PROMOTING TOURISM: koalas, shopping galore

[elef]

PROMOTING TOURISM: Cabinet approves 4-year plan

 

Published on Jun 30, 2004

 

 

Thaksin wants koalas in safari, shopping galore

 

New strategies to boost tourist numbers have been approved by the Cabinet while Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has urged officials to develop Thailand as a ?shoppers? paradise? and to encourage investors to build hotels in the South.

 

Thaksin has also asked the Foreign Ministry to look into getting koala bears for Chiang Mai?s night safari project, which is to be finished in the summer of next year. He also wants to link the night safari to an elephant park, which would bring together street elephants from different locations.

 

Meeting in Lamphun, the Cabinet agreed to the Ministry of Tourism and Sport?s development plans over the next four years which cover Thailand?s ability to compete with other countries, the production of more tourist products and services, and the development of integrated tourism management.

 

Government Spokesman Jakrapob Penkair said Thaksin had also asked for clear plans on how to make Thailand a ?shoppers? paradise? through the lowering of custom duties to make Thai goods competitive with Hong Kong?s. The premier also urged officials to think of tourist products and services as well as tourists in developing the industry.

 

Thaksin said he would invite investors to build hotels along the beautiful seashores of the three southernmost provinces on condition that they invest five times the land?s estimated price and agree to a leasing contract with the government of 99 years.

 

The prime minister also ordered the Tourism and Sports Ministry to improve Mae Hong Son?s tourist attractions. He told the Tourism Authority of Thailand and provincial governors to sort out the problem of public toilets at tourist attractions and asked the Ministry of Transport to consider flights to popular tourism places such as Pai district in the province.

 

Piyanart Srivalo

 

 

 

The Nation