Rapid Assessment for Resilient Recovery and ... - GFDRR

Policy Recommendations
Tourism throughout Thailand occurs at all levels — from individual communities to the
provincial and regional levels. This strength (i.e., to reach all levels of the population)
mandates increased awareness of the sector and its specific challenges in times of crisis.
The uniqueness of the 2011 flooding (i.e., unfolding slowly and lasting over an extended
and uncertain period of time) has revealed coordination gaps, information/data gaps as
well as constraints on ability to forecast and predict accurately impacts on the sector. At a
minimum, recommended policy implementation strategies 41 are the following:
• The existing provincial and local administrative structures suffer from lack of coordination
within the public sector as well as with firms and associations in the private
sector. Therefore, training and capacity building at the community, sub-district,
district and provincial level for better disaster preparedness in the future is advised.
• Expanded public-private partnerships, including with the media, to strengthen
coordination and collaboration is requisite for minimizing impacts and facilitating fast
recovery of the sector in future disasters and crises.
• Review and updating of zoning, land use regulations and institutional mechanisms is
advised to increase sustainable development that enables the sector to demonstrate
best practice and improve competitiveness.
While Thailand’s tourism sector has an admirable record for “bouncing back” from previous
natural disasters and political crises, the challenges of recovery from the current flooding
are particularly daunting. However, the combined commitment of the Thai people, their
government and the private sector is a powerful force that can respond adeptly now and in
the future to be the proud hosts of a globally competitive tourism sector.
41 These are developed in parallel with overall UN recommendations as most recently noted in Thailand – Flood Situation
Report No.12 (November 24, 2011) prepared by the United Nations Country Team in Thailand
56 THAI FLOOD 2011 RAPID ASSESSMENT FOR RESILIENT RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION PLANNING