Thailand Hotel Standards Foundation

The Thailand Hotel Standards Foundation is an official organization authorized by the Department of Tourism (Ministry of Tourism and Sports) to inspect, assess, and award star ratings (1 to 5 stars) to hotels and resorts across Thailand.  

Core Functions 

Star Rating Certification: The foundation evaluates properties based on physical facilities, service quality, hygiene, and management to ensure they meet international European-style standards. 

Traveler Confidence: It acts as a trusted, verifiable benchmark so tourists know exactly what level of quality, safety, and amenities to expect when booking a certified property. 

Industry Development: It works alongside the Thai Hotels Association to elevate the overall integrity, competitiveness, and sustainability of Thailand's hospitality sector on the global stage. 

This award-winning hotels

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat 
  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Phitsanulok 
  • The Imperial Chiang Mai Resort & Sports Club 
  • The Imperial Mae Hong Son Resort 
  • imm hotel ladprao bangkapi bangkok 

The Thailand Hotel Standards Foundation

The Thailand Hotel Standards Foundation (working alongside the Thai Hotels Association and the Department of Tourism) establishes the official national accommodation criteria. The specific "Long Stay" standard (TTS 206 : 2009) is a regulatory guideline designed to ensure that extended-stay and residential-style properties offer secure, healthy, and high-quality environments for long-term tourists and expatriates. 

The foundation's criteria ensure that approved long-stay properties offer: 

  • Specific Facility Requirements: Adequate kitchen or pantry facilities, appropriate living space, and proper ventilation tailored for extended living. 

  • Health and Safety Standards: Adherence to hygiene, fire safety, and emergency protocols. 

  • Guest Services: Transparent pricing, secure payment processing, and multilingual communication.      

This award-winning hotel

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat 

Green Hotel

A Green Hotel (or eco-friendly hotel) is an accommodation that prioritizes environmental sustainability. These hotels implement practices to minimize their carbon footprint, conserve natural resources, and reduce waste while still offering a high-quality guest experience.  

Core Characteristics 

  • Energy & Water Conservation: Using energy-efficient lighting (LED), smart thermostats, and low-flow water fixtures. 

  • Waste Reduction: Using refillable, organic toiletries instead of single-use plastics, implementing robust recycling programs, and offering towel/linen reuse options. 

  • Sustainable Sourcing: Serving locally grown food, using non-toxic cleaning products, and utilizing organic linens. 

  • Renewable Energy: Utilizing solar or wind power 

Why They Matter 

By staying at a green hotel, travelers help minimize environmental impact, conserve ecosystems, and support establishments that embrace corporate and social responsibility. Many of these properties go through strict evaluations to earn official certifications verifying their sustainability claims.  

This award-winning hotels

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat (Gold Class) 
  • The Imperial River House Resort (Silver Class)
  • imm hotel thaphae chiang mai (Bronze Class)

ASEAN Green Hotel

An ASEAN Green Hotel refers to a hotel that has been officially certified under the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard. This is a prestigious regional initiative created by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote environmentally friendly practices, energy conservation, and sustainable tourism in the hospitality industry. 

Certified hotels must meet rigorous criteria across several key areas: 

Environmental Management: Implementation of strict environmental policies, including solid waste reduction, recycling, and wastewater treatment. 

Resource Conservation: Active measures to reduce, reuse, and conserve both water and energy. 

Green Products & Procurement: Use of eco-friendly, biodegradable, and locally sourced supplies. 

Community & Human Resources: Ensuring fair labor practices, human resource development, and supporting the local community. 

Ultimately, the designation allows travelers to identify accommodations that actively work to minimize their ecological footprint. You can learn more about this regional certification on the ASEAN Tourism Organization website. 

This award-winning hotels

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat 
  • The Imperial Chiang Mai Resort & Sports Club 
  • CH Hotel Chiang Mai
  • imm hotel thaphae chiang mai 

Green Health Hotel 

Green health standards (or green healthcare) refer to guidelines, practices, and certifications that aim to make the medical and healthcare sector environmentally sustainable while maintaining strict patient care. They balance high-quality medical services with practices that reduce the carbon footprint and minimize ecological harm. 

The movement focuses on several core areas: 

Eco-friendly Facilities & Design: Constructing energy-efficient buildings, maximizing natural light, and implementing water-saving technologies (like rainwater harvesting). Many facilities aim for LEED Certification. 

Waste Management: Safely reducing, recycling, and disposing of hazardous medical waste and chemicals to prevent air and water pollution. 

Safer Procurement: Sourcing eco-friendly products, including PVC-free medical supplies and non-toxic cleaning agents. Programs like Greenhealth Approved help hospitals easily identify these vetted products. 

Resource Efficiency: Transitioning to clean, renewable energy and reducing excessive water and energy consumption. 

Green Transportation: Promoting zero-emission travel options and better transport strategies for both patients and medical staff. 

This award-winning hotels

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat 
  • The Imperial Mae Hong Son Resort
     

Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs)

Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs) refer to a sustainability framework designed to make the travel and tourism industry more responsible and eco-friendly. They are most commonly known as the 17-point criteria adapted from the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to establish global green tourism standards. 

STGs are implemented across four primary dimensions: 

Economic: Creating income and fairly distributing wealth back into local communities. 

Social: Respecting cultural heritage, improving well-being, and ensuring safety. 

Environment: Reducing waste, preserving natural resources, and minimizing carbon footprints. 

Good Governance: Managing ethical and responsible business practices. 

Operators are evaluated through the STGs STAR (Sustainable Tourism Acceleration Rating) program, which grades hotels, restaurants, and tourism businesses from three to five stars for their sustainable operations. 

This award-winning hotels

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Phitsanulok
  • The Imperial River House Resort 
  • The Imperial Mae Hong Son Resort 
  • The Imperial Chiang Mai Resort & Sports Club 
  • CH Hotel Chiang Mai 
  • imm hotel thaphae chiang mai 

Thailand MICE Venue Standards (TMVS)

Thailand MICE Venue Standards (TMVS) is a national certification created by the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). It ensures that event, meeting, and exhibition venues in Thailand meet rigorous, internationally recognized operational benchmarks. 

The certification process evaluates venues across four core categories: 

Physical Criteria: Quality and layout of the space, building infrastructure, and overall design. 

Technological Aspect: High-speed internet capabilities, AV systems, and communication infrastructure. 

Service: Quality of staff, hospitality, and overall event management. 

Sustainability: Environmental practices, safety protocols, and corporate social responsibility 

TMVS is awarded to venues across three categories: Meeting Rooms, Exhibition Venues, and Special Event Venues. It also serves as the foundational model for the regional ASEAN MICE Venue Standard (AMVS). 

This award-winning hotels

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat 
  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Phitsanulok 

ASEAN MICE Venue Standards (AMVS)

The ASEAN MICE Venue Standards (AMVS) is a regional certification created by the 10 ASEAN member countries to ensure that facilities hosting business events meet high, uniform benchmarks. It evaluates MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) venues on their physical settings, technology, and service quality to boost the industry's global competitiveness. 

The 3 Core Categories 

The standards evaluate venues across three primary types of event spaces: 

Meeting Rooms: Evaluated across three settings: Hotels/Resorts, Convention/Exhibition Centers, and Public/Private Sector venues. 

Exhibition Venues: Large-scale halls equipped to host trade shows and public exhibitions. 

Event Venues: Spaces dedicated to large gatherings, galas, and special events. 

 

The 3 Main Evaluation Criteria 

To achieve and maintain AMVS certification, venues must pass strict audits in these key areas: 

Physical Setting: Ensuring the space is structurally sound, clean, accessible, and features proper amenities (e.g., parking, restrooms, emergency exits). 

Technology: Verifying that the venue provides reliable event technology, such as audiovisual systems, high-speed internet, and backup power generators. 

Service: Assessing the professionalism, hospitality, and management skills of the venue staff, including safety and first-aid capabilities. 

This award-winning hotel

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat 

Thailand Sustainable Event Management Standards (TSEMS)

Thailand Sustainable Event Management Standard (TSEMS) is a national certification program developed by the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). It is designed to help MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) operators—such as event venues, organizers, and hotels—align their business practices with global sustainability goals. 

The standard operates on the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) and evaluates organizations on: 

Environmental Impact: Reducing waste, conserving energy, and minimizing carbon footprints. 

Social Responsibility: Promoting community engagement and health/safety. 

Economic Development: Supporting local economies and continuous improvement in business. 

Operators and venues that achieve this certification (often graded in levels such as TSEMS Leading) demonstrate a commitment to eco-friendly events. 

This award-winning hotel

  • The Imperial Hotel and Convention Centre Korat