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Published on April 19, 2008

Suchat Sritama

The Nation

The Tourism and Sports Ministry, the Transport Ministry's Marine Department and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) discussed the development of various projects yesterday.

Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said the agencies would soon set up a working committee to implement the scheme. Representatives from each of the bodies would be involved in the development.

He said the committee would propose the projects and budget to Cabinet for approval.

"These will be part of next year's tourism budget planning so detail of the time frames and costs of development are not finalised," said Weerasak.

He said the first project was to open a bid to develop water transport routes between the east and west coasts. The project is intended to move cargo, trucks and cars between Pattaya, Laem Chabang, Chantaburi, Koh Chang, Koh Samui, Hau Hin, Cha-am and Pran Buri.

The second project will be in parallel with the first but designed for passengers and tourists.

The third is to encourage night-cruise businesses along the Chao Phya River, particularly from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan. The Finance Ministry was

asked to help by providing more lights while the Marine Department will build more piers.

The fourth is zoning beach resorts to prepare special areas for sports activities. This is expected to bring more overseas investors to Thailand.

The fifth project is the promotion of more marine activities in the Gulf of Thailand to attract more tourists. The final job is to put more effort into security at all water destinations.

According to Weerasak, the TAT will be the key body in promoting these new products, in order to attract more arrivals.