai education system of rote learning sucks.  People may think that this also applies to the international schools.

6) World-class entertainment centre/complex;

This would make sense to construct only after ensuring that big names would actually come to Thailand to perform.  But, then, you would have to get the Tourism Authority of Thailand to learn how to promote to foreign markets.

7) Manufacturing: electronics, textiles, design, fashion;

Again, this would make sense if China stopped doing what they are doing.  And, if Thailand wasn’t already so well known for all of its pirated and copy-cat goods.

Gems and gem-cutting;

This would definitely work if, once again, Thailand wasn’t so well know for its jewelry scams.  The Thai Government needs to get this stopped so that the Tourism Authority of Thailand doesn’t receive so many rip-off claims.  Doesn’t help the tourism industry at all.

9) Transportation hub, gateway to Southeast Asia, centrally located in the Asia region; sandwiched between the dynamic economies of China and India.

Thailand is already the Gateway to Asia, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand thinks it can convince in-transit passengers to stop over in Bangkok for a day or two.  I don’t see it happening.

The identification of these niches has important implications for the development of Thai education and human resource development. Nearly all of the dimensions have an international element. Thus, Thailand needs to give high priority to improving English learning/teaching, diversifying foreign language education, and also enhancing training in intercultural competence and communication. The implementation of AEC (Asean Economic Community) in 2015 also makes this a special priority and need.

Professor Fry is spot on with his observations.  But, nothing is being done to improve the quality of education in Thailand and the current administration’s plan to issue 800,000 computer tablets to students is doomed even before it has been implemented.  Thailand lags way behind the other 9 countries in the ASEAN community and will be hurting to catch up after 2015.  Lots of jobs and opportunities will be lost as Thailand does not play well with others.  Hopefully, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will one day realize that they are losing tourists the Laos, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and more.

Given that manufacturing remains important in areas such as automotives, electronics, and textiles, labour productivity must be increased through both on-the-job HRD and a significant improvement in technical/vocational education. Also it is critically important to support R&D to enable Thailand to move up the value-added ladder in manufacturing. In the future Thailand’s higher wages will not be able to compete with countries such as Bangladesh and Cambodia in low value-added manufacturing. This productivity improvement is particularly important if the Bt300 minimum wage policy is implemented.

The economic impact of the 300 baht minimum wage will be devastating.  Jobs will be lost and prices will skyrocket.  I am sure that many jobs in the tourism sector will be gone. Little or no promotion of events for foreigners by the Tourism Authority of Thailand isn’t helping the situation.

The niches in “Thailand Vision 2020″ and those identified above show Thailand’s impressive and dynamic future. However, implementation of this vision will be highly dependent of the quality of Thai education and human resource development.

Professor Fry has hit the nail on the head.  Implementation – or – lack thereof – will spell doom for Thailand.  Thailand, especially the Thai Government, including the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is great at having meetings but are terrible with implementing anything.  No risk takers at the Tourism Authority of Thailand or anywhere within the Thai Government.

So, the Thai Government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand should heed the words of Professor Gerald Fry or fall behind the rest of the ASEAN community.

Tags: 2015 AEC asean minnesota shinawatra TAT thai government tourism authority of thailand yingluck