Thailand's tourism chief puts safety, sustainability and Thai-ness at the centre of a CNN forum in Bangkok

On 14 October 2026 the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) took part in CNN Global Perspectives: In Bangkok, the first Asian edition of the live event series. It was held at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok, with TAT as a supporting partner. The forum ran alongside the IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings in the capital, so the room was full of global leaders, investors and policymakers.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul opened the programme. Other speakers included Hyun Song Shin of the Bank of Korea, Tan Su Shan of DBS Group, Chadatip Chutrakul of Siam Piwat Group, Pandu Sjahrir of Danantara Indonesia and Maggie Kang, co-director of KPop Demon Hunters. Sessions covered technology, finance, healthcare, media and culture.

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool used a fireside chat with Anita Mendiratta, Special Adviser to the UN Tourism Secretary-General, to describe where Thai tourism is heading. The idea is simple: success should be measured by the value visitors take home and the value tourism creates for communities and the economy, not by the headcount at the airport. The Nation reports that the approach rests on four pillars: safety, sustainability, extraordinary experiences and Thai-ness.

Safety and sustainability come first, she said, because travellers, especially higher-value ones, need confidence that a destination is both safe and sustainable. The experiences on offer are meant for more than holidaymakers. She named investors, business people, students and people looking for health, wellness or sport.

On Thai-ness, Thapanee called it the core of the Amazing Thailand brand and something competitors would find hard to copy. In her telling it is about identity rather than activity, handed down through simple lessons: respect others, think before you speak, avoid hurting feelings. TAT's own summary points to the warm smile and the wai gesture as everyday examples.

TAT also said it is working toward a 60:40 split of tourism benefits between major and emerging destinations, and it pointed to its "Healing is the New Luxury" wellness concept and the "Amazing 5 Economy" plan covering the Life, Sub-Culture, Night, Circular and Platform economies. It stressed that suppliers and wider industry partners are coordinating with the authority. Note that these are TAT's stated goals, not measured results.

For a traveller, the practical reading is fairly clear. If more visitors are encouraged to explore beyond the best-known hubs, more trips will involve getting between smaller towns, beaches and viewpoints, and that often means arranging your own transport. Safety being named as the first pillar also suggests that clear information and trustworthy service providers will matter more each season.

This is where Balm Rentals fits in. Balm is a marketplace for renting bikes, scooters and cars in Thailand, built to make that step easier for visitors. Price, deposit and rental terms are shown before payment, the app and listings are available in the traveller's own language, and rentals come from verified, legal local owners through one place on iOS, Android and the web. We see it as a complement to the work of local rental businesses and the wider industry: a way for more guests to book with confidence.

If you are planning a trip for the high season, check the rental terms, confirm what the deposit covers and keep your documents in order before you ride or drive. A little preparation matches the direction Thai tourism says it wants to take: safer, calmer and worth more to everyone involved.