Srettha shines global tourism spotlight on Thailand’s deep South
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is pushing Thailand’s deep South as a new global tourism destination, claiming the region is ripe for development.
Speaking on Thursday during his tour of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, Srettha said the three southern provinces were packed with tourism attractions.
He added that arrival and departure lanes at Narathiwat’s Betong border crossing with Malaysia would need to be expanded.
The Transport Ministry is also seeking to extend highways linking Yala with other provinces to relieve traffic congestion.
The premier said the number of foreign tourists visiting the South had tripled after the Mor 6 Immigration form was scrapped in July 2022.
He said he would focus on providing aid to investors who are now eyeing the deep South.
The government will also promote the region’s expertise in repairing copies of the Qur’an. Speaking after visiting the Islamic Cultural Heritage Museum in Narathiwat’s Yi-ngor district, the PM said the deep South is home to two of the world’s top experts in the repair of Islamic scripture.
Srettha said that insurgency violence had “almost disappeared” in the deep South, explaining that his ruling Pheu Thai party is working closely with the National Security Council to resolve the longstanding conflict.
The government last week proposed a bill to revoke a junta-era advisory committee overseeing the deep South in favour of a civilian approach to resolving the conflict. The bill was nodded through by Parliament.
