THAILAND IS A DIVERSE COUNTRY. TELL US ABOUT THE DESTINATIONS THAT ATTRACT VISITORS TO THAILAND. 

Our tagline is, “Thailand always amazes you.” And the diversity in Thailand is one of the things that makes the country so amazing. There truly is something for everyone. No matter what your interests, hobbies or sporting taste, you can find it in Thailand. You’ll find fun and thrills in water sports, rock climbing and elephant trekking. You’ll find relaxation and other de-stressing activities in the many world-renowned spas and resorts. You can study Buddhist meditation at a temple or learn the art of Thai cooking from an expert chef at a 5-star hotel or local cooking school. Whatever you want to do on your vacation, you’ll find ways to accomplish your goals in Thailand.

FOR THOSE READERS WHO LOVE TO GOLF, WHAT GOLFING OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE IN THAILAND?

Here, again, our tagline says it all … golf in Thailand is amazing! The Tourism Authority of Thailand expects to welcome up to 600,000 visitors in 2012, many of whom will partake in golf. We have more than 200 world-class golf courses throughout the country. Golfing in Thailand is a tremendous value and experience when compared with other worldwide destinations.

WHILE THERE ARE MANY HISTORIC SITES IN THAILAND, WHAT ARE THE MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DESTINATIONS?  

Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, two of Thailand’s former capitals, are well-known ancient sites and are also listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. Other significant destinations range from Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand, originally founded as the capital of the Lanna Kingdom, to the old Southern Thailand cities such as Nakhon Si Thammarat. Thailand has a rich and fascinating past. At Ban Chiang in the Northeast region, there are archaeological finds dating back more than 5,000 years.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY. 

I joined the Tourism Authority of Thailand in 1982 as a planning staff member. In keeping with TAT’s desire to have its management team experience various markets and challenges, I was pleased to serve as director in the Kuala Lumpur office from 1997 to 2001 and in our domestic office in beautiful Rayong from 2001 to 2008. I came to the Los Angeles office after my post in Rayong.