Once again, the Tourism Authority of Thailand launches a travel campaign designed to attract local Thais to travel in Thailand.

Domestic travel is part of the job of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, but it should not be their primary focus.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Water Buffalo

In an article at TTR Weekly, Learn and travel at the same time, the Tourism Authority of  Thailand Northeastern Region director, Apichart Intrarapongpan, has come up a marketing plan to promote the Isaan region to the locals.  I am glad that TTR Weekly has made us aware of this, since it has not been mentioned at all by the Tourism Authority of Thailand Facebook page, Amazing Thailand, or from any of the TAT Provincial Facebook pages – unless it was in the Thai language.

This is a good idea – promoting Isaan – but the Tourism Authority of Thailand gets it wrong, as usual.  They should also be promoting this to the expats in Thailand and to foreigners around the world instead of just local Thais.  Here is the promotion:

The four educational themes due to kick in this October are:

• Amazing Northeast (Esarn mahad-sachan) from October 2011 to December 2012 to highlight landmarks during the cool season such as Phu Rua National Park or Phu Kradueng National Park as well as the mystical festival of Naga fireball festival in Nong Khai province;

• Mekong, Chi and Mun Rivers’ culture (Sampad Wattanatham Kong, Chi and Mun), January to March 2012, introduce community lifestyles along the Mekong River and showcase stunning geological river features;

• Learning Esarn culture (Pha Luk Pai Ruen Ru Au Arayatham Esarn), April to June 2012, focuses on the main school break. It will encourage family travel and learning through famous festivals such as the rocket festival (Bun Bang Fai);

• Learning Dharma and viewing nature during the rainy season (Tiew Nha Fon Yon Thamma Lae Thammachart Tee Esarn) July to September 2012. Green tourism activities that focus on national parks and attractions.

Too bad that no one outside of Thailand will know about these activities in Isaan and too bad that the main office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Bangkok will not promote them at all.

My buddy Tom at Isaan-Live tried to get information on the rocket festivals this year and the Tourism Authority of Thailand did their usual – gave no information, gave half-assed information, gave incorrect information.

This article also listed events that occurred over the past two years that were not promoted to foreigners:

In the 2010 to 2011 fiscal year the office promoted the following activities:

• Dino Trail in Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Kalasin and Nakhon Phanom;

• Corporate familiarisation trips with the Association of Domestic Tourism in Udon Thani and Loei provinces;

• Table-top sales to encourage tourism between regions from the North to Northeast in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai provinces;

• Two travel fairs in Bangkok including Amazing I-Sarn Fair 2011 and Thailand Tourism Festival 2011;

• Photo shoot competition based on travelling to the Northeast in three seasons.

One of the things that the Tourism Authority of Thailand or whatever Thai Government Office is in charge of translating Thai Regions to English is to settle on one spelling for ISAAN.  Even in the above article the Tourism Authority of Thailand Regional Director spells it two different ways.  One spelling – ISAAN – would make it easier for those searching for information online.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is also missing out on a good sized market within Thailand – expats.  Yes, we do travel.  And, yes, we do spend more than local Thais when ride around the country.

Tom is on the road throughout Isaan about 1/2 the month every month (except when rainy season puts a damper on things) and he tries to get the latest info from TAT and finds it wrong most of the time. So, he heads out, geo-tags his photos, finds Khmer ruins that TAT doesn’t list, goes to places that were closed 10 years ago that TAT does list, and provides the most accurate information about Isaan, bar none.  His Mahasarakham Travel Guide puts the Tourism Authority of  Thailand to shame.

Now, this Regional Director is on the right track here, but:

As for international markets, TAT Northeast Region Office is cooperating with Saitama prefecture in Japan to exchange culture as the two provinces share similar fireball festivals. A co-operation agreement was signed in1995 and has encouraged Japanese to visit the Naga fireball festival in Thailand held in May.

“We will also cooperate with Kunming Tourism to explore joint tourism activities on the Mekong River in Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom and Ubon Ratchathani provinces,” he said.

It involves taking 11 travel agents from Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces to survey the route and that should see the introduction of tours from those markets as early as this November.

How many folks at the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Isaan speak Japanese or Chinese?  I am willing to bet it is fewer than those that can speak English – and there are not many that speak English with any skill.  How many folks in the hotel and restaurant businesses speak Japanese or Chinese?  How many tour operators?  How much market research was conducted to see where the Japanese and Chinese visitors want to go?

These skills should have already taken place with the ASEAN Economic Community coming up in 2015 but Thailand lags behind miserably in preparation and will fail at attracting tourists who would rather go to places where they can be understood.

So, good luck Khun Apichart – I am sure that you will declare this a total success to the main Tourism Authority of Thailand office despite what actually happens.

Tags: esarn isaan mahasarakham regional director TAT tourism authority of thailand