The government is gearing up efforts to make Thai waters more attractive for cruise tourism and foreign yachts, as part of a plan to promote the country as the marina hub of Asean.
The Marine Department is loosening boat regulations to make it easier for yacht and superyacht owners to dock in Thai waters, says its director-general, Chula Sookmanop.
The prime targets are yacht owners coming from Mediterranean and Caribbean seas, who want to escape cold weather there during the winter, said Mr Chula.
The owners will be allowed to stay longer in Thailand and will become eligible to receive some tax incentives, he added.
One of the new regulations allows foreign-flagged superyachts -- those over 30m long -- to obtain permits to run businesses serving tourists in Thai waters, Mr Chula said.
They are, however, required to have insurance and be guaranteed for Thai juristic persons.
The first foreign vessel recently registered to run a business in Thai waters was the 41m motor yacht Ocean Emerald.
The Marine Department also plans to develop marinas to serve yachts, and public hearings about the projects will be organised in upcoming months, he said.
Authorities have set down clear plans to develop marinas in Krabi and Surat Thani's Koh Samui, and the next phase of the development is expected to be carried out in Chumphon, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Trat.
"After we decide which locations are suitable to house the marinas, private companies will be invited to invest, as they have potential to draw customers,'' said Mr Chula.
Meanwhile, the cabinet has approved 15 million baht from the central budget for a Thailand Yacht Show for over 3,000 people at Ao Po Grand Marina in Phuket from Feb 8-14 next year.
At least 40 international superyachts and 300 yachts will turn up for the event. The government hopes the show will reinvigorate the economy and support marine tourism and related businesses, which can pitch to the top end of the market where wealthy cruise ship owners are not afraid to spend big money.
It will also promote Thailand as Asean's marina hub, a concept which has the potential to rake in tens of billions of baht of revenue per year, advocates say.
The Thailand Yacht Show event was initiated by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who is keen on an international yacht event being held in Thailand and hopes to develop Phuket as the superyacht hub of Asia. The premier has asked the Transport Ministry and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to organise the event.
Marine tourism services, yacht trading, and rental services for boats ranging from small yachts to large cruisers as well as other luxurious marine lifestyle activities will be offered at the event.
"The number of yachts here could jump from the current 1,600-1,800 per year to at least 2,000 next year," Mr Chula said.
"The key is that tourists we get from the yachts are of high quality, which means southern tourism will get a boost and cash flow will be substantial."
According to the department chief, the rental fee for a yacht runs between 300,000–400,000 baht per day, with a docking fee of at least 3,000 baht per day.
Andy Treadwell, founder and owner of SYE Pte, which organises the Singapore Yacht Show and is one of Thailand's event developers, said Thailand could end up being a key destination for yachts travelling in Asia.
Phuket's infrastructure can handle large yachts and the province also serves as a key strategic location where yachts from the Mediterranean will come to dock when they journey in Southeast Asia or Asia Pacific, said Mr Treadwell.
Phuket has five marinas to serve customers. Premchai Karnasuta, the managing director of Italian-Thai Development Plc, which owns port service operator Ao Po Grand Marina Co, said the company is accelerating port development ahead of an anticipated rise in marine transport.
"The new work will make sure the port can handle up to 460 yachts and the service will be running by December," Mr Premchai said.
As it prepares to launch the first Thailand Yacht Show, the city hopes to become a key destination for marine travellers, particularly tourists from Europe who flee the cold weather from October to April every year.
"A huge amount of money will come to Thailand," said Mr Premchai.
According to him, a yacht which docks in Thailand for four months would spend at least 40 million baht. "This would help stimulate the economy through tourism," he said.
The director also said he supports the government's plan to build more deep-sea ports in the South to accommodate tourism, despite local opposition.
A feasibility study has been carried out in Krabi and Koh Samui, while Ranong and Trang also have potential for development, he said.
"Thailand has the potential to serve these travellers. If the government mobilises the deep-sea port projects, travellers will stream into Thailand," Mr Premchai said. "If authorities have a clear policy to support marine tourism, I am convinced investments in marina construction would soar," he added.