 According to a Bangkok Post article, the Thai government will launch a new plan tomorrow to help promote tourism in the Tsunami affected provinces.
The conference will be chaired by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and plans will be submitted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The TAT has a 20 Million Baht fund (a little over $500,000) set aside to help promote tourism over the next two months, which is important because it is getting near the end of the major tourism season in Thailand.
But as with all things Thai, spirituality runs deep. On February 13th there will be a pilgrimage to the affected areas and a religious merit making ceremony to mark the 50-day anniversary of the Tsunami.
There are plans by the TAT to help provide vocational training to those in the tourism industry who have lost their jobs due to the Tsunami. This training is needed in part because tourism is down 9% in January compared to this time last year.
With Chinese New Year just around the corner, everyone is hoping that there will be a boost to tourism throughout the Kingdom. However, one of the main traditional destinations for Chinese New Year is Phuket, and recent footage of Tsunami devastation may put a damper on plans to celebrate there.
It was also noted that several other Southeast Asian countries have programs in the works to help revive tourism, but are frustrated that Western governments had been advising their residents against traveling to the affected countries. Such countries as Norway, Sweden and Denmark had originally created advisories against travel to the region, but have recently lifted those advisories.
Chinese and Japanese government officials have made a pledge to help promote tourism over the coming months to the region. Hayao Hora, Japan vice-minister for international affairs in the land, infrastructure and transport ministry, notes that only a small area of the ASEAN nations were affected, and that the areas that were affected are under reconstruction projects.
Again, I would just like to say that one of the great ways to help out is to travel to the area. And of course you can help out by shopping for clothing or other items that are made in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia,
Sri Lanka and India, or supporting those boutiques and stores that import other products from there.
Thanks again and talk to you soon,
Ms. Jay
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