The call came at a meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday (July 24) to explain to operators of small guest accommodation businesses the conditions under which they may now finally legally register as small hotels.
The meeting yesterday came two months after Ms Wirintra made the same urgent request to Governor Narong in April, when she pointed out that three major revisions of existing laws that allow many small hotel operators to legally open had been approved by two sessions of Cabinet, on Mar 7 and on Mar 14.
However, at that time, the revised regulation had yet to come into effect on publication in the Royal Gazette.
The ‘Ministerial Regulations Prescribing Other Types of Buildings for Hotel Business Operations (No. 4) 2023’ was signed as approved by caretaker Minister of Interior Gen Anupong Phaochinda on June 7.
The new ministerial regulation came into effect with its promulgation in the Government Gazette on June 20, with heavy emphasis on structural and fire safety requirements that operators must comply with in order to be legally registered as hotels under the new ministerial regulation.
Yet, more than a month later, Governor Narong yesterday offered no explanation for the delay in bringing the new ministerial regulation into effect in Phuket.
“In Phuket, there are 4,600 hotels in operation, 900 of which are legally licensed and 3,700 are unlicensed,” Ms Wirintra said yesterday (July 24).
“Allowing small hotels to register will allow small hotels to accept more tourists as guests, Even at an average of 60% occupancy, that will provide accommodation for more than 10,000 more people a day,” she said.
The economic benefit spoke for itself, Ms Wirintra noted. Using the same 60% occupancy projection would account for 2.19 million guest stays per year, generating income of B16.202 billion a year for Phuket, she said.
“Small hotels earn only 10% of their room revenue from tourists, that’s over B1.62bn baht a year, and will result in money flowing to more than 2,500 other businesses. Altogether generating over B14.585bn a year [for the local economy] and creating more than 25,000 jobs,” Ms Wirintra said.
Ms Wirintra called for legitimate, licensed small hotels to be registered “in a government system that can regulate and control/encourage small operators to increase their income from their assets”. Doing so would support families, create employment and develop careers, she said.
“As a result, the family, society and community will become strong and stable. People will be able to support themselves. It will reduce reliance on government assistance and help promote the grassroots economy from the beginning by distributing income to other supply chains, such as taxis, boats, tours, restaurants, laundry, shops, among others,” she said.
Citing statistics from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) directors for Singapore and the Philippines, Ms Wirintra said that tourists from both countries per trip abroad spend at least at least B6,000 per day, “and more than 70% [spent] will be distributed to the community network”.
“Allowing small hotels to register will increase taxes and the total income of Phuket, and the country, and it will prepare the tourism industry on the supply side so Phuket can be a good host to welcome foreign tourists who come to travel here during the coming high season, and it will help the TAT to achieve its goal of increasing the number of tourists in 2023 to 30 million people,” she said.
“Therefore, on behalf of small hotel operators, we would like to ask for cooperation from relevant government agencies to facilitate them. Small hotels have submitted the necessary documentation to ensure that they are on time to welcome visitors during the peak season,” Ms Wirintra said.