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Emirates latest order makes it
one of the biggest 777 operators
Emirates has placed firm orders for four Boeing 777-300ER
aircraft with nine options. The 13 aircraft have a list price value of
US$2.96 billion.
The contract was signed by Emirates’ chairman, HH
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Boeing’s president and CEO, Alan
Mulally at the Farnborough Air Show in the UK. Maurice Flanagan, Emirates’
vice chairman & group president, Tim Clark, president Emirates Airline
and Ghaith Al Ghaith, Emirates’ executive vice president commercial
operations worldwide were present.
 The
four aircraft on firm order will be delivered during 2006. They will be
configured in First, Business and Economy cabins with 12, 42 and 310 seats
respectively. The remaining nine are covered by purchase rights that extend
through 2012.
Sheikh Ahmed said, “The 777 has proved to be an
excellent aircraft for Emirates, and is extremely popular with our
passengers, cargo customers and crew. The new extended range version will
provide the reliability and the extra capacity for passengers and cargo
which we will need. The low operating costs, renowned passenger approval,
and the revenue capability from both cargo and passengers are the main
reasons we selected the 777-300ER.”
Emirates currently operates 21 Boeing 777-300s and
777-200s. Next year, delivery will start of a separate group of 26
777-300ERs from leasing companies, as announced at the Paris Air Show last
year. At that point, Emirates will operate the 777-200, 777-200ER, 777-300,
and the 777-300ER.
By late 2007, Emirates will have a total of 51 Boeing
777s, giving it one of the world’s largest 777 fleets, with a list price
of US$10 billion.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer, Alan
Mulally said, “When Emirates receives the 777-300ER, it will become one of
three airlines in the world operating four members of the 777 family.
That’s further evidence of its commitment to be one of the world’s
premier airlines. We’re honored to be its partner.”
Land-owning benefit suspended from Thailand privilege card
The right to buy and own land, one of the unique selling
points of the controversial Thailand Elite Card, has been thrown into doubt
casting a shadow over the future of the whole scheme.
Land ownership was touted as the biggest draw for the
card which is being marketed by the Thailand Privilege Card (TPC) company, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. TPC’s
newly-appointed managing director, Chotsiri Rodboonpa, told reporters last
week the land-ownership benefit had been scrapped because of legal
uncertainties.
Managing director of authorized agent, Aktiv Company
(Thailand), Soontaree Tishaphiramya, said it would be more difficult to sell
the card without one of its main components. But a TPC spokesman told TTG
Asia at press time the matter had not been settled and, until it had, the
right to own land would continue to be listed on the Elite Card website and
promotional literature.
TPC director of marketing, Puripan Bunnag, said the
benefit was still under consideration and would be decided by the deputy
prime minister, Suwat Liptabpanlop, and the minister of tourism and sports,
Sontaya Khunplome. (TTG Asia)
Open-sky deal with Malaysia
to boost trade and tourism
Thailand and Malaysia have reached an aviation agreement
that is expected to substantially boost bilateral trade and tourism. Under
the agreement, there will be no limit on routes, or flight frequencies
between the two countries for Thai and Malaysian airlines. The agreement is
expected to boost trade and tourism between the two neighbors, Deputy
Transport Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri stated.
Malaysia is Thailand’s largest tourism market in
Southeast Asia, with nearly 1.5 million tourists visiting Thailand last year
- or 13.38% share of the market. Nearly 800,000 Thais visited Malaysia last
year. The value of combined trade between the two countries was more than
eight billion baht in 2003.
Thailand and Malaysia have been negotiating on aviation
issues since 1966. This latest agreement, reached on July 15 represents the
start of an open sky arrangement between the two countries. This “open
sky” agreement is part of the Thai government’s overall policy to
increase Thailand’s air routes with as many countries as possible. The
government aims to make Thailand a regional aviation hub.
Thailand already has similar deals with 16 other
countries, including China, Myanmar, Japan, Qatar, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the
United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka. (TNA)
Unseen Thailand reveals two
new adventure sites
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has added two new
sites to its UNSEEN Thailand campaign. The campaign is part of the
government’s strategy to promote local tourism to amazing and scenic
places in the kingdom.
Tham Pung Chang (the Elephant’s Belly Cave) and Song
Praeg Canal rafting in the southern province of Pang-Nga are the latest
sites to be included in the UNSEEN in Thailand campaign, according to a
senior tourism official in the South, Napasorn Khakhai.
The two places are both scenic with many adventure
activities, including rafting, boating and so on, which allow tourists to
enjoy themselves amid the peacefulness of mother nature.
Tham Pung Chang is a large limestone cave with sea
water flowing it. Only a hundred tourists a day will be allowed to visit
so as to preserve the cave’s ecology. Each round trip only takes two
hours, so Tham Pung Chang can be included in any long-day trip itinerary
and it will add value to any sight seeing experience of Pang-nga.
Rafting in the Song Praeg Canal is already popular
among foreign tourists, including Russians, Australians, British and
Chinese, who really enjoy themselves, according to local tourist
officials.
The UNSEEN Thailand campaign, launched a few years ago, has helped
attract both foreign and Thai visitors to tourist spots across the nation.
The latest UNSEEN Thailand II was launched last year, and is expected to
help attract even more tourists. (TNA)
Ananda Singapore
looks at inbound division
More than a year after it closed its inbound department,
Ananda Travel Singapore has plans to re-establish the division in light of
better market conditions. The agency had been forced to close the department
last year because SARS had sent visitor arrival figures plunging.
General Manager Clarence Cheung said the new team of 10
to 15 should be up and ready to go in three months’ time. Ananda’s
existing staff would be offered the option for an internal transfer to the
department, but senior positions are now being head-hunted. MICE and leisure
business will be targeted with particular emphasis on the China market. (TTG
Asia)
THAI reschedules
flights on Bangkok-Krabi route
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI)
will reschedule its flights on the Bangkok-Krabi route, and vice versa. THAI
President, Kanok Abhiradee said that the rescheduled flights would be
temporary, from August 1 to October 31. “This is because of the
improvement of the Krabi Airport, which is on progress”, he disclosed.
The Department of Aviation has lengthened and resurfaced
the runway of the southern airport since May. Under the rescheduled scheme,
the TG279 flight will leave the Don Muang Airport at 06:00 p.m. and will
arrive at the Krabi Airport at 07:20 p.m., and the TG280 flight will leave
the Krabi Airport at 08:00 p.m. and will arrive at the Don Muang Airport at
09:20 p.m.
Normally, the TG279 flight leaves the Don Muang Airport at 07:20 p.m. and
arrives at the Krabi Airport at 08:40 p.m., and the TG280 leaves the Krabi
Airport at 09:20 p.m. and arrives at the Don Muang Airport at 10:40 p.m. (TNA)
Doi Suthep temple to get facelift
The Department of Fine Arts is poised to begin delicate
restoration work on one of Thailand’s most important tourist attractions
in Chiang Mai Province amid concern that the 14th century temple could face
extensive damage from humidity.
The humidity at Wat Prathat Doi Suthep was discovered
last year, but the department has had to delay restoration work so that
important religious ceremonies could be carried out. But Chiang Mai’s
deputy governor Khwanchai Wongjitit said that further postponement could put
the temple at risk of severe damage, and that the restoration operation
would get underway on 15 August.
The provincial authorities have set aside 400,000 baht
for the first 90-day phase of the project, with a further 5 million baht
earmarked for a complete restoration of the temple next year. The provincial
town planning and civil engineering departments are also preparing to
beautify the area around the temple, which is visited by thousands of
tourists each year. (TNA)
OTOP tourist village meets with success
The country’s very first village throwing open its
doors to tourists under the government’s One Tambon One Product (OTOP)
scheme has proved a roaring success, with visitors flocking to the village
to view handicraft demonstrations, a senior official from the Ministry of
Tourism and Sports disclosed.
Dr. Sasithara Phichaichannarong, director of the
ministry’s Office of Tourism Development, said that since Baan Thawai in
Chiang Mai Province opened up to tourists in April, it has received
considerable interest from visitors wishing to learn about the village’s
traditional wood carvings. This August will see the village inundated with
over 200 visitors from abroad who will be in Chiang Mai for a large-scale
OTOP fair.
Most of the development of the village has come from
within Baan Thawai itself, with only minimal cash injections from central
government coffers. The village now hopes to develop its residents’
foreign language skills in order to cope with increasing tourist numbers.
However, Dr. Sasithara conceded that a second OTOP
village in neighboring Chiang Rai Province had been less successful, with
tourist access to the mountainous Baan Chim Cha proving a stumbling block.
This year the Office of Tourism Development hopes to open
up 10 more OTOP tourism villages across the country. Each project will
require minimum funding, and will be designed to benefit local communities.
(TNA)
Underground train system to be expanded
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA),
which operates the Bangkok underground train system, plans to extend the
subway service. It is currently carrying out a series of geological surveys
on the three routes that are to be extended, according to MRTA Governor,
Prapat Chongsa-nguan
The MRTA plans to extend the service by a total of 91
kilometers on the three new routes over the next six years. The survey work
will be carried out simultaneously on all the three planned route
extensions. The Blue Line will be the first route to be extended.
There are plans for two sections to be added. For the
first section, a 14-kilometre stretch will be developed from the Hua
Lamphong Train Terminal to the Bang Khae area on the Thon Buri side.
Five kilometers of the route will run underground, while
the rest nine kilometers will be built at ground level.
The second 13-kilometre section will link Ta Pra area in
the Thonburi side with the existing Bang Sue Terminal in northern Bangkok.
The route will be built at ground level.
The planned 24-kilometer extension to the ‘Orange
Line’ will run from Bang Kapi area to Bang Bamru. Twenty-one kilometers of
this route will run underground, but the remaining three kilometers will be
built at ground level.
The 40-kilometre ‘Purple Line’ will start from Bang
Yai area in Nonthaburi Province on the outskirts of Bangkok and connect with
the Rat Burana district on the Thon Buri side. Fourteen kilometers of this
route will run underground, while the rest of the 26 kilometers will be
built at ground level. (TNA)
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