Measures prepared for "Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018"

BANGKOK, September 21 (TNA) - The Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in cooperation with other relevant agencies, has prepared measures to cater for international tourist arrivals in the Thai Kingdom during the "Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018", set from November 1, 2017 to January 1, 2019. Permanent Secretary for Tourism and Sports Pongpanu Svetarundra held a meeting with Tourism Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Sakorn Thongmanee (สาคร ทองมุณี) and representatives from the state-run Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and other relevant agencies in Bangkok on September 20 to discuss integrated measures in preparation for the "Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018". Pongpanu told journalists that Wednesday's meeting resolved that three main issues will be urgently implemented to timely cater for the international visitors during the "Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018". According to the senior official, the urgent issues are the inclusion of accident prevention and security plans for international visitors on the national agenda, a further upgrade of official records and database of tourist casualties and the concrete enforcement of travel and tour business laws comprehensively, covering the response to requests for assistance, complaints and opinions filed and raised by international tourists at information and service centers opened at Thai airports and other focal points. The senior official announced that his ministry plans to open additional 30 information and service centers for international tourist arrrivals in 30 Thai provinces, from 16 centers currently, where staff members who can communicate in the Thai, English and such the third languages as the Mandarin, French, Japanese, Korean and Arabian languages, will be deployed. The senior official said more service centers will be opened in all other Thai provinces nationwide during the 2019 fiscal year, which starts on October 1, 2018. (TNA)