PUBLIC POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENHANCING HOTEL BUSINESS ORDER IN PHUKET THAILAND

Abstract

The research aims to (1) analyze and synthesize the laws and regulations which are related to the hotel business application in Phuket (2) investigate the methods and systems of applying for a hotel business operating and licensing and study the process of the adaptation into the legal system for unlicensed hotel, and (3) create the public policy recommendations for enhancing the hotel business order in Phuket, Thailand. A qualitative research methodology was conducted. Primary data collection has relied on in-depth interviews with the semi-structured question which have been conducted with key informant from hotel business operators, private sectors, government and local administrative organization authority. Secondary data collection relied on relevant legal procedures, laws and regulations related to the Hotel Act, 2004 (B.E. 2547) and Building Control Act, 1979 (B.E. 2522). Also, study from other related documents, then compiled in descriptive analysis.

The findings of this research identified that the rapid growth of tourism in Phuket had created the demand for hotel accommodations and convinced the investors to build or modified the building or change the usage of the building into the hotel business. Thus, the number of hotel accommodations in Phuket has significantly increased; most of them operated illegally and unlicensed. These hotels have created a negative impact on hotel safety, economy, society, and environment. On the other hand, the problems and obstacles between the legal conflict, laws, regulations, and different discretion of local administrative organizations and government officials authority have also caused the hotel business operators unable to become legitimate hotels in the system.

Ultimately, the Public Policy Recommendation for Enhancing the Hotel Business Order in Phuket, Thailand was proposed that; (1) Amnesty should be given to those who operate hotel businesses before August 19, 2016, before the ministerial regulations come into force, (2) the government sectors should be able to relieve the conditions and regulations arising from retroactive law enforcement as a punishment and relaxed the conditions to the hotel business operators who need to enter the legal system, (3) Joint Sub-committee between the public and private sectors Should be established at the district level in order to be inspected and screened, and reduce the use of different discretion from the relevant organizations, and (4) Stringent laws should be enforced with hotel business operators that intend to avoid or not comply with legal conditions and (5) Implementation of processes and procedures at all level should have an appropriate time frame, and consideration should not prolong.