Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports just announced an ambitious plan to develop five clusters across the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Islands to attract more visitors to its coastal regions. Here is a closer look at each of the five clusters and their unique features:

1. The Thailand Riviera: Located between Petchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, and Ranong, this cluster attracts millions of visitors each year. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to develop more roadside stations and community complexes to sell products in this cluster.

2. The Premium Andaman: This cluster covers five provinces in southern Thailand, including Phuket, Phang-Nga, Krabi, Trang, and Satun. With a focus on quality and higher prices, this area has been, and will continue to become a high-end travel destination. In 2022, the area generated 600 billion baht in revenue.

3. The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC): This cluster is expected to bring in 340 billion baht in revenue and covers Chonburi, Rayong, Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, and Trat. The EEC is set to be developed as the nation’s industrial heartbeat.

4. The Gulf of Thailand: This cluster includes Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, and Songkhla, and is known for its faith and nature tourism. It generated 180 billion baht in revenue in 2022, mostly from local Thai tourists.

5. The Southern Border Provinces: This cluster covers Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala, and had 1.6 million visitors in 2022, generating 7 billion baht in revenue. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports plans to give these provinces a new image and help the younger generation of locals build their towns.

Our Take

The one thing I notice about Thailand is that not everything that the government wants to happen actually happens, but if they DO in fact decide to prioritize projects, they get done and they get done fast. The ‘Eastern Economic Corridor’ and the ‘Thailand Riviera’ 10+ year mega-projects appear to be a key agenda item (based on what I’ve seen and heard over here), so I wouldn’t be surprised if BIG changes come to those regions even faster than you’d think.