Thailand hopes to soon be a stop for high-end cruise ships and is rushing to set up the infrastructure needed to make that happen.

Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn referenced a recent research by the government agencies that Thailand should develop facilities to attract cruise ships because they bring high-spending tourists, reported Bangkok Post.

This research suggests that high-end cruise tourists spend THB6,174 daily, which is more than the THB4,000 that is spent, on average, by foreign non-cruise tourists that visit Thailand.

Cruise tourists that have visited Thailand in 2015 and 2016 named Laem Chabang and Koh Samui as their preferred ports. Another step Thailand may take to attract luxury cruises is to work with nearby countries to create new routes for boats and to develop a sector of Thais that may be qualified to work on these boats or to lead excursions for people coming from the boats for day trips to Thailand.

Currently, Filipinos, who have good English language skills, tend to land the majority of Asian cruise jobs.

The government is currently part way through a development plan to promote cruise tourism for the ports in Phuket, Phang Nga, and Koh Samui. Those projects should be complete this year and should produce an immediate uptick in cruise tourists, but not necessarily from the luxury sector.

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