TAT proposes new chief
Published: 19/11/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Business
Tourism Authority of Thailand deputy governor Surapol Svetasreni is expected to soon fill the governor’s post that has been vacant since April.Mr Surapol’s name was proposed yesterday to the TAT board after he received the highest score from a screening committee chaired by Sasithara Pichaicharnnarong, the permanent secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry.
Other candidates were Nalikatibhag Sangsnit, acting chairman of the Designated Area for Sustainable Tourism Administration, and deputy governor Akapol Pruksawan.
Wichai Srikwan, the TAT board chairman, said Mr Surapol was chosen for his outstanding vision, and would be approached for compensation negotiations. The new governor is expected to start working next year. He would succeed Phornsiri Manoharn, who officially retired on Oct 1 last year but agreed to stay on for six months until last April.
Mr Surapol said he would focus on digital marketing more than roadshows because it can reach target groups effectively and is more appropriate for showcasing the variety of Thai tourism.
The TAT also plans more “emotional marketing” to attract repeat foreign visitors, while continuing its focus on sustainable tourism.
Mr Wichai said the board also approved a TAT action plan for fiscal 2010 with a total budget of 4.5 billion baht.
In a related development, Chumpol Silpa-archa, the Tourism and Sports Minister, said the ministry authorised Thailand Privilege Card (TPC) to prepare information in case no private company wanted to take over the operator of the troubled Elite Card business. Companies surveyed included duty-free operator King Power and Bangkok Airways.
The ministry also appointed two committees to inspect the management of TPC as it has only 300 million baht in cashflow, from revenue of 2.5 billion.
“It was quite a wonder how TPC spent two billion baht in the past six years of its establishment,” he said.
