With foreign tourists flocking to Pai district in Mae Hong Son province in search of adventure activities, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has confirmed the safety of the inner tubes floating on the Pai River and their low impact on local communities and the environment.
A video clip showing more than a hundred foreign tourists tubing along Pai River went viral on TikTok and social media earlier this week.
Phanuwat Khatnak, director of TAT's Mae Hong Son office, said safety regulations for this activity included basic requirements for licensed operators, such as a limit of 150 participants per rental round.
The TAT said the regulations also require one employee per 12 participants, with life jackets provided to everyone, said Mr Phanuwat.
Sound amplifiers and alcoholic drinks are prohibited to minimise noise, which would impact locals along the river, he said.
The operators also need to collect any waste produced by participants, Mr Phanuwat said.
He said these regulations were created at a meeting of the TAT Mae Hong Son office, Mae Hong Son police, and private tourism operators in November last year.
If the regulations are not complied with, the province will ban operators from providing these activities in the future, Mr Phanuwat said.
He said this activity had been taking place for many years, but only gained popularity among foreign tourists last year after Thailand reopened its borders.
Mr Phanuwat said roughly five operators offer floating tubes in the province. The packages cost between 200-450 baht per person.
The participants are mostly foreigners, particularly those from Europe, who want to enjoy nature and relax, he said.
Tubing is offered to tourists only from November to May when the water level is low, roughly 50 centimetres or waist level, which is deemed safe for playing.
Tubing is prohibited during the rainy season as the water level can reach 2-3 metres.
Mae Hong Son welcomed more than 190,000 visitors last month, of which 20% were foreign tourists, according to TAT.
Mr Phanuwat said the province is expected to welcome 1.6 million visitors this year, with foreign travellers increasing to 30% of the total in 2023.
He said Mae Hong Son is now a popular destination among long-stay digital nomads.
The number of visitors to the province tallied 1.5 million last year thanks to a surge in domestic tourists, accounting for 80% of the total, said the agency.
TAT Mae Hong Son is promoting the province via local village experiences, wellness retreats, and road trips to the province via its "dragon trail" of 4,088 curves on the highway from Chiang Mai.
Phanudate Chaisagoon, president of the Mae Hong Son Tourism Business Association, said big bike tour groups from Malaysia and Singapore rode that route last year and received a certificate from the association.
The certificate is awarded to every tourist that arrives in the province via the highway, part of a promotional campaign for the cool season.
