Archive for September, 2024
23 Sep, 2024
Thousands Walk, Eat, Chill as Bangkok launches Car-Free street
Bangkok — Thousands of Bangkokians and tourists thronged the Bantadthong road in downtown Bangkok to Walk, Eat, Chill over two evenings of car-free relief between 21-22 Sept 2024. The roughly 500-metre stretch of road, which is lined by about 200 SME eating outlets, came alive with families and young people enjoying the Thai capital’s latest […]
more…19 Sep, 2024
Tourism, Connectivity and Soft-Power Set to Drive “Proactive” Thai Foreign Policy
Bangkok — Promoting tourism, connectivity with the regional countries and Thai Soft-Power are to be the core drivers of the Foreign Ministry’s “proactive, people-centered economic diplomacy” in the next six months. Addressing the MFA’s second “Meet the Press” session on 19 Sept, Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said, “Diplomacy must be tangible, and diplomacy must put […]
more…18 Sep, 2024
An interfaith study tour template for Thailand as an Alliance of Civilisations destination
Bangkok – If the Thai Travel & Tourism industry recognises the rising global tide of hate speech, ethnocentricism and extremism as a potential risk and threat to its sustainable and commercial future, it will have to initiate a preventive-action partnership with moderate religious leaders such as those I met on 14 Sept 2024 on the […]
more…12 Sep, 2024
Is Travel & Tourism ready for another 25 years of the “War on Terror”
11 September 2024 marked the 23rd anniversary of the infamous terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC. Ever since that day, the world has been gripped by a “War on Terror,” making it the over-arching source of geopolitical instability in the first quarter of the 21st […]
more…6 Sep, 2024
PATA Youth Forums need to flip the format
Bangkok — PATA events tend to be a collection of visionary speeches, strategic thinking, forecasts and recovery plans. But no sooner does the situation begin to improve that another crisis strikes. One step forward, two steps backward. For this cycle to end, it will be necessary, nay imperative, to start listening seriously to the very […]
more…3 Sep, 2024
PATA breaks new ground with media briefing at Foreign Press club
Bangkok – The PATA Travel Mart 2024 broke new ground on Aug 27 by holding the opening media briefing at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. It was the first time since PATA’s move to Bangkok in 1998 that both the Chairman and CEO of the Asia-Pacific region’s leading Travel & Tourism association had turned […]
more…2 Sep, 2024
Some tips for Nepal tourism on how to achieve a broader purpose
Bangkok — One of the pleasures of attending the PATA Travel Mart 2024 in Bangkok between Aug 27-29 was the opportunity to catch up with PATA veterans, whose numbers sadly are dwindling. One of them was PATA Vice Chairman Suman Pandey, President, Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure. In a reversal of roles, Mr Pandey interviewed […]
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