A Sustainable Tourism Development
PattayaA Sustainable Tourism Development, the Path Traveled together by DASTA
and the City of Pattaya
W
ith the vision of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration or DASTA to coordinate with all partners for sustainable tourism development, DASTA today functions as the coordinating body bringing together agencies related to local development with tourism to discuss so as to reach common understanding and agreements, resulting in guidelines for a sustainable tourism development in their localities.
As the City of Pattaya is facing problems concerning standards of tourism, as environmental problem, insufficient public utilities, degraded tourist destinations, crimes, and urbanization of the community on the east outside of Pattaya City, all problems linked to the City of Pattaya and related areas under local administrative organizations in the neighborhood. Therefore, the solving of those problems faced limitations concerning governing laws and administrative regulations of different related agencies involved which are the tasks beyond the authority and duties of Pattaya City officials and potentials of local administrative organizations.In May 2008, the City of Pattaya officially requested DASTA to consider announcing Pattaya a designated area for sustainable tourism. After considering the request under the criteria set for the announcement of a designated area, DASTA found that the City of Pattaya and nearby areas formed a distinctive area known by travelers all over the world, and could retain its status as a world-class tourism city if developed in the right direction. DASTA therefore set out to operate according to its vision, by coordinating preliminary cooperation, with a meeting to survey opinions of local residents, be they from the general public, related government units, or tourism-related entrepreneurs, at Pattaya City Hall, on 21 July 2008, to make all involved understand the role and functions of DASTA. Results of the opinion survey among participants to the meeting showed that over 70% concurred with the announcement of Pattaya and related areas a designated area for sustainable tourism development.
Thereafter, during 27 August ? 21 September 2008, 29 small meetings were held to survey the people?s opinion in 8 areas under local administrative organizations on the east of the City of Pattaya, namely the municipality of Tambon Pong, the municipality of Tambon Na Chom Thian, the municipality of Tambon Bang Lamung, the municipality of Tambon Takhian Tia, the municipality of Tambon Huai Yai, the municipality of Mueang Nong Prue, the Tambon Administrative Organization of Tambon Khao Mai Kaeo, and the Tambon Administrative Organization of Tambon Nong Pla Lai, to create the process of public participation. Representatives of the province, the district, the local administrative organizations, associations, non-governmental organizations, the media, community leaders, and the general public went along with the idea to announce Pattaya and related areas as designated area for sustainable tourism development by up to 95%. Representatives of local administrative organizations jointly signed their intention with DASTA.
It can be said that presently DASTA and the City of Pattaya and related areas are stepping in the same direction, for communities to increase their own opportunities in eco-, cultural and environmental tourism, in tandem with the conservation to bring about
a sustainable tourism.
DASTA has submitted the results of the cooperation to the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration or DASTA Board, which approved the hiring of Chula Unisearch as the consultant to draw up a feasibility study project on the announcement of a designated area by surveying the area, in terms of topography, economy, society and the environment. The study result has an additional proposal to include Ko Phai and the sea area in the designated Pattaya and related areas, with the framework of development administration made accordingly.
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Thereafter, DASTA Board proposed the operation result to the Cabinet which approved the designation of Pattaya and related areas on 24 March 2009, with the boundary lines announced in the Royal Gazette on 19 May 2009, issue 126, special section 71 ngo, page 37.
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According to steps in the designation of areas for sustainable tourism of DASTA, when an area is selected, surveyed, consultations held with related units to define the area and proposed to DASTA Board for approval, a master plan on designated area development administration must be drawn up in the final stage. DASTA has signed contracts hiring a consultancy group, led by Thammasat University Research and Consultancy (TU-RAC) Institute, joined by 3 organizations as the Consultant of Technology Company Limited, the Axis Landscape Company Limited and SJA 3D Company Limited, to draw up the master plan within 180 days, due to be finished in January 2010.
Presently, the master plan is being drawn up by the consultancy group and DASTA, with consultations held with involved units twice already, namely:
Firstly, on 1 August 2009, participated by councilors of the City of Pattaya and executives
of the City of Pattaya, with media representatives as observers
Secondly, on 21 August 2009, to learn of problems and to hear suggestions from community leaders in 6 municipalities and 2 tambons, in order to collect data before making a field survey to find out the requirements of residents in communities and to reach the same understanding on the goal to make the City of Pattaya a unique world-class resort city, with an integrated development in social, tradition, cultural and environmental conservation.
DASTA attaches great importance to public opinion survey, and the public relations campaign on various projects to be implemented among residents each time, for their true understanding of the projects.
Because we have to hold hands and step towards the same goal!
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