Once again, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is asking the Thai Government for more money.

This time the Tourism Authority of Thailand is asking for 300 million Thai Baht ($10 million US Dollars) for “rehab activities” – whatever that means.

And, once again, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is targeting the wrong market.

The Nation article, TAT seeks Bt300m for rehab activities, shows just how “off” the Tourism Authority of Thailand is and how every solution is to just throw money at the problem.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is asking the government for an extra budget of Bt300 million to run rehabilitation events, although the Loy Krathong festival had to be postponed in Bangkok, Ayutthaya and Suphan Buri.

Last I read, Loy Krathong was cancelled in Bangkok (Chao Phraya River), Ayutthaya and Suphan Buri.  Though, I am sure, that Bangkokians will add to the flood misery by floating krathongs all over Bangkok causing more problems.

“TAT will continue many events with the hope of helping restore domestic tourism after the flooding,” Vilaiwan Twichasri, TAT’s new deputy governor for tourism products and business, said yesterday.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand at it finest – trying to restore domestic tourism instead of trying to restore FOREIGN tourism.  Why?  Because the Tourism Authority of Thailand does not know how to market to foreigners.

About 185 tourist attractions in 15 provinces have been affected by the disaster, he said.

More attractions than that – but the Tourism Authority of Thailand likes to coat things with kilos of sugar.  And, the ever efficient “journalists” called MRS. Vilaiwan Twichasri – he.  One would think that just by looking at the photo in The Nation article they would be able to tell that Vilaiwan Twichasri is a lady.

TAT is planning to use Bt125 million to support events in the provinces from next month to early next year including the New Year Countdown, Chinese New Year, Light Festival and Ice Dome in Hat Yai, Balloon Festival in Chiang Mai and Music and Dance Festival in Phuket.

Nothing cultural, nothing in Isaan?

The remaining Bt175 million is earmarked for special fairs and additional events such as a medical and spa expo. They will focus on the high-end market, which has largely escaped the flooding.

Targeting the elite Bangkokians instead of the elite Europeans, Americans, and other foreigners.  Brilliant.

Cross-region travel will be promoted to help restore tourism especially in Bangkok and the Central region.

Yep. Help out the rich in Bangkok and forget about the poor folks in Isaan that have been under water for 2 months now.

Many events are planned to help rebuild affected areas.

No. These, and the ones listed above, are already scheduled.  They are the same, lame, stupid TAT events that go on each and every year.  No additional money should be required for things like “Countdown to New Year” – it goes on country-wide every year.

Loy Krathong is still on schedule in many other provinces such as Sukhothai, Tak, Chiang Mai, Samut Songkhram and Phitsanulok, as well as Hat Yai in Songkhla.

And also in Khon Kaen and the rest of Isaan.

The Central region has had the most flood-hit attractions with 161, followed by 22 in the North and two in the Northeast. Only the South is still safe from flooding.

Only 2 in the Northeast?  My buddy Tom, at Isaan-Live, may have a few things to say about that.  And, you need to define “south” because areas south of Bangkok are going to get very wet in the next few days.

Tourism recovery plans will continue in 2012 with new campaigns called “Creative Tourism – Only Place in the World” and “Gap Year Travellers”.

Ahhhh.  More campaigns – the Tourism Authority of Thailand way of doing things.  Promote the same shit with a new name.  What about “Miracle Thailand” and “New Thailand”.  Are these forgotten already?

Creative Tourism is aimed at encouraging locals and foreigners to visit attractions for the purposes of learning about and understanding places that have no equivalent in other counties.

I guess that the Tourism Authority of Thailand is talking about the Miss Tiffany Contest in Pattaya for the third gender folks.

A Thai-boxing campus and Thai-cooking school will be promoted in the first phase.

Oh, I was wrong. I believe one can learn Thai boxing and how to cook Thai food just about anywhere in the world.

Gap Year Traveller will approach new graduates or middle-aged professionals in the United States, Europe, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia who want to take a one-year sabbatical to Thailand.

Gap year travelers are basically back-packers who are sponging off their parents for one year before they have to face the reality of actually working.  I have never heard of middle-aged professionals doing this.

Singapore and Malaysia are likely to move ahead of Thailand in this niche market with projects created specifically to lure this group.

Singapore, Malaysia and the rest of ASEAN are moving ahead of Thailand in the tourism industry mainly because the Tourism Authority of Thailand has no idea of what they are doing.

Tags: domestic tourists floods foreign tourists gap year TAT thai boxing thai cooking tourism authority of thailand