TAT board pressed to explain choice of outsider
The board of the Tourism Authority of Thailand is under pressure to explain why an outsider has been chosen as TAT's new governor at a time when the Kingdom's tourism industry is facing tough competition and, according to TAT staff, someone with strong ex
At a board meeting on Monday chaired by the deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, Jarin Jakkapak, the TAT board selected MCOT executive Yuthasak Supasorn as the new governor.
"The decision is drawing a lot of attention from staff and people in the hospitality sector. They question why this candidate won the race and how he will be able to overcome the current tough competition," one TAT staff member said.
Yuthasak, executive vice president and chief financial officer of MCOT, will be the first outsider to take the top post at TAT since the agency was established 55 years ago.
He beat eight other candidates for the job, and is expected to take office this month.
Another source at TAT said some staff welcomed his arrival and some did not, reasoning that Yuthasak, in his late 40s, is too young handle the position.
Other candidates from inside the TAT were older and more experienced in the hospitality sector.
The source said that if it wanted TAT staff to welcome the new leader, the board should make it clear why it decided Yuthasak was a better choice than the other candidates.
"If the board is able to answer that question clearly, we are OK with it."
Meanwhile yesterday, the Cabinet chose Areepong Bhoocha-oom as the new permanent secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry, replacing Suwat Sidthilaw.
Like Yuthasak, Areepong has little or no direct experience in the tourism sector, raising the likelihood that hotel and travel operators will question this choice as well.
Areepong is currently secretary of the Office of the Public Sector Development Commission.
The private sector has long complained that the tourism industry is plagued with numerous problems that have not been adequately dealt with, such as tourist scams, safety and security issues, and most recently international criticism of Thailand’s civil-aviation oversight. Thus Yuthasak and Areepong are likely to come under pressure to outline their action plans promptly.
TAT is holding its annual marketing meeting this week, outlining its policy of seeking "quality tourists" rather than focusing on sheer numbers in line with the government’s goal of steering the economy towards stability, prosperity and sustainability. The government is targeting Bt2.2 trillion in tourism revenue this year, including Bt1.4 trillion from 28.8 million international tourists.
Next year, the government expects tourism to generate income of Bt2.3 trillion, with further growth to Bt2.5 trillion in 2017.
