Month: May 2021

Last week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) managed an innovative hybrid event to show case Thailand’s tourism promotion strategy to a roomful of travel agents at Dolton House in Sydney, and a whole lot more throughout the country via a live online streaming event.

The afternoon’s presentations were inspiring, explaining the Kingdom’s strategy to reopen borders, a heightened focus on sustainable tourism and updates from over 20 Thai suppliers, airlines, hotels and attractions.

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In between presentations, delegates enjoyed a delicious Thai lunch and enjoyed a cooking demonstration by Chat Thai’s celebrated chef; Palisa Anderson.

TAT Sydney Director Suladda Sarutilavan explained Thailand’s C-A-T policy for tackling the ever-changing the ever-changing situation:

• C for COPE. Cope and react to the situation, putting wellbeing and safety first.
• A for ADAPT. Implementing change through innovation and digital technology.
• T for TRANSFORM. Thailand is transforming to Quality Tourism, with a goal to enrich the experience for tourists, and the environment.

Roadmap to Recovery

The roadmap to reopening in Thailand starts with the ‘Phuket Sandbox’. Phuket will be the first region to open to vaccinated tourists on 1 July 2021, with an aim to have 70 per cent of the population vaccinated by the time borders open.

Then on 1 October, other major tourist destinations will follow suit including Krabi, Phang Nga, Surat Thani (including Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao), Chonburi (including Pattaya) and Chiang Mai.

Wellness and Responsible Travel

Two tourism categories that are a focus of TAT’s marketing efforts are wellness and responsible travel. Thailand is a destination that offers numerous world-class wellness retreats, that help you achieve any fitness goals.

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The other focus is Responsible Travel which can be achieved by considering all tourism implications towards the environment, wildlife, plantations, to Thai locals.

“Our aim is to provide tourists with a more meaningful experience.”

Marketing in Lockdown

TAT has sponsored and partnered with several local events in Australia, to keep Thailand top-of-mind with all those Aussies with a pent-up desire to travel as soon as borders open.

With the family travel market in mind, TAT participated at this year’s Sydney Royal Easter Show and collaborated with NRL’s South Sydney Rabbitohs.

To highlight Thailand’s efforts to support and promote marine conservation and responsible tourism, TAT, in collaboration with the Thai Consulate Sydney, took part in a beach and underwater clean-up at Chowder Bay in Mosman.

Slow food, slow tourism.

To highlight Thailand’s gastronomy tourism strategy, Chat Thai’s Palisa Anderson gave a cooking demonstration with a difference, introducing a captivated audience to traditional Thai ingredients, and explaining the importance of using local seasonal produce, a strategy many of Thailand’s resorts have adopted to support local producers.

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Thailand Experts

Also launched at the event, TAT’s new online training program for agents, an opportunity to upskill your knowledge of Thailand and new developments to the Kingdom’s tourism infrastructure, presented at the hybrid event by marketing manager Sherly Handjojo.

“We want to focus on the positive.”

Acclaimed chef, Chat Thai’s Palisa Anderson shares her recipe for Stir Fry Prawns with Glass Noodles & Ginger.

A farm-to-table chef, Palisa is best known for expanding the family business that began with her mother’s Chat Thai restaurants in Sydney to include several more eateries and stocks them all with organic produce from her Boon Luck Farm in Byron Bay.

Ingredients

• 8 green prawns, peeled and deveined 
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons red vinegar 
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Pearl River premium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red boat fish sauce
• 50g pork leaf lard, cut into 2cm cubes 
• 150g dried glass noodles, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes
• 2 stalks Chinese celery, finely sliced on the diagonal, leaves reserved
• 3 green onions, cut into batons
• 1 tablespoon best quality sesame oil

Method

1. Peel the body shell off the prawns and make an incision along the back to reveal the vein, and remove it; keeping the head and tail intact.
2. Combine oyster sauce, vinegar, palm sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce. Set aside.
3. Once you have all the ingredients on hand, heat wok or frying pan over a high heat. 
4. Add pork fat and heat for about 5 minutes, until fat is melted and bits of pork meat (lardons) are golden and start to float. 
5. Remove the lardons and set them aside.
6. Add prawns to the wok and fry for a minute or so each side, until a light golden crust forms. Set prawns aside. 
7. Add pounded paste to the wok, reduce heat to medium, and stir-fry for a minute or 2, until fragrant and starting to turn golden.
8. Add glass noodles and celery stalks and toss to combine thoroughly, adding a little water if it starts to look too dry or sticks. 
9. Add oyster sauce mixture and stir to combine thoroughly, cover and cook for a further minute or so, until noodles are lovely and soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
10. Add celery leaves, and green onion, remove from the heat, return prawns to the wok and toss through.
11. Serve into shallow bowls, top with coriander leaves and reserved pork pieces and drizzle with sesame oil.