TAT enlists 'Bird' McIntyre as tourism ambassador

Thongchai will receive Bt20 million to act as a tourism ambassador for one year. The rest of the money will be used for production work, including videos, advertising, posters, photography competitions, radio and television ads and related activities.

Thongchai first teamed up with the TAT in 2005, to help restore tourism following the December 2004 tsunami.

Thongchai will replace musician Ponglan Saon, whose contract with the TAT expires at the end of next month.

His first task will be to film an ad in Ubon Ratchathani province.

Wanchai Sarathulthat, chairman of the TAT's board, believes Thongchai can persuade Thais to travel around the Kingdom next year, when tourism will be affected by several negative factors.

He said Thongchai enjoyed a good reputation and was idolised by Thais everywhere and thus could help the TAT rebuild tourism.

TAT deputy governor Juthaporn Rerngronasa said Grammy Entertainment planned to bring four more popular singers into the campaign, each one representing his or her home region in the Kingdom. This initiative will be targeted at different groups nationwide.

Juthaporn said the TAT was also working with the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT), Thai Airways International and the private sector to revise its 2009 marketing strategy.

The TAT today will launch its new "Mai Pen Rai Thailand" campaign, which will send a message to international tourists that Thailand remains a good and safe place to travel.

TCT president Kongkrit Hiranyakit said the tourism sector must be rebuilt as quickly as possible.

"Tourism has been damaged by the airport closures, so the TCT is calling on the government to lure tourists back to the Kingdom," he said.

The TCT projects tourism will drop 30 per cent in next year's first quarter, adding to operators' woes.

"If tourism does not pick up by the second quarter, about 450,000 jobs could be lost," said Kongkrit.