Committee chairman Kriangsak Lohachala revealed yesterday that the four were Pitsanu Kongkhanphai, managing director of tour operator 24 Jan; Nutcharee Pulkaew, sales and marketing director of the Business Air Centre; Therawut Jitratkosol, manager of the Laguna Resort; and Patima Tantikom organiser and managing director of Kantana Organiser and Management.

The first three were disqualified for failing to produce documents showing they had held management positions in companies with a turnover of more than Bt200 million. In Patima's case, her company had not been a TAT project concessionaire in the last three years. The conditions are required by TAT regulations outlining qualifications to apply for its top position.

Another 12 candidates made it through the first phase of the selection and must now pass an English-proficiency test today before a committee from the Foreign Affairs Ministry and submit to face-to-face interviews later this week as the final stage of the selection process.

Pitsanu responded to his rejection yesterday by saying he would ask the Administrative Court to consider his case, because he believes the selection process was unfair. He claimed the committee had already fixed who the new governor would be, despite the selection process.

"I don't care about the Bt200-million turnover," he said. "But I'm sure I can handle the tourism industry, because I graduated with a master's degree in tourism management from Australia and am also president of the Thai chapter of the American Tourism Association."

Meanwhile, Patima claimed that her company, Kantana, worked with the TAT as a temporary contractor this year but not on a big project. She said she had never personally benefited from the authority.

Kriangsak yesterday denied that the committee had already decided on its nominee for the top post.

Meanwhile, Pornsiri Manoharn, TAT deputy governor for the domestic market, said yesterday the agency was planning to resurrect its consumer fair, which about 10 years ago was called a "tourism festival".

In order to reduce the number of consumer fairs it organises for the domestic market, the old-time show will be next year's single fair for the domestic sector. It will be held next June 7-10 at Impact, Muang Thong Thani, and include a trade negotiation period during the first two days.

Pornsiri said it would also feature more than 300 booths displaying tourism products from throughout the Kingdom.

The "tourism festival" concept will emphasise the culture and traditions of different regions, including displays of village handicrafts, and be considered a platform for small- and medium-sized tourism suppliers and provincial and local administrations to offer their products to buyers and consumers.

In recent years, the TAT has organised about two consumer shows annually for the domestic market, while other shows targeting Thai travellers have been staged by private-sector organisations.

Pornsiri said the authority believed the market would be unaffected by reducing several domestic shows to just one major fair. The authority will continue to support private-sector travel shows.

Two private-sector travel fairs for the domestic market are already scheduled for next March.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation