泰國觀光業的政治經濟分析

The Political Economy of Tourism in Thailand

泰國政府從1960年代開始發展觀光業，成效相當不錯，到2008年時，吸引超過1，400萬名觀光客。最早從1960年代的越戰開始，就有爲數眾多的美國大兵前往泰國進行休閒度假，爲泰國賺進不少外匯，也促進泰國觀光業軟硬體建設的發展。越戰結束之後，泰國有效利用越戰時期所累積下來的觀光資源，順利吸引大量美國與歐洲的觀光客。1982年時，泰國觀光業正式取代稻米成爲最大的外匯來源，觀光業也開始進入黃金時期。1997年的亞洲金融危機對於泰國的整體經濟環境造成相當大的影響，觀光業自然也遭受到不小的打擊。不過，泰國政府有效結合公、私部門的資源與力量，除了推出大型的國際行銷活動－驚奇泰國（Amazing Thailand）外，再加上推廣醫療觀光（medical tourism），以及新機場啟用等利多，迅速帶領泰國觀光業走出金融危機的陰影。儘管觀光業對於泰國的經濟發展有著如此重要的影響，但是一般政治學界對於觀光業的研究卻相當少。因此，本文最主要希望能掌握泰國觀光業從1960年代以來的發展歷程與模式，包括觀光業對經濟發展的貢獻、政府在這當中所扮演的角色，以及泰國觀光業在1997年金融危機之後面臨一連串不利因素影響時，政府如何結合民間部門的資源，化危機为轉機，帶領觀光業走出金融危機的陰影。

Ever since the 1960's, the Thai government has been developing tourism with the aim of improving the economy. Up to 2008, this development has successfully attracted over fourteen million tourists. Once the Vietnam War started, Thailand became one of the principal destinations for rest and recreational (R&R) visits by American GIs; these visits brought in a lot of income. When the war ended, Thailand made good use of their tourism resources and thereby was able to successfully attract many American and European tourists. In 1982 Thai tourism surpassed rice as the leading earner of foreign exchange. However, the most significant period in the history of Thai tourism was really the ten years that followed the ”Visit Thailand Year” campaign launched by the government in 1987; so successful was tourism during this period that it was labeled ”The Golden Decade of Thai Tourism”. In 1997 though, the Asian Financial Crisis affected Thailand's economic sector, and could have had a disastrous impact on its tourism industry had the Thai government not stepped in immediately; by efficiently combining resources from both public and private sectors, the Thai government was able to launch international marketing campaigns such as the Amazing Thailand campaign, promote medical tourism, and even open the use of the new Suvarnabhumi airport in September 2006. Although tourism has had such a big influence on the economic development in Thailand, the politics of Thai tourism is rarely discussed in political science literature. This paper looks at the process and development of tourism in Thailand since the 1960's, including its contribution to the economy, also the role of the government, and the public-private partnership in the tourism industry.