Bhutan-Thailand Relations

« Five areas in tourism have been agreed between Bhutan and Thailand (File photo)
But tourist numbers may change with the ‘Two Kingdoms One Destination’ program
Bhutan-Thailand Relations The number of Bhutanese travelling to Thailand is six times higher than the number of Thais visiting Bhutan.

Between January and September this year, 11,628 Bhutanese travelled to Thailand, records with the tourism authority of Thailand (TAT) showed. Last year 9,655 Bhutanese travelled to Thailand.

A total of 1,763 Thais travelled to Bhutan between January and October this year. August saw the highest number of arrivals, 308, from Thailand as compared to the other months.

The two countries agreed on three areas of cooperation in the tourism sector recently, when a 12-member Thai delegation, led by the TAT deputy governor, were in Bhutan to celebrate the Thailand-Bhutan diplomatic relations celebrations.

Thailand has been providing technical support to Bhutan since 1981.
Five broad areas and ‘time-bound’ action plan in marketing were decided during the first meeting of TAT and TCB working group.

The two countries decided joint marketing programs under the theme ‘Two Kingdoms One Destination’ through joint promotional materials, media, branch offices abroad and national airlines.

Exchange programs, attachment and study visits for product development, service facilities, marketing and promotion are other areas of cooperation.

The two countries also decided on training and attachment programs with the Thai hotel industry for service personnel.

Bhutan and Thailand would also share information and statistics, including experiences of community-based tourism. They would also explore assistance for joint programs from international organisations and associations.

“Thailand has a well developed and large reach in its marketing and promotional programs,” tourism council officials said what this collaboration means to Bhutan. “If Bhutan is able to take advantage of that leverage, it would be a good opportunity to attract the vast number of tourists visiting Thailand.”

While Thailand, they said would be able to use the exclusivity of Bhutan as a partner destination and lure tourist to both countries.

“An important area is to work on the ‘Two Kingdoms One Destination’ theme, which was revitalised,” the TCB official said.

An agreement between the two kingdoms was reached in May 2001 to establish a formal framework of cooperation and intensify bilateral tie.

Three years later, on July 30, 2004, Bhutan and Thailand signed a comprehensive framework agreement for cooperation