Best Western International, |the world's largest hotel-|chain operator, is expand-|ing in Thailand despite political |problems and the global economic crisis. The group plans to increase the number of its hotels in Asia from 140 to 200 by the end of 2010.

Twelve or thirteen of the additional hotels will be in Thailand - in all the major tourist destinations including Bangkok, Pattaya, Samui, Hua Hin and Pran Buri, near Hua Hin.

Regional manager Niramon Makornpruttipong said the group now managed 12 hotels in the |country with 1,256 rooms and expected to almost double that figure |to 2,350 rooms over the next few years.

"We are forging ahead despite the country's political unrest and economic crisis," said Niramon.

She added that tourists across the world were shifting to economy hotels, though the group's hotels had not been badly hit by the recent political turmoil.

While 17-18 per cent of booked rooms were cancelled during the airport closures in November and December, there were no cancellations during Songkran.

"We took our greatest blow in the Tsunami that hit the Andaman coast at the end of 2004. Our hotels in Phuket and Khao Lak had to lay off staff after that." In fact the Khao Lak hotel closed.

The group manages hotels |around the world under the brands Best Western and Best Western Premier.

In Asia, Thailand has the most rooms, followed by South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia. However, China is likely to become a "huge" market for the group.

Niramon says all Best Western hotels in Thailand are required to maintain services and improve infrastructure, for example by offering easy Internet connections, in order to keep customers happy.

Best Western entered the Thai market in 2001 by establishing a regional head office in Bangkok and later opening its first property in the capital.

Over the past nine years, three contracts have been terminated: a hotel in Bangkok that failed to meet the company's standards, another in Chiang Rai for lack of customers, and the hotel at Khao Lak.