Thailand development issues provide tourism, economic growth - News
Researcher Chanasai Tiengtrakul from the Social and Cultural Science department at Rockhurst University discussed major changes in Thailand's tourism industry this Saturday when she presented her paper "Globalization and Development: Island Tourism and Phuket, Thailand." Her symposium explored how Thailand is in competition with other Asian countries to attract European and western travelers and the negative effects of tourism on the working conditions of native citizens.
Phuket is located on the western coast of Thailand and has many island-like features: beaches, consumer-friendly shopping and townhome-style suites. In 2004, five billion travelers visited, averaging four days per visit. This influx of tourism brings in a total of $3 billion in revenue for the international tourism industry.
One reason Phuket has become so popular is because it provides a "modernized and comfortable place for travelers to visit" and "superb" entertainment, said Tiengtrakul.
Some luxuries that are most enjoyed are the movies and restaurants like those found in the United States.
Also mirroring the U.S. are Phuket's poor living standards for those who work in the hospitality industry. Tiengtrakul said native residents employed in this industry typically don't live in conditions anywhere near the visitors' luxuries. The workers hold umbrellas over the heads of rich tourists on the beach by day but tread home to shack-like neighborhoods later that evening.
Thailand's identity has kept many observers awaiting the newest marketing platforms, recently enforced by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. "Amazing Thailand" is the tag line used to express the official uniqueness of the country.
On the official website, which appears as a typical hotel booking page, there are over ten links to click to plan a Thailand trip. Over a dozen links are available to simply book a hotel, mirroring the westernized marketing tactics which target consumers at all possible opportunities - so much that he or she may succumb to information overload.
Thailand's essence has yet to be fully explored because it remains hidden behind a veneer of western consumerist culture and tourist expectations. As a result, Thailand's tourism industry has made the country into an object of consumption rather than giving visitors a way of connecting with the true atmosphere of diverse religions and cultures.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Jeff Morgan: As Global Heritage Sites Vanish, Developing Countries Lose Key Economic Assets
Jeff Morgan: As Global Heritage Sites Vanish, Developing Countries Lose Key Economic Assets
yutthaya in Thailand. Mirador in Guatemala. Most people outside of these countries have not heard of either, and future generations will never know of or experience these historical treasures if we do not work to save them.
Both are "global heritage" sites, meaning they are of great cultural value to their own countries and to civilization collectively. That value is more than just a link to the past -- heritage sites offer an overlooked key to revitalizing poorer nations. But explosive growth in tourism and unchecked development in developing countries is putting heritage sites under such severe stress that experts fear widespread, irreplaceable losses in the next 10-20 years. We learned this in the creation of a new report, Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, which reviewed over 500 heritage sites. We found that simultaneous and accelerating man-made threats are putting many fragile sites in imminent danger. National treasures are being lost and damaged by illegal encroachment, construction, poor management, unsustainable tourism, looting and conflict.
At the same time, natural disasters are washing away or leveling one-of-a-kind sites like Ayutthaya (once one of Southeast Asia's most advanced civilizations). While we cannot stop an earthquake, we can stop the tsunami of tourists swarming over easily damaged archaeological sites.
While seemingly benign, tens of thousands of tourists are climbing over fragile archaeological sites (from Angkor to Machu Picchu), gradually wearing them down. The unrelenting rush for hotel development is strangling once-sacred ancient cities and sites like Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Casinos and high-rise hotels are replacing ancient sanctuaries and towns.
Tim Williams, professor of archaeology at the University College of London - and member of the Editorial Committee for Vanishing - has said, "Our archaeological work is facing extreme pressures from encroaching development or uncontrolled tourism. Few developing countries have the capabilities or training to manage their major heritage treasures. We are seeing major losses at sites that would be highly protected in Europe or North America." In fact, only 76 of the world's most significant sites - all in poor countries - have international recognition by UNESCO, the same as Italy and Spain combined.
Until now, this has largely been a silent crisis, happening in far-flung corners of the world. What is unfolding in many places has not been seen since the World Wars.
Why does it matter? Aside from the permanent lost to historical treasures, these sites are also promising economic engines for poor countries which can bring jobs, income and feed tens of thousands. In fact, Vanishing estimates that, by 2025, heritage sites could garner more than $100 billion a year for poor countries. Much of the solution lies in having global funding and expertise focused on our most significant and endangered sites. Timely intervention is critical.
Global monitoring is a must. Unlike climate change, or loss of tropical rainforests or animal species - which each have thousands of scientific reports and satellite systems - baseline data is not being collected, and there is no "agency." Our report calls for the creation of a new early-warning and threats monitoring system, Global Heritage Network (GHN), to fill the gaping hole in knowledge about conservation in sites across the developing world. Legal boundaries for each site's protected areas are being mapped, and illegal encroachment and other threats are being geographically identified and communicated to the responsible governments.
Vanishing also recommends establishing a Global Fund for Heritage in developing countries, which can provide targeted emergency support for threats, international experts, and conservation planning and training. And by increasing private-sector funding and leadership in preservation, we can multiple critical financial and human resources. It is impossible to regenerate unique and timeless heritage sites once they are gone. And with them will disappear the opportunity for economic development in these poor countries.
I want future generations to know the names of Mirador and Ayutthaya, among others. Not just for their value to tourists but also as the sparks that ignited positive, sustainable development for their regions.
yutthaya in Thailand. Mirador in Guatemala. Most people outside of these countries have not heard of either, and future generations will never know of or experience these historical treasures if we do not work to save them.
Both are "global heritage" sites, meaning they are of great cultural value to their own countries and to civilization collectively. That value is more than just a link to the past -- heritage sites offer an overlooked key to revitalizing poorer nations. But explosive growth in tourism and unchecked development in developing countries is putting heritage sites under such severe stress that experts fear widespread, irreplaceable losses in the next 10-20 years. We learned this in the creation of a new report, Saving Our Vanishing Heritage, which reviewed over 500 heritage sites. We found that simultaneous and accelerating man-made threats are putting many fragile sites in imminent danger. National treasures are being lost and damaged by illegal encroachment, construction, poor management, unsustainable tourism, looting and conflict.
At the same time, natural disasters are washing away or leveling one-of-a-kind sites like Ayutthaya (once one of Southeast Asia's most advanced civilizations). While we cannot stop an earthquake, we can stop the tsunami of tourists swarming over easily damaged archaeological sites.
While seemingly benign, tens of thousands of tourists are climbing over fragile archaeological sites (from Angkor to Machu Picchu), gradually wearing them down. The unrelenting rush for hotel development is strangling once-sacred ancient cities and sites like Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Casinos and high-rise hotels are replacing ancient sanctuaries and towns.
Tim Williams, professor of archaeology at the University College of London - and member of the Editorial Committee for Vanishing - has said, "Our archaeological work is facing extreme pressures from encroaching development or uncontrolled tourism. Few developing countries have the capabilities or training to manage their major heritage treasures. We are seeing major losses at sites that would be highly protected in Europe or North America." In fact, only 76 of the world's most significant sites - all in poor countries - have international recognition by UNESCO, the same as Italy and Spain combined.
Until now, this has largely been a silent crisis, happening in far-flung corners of the world. What is unfolding in many places has not been seen since the World Wars.
Why does it matter? Aside from the permanent lost to historical treasures, these sites are also promising economic engines for poor countries which can bring jobs, income and feed tens of thousands. In fact, Vanishing estimates that, by 2025, heritage sites could garner more than $100 billion a year for poor countries. Much of the solution lies in having global funding and expertise focused on our most significant and endangered sites. Timely intervention is critical.
Global monitoring is a must. Unlike climate change, or loss of tropical rainforests or animal species - which each have thousands of scientific reports and satellite systems - baseline data is not being collected, and there is no "agency." Our report calls for the creation of a new early-warning and threats monitoring system, Global Heritage Network (GHN), to fill the gaping hole in knowledge about conservation in sites across the developing world. Legal boundaries for each site's protected areas are being mapped, and illegal encroachment and other threats are being geographically identified and communicated to the responsible governments.
Vanishing also recommends establishing a Global Fund for Heritage in developing countries, which can provide targeted emergency support for threats, international experts, and conservation planning and training. And by increasing private-sector funding and leadership in preservation, we can multiple critical financial and human resources. It is impossible to regenerate unique and timeless heritage sites once they are gone. And with them will disappear the opportunity for economic development in these poor countries.
I want future generations to know the names of Mirador and Ayutthaya, among others. Not just for their value to tourists but also as the sparks that ignited positive, sustainable development for their regions.
SE Asia Stocks-Mild rebound, Thai bank stocks in favour | Reuters
SE Asia Stocks-Mild rebound, Thai bank stocks in favour | Reuters
* Thai Kasikornbank ends higher ahead of strong Q3 results
* Indonesia sees biggest outflows of the year
By Viparat Jantraprap
BANGKOK, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock
markets rose on Tuesday as investors bought into growing
sectors but the region saw some foreign money flow out despite
the prospect of further U.S. monetary easing.
With the results season for Southeast Asian firms
beginning, Thailand .SETI clawed back from a one-week low on
Monday thanks to buying in banks, while the indexes of
Singapore .FTSTI, Malaysia .KLSE and Indonesia .JKSE eked
out small gains.
Despite the gain, Jakarta recorded $147.7 million in
outflows on the day, the biggest this year, according to
Thomson Reuters data.
Thailand's benchmark SET index finished up 0.53 percent at
989.27, still having trouble moving through the 1,000 level
that was within sight last week for the first time since the
1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
"Sentiment lifted up a bit because of the earnings season
for banks. I think the earnings plays will be more active in
coming weeks," said Chaiyaporn Nompitakcharoen, head of
research at Bualuang Securities.
The Thai bank subindex .SETB rose 0.9 percent, led by a
1.7 percent rise in the third-largest bank Kasikornbank Pcl
(KBAN.BK). After the close, the bank reported
better-than-expected third quarter earnings of 5.09 billion
baht.
Turnover in Bangkok fell to a one-week low of 27.8 billion
baht ($931.6 million).
Investors were cautious ahead of a review of interest rates
by the Bank of Thailand on Wednesday, with expectations growing
it would keep the policy rate at 1.75 percent in a bid to slow
inflows and take some of the upward pressure off the baht.
The U.S. dollar was steady in Asia on Tuesday, supported by
a pledge from Washington not to devalue its way to recovery,
but weakness in the technology sector held Asian stock markets
back.
The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS was down 0.05 percent by 0933 GMT.
Bucking the trend in Southeast Asia, the Philippines .PSI
extended its losses to a near-one-week low while Vietnam .VNI
hit its lowest in two weeks.
Sentiment across the region dropped after Morgan Stanley
(MS.N) reduced its overweight rating on equities to 4 percent
from 6 percent and raised the cash weight on its Asia/Global
Emerging Market strategy, according to Bualuang's Chaiyaporn.
Valuations in the region now look a bit stretched after the
strong rise in the second half. Southeast Asian stock indexes
are trading at relatively high forward price-to-earnings
ratios, led by Indonesia's 15.6, according to Thomson Reuters
StarMine.
In Singapore, medium-caps led gainers, with casino operator
Genting Singapore Plc (GENS.SI) rising 2.4 percent, while in
Malaysia financial firm RHB Capital Bhd (RHBC.KL) jumped 2.3
percent.
In Jakarta, PT Bank Central Asia (BBCA.JK), Indonesia's
biggest lender by market value, rose 2.3 percent after falling
to a three-week low the day before.
In the Philippines, Manila Electric Co (Meralco) (MER.PS),
the country's largest power retailer, dropped 3.2 percent to a
three-week low.
* Thai Kasikornbank ends higher ahead of strong Q3 results
* Indonesia sees biggest outflows of the year
By Viparat Jantraprap
BANGKOK, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stock
markets rose on Tuesday as investors bought into growing
sectors but the region saw some foreign money flow out despite
the prospect of further U.S. monetary easing.
With the results season for Southeast Asian firms
beginning, Thailand .SETI clawed back from a one-week low on
Monday thanks to buying in banks, while the indexes of
Singapore .FTSTI, Malaysia .KLSE and Indonesia .JKSE eked
out small gains.
Despite the gain, Jakarta recorded $147.7 million in
outflows on the day, the biggest this year, according to
Thomson Reuters data.
Thailand's benchmark SET index finished up 0.53 percent at
989.27, still having trouble moving through the 1,000 level
that was within sight last week for the first time since the
1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
"Sentiment lifted up a bit because of the earnings season
for banks. I think the earnings plays will be more active in
coming weeks," said Chaiyaporn Nompitakcharoen, head of
research at Bualuang Securities.
The Thai bank subindex .SETB rose 0.9 percent, led by a
1.7 percent rise in the third-largest bank Kasikornbank Pcl
(KBAN.BK). After the close, the bank reported
better-than-expected third quarter earnings of 5.09 billion
baht.
Turnover in Bangkok fell to a one-week low of 27.8 billion
baht ($931.6 million).
Investors were cautious ahead of a review of interest rates
by the Bank of Thailand on Wednesday, with expectations growing
it would keep the policy rate at 1.75 percent in a bid to slow
inflows and take some of the upward pressure off the baht.
The U.S. dollar was steady in Asia on Tuesday, supported by
a pledge from Washington not to devalue its way to recovery,
but weakness in the technology sector held Asian stock markets
back.
The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS was down 0.05 percent by 0933 GMT.
Bucking the trend in Southeast Asia, the Philippines .PSI
extended its losses to a near-one-week low while Vietnam .VNI
hit its lowest in two weeks.
Sentiment across the region dropped after Morgan Stanley
(MS.N) reduced its overweight rating on equities to 4 percent
from 6 percent and raised the cash weight on its Asia/Global
Emerging Market strategy, according to Bualuang's Chaiyaporn.
Valuations in the region now look a bit stretched after the
strong rise in the second half. Southeast Asian stock indexes
are trading at relatively high forward price-to-earnings
ratios, led by Indonesia's 15.6, according to Thomson Reuters
StarMine.
In Singapore, medium-caps led gainers, with casino operator
Genting Singapore Plc (GENS.SI) rising 2.4 percent, while in
Malaysia financial firm RHB Capital Bhd (RHBC.KL) jumped 2.3
percent.
In Jakarta, PT Bank Central Asia (BBCA.JK), Indonesia's
biggest lender by market value, rose 2.3 percent after falling
to a three-week low the day before.
In the Philippines, Manila Electric Co (Meralco) (MER.PS),
the country's largest power retailer, dropped 3.2 percent to a
three-week low.
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