1-10-2023 (BANGKOK) The Tourism Association of Phatthalung has taken a proactive step by submitting an open letter to the government, appealing for the inclusion of Malaysian buses in the tourism efforts of southern provinces in Thailand. The association believes that allowing these buses to enter would greatly enhance local tourism.
Jarun Kaewjeesub, the president of the Tourism Association of Phatthalung, expressed the association’s intention to personally deliver another letter to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and Minister of Tourism and Sports Sudawan Wangsupakitkosol during their upcoming inspection tour of the South.
The open letter highlights the association’s request for the prime minister to consider rescinding an order that currently restricts the entry of foreign buses, particularly those from Malaysia, into the southern province of Songkhla.
The order, implemented on July 18, 2014, by the now-disbanded National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), stipulates that foreign bus operators must provide advance information to the Songkhla Provincial Land Transport Office regarding their passengers and bus details if they wish to travel beyond the province.
Additionally, the order specifies that foreign buses can only enter Songkhla if they are carrying tourists. Empty foreign buses are prohibited from crossing the border into Thailand.
According to the open letter, this order has negatively impacted local tourism in the southern region. Tourist buses from Malaysia face limitations in their ability to freely explore provinces adjacent to Songkhla, such as Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Satun, Phuket, Krabi, Phangnga, and Surat Thani. Since 2014, there has been a significant decline in the number of tourists from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia visiting the south of Thailand. This decline has resulted in the region losing hundreds of millions of baht each year, as stated by Mr. Jarun.
In addition to the request regarding Malaysian buses, the tourism association is also urging the Immigration Bureau to provide an increased number of TM 6 immigration forms to tour groups. Currently, officials typically grant 9-10 forms per tour group, despite some groups consisting of over 100 tourists. The association has engaged with various agencies to address this issue, but progress has been minimal, if any.
