Tourism / Namnong Hot Spa

Chatrudee Theparat

Namnong Hot Spa with ambitious plan to become Ranong’s new tourism attraction with Thai onsen

Namnong Hot Spa has planned to join tourism operators in Ranong and nearby provinces to create tourism routes linking between hot spring spa and community tourism plots in Ranong to generate more income to the local community.

Located opposite Ranong’s Municipal Park, Namnong Hot Spa is popular among visitors from Western nations, especially Scandinavians. However, business has been in decline after Myanmar government closed the border at Koh Song, as a popular tourism route among foreign visitors between Ranong and Koh Song. The situation has got worse after being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Phatcharawadee Wongnamrojis currently owns Namnong Hot Spa, founded in 2004 by her uncle who wanted strongly to keep this hot spring for Ranong people. The spa was improved in 2006 to get more attractive. Her firm today pays 100,000 baht in rental fee per month to the Ranong Municipal City.

Phatcharawadee Wongnamrojis

“We rent hot spring well from Ranong Municipal City. However, when the pandemic hit, the number of tourists became zero. So I had struggled at the time to look for solutions to survive and finally came up with the service launch of one-day trip via the integration of community cultures including spa, community businesses, unique local foods as an unique package to attract Thai visitors to peaceful Ranong province with rich in high-quality hot spring.”

Currently, there are a few customers, with 10 a day and it expects its number will grow in the future. Business around the area starts getting more active as well with new entrepreneurs to be emerged to provide products and services.

The Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) conducted a study and it found that hot spring here is low sulfur, high quality with several minerals, which is useful for body treatment such as body pain, bone pain, muscle pain and minerals. It gives a lot of health benefits like helping have better skin and blood circulation.

“We plan to use this smell-free and color-free hot spring from natural source, aged over 100 years, to attract more visitors. However, one more problem with Ranong is the second-tier tourism province, far different from Phuket and Krabi as the country’s main tourist attraction, we would like to ask for related agencies to help suggest us to create marketing campaign to promote and create impact,” Mrs Phatcharawadee said.

She expects the spa to make profitable next year from an accumulated investment of total 10 million baht, driven by the promotion of tourism routes linking with community business.

“We have just established a coffee shop by using mineral waters to make coffee. This creative drink is a new magnet and expected to generate more income.”

However, travel cost is one of the troubles. Today there is only one flight per day from Bangkok to Ranong, costing 6,000 baht for a round-trip ticket.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol said the ministry has authorized related agency to upgrade hot spring spots to become a world-class destination like “spa town” in Europe or “onsen” of Japan. The agencies are required to design seven routes of hot spring spa to other tourism spots in nearby provinces such as Chumphon, Surat Thani, Phuket, Krabi and Phang-nga.