30 May 2025
In Memoriam: Life and Times of the late Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Dharmnoon Prachuabmoh
Bangkok – The 22 May 2025 passing of former Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Dharmnoon Prachuabmoh should give the Thai tourism industry a moment to revisit and reflect on one of the most crucial eras of its history — one from which the current generation can learn a lot.
As the third head of the TAT since its formation in 1960, the Australian-educated Governor presided over the runaway success of 1987 Visit Thailand Year but also had to deal with its subsequent management failures as well as the May 1992 political riots, one of the bloodiest confrontations in Thai history.
Between 1986-1994, he oversaw the dynamics of marketing success, management deficiencies and crisis management — a triple-whammy learning curve which is just as relevant today as it was then.
I first met the Governor when I began reporting for TTG Asia in 1981. As the then Deputy Governor Marketing, I found him and his TAT marketing team always accessible and refreshingly candid.
The first TAT chief to have worked his way up through the TAT ranks and also served in a TAT office abroad (New York), he had mastered the art of networking the travel trade as well as raising Thailand’s profile in multilateral organisations such as PATA, ASEAN, EATA, ICCA and others.
But dealing with the easygoing Thai ‘sabai-sabai’ laissez-faire DNA proved to be a more formidable challenge in the post-1987 boom era. The same applies today, too.
The Governor’s career ended on sour-cum-sweet note when he was ousted by the then TAT Chairman Dr Savit Bhotivihok, a bitter loss of face which he subsequently avenged by ousting Dr Savit in an election battle in Dr Savit’s own constituency.
Personally, he was just one nice person to deal with, like that entire generation of leaders who put Thailand on the global tourism map and whom I have been deeply privileged and honoured to work with.
Due to pressing family and other commitments, I was unable to attend any of the late Governor’s funeral rites. However, I have compiled the following set of images from my unmatched historic archives as a tribute to him as well as a legacy for the current generation to learn from.
It is part of my unrelenting quest and passion to help this generation better understand the deep-rooted heritage of Thai tourism, reflect on what has changed and what has not as it ponders its future in this era of tumult and turmoil.
Thailand Incentive & Convention Association
May 1992 Crisis
Ouster and Bounceback
