BANGKOK, 28 October 2014 – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports is joining hands with the Ministry of Transport to improve the current tourism promotion strategy, with more emphasis to be placed on the safety of travelers.
Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul revealed that the ministry is in the process of revamping the tourism strategy for 2012-2016 in hopes of creating a better image for Thai tourism. She elaborated that new measures will be adopted to assure tourists, both Thai and foreign, of more safety when using transport services in Thailand.
As one of the measures, the minister said the Transport Ministry will come up with a special type of life vests that will more effectively prevent boat passengers from drowning in case they fall into the water. The new safety gear is expected to become available from November onwards and will mainly be distributed in destinations known for marine tourism, such as Phuket and Pattaya. The Department of Tourism will also financially support the move by offering the new vests to boat service providers free of charge, in exchange for their old ones.
Furthermore, another program has also been planned to increase traveling convenience in major tourism provinces by improving the local public transport system. The ministry is set to coordinate with the Ministry of Commerce in inspecting car rental services as well as taxi, van and boat operators in each area in a bid to make sure that they abide by laws and safety regulations.
