Proceedings of the 11th International Academic Conference, Reykjavik

THAILAND’S FLOOD MANAGEMENT POLICY: ISSUES, DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR THE THAI TOURISM INDUSTRY

NIPAWAN THIRAWAT, PATHOMDANAI PONJAN

Abstract:

This paper aims to propose initiatives for flood management in order to prevent and alleviate the instability of tourism flows and economic loss of tourism industry, including cultural heritage tourism. Urbanisation and changeable demographics of floodplains and flood behaviour as well as the climate change have increased the exposure to flood risk in Thailand. Thai tourism sector was heavily affected by the floods in 2011. The disaster caused severe damages and losses such as a slowdown in income and a decline in the number of foreign tourists. Nonetheless, the negative impacts can be mitigated. Proper countermeasures include the developments of a proactive and integrated disaster risk management policy and effective non-structural strategies.

Keywords: Flood management policy; Disaster risk management; Tourism industry; Developing countries; Thailand; Non structural strategies; Impacts of flood

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