TAT cancels selection process for new governor
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THE TOURISM Authority of Thailand yesterday cancelled its recruitment of a new governor, claiming that all five finalists were unfit for the top job during these difficult times for the industry.
TAT’s board of directors held an urgent meeting yesterday and agreed to abandon the selection process.
The appointment of the new governor had been set for the end of this month, when the incumbent, Thawatchai Arunyik, leaves office after serving out his four-year term plus some months as caretaker governor.
Chairman Kalin Sarasin said all five replacement candidates were not qualified enough to run the tourism agency under the current situation of instability and tough environment.
With this decision, all candidates who already passed the first round of the process are automatically out of contention.
However, all finalists can still submit their applications for the top post at the authority and all will be included in the new selection process. TAT’s management will soon invite interested persons to try out for the position.
The board will meet on March 25 to prepare for a new round of selection. It would likely appoint one of the deputy governors, probably the most senior one, to take the temporary job of acting governor, Kalin added.
TAT staff this week said they felt unsure about their daily work, as stability and efficiency might be affected if there were no leader with full authority.
They also worried that the country’s tourism competitiveness and strength might drop because of poor internal organisation.
Among the five candidates, three – Nalikatibhag Sangsnit, director-general of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration; Sorayut Phettrakul, assistant to the industry minister; and Somrak Kumputch, TAT’s deputy governor for administration – were claimed the best choices to become the next chief.
