Thapanee Kiatphaiboon has started her new role as Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Having started with TAT in 1999, Thapanee has held various positions within the organisation, including Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business and most recently Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing.
In her most recent role, Thapanee initiated various tourism initiatives, including the highly successful workation in Thailand, faith and religious tourism routes, and solo travels in 2019.
In her role as Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business, Thapanee was recognised for her leadership in initiating the Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration certification programme that enabled hotels and services to meet specific health and safety standards. The programme became a mandatory requirement for hotels seeking to register as quarantine facilities during the period of strict Covid-19 control measures and also received global recognition in alignment with the WTTC SafeTravels protocols.
She also initiated the Special Tourist Visa scheme to promote the reopening of Thailand, which led to subsequent entry schemes, including Villa Quarantine, Yacht Quarantine and Golf Quarantine, as well as the Phuket Sandbox, which has been recognised internationally as the model for the country’s reopening.
