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Published on November 12, 2007

The university's vice president for research and international affairs, Dr Soottiporn Chittmittrapap, also director of the First Aid Training Centre of the Thai Red Cross, said the centre had been working with many organisations, both local and overseas, to rebuild tourism in Southern Thailand, which was hard hit by the tsunami of late 2004.

The centre is talking with the Red Cross of Norway to create a tourism plan and strategies specifically for the region.

"Norway has confirmed help for Thailand to build two emergency rescue centres, one in Khura Buri in Phang Nga province and another in Nua Khlong sub-district in Krabi province, in the first phase," said Soottiporn.

More projects are to be added in the remaining four provinces hit by the tsunami. Each centre needs a budget of Bt30 million to Bt40 million. Soottiporn said talks were also underway with the Red Cross of Finland to restore tourism by focusing on communication work.

He said the cooperation also involved giving knowledge about tourism, particularly water activities, to local people in the affected provinces. Many communities will get training about tourist assistance, how to help injured people and how to use rescue equipment.

More than 180 local volunteers have already been trained.

"We are training about 300 people at this moment and expect to complete 12,000 within three years," said Soottiporn.

The university will be investing Bt2.2 billion in academic development funds under its "Towards 100-year-Chula Academic Development Plan" over the next five years to support various activities, including education and tourism. Some projects aim for capacity building and strengthening of infrastructure.

Among the major centres already in place are a nanotechnology centre and an avian-flu research centre.

Suchat Sritama

The Nation