(L to R) Pattaya Tourist Police Chief Lt. Col. Arun
Promphan and Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome exchange gifts with Indian Ambassador to
Thailand H.E. Harsh Vardhan Shringla and Arvind Kumar, consul at the Embassy of
India to Thailand after a fruitful meeting at city hall.
Urasin Khantaraphan & Jetsada Homklin
Interview by Sue Kukarja
Indian Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on top Pattaya
officials to brainstorm ideas on ways to improve tourism from India.
The 30-minute meeting mainly covered topics related to maintaining good
relationships in tourism between India and Thailand and complaints leveled about
the city by Indian tourists.
Itthiphol said Indian tourism is a huge market for Thailand with strong growth
potential, so it is very important that officials understand tourists’ needs and
provide good security.
Indian Ambassador to Thailand
H.E. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Arvind Kumar, consul at the Embassy of India to
Thailand, Pratheep Malhotra, Managing Director of the Pattaya Mail Media Group,
and Paramjit Singh Ghogar solemnly pray, offering their respects to the Sikh
Temple in South Pattaya.
He also explained that cultural differences could have caused
some misunderstandings in communication between the tourists and the local
vendors, and he offered solutions to call regular meetings with tour operators
to inform them about rules, regulations and better cultural understanding.
After the City Hall visit, Shringla visited the Indian community at the Sikh
temple in South Pattaya. He arrived just as women were performing their regular
prayers and he said he was touched by the discipline to maintain this beautiful
tradition wherever they are.
After his speech to thank the community for the warm welcome, the ambassador
joined in the “langar,” (communal lunch) after which he was interviewed by
Pattaya Mail.
Amrik Singh Kalra (left) President
of Pattaya Sikh Community together with members of the Sikh congregation welcome
H.E. Harsh Vardhan Shringla to the ‘Gurdwara’.
Shringla said he had been to Pattaya 25 years ago but this
was the first visit in an official capacity. “It certainly isn’t the same place
today,” he said.
Shringla said he has been in his post in Bangkok for eight months, but realizes
Pattaya, with 600,000 Indian tourists visiting the city each year, “is very
important to us.”
Touching on his meeting with Itthiphol and police volunteers, Shringla said he
was told officials “attach a lot of importance to Indian tourism and that the
mayor has set up an infrastructure for Indian tourists.”
“The mayor and I spoke about the very small number of incidents that affect
Indian tourists, and I must say that the mayor and his staff were very
cooperative and they understand what the issues are,” Shringla said. “I read in
the news today that the government is making a concerted drive to eliminate some
of these problems.”
(L to R) Arvind Kumar, consul at
the Embassy of India to Thailand, Indian Ambassador to Thailand H.E. Harsh
Vardhan Shringla, Amrik Singh Kalra - President of Pattaya Sikh Community, Sue
Kukarja, Director of PMTV, and Pratheep Malhotra, Managing Director of the
Pattaya Mail Media Group take a break for a photo op inside the Sikh Temple in
South Pattaya.
One hot topic was the continuing jet-ski extortion scams,
which have victimized many an Indian tourist. “I was assured by the mayor and
the Tourist Police chief they are working to solve it.”
Shringla said he also received a pledge from Itthiphol that the city would hold
a meeting to discuss problems between Indian tourists and tour guides, who cause
“inconveniences” to them. He also said the meeting would cover “pre-emptive”
measures that can be taken by tour operators and hotels, such as supplying
guests cards showing where they are staying in case a tourist is involved in an
accident.
“I should also acknowledge that we have a few Indian citizens who are also
police volunteers to render assistance to Indians, working with police
authorities to facilitate help and decrease the level of discomfort for any of
our tourists who get into any bad situation and to coordinate and inform the
embassy for consular assistance,” Shringla said. “So although we may not have a
physical presence here, we do appreciate that we have Indian citizens who help
us in their voluntary capacity in providing this service.”
He said providing some “dos and don’ts” to tourists also would prevent problems.
“Thailand attracts about 1 million Indian tourists a year and 60 percent of
those come to Pattaya, which is a very large figure,” he said. “Clearly there
are bound to be some problems. If we can preempt the problems and address them
we can reduce the incumbency.
“We will be well served if there is adequate information not only from
established channels like the police and the mayor’s office and ourselves at the
embassy, but also informally from newspapers, social media, and TV, of which I
thank the Pattaya Mail for this cooperation, as well as the Sikh temple where we
are now, where local advice can be given informally which will be a great help,”
he said.
Shringla has traveled the world and speaks five languages, but refuses to say
which country is his favorite.
“Each place has given me great experience and interaction with the people of
those countries. Thailand is, of course, an excellent place to be posted in as
the people are very warm, friendly and because of our traditions and cultures,
plus a not so long distance to travel, it makes me feel very much at home.”
So while Indian tourism to Thailand continues to expand, the ambassador also
keeps an eye on Thais going to India.
“There are 100,000 Thais visiting India every year, mostly on pilgrimages along
the Buddha trail,” he said. “The Indian Tourism Board intends to expand on this
and add highlights on many other beautiful places of interest. Welcome to
India!”
