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Deputy PM Jurin opens Patong seafood festival

PHUKET: Deputy Prime Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, who also serves as the Minister of Commerce, arrived in Phuket yesterday (Dec 11) to officiate the opening of the “Fah Thong on the Beach & Seafood festival, Rim Lay @ Patong’, being held on Patong Beach from Dec 11-13.

patongtourismCOVID-19economics
By The Phuket News

Saturday 12 December 2020 11:57 AM


 

The festival is supported by the Ministry of Commerce as one of its ”Blue Flag” events, renowned throughout the country for supporting local vendors in order to sell goods and produce at cheap prices to help boost the economy.

Present for the occasion, which also drew a large crowd to the beach, were Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong and Patong Mayor Chalermlak Kebsup.

Mr Jurin explained that the event was to help local vendors and stimulate the local economy, and hopefully attract more tourists to Patong, whose tourism industry has been devastated by the economic crisis.

“The government’s policy is to stimulate and mobilise the country’s economy to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic as soon as possible. Phuket is a province that relies on tourism from tourists both in the country and foreign countries, therefore we have a need to stimulate the economy to restore tourism destinations and help increase the incomes of local operators and the community,” he said.

The Ministry of Commerce will continue its efforts, which he called “mission critical”, to create business opportunities and develop distribution channels for goods and services, for farmers, small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as community enterprises (OTOP) through the organisation of trade fair activities.

“At the same time, it is convenient for people and tourists to buy good-quality products at low prices,” he said.

Mr Jurin pointed out that before the outbreak of COVID-19, Thailand was one of the world’s leading tourist destinations and food hubs.

“In 2019, Thailand was voted the No. 2 country for Best Travel Destination in the World and earned more than B2 trillion in income from foreign tourists. Thailand is also a ‘Kitchen of the World’, with Thai food accepted by foodies around the world as the most delicious,” he said.

Deputy PM Jurin pointed out that the “Fah Thong on the beach & Seafood festival” exemplified all these core issues in the one event.

The festival has been organised by the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of Internal Trade, Mr Jurin noted.

Previously, the Ministry of Commerce has held five seafood events in Bangkok, Chonburi, Phuket, Phang Nga and Songkhla, he added.

“These events received a lot of attention from the public and tourists as well,” he said.