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Airport committee urges development plans
The committee working on the development of Bangkok’s
new international airport will propose the urgent establishment of a new
corporation to revamp the area in the airport’s vicinity, amid fears that
delays could lead to unsystematic planning.
A source from the Suvarnabhumi Airport Development
Administration Committee, speaking to reporters, said that as soon as the
new Cabinet was in place the committee would propose its plans to Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra for immediate endorsement. With the airport due
to open in September this year, the committee is anxious that its plans get
off the drawing board as soon as possible.
As Bangkok’s new airport and the central plank in
Thailand’s bid to become a regional aviation hub, Suvarnabhumi will
necessitate systematic development. Studies by the committee have shown that
over the next 30 years, the population of the area surrounding the airport
is likely to swell to 1.8 million, with over 100,000 jobs created by the end
of this year alone. Failure to plan properly, the source warned, could lead
to a host of future problems.
In addition to the development plans, the committee will
also propose the establishment of a Suvarnabhumi town development
corporation, which will play an integral role in the development work.
“Both the area administration plans and the
establishment of the corporation must be undertaken as a matter of urgency.
If we can’t do this simultaneously with the airport’s opening, the area
will lack planning”, the source said, pointing to the airport’s future
role as a centre of international business and industry. What was vital, the
source said, was to ensure careful zoning which would delineate residential
and industrial areas. (TNA)
KLM goes daily to KL-Jakarta
KLM, which has been enjoying a higher load factor the
last few months since the launch of its Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta route last
November, plans to increase its flight to daily from five times a week in
July.
Its manager for Malaysia, Estee Ng, said its promotional
RM316 (US$83) return fare offer for online bookings ending March 31would be
increased but the amount will not be more than RM400. She said packages
focusing on golf, traditional beauty and health spa, cultural and heritage
tours have been created to promote Jakarta to the airline’s list of Asian
destinations.
According to Jakarta City Government Tourism office
director, Aurora Tambunan, 90 per cent of the tourists coming to Jakarta are
currently business travelers. (TTG Asia)
Duty-Free scheme in tsunami-
hit areas to attract Thai tourists
The Thai government is set to consider a duty-free
shopping scheme to help revive the tourist industry along the country’s
tsunami-hit southern Andaman coast, Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop
announced this week.
The committee on tourism has agreed to recommend to the
cabinet a duty free scheme to attract tourists back to the region, Suwat
told reporters.
Under the plan, Thai tourists who stay more than two
nights in the tsunami-hit Andaman region will be allowed to spend up to
20,000 baht on duty-free goods, the same privilege as foreign tourists.
Concern had been previously been about the legality of a
duty-free scheme for domestic tourists. But the Customs Department has said
the privilege could be extended to cover local tourists after an intense
review of country’s existing laws and regulations.
Ten private companies have indicated their interest in
bidding to operate the duty-free shops. The private sector has urged the
government to make the duty-free shopping scheme for Thai tourists
permanent. However, the minister said he believed the scheme should be
temporary.
The government is considering other incentives to
encourage local tourism to the area, apart from duty-free shopping. Among
other schemes being proposed, include lowering the landing fees charged by
the airport authority to help make air travel cheaper. The government may
also encourage more official seminars and meetings in these provinces. (TNA)
750 divers break world record
off Thailand’s Koh Tao coast
Thailand broke the world record for the largest mass dive
on February 12 when 750 divers took part in an event off the coast of Koh
Tao, an event which the provincial authority hopes will put the southern
island firmly on the world diving map.
Over 10,000 tourists flocked to the island to witness the
event, which was promoted by the Koh Tao Diving Association and local
administrative authorities.
The 750 divers had gathered from Thailand and around the
world to participate the event, which marks the biggest mass dive on record,
breaking the record previously achieved by Australia two years ago when 590
divers gathered for a similar event.
Wichit Srisang, head of the Koh Tao Diving Association,
expressed confidence that the event would help turn the island into one of
the world’s most important diving locations.
Also included in the event were a ‘Miss Dive Shop’
contest, longboat races and demonstrations from the Royal Thai Navy. (TNA)
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