by

Disaster Preparedness in the Thai Hospitality Industry

On behalf of Anika Malhotra:

Disaster Preparedness in the Thai Hospitality Industry

One of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, resulted in the deaths of over 230,000 people in fourteen countries and provoked worldwide humanitarian efforts which led to the donation of over USD$14B in aid. Of these fourteen countries, Thailand was one of those that were hardest hit with an estimated 8,212 death toll.

The two industries that were greatly impacted by this disaster were the fishing and tourism industries. The destruction of industrial infrastructure in coastal areas within the fishing industry had substantial impacts both on regional and national scales, affecting employment in coastal regions and foreign exchange earnings on a national level.

 

With these direct effects of the tsunami, came indirect effects within the hospitality industry. As investigations into the disaster continued, there was speculation that many of the resort hotels directly hit by the tsunami did not alert guests in a timely fashion and that staff were not well equipped to handle such situations. Moreover, regardless of whether tourist’s travel destinations were affected or not, there was a psychological concern and fear for their safety while traveling in areas of this part of the world. The hospitality industry was then hit with numerous cancellations as a result.

 

Tourist’s concerns and trip cancellations created a negative image of the hospitality industry for their lack of disaster preparedness. As the industry began to fear that this negative impact might be long lasting, many hospitality companies joined forces with humanitarian organizations to develop stronger disaster preparedness, recovery, and risk mitigating skills.

 

Addressing issues of crisis management and providing hospitality employees with the necessary skills involved gives these companies a competitive advantage. The first step in these efforts is focused on pre-crisis communication. The thought here is that communicating more effectively and implementing solutions for these situations will help rebuild trust and credibility from the public’s perspective.

 

Rather than a focus on maximizing profits for shareholders, there has been an increased focus on corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the hospitality industry. Although brand reputation and financial factors still play a major role in the decision making process for tourists and potential employees, they are looking more for companies who contribute to more wide-ranging societal goals. These CSR contributions are often in the form of cash donations, work force initiatives, partnerships with NGO’s, and by providing shelter and evacuation. The top 3 hotel companies in the industry that are most contributing to this reform are Hilton, Marriott, and Accor.

 

The Ministry of Public Health in Thailand, The International Federation of Red Cross and Societies, and other NGO’s, as well as those in the Thai private sector formed partnerships with these hospitality companies to train employees and provide assistance and funding in these efforts to rebuild the economy in Thailand. The Tsunami Victim Relief Center was also founded days after the tsunami to help in mobilization efforts. The Royal Thai Government (RTG) has also been greatly praised for their role in providing support to the affected communities. The United Nations Country Team along with bilateral development agencies worked with the RTG to address issues and challenges in the rebuilding effort.

 

The efforts of these organizations in collaboration with hotel companies and educational efforts proved to help tremendously towards rebuilding the hospitality industry in Thailand. Below can be found the Tourism and Earnings Growth in Thailand chart as of one year after the tsunami (2005):

The above chart proves that not even fully into 2005, in Q2, there was shown a significant positive change in the percentage of tourism earnings in one year from

-6.2 to +4.4 in growth.

 

The monsoon season in Thailand in 2011 was a period in which was demonstrated how far humanitarian aid efforts and disaster preparedness have improved since the tsunami disaster in 2004. As a result of the storms during this time, flooding began to spread throughout the Northern, Northeastern, and Central areas of Thailand. These floods resulted in the deaths of 815 people, with a total of 13.6 million people having been affected by the same. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) projected a combined loss of USD$825M as a result of reduced international and national tourism, with people having cancelled their trips to the region.

 

Hotels in and around the affected areas in Thailand began to take measures to ensure the safety of their guests, and help with the relief efforts of the surrounding community. The Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok organized a thorough workshop for more than 1,000 of its staff members to drill them in how to manage the flood situation. The Shangri-La Hotel also took precautionary measures during this time by placing sandbags outside of the property in an effort to prevent water from flowing into the property and by storing enough food and medical supplies for their guests and staff to last three days in the case of an emergency situation.

More major hotel companies are doing their part to help with disaster relief in other ways:

 

a)    Marriott International converts points donated by guests into cash for contribution to the IFRC Disaster Relief Emergency Fund.

b)    Hyatt has developed a volunteer outreach program, Hyatt F.O.R.C.E- allowing for employees to provide local and worldwide support on company paid time.

c)     Hilton Honors has implemented a charity titled “Blanket them With Love” to help with the after effects of the 2011 floods in Thailand. “The project will provide 1) immediate relief to victims by giving emergency life packs (includes food and other daily necessities) to evacuees, 2) 700 financially needy families affected by the coming 4 months of cold weather with blankets, so that the most vulnerable targets like young children and elderly will be protected from diseases associated with the cold climate. 3) Help to at least 10 affected homes with repairs after the floods, so that the family go back to safe shelters.”

d)    AirAsiaGo had absorbed the cost of credit card transaction fees on their website for one month from October-November 2011. In addition to this, they worked with local hotels in Bangkok to provide discounts to travelers.

e)    As part of their CSR initiative, Hilton Pattaya donated 100,000 baht to the Rotary Club of Taksin Pattaya to help with relief and rehabilitation projects for the aid of those affected by the floods in Thailand.

In order to help with the rebuilding efforts after the floods, the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has implemented a communication center that will keep event organizers updated as to the status of their future events, one such event being the annual Royal Flora Expo.

 

It is made evident to us that the efforts made for disaster preparedness by the hospitality industry in Thailand and throughout the world will help in reducing financial and emotional burdens of many of those affected by such natural disasters as the 2004 tsunami and 2011 floods. Whether it is by partnering with NGO’s or companies within the private sector to help provide employees and their families the skills needed to help mitigate the outcome of such disasters, by providing direct financial support, by sending its employees on volunteer efforts within the community or worldwide, or by providing food and shelter to those affected, the hospitality industry in Thailand is helping to rebuild security and lessen the fears of travelers worldwide.

 

 

26,761 thoughts on “Disaster Preparedness in the Thai Hospitality Industry”

  1. Aiyah, calm pom pi pi hor, reputable primary teaches culinary, igniting chef business careers.

    Goodness, ᴡell-known primaries partner ᴡith unis, providing
    үⲟur kid initial exposure t᧐ higher еd and jobs.

    Don’t play play lah, link ɑ excellent primary school ѡith math superiority tо guarantee superior PSLE marks ɑs
    welⅼ as smooth shifts.

    Ꭰo not mess around lah, link a excellent primary school
    ρlus math excellence in ordeг to guarantee elevated PSLE scores ρlus smooth
    shifts.

    Օh, math is the groundwork pillar foг primary learning, aiding youngsters ѡith geometric thinking for design careers.

    Goodness, evеn іf institution proves atas, mathematics acts ⅼike tһe critical topic іn cultivates
    confidence in numЬers.

    Wah lao, no matter tһough institution is һigh-end, arithmetic serves
    аs the make-oг-break subject fⲟr developing assurance гegarding
    figures.

    Poi Ching School supplies а multilingual education rooted іn Buddhist values.

    Тhe school promotes academic quality and ethical advancement.

    Guangyang Primary School supplies multilingual
    education іn а caring setting.
    Teachers build cultural skills аnd academics.
    Ӏt’s perfect fοr multicultural households.

    Аlso visit my webpage … Yusof Ishak Secondary School

  5. Goodness, well-known schools partner ԝith higher ed, gіving youг child initial introduction tо tertiary education and careers.

    Hey, folks, steady lah, leading institutions һave creature
    management programs, motivating veterinary professions.

    Аvoid takе lightly lah, link а reputable primary school ⲣlus mathematics
    proficiency tߋ guarantee elevated PSLE гesults аs wеll as
    effortless transitions.

    Folks, dread tһe difference hor, math groundwork
    is vital іn primary school іn understanding data, crucial іn modern tech-driven economy.

    Hey hey, Singapore folks, math іs ⲣrobably tһe highly essential primary subject, fostering creativity fоr
    proЬlem-solving tо groundbreaking jobs.

    Beѕides Ƅeyond establishment amenities, concentrate ߋn math for prevent common errors
    ѕuch as inattentive mistakes іn tests.

    Alas, primary math teaches everyday implementations ѕuch as budgeting, tһuѕ guarantee your child masters
    іt correctly from ｙoung.

    Zhenghua Primary School fosters ɑ nurturing neighborhood
    concentrated оn academic quality.
    The school promotes ingenious knowing for yoսng minds.

    Mayflower Primary School supplies ingenious programs іn a nurturing setting.

    Educators motivate creativity аnd academic success.

    Moms аnd dads value its forward-thinking approach.

    mʏ blog – Temasek Secondary School

  8. For those seeking greater control and personalization, you can download the application from https://fmwhsapp.com/. This makes it the premier solution for a more powerful, private, and personalized chatting experience, far surpassing what conventional messaging platforms offer.

  10. A 888p bet plataforma oferece uma interface moderna e segura para apostas online, combinando facilidade de uso com recursos eficientes. Com navegação intuitiva e atualizações constantes, a plataforma garante desempenho confiável, permitindo que os usuários gerenciem suas atividades de forma prática e segura, tornando-se uma opção sólida para quem busca apostas online confiáveis e bem estruturadas.

  13. It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d
    certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and
    adding your RSS feed to my Google account.
    I look forward to fresh updates and will talk about this site
    with my Facebook group. Chat soon!

    Feel free to surf to my blog post; https://okfunky.com/

  15. Добро пожаловать в самый полный каталог стоматологических клиник России!
    Мы собрали для вас всю
    необходимую информацию стоматология семейный скидки о лучших стоматологических
    учреждениях страны в одном удобном месте.

    Что вы найдете на нашем
    портале:
    – Более 20 000 проверенных стоматологических клиник
    – Подробные профили с реальными отзывами пациентов
    – Актуальные акции и специальные
    предложения
    – Профессиональные статьи и интервью
    со специалистами
    – Удобный поиск по районам, станциям метро и специализациям

    Наша команда ежедневно обновляет информацию, чтобы вы могли выбрать
    именно ту клинику, которая соответствует вашим требованиям:
    – Цены и условия обслуживания
    – Перечень предоставляемых услуг
    – Квалификация врачей
    – Используемое оборудование
    – Специальные программы и предложения

  16. Fresh Sim Owner Details is a useful informational resource designed to help users understand how to verify and manage SIM registration records responsibly. This platform focuses on guiding individuals about lawful methods, official channels, and secure procedures for checking mobile number ownership data in compliance with privacy rules. Fresh Sim Owner Details emphasizes awareness, digital safety, identity protection, and responsible usage. Users can learn how to avoid scams, protect confidential information, and verify unknown numbers through legitimate authorities. With clear guidance and helpful instructions, Fresh Sim Owner Details promotes safe, ethical, and secure mobile identity verification practices. Fresh Sim Owner Details

  19. Wah lao, calm lah, top schools offer exploration initiatives, educating endurance proficiencies fⲟr adventurous
    jobs.

    Listen, folks, steady lah, elite establishments possess animal
    management programs, encouraging animal health paths.

    Guardians, kiasu mode оn lah, strong primary arithmetic leads fⲟr bettｅr STEM grasp ɑnd
    engineering goals.

    Ιn aԁdition Ьeyond institution facilities, emphasize
    ԝith mathematics іn ߋrder to stop common mistakes including sloppy errors
    ɑt exams.

    Wow, arithmetic іs the base block fօr primary schooling, aiding kids
    fⲟr dimensional thinking tߋ design careers.

    Parents, fear tһе difference hor, arithmetic base гemains critical іn primary school tо comprehending
    data, crucial fоr current online system.

    Aiyah, primary mathematics educates everyday applications ѕuch аѕ budgeting, thus make suгｅ yοur kid getѕ that rigһt from
    yoᥙng age.

    Jing Shan Primary School cultivates а supportive environment ᴡhere
    trainees flourish.
    Τһe school promotes cultural worths andd instructional quality.

    Νew Town Primary Schooil ᧐ffers contemporary knowing іn a favorable environment.

    Educators encourage development ɑnd development.
    It’ѕ excellent fⲟr modern education.

    Alsօ visit my page :: school of science and technology

  20. Wah, prestigious primaries deliver swimming, improving
    fitness f᧐r athletic management professions.

    Аvoid boh chap lah, leading instktutions prepare youngsters fⲟr IP schemes, accelerating
    to JC and ideal jobs іn medicine ᧐r engineering.

    Wah lao, eѵеn if institution proves fancy, arithmetic acts ⅼike thee decisive subject t᧐ cultivates confidence іn numbers.

    Wah, arithmetic іs the base block of primary education, assisting children fߋr spatial reasoning fߋr design routes.

    Alas, lacking strong arithmetic ɑt primary school, no matter toρ school
    kids cߋuld falter in secondary equations, ѕo build tһis ⲣromptly leh.

    Oһ no, primary math instructs practical applications including financial planning, tһerefore guarantee your kid getѕ іt correctly frߋm young.

    Wah lao, regаrdless tһough institution iѕ higһ-end, math іѕ thе critical subject fοr developing confidence in numberѕ.

    CHIJ (Katong) Primary supplies ɑ faith-centered education tһat emphasizes holistic advancement.

    Ꭲhe school’ѕ dedicated personnel аnd quality
    programs influence students tߋ reach theiｒ potential.

    Qihua Primary School ⲣrovides supportive education focused ߋn student success.

    Тһe school develops self-confidence and skills.
    Moms ɑnd dads select it for holistic advancement.

    Μy web-site – Bukit Batok Secondary School – Arron –

  21. Dubai Paint Services offers high-quality home painting services in Dubai that cater to both residential apartments and villas. With years of experience, their skilled painters deliver precise interior and exterior wall painting, using premium, weather-resistant paints suited for Dubai’s climate. They also provide color consultation, epoxy flooring, wallpaper installation, and general home maintenance. Their commitment to quality is backed by a professional, fully vetted team and end-to-end service — from surface preparation to final cleaning. For trusted, detailed, and affordable painting solutions in Dubai, Dubai Paint Services is a top choice. home painting dubai

  22. Wow, excellent post. I’d like to draft like this too – taking time and real hard work to make a great article. This post has encouraged me to write some posts that I am going to write soon. slot zeus

  23. What’s up i am kavin, its my first time to commenting anyplace, when i read
    this post i thought i could also create comment due to this good piece of writing.

    Here is my web page :: Kl99

  27. I’d like to thank you for the efforts you have put
    in writing this website. I am hoping to see the same high-grade blog
    posts from you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my very own website
    now 😉

    Also visit my blog; spotbet

  28. A motivating discussion is definitely worth comment.
    I do think that you ought to write more on this subject,
    it may not be a taboo matter but generally people don’t talk about such topics.

    To the next! All the best!!

    Also visit my homepage; Vàng Sinh Diễn

  29. Pushpa Club is a vibrant community celebrating energy, style, and entertainment inspired by the Pushpa spirit. Join for exclusive events, music, and fun experiences that embody confidence, power, and passion.

  30. Buying airfare last minute can sometimes score you great deals, but it’s definitely a gamble. Prices can drop unexpectedly, but they can also skyrocket. If your travel dates are flexible, it might be worth checking last-minute fares—you never know what kind of discount you might find! buy airfare last minute

  31. Honista provides features many users want like high-quality media downloads, profile-picture viewing, and advanced privacy controls all in one simple interface

  32. Honista is a popular modified version of Instagram designed to give users more control, customization, and freedom than the official app allows. With Honista, users can download photos, reels, and stories, apply custom themes, hide activity status, and enjoy an ad-free experience.

  33. Hmm is anyone else experiencing problems with the images on this blog loading?

    I’m trying to determine if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
    Any feed-back would be greatly appreciated.

    Take a look at my homepage: spotbet

  34. This type of message always inspiring and I prefer to read quality content, so happy to find good place to many here in the post, the writing is just great, thanks for the post. hargatoto

  38. Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can’t help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!Thanks situs toto 4d

  40. I like the valuable info you provide on your articles.

    I’ll bookmark your weblog and take a look at once more right here frequently.

    I am fairly sure I’ll be told lots of new stuff proper here!
    Good luck for the following!

    Feel free to surf to my web page; gacor resemi cuan

  41. We stumbled over here from a different web address and thought I might as well check things out.
    I like what I see so now i’m following you. Look forward to checking out your web page for
    a second time.

    Also visit my web blog – chauffeur service

  44. Aw, this was an exceptionally good post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to
    create a great article… but what can I say… I put things off a whole
    lot and don’t seem to get anything done.

    My web-site … portalbokep

  45. El código promocional de 1xBet: 1X200RED, es mucho más que una simple cadena de activación: es un potenciador estratégico en el mundo de las apuestas y juegos digitales. Según evaluaciones de las principales redes de afiliados, al aplicar este código durante el registro se incrementa el bono de primer depósito en un 30 % sobre el predeterminado, alcanzando €130 (o su equivalente en moneda local) para quienes buscan promociones de apuestas deportivas código promocional da 1xbet

  46. I like the helpful info you supply on your articles. I’ll bookmark your
    weblog and test again right here frequently. I’m somewhat certain I’ll be told a
    lot of new stuff right right here! Good luck for the next!

    Here is my site: flower shops

  47. My spouse and I stumbled over here by a different
    web page and thought I should check things out. I like what I
    see so i am just following you. Look forward to looking over your
    web page for a second time.

    Here is my web blog :: قیمت هایک ویژن

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *