Shizuoka to share hot spring prowess
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Shizuoka to share hot spring prowess

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San Kamphaeng hot springs spouts off in Chiang Mai.
San Kamphaeng hot springs spouts off in Chiang Mai.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shizuoka Prefecture, hoping to borrow expertise from Japan to develop hot springs in Thailand and exchange tourists between the countries.

Tourism Vice-Minister Jakkaphon Tangsutthitham said executives from Shizuoka Prefecture met the Thai tourism and sports minister last week to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries in terms of wellness tourism, particularly hot springs as an attraction.

The representatives also visited San Kamphaeng hot springs in Chiang Mai to explore the potential and quality of the facility, before starting cooperation with the Tourism Department to upgrade the site to become Thailand's first onsen destination.

According to the Tourism Department, it studied eight potential routes in Thailand to be promoted as hot spring routes, with Chiang Mai as the hub in the North, and Krabi and Ranong as suitable stops in the South.

Mr Jakkaphon said the Japanese delegation initially agreed to help establish two routes: the "Lanna Thermal Springs Mineral Route" connecting Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son; and the "Andaman Heritage Hot Springs Route" connecting Krabi, Ranong, Phangnga, Trang and Satun.

He said the delegation asked Thailand to prepare a model course on the joint management of hot springs and onsen, supporting each other in developing quality onsen and hot spring services and cultivating onsen culture among tourists, as well as exchanging studies on economy, trade and other aspects of the wellness industry to stimulate tourism in both countries.

Mr Jakkaphon said the minister instructed the Tourism Department to continue working closely with Shizuoka Prefecture as Thailand has a lot to learn from Japan, which has much experience in this field.

The department should be able to manage its own tourism sites to achieve high standards, creating additional partnerships with the prefecture in the future, he said.

In addition to the eight hot spring destinations on the two routes, the department has a plan to upgrade 100 existing hot springs in Thailand to offer standardised public baths in the first phase.

The department also wants to elevate 28 destinations to natural hot spring and wellness destinations.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand's Chiang Mai office plans to highlight health travel through therapeutic mineral water sources in the province to help local communities earn additional income from tourism.

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