PHUKET: Turkey is to become the latest country to open a consulate on Phuket before the year is out, Turkish Ambassador Dr A Oguz Celikkol said today.
He was speaking after meeting with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Provincial Hall in Phuket City today.
Turkey, located between Europe and Asia, has a population of a similar size to Thailand (67 million) and sent 65,000 tourists to Thailand last year, Dr Celikkol said.
His visit coincidentally follows the death of young Turkish flight attendant Nergus Tinc in a minibus collision that killed four tourists north of Phuket earlier this month.
''That was a tragedy but road crashes do happen,'' the ambassador said. ''Tourists will continue to come from Turkey. Most of the people now coming to Thailand from Turkey head south to Phuket.''
The number of flights beween Turkey and Thailand has increased to two a day, he said. The ambassador has been in the role for a year and it was his first trip to Phuket.
''It's certainly a beautiful place,'' he said. ''We hope to have our consulate set up and open before the end of the year.''
Some nations with larger numbers of tourists - including Britain and Australia - continue to operate with honorary consuls rather that full consulate services.
Australia is considering opening a consulate. The growing number of Chinese visiting Phuket probably puts a case for the consulate in Haad Yai transferring to Phuket.
He was speaking after meeting with Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha at Provincial Hall in Phuket City today.
Turkey, located between Europe and Asia, has a population of a similar size to Thailand (67 million) and sent 65,000 tourists to Thailand last year, Dr Celikkol said.
His visit coincidentally follows the death of young Turkish flight attendant Nergus Tinc in a minibus collision that killed four tourists north of Phuket earlier this month.
''That was a tragedy but road crashes do happen,'' the ambassador said. ''Tourists will continue to come from Turkey. Most of the people now coming to Thailand from Turkey head south to Phuket.''
The number of flights beween Turkey and Thailand has increased to two a day, he said. The ambassador has been in the role for a year and it was his first trip to Phuket.
''It's certainly a beautiful place,'' he said. ''We hope to have our consulate set up and open before the end of the year.''
Some nations with larger numbers of tourists - including Britain and Australia - continue to operate with honorary consuls rather that full consulate services.
Australia is considering opening a consulate. The growing number of Chinese visiting Phuket probably puts a case for the consulate in Haad Yai transferring to Phuket.
