Private sector leaders have proposed the government use tourism, trade and community development to drive the economy under the Pracha Rat (People's State) scheme.
As a pilot project, tourism in Ayutthaya will be developed with a focus on culture and history, as Japan has done with its former imperial capital.
Tos Chirathivat, chief executive of Central Group and head of the steering committee for boosting incomes and spending under the Pracha Rat scheme, said his team has a mission to boost per capita income to US$12,000 in the next 10 years, up from $5,900 last year via investment in tourism, agriculture and trade, which together contribute 40% to the country's GDP.
His steering committee chose Ayutthaya province as the pilot project for tourism investment and Mae Sot for trade investment.
The committee urged the government to spend 6-9 billion baht to develop Ayutthaya as one of the world's top 10 tourist destinations on a par with Kyoto.
The government should allocate funds to improve 12 areas in the ancient capital to boost income for Ayutthaya's residents. It will also serve as a model for tourism development in other cities and improve the country's cultural image.
Under the plan to develop Ayutthaya, improvements will be made to 20 historical areas in terms of landscape, walkways, entrances and visiting fees for tourists. A focus will be placed on upgrading lighting to provide a unique experience at night. More trees will be planted and public parks will be improved, including bike lanes and parking spaces.
Additional facilities will make it more convenient, aiding travel between different sites. Hostels and guest houses will also be able to set up shot near tourism areas.
International events will be arranged in various formats and there are further plans to boost security. The overhaul will be completed within 3-5 years if the government makes a decision to push for the pilot project.
"France is a good example in terms of tourism management. Ten of the must-visit destinations in France are all man-made. The government should dare to invest. Ayutthaya can be on the same level as Kyoto, which is now the world's best tourist city," Mr Tos said.
With the Ayutthaya development roadmap, the number of tourists to Ayutthaya will rise to 18 million by 2025, compared with 6.7 million visitors last year.
The per capita income of people in Ayutthaya is projected to increase three times to 450,000 baht in 2025, Mr Tos said, adding that the government should push for the project's implementation while the private sector will support it in the area of project management.
Currently, average tourist spending per person per day, length of stay and total revenue from the tourism business in Ayutthaya are lower than in Chon Buri, Phuket and Chiang Mai, even though Ayutthaya has tourism assets similar to Kyoto in terms of historical heritage, including temples, monuments and parks. Both cities are listed as Unesco World Heritage sites.
Mr Tos said his steering committee has already proposed the Ayutthaya development project to Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak before passing it on for cabinet approval.
"If the Ayutthaya project is successful, we will have more roadmaps to improve other tourist cities like Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Pattaya and Hat Yai.