At A Glance

The Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Sports, has unveiled Thailand’s tourism policy for 2019 with a major focus on strengthening community-based tourism in line with the country’s 20-year national strategy on sustainable development.
According to Anan Wongbenjarat, Director General of the Department of Tourism (DOT), community-based tourism plays a key role in creating jobs, stimulating local economy, and strengthening a “Good Host” image awareness to achieve tourism satisfaction and community success.
The 2019 tourism policy was unveiled at a media event entitled “Happy Travels, Happy Tourists, Sustainable Communities” at the Sukosol Bangkok on October 5, 2018.
The policy announcement, also attended by DOT Deputy Director General Wantana Jangprajak and DOT high-ranking executives, highlights on the DOT’s readiness to support community-based tourism by developing new destinations, improving tourism operations to increase convenience, safety, and cleanliness in accordance to international standards, and using digital technology and innovations to strengthen Thai tourism as a whole.
“Tourism is a key driver of the country’s economy,” said Mr Anan. “The DOT policy is in line with the government’s 20-year national strategy to sharpen Thailand’s competitiveness in the service sectors and to improve people’s quality of life and income.”
The DOT tourism policy also follows the 12th National Economic and Social Development Plan which outlines strategies to foster sustainable economic competitiveness and enhance the competitiveness of the service sector to meet the government’s development goals. The goals are to bridge disparity, increase access to government services, create job opportunities and sustainable sources of income, stimulate local economy, empower local communities under the Pracharat participatory development model, create community-based tourism networks between communities, provinces, and regions, and to develop OTOP Tourism Village.

New showroom in Phitsanulok 

BMW Group Thailand and authorized dealer Nithiboon officially unveiled a new showroom and service center for BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad in Phitsanulok province after decades of successful business in the lower northern region. The new facility stands ready to deliver an enhanced and comprehensive range of services and sales offerings as well as lifestyle products in response to growing customer demand in the area, bringing the ultimate BMW experience to Phitsanulok and nearby provinces in the process.
Christian Wiedmann, President, BMW Group Thailand, said, “Nithiboon has been an important partner driving BMW Group Thailand’s sales and services in the lower northern region of Thailand and led towards many successes and milestones since the beginning of our partnership in 1998. With a showroom and service center for BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad, we can better serve the growing demands of customers across the region and this, in turn, will elevate Nithiboon’s potential and expertise in the industry. The trust that Nithiboon has been cultivating amongst our customers over the years, combined with their expertise in the industry, will certainly take our success here to greater heights in the years to come.”
The Nithiboon Phitsanulok facility spans an area of 5 rai and offers services to customers in Phitsanulok and in the lower northern region of Thailand. Located in this strategic location, the showroom and service center provides services across BMW Group’s three brands and can support up to 22 cars and 8 motorcycles per day, an increase from the previous facility that could support 11 cars and 4 motorcycles per day.

Firm explains plant explosion 

Tata Steel (Thailand) Public Company Limited has revealed details on the recent explosion at the electric arc furnace of Siam Construction Steel Company Limited in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Muang District, Rayong Province. Four workers working near the furnace at the time were injured by the explosion. However, no leakage of hazardous chemical substances in the environment was found and also no impact on neighbouring factories and surrounding community.
Pornchai Thangworakulchai, vice president, Siam Construction Steel Company Limited revealed that Siam Construction Steel Co Ltd which manufactures billet and hot rolling into rebars, located in Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province, had an explosion at about 8:15 am on October 6, 2018. The primary cause found malfunction of the ignition of Natural Gas (NG) system while the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) had been warming after relining resulting in the accumulation of NG in the furnace. When the ignition of fuel system was started, accumulated NG immediately caught fire and exploded inside the furnace. From an investigation, some properties were damaged such as the roof and part of steel plant’s wall including EAF control room’s glass. There is no diffusion of chemicals found and surrounding areas around are all safe.
 Pornchai further disclosed that the four injured workers were immediately taken to Bangkok Rayong Hospital. Two had minor injuries and one was allowed to leave . The other two had burn injuries requiring them to stay at hospital in the intensive care unit. 
The process to bring the steel plant back to operation has started. Review and practice of an emergency response plan would be done as per the norms of Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT). The progress of corrective and preventive action would be submitted to the Office of Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate and relevant government agencies, Pornchai said.