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Delightful Krabi, a haven for tourists seeking a ''natural'' feel

Yingluck Plans 2.2 Billion Baht Strategy and Green Future for Phuket, Krabi

Sunday, September 16, 2012
PHUKET: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has forecast a ''green'' Phuket with the Andaman provinces cooperating to win back quality tourists to make the most of a 2.2 billion baht government spend.

And she rejected false, inflated figures that tout tourism and increase unrealistic expectations for investors and visitors.

The PM's positive views would have pleased most of her influential audience at an ''Amazing Andaman'' conference at the Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra resort yesterday.

In a revelatory speech, PM Yingluck emphasised the need for sustainability as the key to the future of Phuket and the region.

''Krabi is so appealing because it doesn't have beach lounges, umbrellas, vendors or jet-skis,'' she said. ''We need to look at the markets for the Andaman and tap the middle and high end customers.''

Seminars would be required to use the expertise of airlines and resort managements to target the groups that enjoy the Andaman, and to make sure plenty of greenery remains for the future.

Resorts, spas, food outlets and local specialists all needed to aim for the high end, she said.

With 29 destinations singled out for special treatment throughout Thailand, PM Yingluck named the five in the Andaman as Phi Phi, Patong, Ao Nang, Old Phuket Town and Cape Promthep.

What unites the five is heavy tourist traffic and the prospect of a deterioration in quality over time.

''Our government also wants to see the integration of the Andaman group to preserve the ecology and to promote ecotourism,'' she said.

As much as 2.2 billion baht would be spent promoting the Andaman as one of the world's great green destinations.

Yet the region still needed extra funding for safety and security, transport and other infrastructure.

Supachai Weraphuchong, managing director of the Phokeethra Group, said that the Andaman provinces competed for customers and the fighting had to stop for the whole region to progress in a strategic fashion.

''What we really need to build is nature,'' he said.

He noted that reports that Krabi attracts 2.3 million visitors a year were a gross exaggeration - as are many of the fake figures that exaggerate Phuket tourism, carried without care by local media.

''We have to get realistic,'' he said. ''There is no point in basing the future on false data. Let's not kid ourselves.''

One of the key issues in Krabi was keeping good staff. Often, they went to better-paid jobs in Phuket or Samui.

Tossapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, forecast a time when Krabi could join Phuket as a regional hub.

''Phuket airport is full,'' he said. ''We cannot expand there because there are no more flight slots.

''It's also like Pattaya. People pay top money for environments that are not crowded, that do not have beach umbrellas, beach vendors and jet-skis.

''Everybody is trying to get back to nature. Some will find it more difficult than others.''

He said that next year, AirAsia hoped to lift its Bangkok-Phuket flights from eight a day to nine a day while he hoped Bangkok-Krabi flights would rise from three a day to five a day.

Comments

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Ahh yes.. That old chestnut.. 'Quality tourists' 'Green tourism' I am surprised there wasnt a few more 'eco' sprinkled in there..

Yet the reality is shophouse hell, concrete box architectural design, and no effective controls that cannot be purchased your way through.

While Thailand continues to tolerate a culture of corruption, while laws are made purely to (paid to be) broken, and while the greed for money today trumps any thought of less money but for a far longer term. Then the direction is clear.

Posted by LivinLOS on September 16, 2012 09:12

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What needs to happen in Phuket is to cease building resorts as jungles are being cleared so that the concerete structures can be built .Just look at the right hand side on your way to Kamala, construction seems to have gone mad, I dont believe that all hotels are full in high season occupancy is high in the well known hotels. In the last 7 years that i have travelled to phuket much has changed,there used to be jungle near the airport not anymore. What is going to happen in the next 5 to 10 years no jungle at all what a shame, cease construction now before its too late. As tourists will stop coming if these jungles are gone and what of the wildlife are they to suffer also. Its the same scenario money talks.

Posted by Alex on September 16, 2012 10:45

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Last week I spoke to two Australian families at Phuket airport. Both were on their first trip to Phuket. Both said they preferred Bali. This obsession with 'high end' tourists is an insult to all us working class stiffs who have spent our money in Thailand for years. Places like Patong and most of Phuket and Krabi are kept going by middle and working class people on package holidays or young people back-packing their way around. How about taking care of everybody regardless of their 'perceived' social standing. Nobody is going to pay five star prices for the 3 star service offered by most Thai resorts anyway.

Posted by logbags on September 16, 2012 11:07

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The old Phuket we all came to love is certainly dead and buried. Now concrete jungles and the ever-increasing traffic take the stage. Once peaceful tranquil Phuket has been lost to greedy capitalists who are hell bent to develop every inch of land. When will it ever stop? Possibly only when there is no more land to build on I suppose. Does anybody care enough to stop this madness ? Do the authorities every think for one minute on why tourists come to visit this once beautiful island in the first place?

Posted by reader on September 16, 2012 23:12


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