Tourism/TAT

Chatrudee Theparat

The government plans to negotiate with airline operators to resume aviation routes between Hua Hin airport and regional cities in a bid to boost foreign visitors in four provinces.

Thapanee Kiatpaibool, governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the government is moving forward to stimulate tourism in the country according to Prime Minster Srettha Thavisin’s policy to promote tourism in the central provinces to become the popular tourist destinations.

She said the agency plans to promote tourism in four cities including Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Phetchaburi in order to promote tourism connections in nearby areas of the central provinces, as well as cross-regional tourism.

The related agencies will seek solutions in order to resume flights from domestic destinations such as Udon Thani-Hua Hin, Hat Yai-Hua Hin which can attract visitors from northeastern and southern provinces, as well as international flights between Hua-Hin and Hong Kong and Malaysia.

“The government will support market opportunities and tourism connections across regions to Hua Hin Airport which covers the entire Cha-am district area of Phetchaburi and Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan. Currently domestic flights of Air Asia airline are launched with Hua Hin- Chiang Mai route, which has increased its flight frequency to become daily until this August from previous four flights per week.”

Thapanee Kiatpaibool

TAT Phetchaburi Office and TAT Prachuap Khiri Khan Office will implement an activity called "Amazing Cha-Am - Hua Hin Consumer Fair.” There are more than 20 leading tour operators in the Cha-Am and Hua Hin areas to participate. They aim to persuade northern tourists to travel to Cha-am and Hua Hin.

TAT also aims to conduct marketing programmes in the central provinces to stimulate travel frequency and increase tourist spending between main cities and second-tier tourism provinces following on three strategies.

The strategy included "Must Do in Thailand" and “Must Eat Thai food”- aiming to support Phetchaburi to become a Gastronomy City , a creative food city.

The agency also presents Phetchaburi under the concept of " city of 3 Flavors ", highlighting 3 local ingredients. Salty taste from the sea in the area of Ban Laem district. The sweet taste comes from palm sugar, a sugar plantation area in Ban Lat district.

It continues to promote the tourist route through local food menus in Phetchaburi province, such as palm curry, palm desert, and the sour taste of quality limes from Tha Yang district, created as a drink menu "Lime Palm Soda".

Organizing the Phra Nakhon Khiri Festival, an annual event in the area in the form of Light & Sound , to the international level is for example.

It also puts a focus on faiths with an offering "faith" leading the way of tour routes to present a new landmark of Phetchaburi. The largest Naga statue in Thailand is a prototype from the northeastern region designed by a national artist. The highlights are the 9 curves of auspiciousness at Tham Chaeng Temple, Cha- am district.

In terms of promoting tourism linkages among provinces, TAT is preparing a plan to promote tourism in 4 Buri cities ( Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi , and Phetchaburi) , bringing the distinctive identities of each province to further develop into tourism products and activities.

1) Suphanburi city famous Thai temple Suphan Pear, a popular snack

2) Kanchanaburi province raises the level of the light and sound show, Bridge over the River Kwai. conveyed in the form Virtual Event

3) Ratchaburi, a city of art, artwork and way of life

4) Phetchaburi province, supporting food tourism as a network of creative food cities that have been announced by UNESCO

In 2024, the TAT set a target for the number of tourists traveling to the central region provinces at 103.07 million trips, generating tourism income of 464.61 billion baht.

Between January and April 2024 , there were tourists traveling to the central region 36.96 million trips, generating 161.78 billion baht.