She has been working with TAT since 1999
Thapanee Kiatphaiboon today began her role as the new Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
Having been with the TAT in 1999 after earning a master’s degree in science from the University of Surrey in the UK, Thapanee has held various positions within the organisation, including Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business, and most recently Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing.
In her most recent role as TAT Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing, Thapanee initiated various tourism initiatives to help drive Thailand’s economy. Among them included the workation in Thailand, faith and religious tourism routes, and solo travels – which helped stimulate 151.45 million domestic trips in 2022 – about 88% of the record year in 2019 – and generated 641.5 billion Baht.
In her role as Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business, Thapanee was recognised for her leadership in initiating the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) certification programme that enabled hotels and services to meet specific health and safety standards. The programme became a mandatory requirement for hotels seeking to register as quarantine facilities during the period of strict COVID-19 control measures and also received global recognition in alignment with the WTTC SafeTravels protocols.
She also initiated the Special Tourist Visa (STV) scheme to promote the reopening of Thailand, which led to subsequent entry schemes, including Villa Quarantine, Yacht Quarantine and Golf Quarantine, as well as the Phuket Sandbox, which has been recognized internationally as the model for the country’s reopening.
