Development of Sustainable Tourism along the Asian Highway Network ?Exploring Possibilities in the Case of Thailand?

Abstract: Tourism is recognized as one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Tourism activities entail economic, social and environmental benefits as well as adverse impacts. ?The Asian Highway Network? crisscrossing 32 countries in Asia has been promoted as a tourism-related and transport infrastructure. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) has provided member countries a plan of action to undertake to assist with sustainable tourism development. Thailand is heavily engaged in promoting tourism along the Asian Highway Network. Therefore, a plan of action for sustainable tourism needs to be integrated and implemented in the country. However, an examination of the Thai policy and its implication revealed that the Thai government has only started to consider the importance of sustainable tourism. Existing policies and their implementation related to sustainable tourism appear to be insufficient. There are a number of stakeholders who have the potential to influence sustainable tourism development along the Asian Highway Network in Thailand. The engagement of these stakeholders in the sustainable tourism development process is an important component in helping to realize this goal. While this study has revealed a number of barriers which exist in regards to sustainable tourism development along the Asian Highway Network in Thailand, it has also revealed that there are a number of drivers that give Thailand a large potential to achieve the objective of sustainable tourism development along the Highway.