The TAT is a legal entity in its own right, with core objectives of promoting tourism and the tourist industry, publicizing Thailand’s tourist attractions, facilitating the convenience and security of tourists, promoting better understanding and relationships between people and countries through tourism, and initiating the development of tourist facilities.
TAT supplies information and data on tourist areas to the public, publicizes Thailand with the intention of encouraging both Thai and international tourists to travel in and around Thailand, conducts studies to set development plans for tourist destinations, and co-operates with and supports the production and development of personnel in the field of tourism.
Under the Act, the TAT is given very broad powers to implement its core objectives, including the right to designate places as tourist sites, lend and borrow money, advise, train, educate, access and compile data (from the private and public sectors), and own, construct on and lease real estate both in Thailand and overseas.
Although the Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports are charged with overall Ministerial supervision of the TAT, the TAT Board (the Board) plays a significant role in determining the directions and policies of TAT while giving the operational guidelines for TAT executives and monitoring budget expenditures and the results of all TAT’s important operations.
The Board has broad powers to issue rules, regulations and establish TAT policy, as well as appoint the Governor, committees and subcommittees (of which there were 9 in 2012). The Governor is the person empowered and obligated to implement all TAT’s business in accordance with the Board’s resolutions, policy directives and TAT’s rules, regulations and the law.
He is responsible to the Board for all of TAT’s business operations, and has co-control over all personnel matters together with the Deputy Governor. The Governor has the authority to represent the TAT to third parties.