This thesis explores the scope, nature and form of relationship marketing in the hotel industry in Thailand. For the last twenty years, relationship marketing has attracted enormous interest from both academic researchers and business practitioners. However, the majority of research conducted in this area has been conducted in Western business environments (Palmer 2000). Theoretically, the aim of relationship marketing is to establish long-term relationships with customers and is subject to cultural specificities. While relationship marketing research may achieve encouraging results in Western business environments, its wider effectiveness in the context of Eastern culture remains unverified. This study thus aims to produce insightful results by carrying out relationship marketing research in Eastern business environments and within a specific cultural context - that of Thailand. This thesis investigates the influence of national culture on the development of relationship marketing and finds that specific aspects of Thai culture have a significant influence on the success of relationship marketing in the Thai hotel industry. In the context of Thai culture, 'relationship marketing' is interpreted as a long-term commitment to customers and all hotel business stakeholders, and it possesses certain cultural implications which differ substantially from Western business concepts. The findings from the research conducted in this study are based on the data collected from interviews which examined the individual attitudes, beliefs, behaviours and preferences of 41 respondents. Quantitative surveys were also conducted and targeted a larger group of 369 travellers from eighteen hotels in Bangkok. An extensive analysis of the data enabled the researcher to formulate a relationship marketing model for the Thai hotel industry in order to conceptualise customer-hotel relationships. The model combines relationship marketing theories with business practice in the hotel industry in Thailand. It contributes to the existing body of tourism and marketing literature by introducing nine relationship marketing elements: Thai personality, quality of service, personal attention, customer recognition, product improvement, creativity, trust and commitment, friendship, and social networks. These nine elements are considered to play a significant role in customer-hotel relationships and relationship marketing strategies, particularly in the maintenance of customer loyalty and the development of long-term relationships.