GROUP AIMS TO BOOST DOMESTIC TOURISM

       Nine domestic tourism associations and two related bodies have recntly formed the Federation of thailand Tourism Network Associatios to boost local tourism.
       "The establishment of FETTNA is a new hope to help members in the provinces survive amid the cirsis," Wirote sitaprasertnand, the federations' first president, said yesterday.
       The federation will strive to stimulate local tourism and work closely with tourism operators in Bangkok and upcountry, he said.
       The tourism industry has been struggling for years due to the economic turndown and political problems. Many opeators have already gone out of business, Wirote said.
       To rebuild domestic tourism, the federation will work with its members to create a strategic plan, which will be revealed on Wednesday.
       Some urgent measures are ncluded, such as a tourism fair, which is set to be held soon in order to help operators get customers, he said.
       Representatives of existing tourism associations are working for themselves, not really for the members, he said, adding that they are also involved in politics.
       "My federation will be free from politics as has been happening other associations," he said.
       The problems of the tourism industry have not been resolved bcause of the disarray between two big groups of tourism associations - the Thai Hotels Association and Association of Thai Travel Agents - and the Tourism Council of Thailand, he said.
       Both groups are working with government bodies to bring foreign tourists into the country rather than help international tourism.
       The 11 members of the federation are the Association of Thai Tour Operators, the Thai Tourism Promotion Association, the Professional Tourists Guide Association, the Tourist Transport Association, the Thai Travel Agents Association, the Thai Spa Association, the Thai Amusement and Leisure parks Association, the Association of Northern Tourism Federation, the Thai Boat Association, the Office of Tourism Media and Environment and the Fine Arts Faculty of Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon.