Reminiscence of the TOT
Lt. General Chalermchai Charuvastr
Director of the Tourist Organization of Thailand. 1960-1976

The promotion of the tourism industry of Thailand was concretely established under the name of "Tourist Organization of Thailand or TOT" on March 18, 1960, being the first organization in Thailand to be responsible specifically for the promotion of tourism. In 1979, by virtue of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Act, B.E. 2522, the name was changed to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Thirty six years have now elapsed. On January 15, 1960, Prime Minister Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat appointed me as director of the TOT, and by his order I was given the responsibility to structure the organization, so that its office could be in operation within three months. I promptly responded to the order, and the TOT office was opened for the first time in Thai history. It was in a building on the boundary of Sua Pah Ground, Sri Ayutthaya Road, opposite the Marble Temple. The opening ceremony, on March 18, 1960, was presided over by the Prime Minister and was attended by foreign ambassadors to Thailand, dignitaries and VIPs. Since then, promotion of tours in Thailand has taken shape and has continually developed.

During that time, I was Assistant Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Prime Minister, aide-de camp to commander of the Army (General Sarit Thanarat), and President of the Board of Directors of the Erawan Hotel of which the focal point is the Shrine of Thao Maha Brahma. After being assigned with such a responsibility, I began to study how far Thailand's potentiality could contribute to the international tourism industry, as will as the major factors that would encourage international tourist traffic to our country such as international airlines that flew to Thailand, the number of hotels in Bangkok that could accommodate tourists, and the existing tourist attractions, All of these were done carefully, so that a plan for the development of the tourism industry could be properly mapped. One important document that I studied thoroughly and used as a master plan for the development of tourism, was checchi's Report done by the Checchi Company, which was employed by the Pacific Asia Travel Association or PATA to conduct research on the tourism industry in Asian and Pacific countries. In The report, Thailand was described as follows :

"The tourism industry of Thailand can be well developed thanks to its possession of two original assets :

First, Thailand is an aviation centre of Southeast Asia where several airlines stop at Bangkok on their routes to Europe, India, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

Second, Thailand is endowed with tourism resources which merely await appropriate development. The Thai people are naturally friendly, and their way of life is very attractive to foreigners. Bangkok, the capital, is even dotted with may places of interest and is also full of cultural activities. The glittering temples, museums, markets and shops, Thai classical dances, canal and river cruises, floating markets, and life along the Chao Phraya River are all charms to international visitors."

This report ensured me that all the responsibilities of the TOT would be successfully carried out in a short time because what was basically needed for this industry was already in place. The rest depended upon what to do to inform foreign tourists, who had purchasing power and the chance to visit Thailand, about our country well enough to be persuaded to make a trip to visit us. We also needed to provide sufficient first-class hotels and quality tour services to make sure that tourists were taken to places of interest and exposed to the impressive national customs and traditions, so that they would lengthen their stay in Thailand and wish to come back again.

In 1960, the number of foreign tourists to Thailand amounted to only 81,340 with an average of a two-day and one-night stay in Thailand. Studies showed that we, at that time, lacked hotels. Many more tourists wanted to visit our country, but they could not find appropriate accommodation. For this reason, the first thing to do was to add immediately as many more rooms as possible to the number of our first-class hotels. A request was made to the Board of Investment (BOI) to proclaim that the hotel industry would be promoted. Investors in the hotel business were informed of the potential of hotel marketing, and that investment in this field would yield benefits. This has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of first-class hotels, from that time till the present.

After the promotion of the hotel industry, training programmes for personnel in the tourism industry were organized, starting from the co-operation with Chulalongkorn University to organize a training programme for professional tour guides. Later, the same type of programme was organized with Silapakorn University. Besides, the TOT, in collaboration with Bangkok Technical College, organized training for hotel personnel. The training was extended to Chiang Mai and Hat Yai.

During its primary stage of operation, the TOT consisted of only fourteen personnel, but the number has gradually increased in accordance with the expansion of its responsibilities. The first task that the TOT had to undergo was to make Thailand stand out on the map in the international tourism industry, starting through participation in the activities of the Pacific Asia Travel Association or PATA, so as to make Thailand known and the value of Thai tourism well realized among member countries, as well as to urge more tourist traffic to Thailand.

What I first thought about was an emblem to represent the TOT. In designing the emblem which is still in use until now, I asked myself about what symbolized Thailand from the points of view of the international tourist arrivals. I found the answer to this question in the film "Around the World in Eighty Days," starring David Niven, in which the hero's visit to Thailand was presented through two main images-the prang of the Temple of Dawn and the royal barge on the Chao Phraya River. These two images were then used for the emblem, an aero plane, flying from behind the Temple of Dawn, was added to symbolize traveling from abroad. This emblem was encircled by the name "Tourist Organization of Thailand" in the lower part, and its Thai initials reading "Or Sor Tor" at the top. The graphic design was done by Mrs.Myers, an American designer, who gave the final touch to the emblem, the outcome of which is what we have in the present day. The name of the organization was afterwards changed to the "Tourism Authority of Thailand" (TAT).

I also designed the very first poster for TOT, by juxtaposing the prang of the Temple of Dawn with Thai culture : the result was a poster with the prang of the Temple of Dawn in the background, and a half-length portrait of a classical dancer wearing a traditional headdress in the foreground. This poster was entered for the contests at a PATA Annual Conference and won the first prize. Later, the Pan American World Airways Company asked for permission t publicize this picture as a PAN AM advertisement, which was distributed to the company's branch offices worldwide. This brought great pride to the TOT.

In order to make foreigners thoroughly acquainted with Thailand, I had three 16 m.m. documentary films on Thai tourism made, showing tourist sites; for example, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace, important Buddhist temples, the floating market and other places of interest in various provinces. These three films entered documentary film contests to promote tourism organized by PATA. Each film won the first prized.

The Tourist Organization of Thailand, therefore, used these films to publicize Thailand in foreign countries. Moreover, brochures were published. The TOT, in co-operation with the Department of Fine Arts, also sent cultural troupes to perform Thai dances in Europe and the United States of America. Television stations in Germany and the United States of America organized special programmes for the performances to be televised to viewers in Frankfurt and New York City. In New York, the dance troupe performed at the 'Rockefeller Plaza', at 11.00 a.m., and it was viewed by a large New York audience.

As for domestic concerns, it was very important to publicize to the Thai people from all walks of life to stimulate their realization of how much the tourism industry could contribute to Thailand and the Thai people. Its profit did not only come in the form of currencies but also it made foreigners understand Thais better, and thus gave foreigners a sense of respect for Thais in general. For this matter, a Thai monthly magazine known as 'Anusarn Or Sor Tor' was first published, as well as an English monthly magazine by the name of 'Holiday Time in Thailand'. I was the first editor of both magazines. 'Anusarn Or Sor Tor' aimed at disseminating information on the international tourism industry to Thai readers, introducing tourist attractions in Thailand, and persuading the Thai people to go on domestic tours. 'Holiday Time in Thailand' followed the same aims, but focused on foreign tourists.

'Anusarn Or Sor Tor' has contributed a great deal to the development of the tourism industry until now, being able to present tourist sites to the public, and to persuade Thai tourists to visit those sites. After being frequented by more Thai visitors and gaining a high enough potential, these sites could be developed to become tourist attractions for international visitors; for example, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, etc.

To encourage Thai people from all regions of the country to become aware of the advantage of the tourism industry, and to co-operate with the TOT in welcoming tourists and developing services such as hotels and restaurants to higher standards, the TOT organized seminars in four major provinces-Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen and Phuket. In promoting domestic tourism, three programmes were set up to arrange caravan tours of private cars to the regions of the country-a programme to tour the South from Bangkok to Hat Yai, a tour to the North from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and a visit to the north-eastern provinces. Around trip caravan tour of private cars from Singapore and Malaysia was also organized starting from Singapore via Malaysia to Bangkok and vice versa.

In the promotion of tourism in various regions of Thailand, I found out that the twelfth lunar month celebration, held in Thatum District, Surin Province, had been highlighted by boat races on the Mun River and the gathering of elephants raised by local people. I thought that this sort of celebration, if held annually with an interesting them, would be very popular among foreign visitors because it could show an authentic custom and tradition of the people of Surin. Thus, the first elephant round-up festival was organized in Thatum District in 1961. Foreign visitors who wished to see this festival had to leave Hua Lamphong or Bangkok Station by train in the evening at 9.00 p.m., spend a night on board, and arrive at Surin Railway Station around 6.00 a.m. the next morning. From there, unroofed pick-up trucks with benches took them to Thatum District, approximately fifty kilometers from Surin, where they had breakfast under a shed thatched with fresh coconut leaves. After that, they watched folk performances and the elephants' show while walking along with the local people and the elephants. After the shows, they were driven back to Surin. The afternoon programme included a city tour and shopping for local souvenirs before returning to the train, which left Surin at 6.00 p.m. with dinner provided on board the train. The food and beverage throughout the trip were supplied by the Erawan Hotel. This inaugural rail trip was supervised all the way by myself. It turned out that this pilot project was well received by tourists and travel agencies. The next year, the venue was moved to Muang District to make it more convenient for the tourists, and the format of the festival was somewhat improved to include a war elephant parade, elephants playing football, etc. The event has gained popularity ever since, and is still well known among tourists and tour agents around the world.

During that time, Pattaya had already become renowned among foreigners, whereas Chiang Mai was only know and popular among the Thai people. Therefore, to develop Chiang Mai to be the second international tourism centre besides Bangkok, and to publicize Chiang Mai as well as attract foreign visitors to Thailand, the Tourist Organization of Thailand bid to play host to the PATA Annual Conference 1969. We succeeded in the bidding, and Chiang Mai was selected to be the venue of the 9th PATA Workshop held on 24 January, 1969, followed by the PATA World Congress in Bangkok in early February, 1969.

The topic of Chiang Mai's workshop was "Creating a Destination Area, "with Chiang Mai itself being the target. PATA appointed a committee to study the potentiality of Chiang Mai and to suggest guidelines for its development.

A report was submitted for comments and discussion at the workshop where a definite resolution as attained the Chiang Mai had a high potential in international tourism. Nineteen suggestions were concluded and published on how to development of tourism attractions, culture, hotels, restaurants, other related services, as well as the establishing of marketing strategies. It was particularly suggested the Chiang Mai Airport be improved and expanded to an international level to respond to the growth of Chiang Mai's tourism industry. Realizing the benefits of such proposals, the Thai Government, by the TOT's suggestion, had the city developed accordingly. Chiang Mai Airport was upgraded to become an international airport, to allow Boeing 747s to land. It was an efficient opening of a gateway for international travelers to Chiang Mai. Since that time, Chiang Mai has enjoyed great progress. The Chiang Mai workshop did not only show how to develop an international tourist destination, but also left a good impression on PATA's members who had the chance to visit Chiang Mai. They were particularly fascinated with the city's natural beauty, its culture and tradition, as well as the traditional outdoor Khan Tok dinner on the vast stretch of green grass in front of the hotel, and the graceful candle dance in the darkness of the night. Such exotic ambience was mentioned at subsequent PATA's conferences in other countries for many years to come.

Around the year 1970, I had a chance to inspect the potentiality of the tourism industry in the South. Along the road from Hat Yai to Phuket. I enjoyed the natural scenery on both sides of the main road starting from Songkhla via Phatthalung, Trang, Krabi, Phangnga to Phuket. The beauty was deemed precious tourism resources with Phuket, in particular, being of high potential as a beach resort. Therefore, Hat Yai and Phuket were planned to be used as two main destinations linked by the road which started from Hat Yai to Phuket. To begin with, TOT organized two seminars on tourism in Hat Yai and Phuket. Subsequently, a plan was set up for the preliminary development of the tourism industry of Phuket. The plan was raised for a discussion in another seminar in Phuket in 1975, and was extensively opposed by businesspeople from other industries in the province. Yet, time had proven how wonderfully the TOT's development plan has brought progress and prosperity to Phuket right up into the present.

Another job that I was involved with, was organizing shows of the beautiful Thai performing arts. Whenever it was show abroad, it impressed foreign viewers a great deal. Unfortunately, pictures of these performances could not be presented worldwide the way Hawaiian or other European folk dances were. This was due to the fact that, most of the Thai dances were performed in indoor theatres making it difficult to take pictures. I found that at a Hawaiian dancing performance supported by the Kodak Company in Honolulu, numerous photographers and tourists took pictures were thus publicized free of charge in magazines, or by the tourists themselves. There was no need for the organizers to advertise the performances again. I then requested such support from the Kodak Company, and the Fine Arts Department was made responsible for the show which were performed outdoors within the compound of the National Museum. Two one-hour shows were presented weekly--one on Wednesdays and the other on Saturdays, starting at 10.00 a.m. This enabled the tourists to take pictures of, or film the shows under the sunlight or by natural lighting. The shows turned out to be very popular among tourists, photographers, and tour agents. They helped to publicize these performances through the pictures and films they had taken. Postcards and advertisements of different shows were also made and widely sold, as well as published in foreign magazines by professional photographers and advertising companies who had difficulties in taking such pictures in indoor theatres. This was a successful way of promoting the Thai performing arts to foreigners.

Another traditional activity of great importance was the royal barge procession to present Kathin robes to Buddhist monks at the Temple of Dawn. At first, no specific place was arranged for tourists to view this procession. Some foreigners who had the chance to watch this ceremony from the Bangkok side of the Chao Phrayah River had a Problem in taking pictures of the procession against the afternoon sun. With unimpressive pictures, the procession had not been as efficiently publicized as it should be. The TOT, in co-operation with the Royal Thai Navy, had tiers of seats constructed temporarily for spectators within the compound of the Naval Inspection Squadron Located between Rajanavikasapha (The Navel officers' Club) and the Temple of Dawn on the Thon Buri side. With the capacity of approximately 1,000 viewers, all the seats were occupied, several by professional photographers and foreign reporters. From this ideal spot, pictures and films of the procession could be taken with the sunlight shining from behind, and at a close distance. We were very successful then with beautiful pictures of the royal barge procession being publicized throughout the world.

I remember that in mid 1969, I was invited by the Department of the interior of the United States of America to visit Yosemite National Park in California for 2 days to observe the park's management and administration. After that visit, I had to take a bus from Yosemite National Park to Merced, a small town nearby, to take a flight to Los Angeles. I arrived at Merced at about 2.00 p.m. The airport there was of a small size, and so was my plane which was scheduled t o arrive at 4.30 p.m. I had to wait for another two and a half hours with 2 big suitcases since I would have to continue my journey to Mexico City to attend the International Union of Official Travel Organizations (I.U.O.T.O) Conference. My luggage was loaded with documents for the meeting and a large quantity of brochures on Thailand, and was too heavy to be carried along. The middle-aged bus driver offered to take care of both suitcases for me at the bus terminal. I had decided to go to the cinema to pass the time, so I left my luggage with him and, after being informed of the whereabouts of the cinema, headed toward that direction. I had been walking for just a few minutes when the bus driver caught up to me panting. He told me to wait for a lady who wanted to meet me and was following. Soon, I saw a middle-aged American woman, well-dressed, coming hurriedly toward me. She introduced herself, told me that she had just returned from Thailand a few months before, and learning that I was a Thai, offered me a cup of coffee. I accepted her offer. The woman led me and the bus driver to a nearby coffee shop. She explained that during her stay in Thailand, she was so impressed with the Thai people and culture, and particularly the hospitality the Thais extended toward herself that she would like to treat me to a cup of coffee in return. While sipping the coffee, she recounted about her traveling and the places she visited in Thailand. She also added that she would talk about Thailand to a women's meeting, which was to take place in the town the next month. Therefore, we went back to the bus terminal to get my luggage. I gave her a number of brochures to be used as a source of information and we separated. Twenty-six years have elapsed since then, I still cannot forget the great pleasure that I felt for being treated to that cup of coffee. In addition, even more important than that, in the I.U.O.T.O. Meeting in Mexico City the following week, before the resolution was attained whether the following year should be proclaimed the World Tourism Year or not, I expressed support to the idea. I pointed out how tourism would contribute to the friendship of the people around the world, and how the friendship would lead to lasting peace on this Earth. I told the meeting about my being treated to a cup of coffee at Merced, California, and concluded that the proclamation of the World Tourism Year would not only proved beneficial to the tourism of developing countries; it would also bring peace to the world. The following year was proclaimed the World Tourism Year under an unanimous resolution.

At present, the Thai tourism industry has progressed to the point that only one government unit cannot be responsible for its operation. I think that all tourist attractions throughout the country-in Bangkok and the provinces-should be taken care of in terms of cleanliness, natural and cultural preservation, food and refreshment services, and the security for tourists, so as to maintain its best status. The conservation of tourism destinations, as well as tourist facilities and security might be under the responsibility of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, provincial administrations, as well as local administrations, as there already exists such organizations and personnel throughout the country who are legally authorized, and who would gain direct benefit from the industry. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, in the meanwhile, should be assigned to focus on the supervision of planning and development to be in the right direction as well as promoting domestic and inbound tourism to urge as many Thai people and foreigners to those destinations as possible. Every provincial administration office should have a workforce that includes personnel from the Tourism Authority of Thailand to give advice on the industry, and also to liaise between the provinces or the city, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand. In the provinces where the Tourism Authority of Thailand already has its local offices located, the directors might also serve in this position.

To develop and sustain the tourism industry of the country, it is a must that Thailand maintain its status as an aviation centre of the region.

In 1959, Thailand was known as an aviation hub of Southeast Asia. Whether the status is still ours or not is still in question. Apparently throughout the passing thirty years, our neighbor, Singapore, has at several times improved its international airport. In my opinion, it is now time for us to do something rigorously and immediately with our international airport, so as not to lose our status as the region's air transportation centre. It is necessary for us to find a resolution for this problem be it the modification of Don Muang International Airport or the construction of a new international airport to be completed in time.

Operation of TOT and TAT, we have already experienced the rapid growth of the tourism industry, and the advantage the country and the Thai people have enjoyably gained from the industry. The tourism development can undoubtedly be undertaken to an even greater extent in the future if we would be able to make a decision and carry out all the necessary operations with righteousness, immediacy, and determination since we have no more time to waste.