About Us
Bangkok, The Best Destination for All
History
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Department was originally named Bangkok Tourism Department, established in November 1997 in order to carry out Bangkok former governor Dr. Pichit Rattakul’s policies. The purpose of the founding was to promote Amazing Thailand Years 1998 -1999. On April 17, 1997, the cabinet gave a green light to the founding on the occasion that Thailand won a bid to host the 13th Asian Games in 1998 and to commemorate the sixth-cycle (72nd) birthday anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on December 5, 1999. In the first stage, it aimed to provide tourism information about all 50 districts in Bangkok to locals and tourists.
The Bangkok Tourism Department expanded and restructured the organization, renamed as “Tourism Division” under the Office of the Permanent Secretary for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration on July 1, 2003. Owing to increased responsibilities, Bangkok had to conduct an organizational restructure. On June 10, 2005, certain roles and responsibilities were imposed among relevant organizations. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Department was established and the Tourism Division is currently under the supervision of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Department.
In other words, the Culture Division and the Tourism Division were merged into one single department. The department is divided into two offices: Culture Division Office and Tourism Division Office. With regard to the Tourism Division Office, it provides people with tourist service centers, including 22 Bangkok tourist information centers situated in certain districts and Bangkok landmarks, such as Rattanakosin, Ratchaprasong, Sukhumvit, and Silom. With tourist information centers across Bangkok, local and foreign tourists will be provided information about travel guides and security guidelines to ensure their safe, enjoyable travel in Bangkok, particularly allowing them to exercise extra cautions against any forms of scammers.
- Tourism Division
- Office of Culture and Tourism
- Culture, Sports and Tourism Department
- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
The English name of the division is
Tourism Division, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
Tourism Division, 17/1 Phra Athit Road, Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200
02-225-7612-3
Responsibilities
The Culture, Sports and Tourism Department is responsible for implementing development plans for promoting tourism in Bangkok, providing tourism information, preparing varied forms of media and arranging promotion activities to boost tourism in different ways. The department works in conjunction with the government and private sectors to continually develop tourism services and tourist attractions in order that they live up to the standards. As a consequence, both local and foreign tourists will make a visit to random meccas in Bangkok. This could lead to positive economic outlooks, society, culture, and sustainable tourism, as a result of cooperation among people, community, and local sectors. The department is also in charge of other relevant tasks as well as MICE-related tasks in Bangkok.
Mission
“Develop resources and tourism in a sustainable manner, with network-based management mechanisms to ensure friendly service.”
Tourism strategies
The 20-year Development Plan for Bangkok Metropolis (2018-2037) includes Strategy 6: Bangkok as an Economic and Learning Center.
According to Supporting Strategy 6.2: Bangkok as a World’s Destination, it is a combination of original strategies to turn Bangkok into a world’s tourism hotbed and also a business hub, which is central to innovation and culture. The strategies are adjusted to respond to the changing tourism. In addition, advanced technologies are employed to ensure safety, standardize Bangkok tourism service, and gain trust among tourists. Likewise, necessary facilities are provided to accommodate all groups of tourists, including the disabled and senior citizens. Creative public relations and Bangkok tourism staff potential development are also required.
Next up is Supporting Strategy 6.3: a City of Conferences and Exhibitions. The strategy is partly revised in the aspect of establishing network partners and collaborating with the government and private sectors to turn Bangkok into a center of conferences, exhibitions, road shows, and trade shows to motivate employees with extrinsic rewards (MICE) so that they perform their duties in a more effective manner, resulting in concrete operation.
As a result, Strategy 6: Bangkok as an Economic and Learning Center, aims to primarily implement technology, database management systems, and coordination with network partners to promote Bangkok to be recognized as an economic, commercial, investment, cultural, convention, and learning center in Asia, with conferences and exhibitions that are regionally and universally acceptable. The main strategies are as follows:
1) Strategies to develop mobile applications to ensure safety among tourists;
2) Strategies to arrange tourism activities to accommodate all groups of tourists, with no exception to the disabled and senior citizens;
3) Strategies to develop tourism data management systems to accommodate tourists at the global level, allowing Thailand to proudly sit top among its Asian and Southeast Asian rivals;
4) Strategies to promote local products through domestic and international road shows and trade shows;
5) Strategies to revive tourism resources and tourist attractions so that they accommodate tourists in an effective manner;
6) Strategies to provide information about historical sites in each district, especially renowned old neighborhoods;
7) Strategies to contextualize and promote the organization, technically known as corporate branding, as well as Bangkok’s marketing;
8) Strategies to develop internal and external tourism personnel to equip them with knowledge and understanding to properly carry out their duties;
9) Strategies to join hands with relevant organizations to hold conferences, exhibitions, road shows and trade shows to offer staff incentives as a way to motivate them to be dedicated to their work (MICE).
For more information: https://webportal.bangkok.go.th/public/user_files_editor/130/BMA-developmentplan/P20ys_rivise.pdf
