Phuket and the Andamans say “thank you Australia”

L’Aqua restaurant poised overlooking stunning Cockle Bay in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, the venue for the Phuket and Andamans thank you Australia evening, seemed a very long way from the scenes we all remember with horror of Phuket and the Andamans as the Tsunami struck, leaving total devastation in its wake.

The Tsunami wrenched away lives and livelihoods, buildings and landscapes, but what it could not do was tear away was the sheer grit, determination and tenacity of a proud Thai people, who have worked diligently ever since to rebuild their devastated tourism product and industry.

The message coming across and the product on display last evening demonstrated that the new and revitalised tourism industry is one which is enjoying tremendous resurgence in business, with Australia now the region’s No1 source of tourists.

The thanks from the region’s tourism operators was for the confidence that the Aussie travel industry showed in Thailand by encouraging their clients to book and buy Thailand, with examples include the first cruise ship to dock in Phuket after the Tsunami, which brought 1900 Australians on an incentive programme.

So what does the region offer today?  Well albeit sadly, but a side benefit of such a disaster, if there can be any, are the new or refurbished buildings and hotels, stylish shops and restaurants – the less savoury has been replaced with the fashionable, but never losing that very special Thai feel of locations such as Patong Beach, now with a virtually completely new and fabulous waterfront.

For those who might be a little nervous to revisit, have no fear, because while the chances of a re-occurrence are miniscule, a new state of the art Tsunami warning system is in place and advisory signs on the beach fronts installed.

If the passionate, happy, smiling and highly knowledgeable hotel and tour operators, demonstrating and showing off what seemed to be fabulous product at The Tourism Authority of Thailand event are examples of the welcome and product to be expected and experienced during a visit to Thailand and in particular Phuket and the Andamans, then we should have no hesitation in recommendation them to our clients!

Hey, the Mole thinks that it would also be great place for a well deserved Mole break!!

Representatives of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and tourism operators from Phuket and the Andamans enjoy the terrace at L’Aqua, Darling Harbour.

The status of Australia in the Thai and in particular Phuket and the Andamans tourism indutry was demonstrated by the attendance of the following senior officials: –

Khun Juthaporn Rerngron-asa – Deputy Governor TAT; Khun Prakit – Director TAT for ASEAN and S Pacific;

Khun Suwalai – Assistant Director TAT Phuket; Khun Chamnan Muangtim – Assistant Executive Director TAT; Khun Juthaporn – Deputy Director Domestic Market TAT; Khun Anoma Vongyai – Assistant Director TAT; Khun Pattanapong; President of the Phuket Tourist Authority; Khun Panu Maswongasa – VP Phuket Touris Association.

Further information can be obtained from the Tourism Authority of Thailand on http://thailand.net.au/

Report by The Mole