12 October 2022
Thailand has long been considered an exotic and exciting holiday destination for tourists all over the world. With white sand beaches and crystal-clear oceans, as well as exciting nightlife, fantastic food and the promise of unlimited adventure, Thailand is one of the most visited countries in southeast Asia.
Before the outbreak of COVID-19, Thailand boasted an enormous 39.8 million international visitors in 2019, according to Statista. Naturally, the first epidemic in modern history abruptly halted global tourism industries overnight, and Thailand’s annual international visitor numbers fell to 6.7 million in 2020 and 430,000 in 2021.
Island rejuvenation
Two years on, and after longer-than-expected travel restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022 saw the re-opening of Thailand’s borders. With restrictions easing globally, and quarantine requirements allowing for more movement again, vaccinated tourists are now once more allowed to visit the country.
With some travellers still having their wanderlust weighed down by safety concerns, both COVID-19 and, more recently, crime-related, Thailand’s government has planned a significant programme to revitalise tourism.
A novel approach to tourist safety
A pilot project featuring the deployment of several thousand tracking units has been undertaken by the Thailand Marine Department. The department is committed to helping accelerate the recovery of the industry, which is vital to Thailand’s economy.
Local government regulations now mandate that all tourists to the island of Phuket and the surrounding islands – which by themselves play host to some 20,000 tourists per day - must always carry a tracking device, whether on land or at sea. Each tourist must be registered and provided with a tracking device by an approved government-certified official tourist guide. Tourists are required to check in via the tracking unit with their guides upon completion of any day trips or excursions, and the service fees are incorporated into the excursion package.
In case of emergency
A solutions evaluation tender process took place, which involved numerous government agencies. While there were many competing propositions including a wide array of network technologies, the ubiquitous, 24/7, always on-connectivity required for the task could only be achieved via satellite.
Thus, SPOT Gen4 was selected. The SPOT Gen4 devices were acquired from Globalstar Value Added Reseller partner, Ship Expert Technology, and will be provided to all travellers on and around Phuket, for their safety and security. The coverage and price point of SPOT Gen4 were influencing factors, according to Ship Expert Technology CEO Kirk Viaimal. The SPOT Gen4 units will assist the authorities and first responders to improve the speed and effectiveness of emergency rescue operations, for example, in cases of medical emergency or vessel capsize.
Indeed, in an emergency, the tourist can press the device’s one-touch SOS button, which instantly transmits an alert and GPS position to Marine Services, the government authority responsible for maritime safety. Depending on the nature of the incident, the local police or Thailand Coastguard will coordinate on rescue operations.
Joining forces for safety goals
The project is the first milestone of a new partnership between Globalstar and Thaicom.
Announced at the end of March, Thaicom and Globalstar have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development and operation of ground station facilities at Thaicom’s Teleport Center in Pathumthani Province for Globalstar’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. The partners will commercialise safety and security services and solutions to support tourism as well as the region’s maritime industry.
“We are very pleased to partner with Globalstar. This collaboration is a strategic move in expanding our portfolio of cooperation with leading global LEO operators which will complement our existing satellite services,” said Patompob (Nile) Suwansiri, Thaicom’s CEO. “Our experience and expertise in the satellite industry, along with Globalstar’s world-class services for Personnel Safety & Management will serve to provide our customers with advanced satellite solutions for the digital era. We believe this strategic alliance between the two companies will lay the foundation for a long-term relationship and sustainable growth in the satellite industry in this region.”
