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Name that tiger and other fun has crowds flocking to Khao Kheow Open Zoo
Suchada Tupchai
Khao Kheow Open Zoo celebrated Chulalongkorn Day on
Sunday October 23 by arranging a number of special activities, all designed
to allow visitors to experience nature close-up.
 Janet
Kiew in concert.
The stars of the zoo are two Siberian Tigers, the largest
breed of tiger in the world. They were imported from Canada. The
three-year-old male is called Dimitry while the female is aged four and is
called Kiera. The couple has given birth to three little ones, two males and
one female. As part of the activities the zoo asked the public to name the
three young tigers, with the chance to win many prizes.
Included in the day’s festivities was a concert with
the popular group Saoon, and country singer Janet Kiew also thrilled the
crowds.
Over 10,000 visitors from Chonburi and neighboring provinces flocked to
the zoo, causing a headache for traffic police as the traffic tailed back.
The concert attracted the most attention.
Over
10,000 flock to the concert.
Louis Noll wins Benelux award for Mata Hari
Elfi Seitz
Louis Noll of Mata Hari, one of Pattaya’s most popular
restaurants, was one of the recipients of awards presented recently to Dutch
and Belgian business people in Thailand by the Netherlands-Thai Chamber of
Commerce (NTCC) and the Thai-Belgian Business Association, Beluthai.
Proud
prizewinners pose together with the two ambassadors and Senator Jon
Ungphakorn, bearer of the Magsaysay Prize.
NTCC and Beluthai have been presenting an annual prize to
Benelux businesses in Thailand for seven years now. Candidates, who are from
every area of business, are checked out thoroughly by the association’s
jury, which was this year chaired by Dr Pisit Leeahtam, president of the
Dutch Alumni Association.
 Louis
Noll (left) receives the award from the hands of Belgian Ambassador Jan
Matthysen. In the center: MC Linda Melonje, daughter of Willem and Dinie de
Fries.
Other judges were Dr Pakpachong Wattanasindhu of
Chulalongkorn University, Ian Woo, business journalist of The Nation, Jack
Monshouwer, CEO of Hanky Panky Toys in Pattaya, Bert Cesar, executive
director of NTCC and Beluthai, and Nathalie Surmont, trade commissioner of
the Flanders region.
Nominations were in five categories: multinational
company, small business, successful project, service sector and an
organization that strengthened relations between Thai and Benelux.
Attending
visitors from Pattaya (from left): Willem and Dinie de Fries, Thomas van den
Dreul, Belgian Ambassador Jan Matthysen, prizewinner Louis Noll and his wife
Paiwan, Dutch ambassador Pieter J Th Marres, Jack Monshouwer, Elfi Seitz and
John van Zantfoort.
ING Life Limited won as a multinational company, H&A
Cutting Works as a small company, Philips Shared Service Center topped as a
successful project, Mata Hari Restaurant in Pattaya won in the Service
Sector and PUM won for strengthening Thai-Benelux relations.
The awards ceremony was held on October 19 at the grand
ballroom of the Conrad Hotel in Bangkok. Master of ceremonies Linda Belonje,
the daughter of Willem de Fries, who is the vice-president of the Thai
Benelux Chamber of Commerce, announced the winners helped by her father and
Fran Clovyn. Presenting the awards were Dutch Ambassador Pieter J Th Marres,
Belgian Ambassador Jan Matthysen, and Ramon Magsaysay prizewinner Senator
Jon Ungphakorn.
It was a proud moment for Louis Noll as he received the
award for Mata Hari. Louis, who is also the Baillie of the Chaine des R๔tisseurs,
and his wife Paiwan have been famous for good food in Pattaya for 10 years,
and their cuisine and family style service have become renowned well beyond
the city’s borders.
A much larger restaurant is due to open soon, according to Louis and
Paiwan, but guests are assured that service will be as individual in the
future as it was in the past.
New entertainment spot for Bangkok
The Siam Niramit Complex in Bangkok, costing 1.5 billion
baht (US$35.7 million) and comprising a 2,000-seat theatre, a model of a
Thai village and three restaurants, was officially opened today.
Similar in concept to Phuket FantaSea and Pattaya’s
Alangkarn, Siam Niramit is the first venue of its kind to open in Bangkok.
It is located near the Thailand Cultural Center on Ratchadapisek Road.
The Ratchada Grand Theatre features the world’s tallest
stage - 12m high - as well as state-of-the-art audiovisual facilities, and
the 80-minute Siam Niramit show features more than 150 cast members and some
500 costumes.
The show is divided into three acts: Journey Back to
History, Journey Beyond Imagination - the Three Realms, and Journey Through
Joyous Festivals.
Asia World Enterprise Managing Director Stephen McEnoy
said the new entertainment venue would appeal to the Asian markets such as
Chinese and Japanese tourists. However, Thai Travel Agents Association
President, Anake Srishevachart, said the 1,500 baht (US$36) entrance fee
might be too steep for some Chinese tourists. (TTG Asia)
Nok knocking on India and Macau’s doors
Thai budget carrier Nok Air’s overseas expansion plan
has gained fresh momentum, with the airline confident of launching its first
international flights next year.
Nok Air’s Chief Executive Patee Sarasin said the
airline hoped to form an operational alliance with two low-cost Indian
carriers, Kingfisher Airlines and Air Deccan. Preliminary talks are slated
to begin in Hong Kong early next month, he said.
Nok Air is also hoping to commence a Macau service by mid
next year. It will then try to crack the Chinese mainland market.
Patee said the proposed arrangement with the Indian
airlines made better sense than going it alone. He added that Bangalore
would be used as the hub for flights to Indian destinations, while Bangkok
would be used as the Thai hub.
Nok Air had also been studying the potential of the Macau
market for a while and liked what it saw, he said, adding it was currently
in process of making sure effective distribution channels were in place
there. (TTG Asia)
Hail to Australian Airlines’ yuletide Phuket services
Thai travel trade figures have hailed Australian
Airlines’ decision to launch services to Phuket over Christmas as a major
step forward in the island’s tsunami recovery.
The airline will operate twice-weekly services from
Sydney to Phuket from December 3 to January 31.
Bangkok-based Delivering Asia Director Mark Simmons said:
“It’s absolutely fantastic. They’re (Australian Airlines) really going
to push it and allow all wholesalers with Thai products to sell it. I think
it’s important that there is direct access in there from Australia - it
makes the whole selling process easier.”
Australian Airlines Chief Executive Officer Andrea
Staines said in a statement that there is a chance the services would be
expanded. “We will monitor these services closely, and should there be
sufficient demand we will consider moving to a year-round operation on the
route,” she said.
The airline will commence the Boeing 767 Tuesday and
Saturday services with a special return fare from A$1,241 (US$921).
The airline’s decision to commence services to Phuket
came after it suspended its Melbourne to Bali and Perth to Bali flights in
the wake of the latest tourist attack on the island. The services will be
halted after November 24.
“The flying time that would have been used in Bali is
now being used in Phuket,” an Australian Airlines’ spokesperson said.
(TTG Asia)
Emirates Enhances Dubai Stopovers Product
Emirates Dubai Stopovers, an attractive hotel package
marketed by Emirates Airline worldwide, has been enhanced to provide
holidaymakers even more options and exceptional value-for-money.
In addition to pre-booking the package prior to
departure, customers can now also avail of the packages on arrival at Dubai
International Airport and choose from an expanded range of 54 hotels and
hotel apartments, in the city and on the beach.
The new packages are valid from 1st November 2005 until
31st October 2006 and start from as little as US$65.00 per person per night,
sharing a double-room. The price includes buffet breakfast, a 96-hour visa,
hotel transfers and personalised meet-and-assist upon arrival at Dubai
International Airport. The packages are available to all Emirates passengers
regardless of class of travel.
Speaking on the launch of the revamped product, Soonthorn
Suree, manager of Emirates Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos, said:
“Emirates Dubai Stopovers packages are great value for money and have been
one of our biggest successes with sales increasing by double digits year on
year.
“With the expanded hotel range and simplified booking
procedures, we expect the enhanced product to be even more popular with our
customers.”
The packages, which are confirmed instantly, are
available worldwide via Emirates’ sales offices or travel agents, and can
also be purchased on arrival at Dubai International Airport. Passengers
travelling via Dubai may take advantage of the package on the inbound or
outbound leg of their journey, or both journeys, provided that their flight
into Dubai is on Emirates.
An attractive add-on for customers is the Arabian
Adventures Welcome Pack which they will receive on arrival. This welcome
pack includes the Arabian Adventures Privilege discount card offering
discounts at many retail and entertainment outlets in Dubai.
Additional features at a charge include visas for stays
exceeding 96 hours, car rental, a chauffeur-driven Cadillac Escalade for
four hours and a round of golf while in Dubai. Request for preferred tee-off
times will be confirmed subject to availability.
Emirates’ Dubai Stopover Programme has been a hit with
passengers since its inception in 1995. The programme has been successful in
attracting numerous tourists to Dubai, which is fast becoming one of the
preferred tourist destinations in the world.
Amari - BMW midnight run raises funds for tsunami orphans
Suradech Yasaswasdi, senator and chairman of the standing
committee on tourism, recently hit the gong to mark the opening ceremony of
“The 8th Amari Watergate Hotel & BMW Group Thailand Midnight Run
Charity” in front of the Amari Watergate Hotel.
Suradech
strikes the gong as, looking on in the front row from right are Tasanee
Siriyiam, Santichai Euachongprasri, deputy governor for tourism products,
TAT, Pierre-Andre Pelletier, general manager of the Amari Watergate Hotel,
Nichaya Chaivisuth, hotel’s director of public relations, Sasinun Lochaya,
Naruethep Sithicharnkuna, and Chetsada Techaprasertporn, the hotel’s
executive assistant manager.
The proceeds from the event will be donated to “Phra Dabos
Foundation” to support scholarships for children made orphans by the
tsunami. Proceeds will also be donated to Baan Gerda to support HIV infected
orphans in Lopburi province.
Cabinet approves tsunami anniversary plan
The Thai cabinet has approved a 300-million baht plan to
commemorate the first anniversary of the December 26 tsunami that devastated
the country’s Andaman Sea coast, killing almost 5,400 people. The
anniversary organizing committee submitted the plan to the cabinet at a
meeting recently.
Details released by the committee show a total of 14,123
people have been invited to attend the December 25-27 memorial events. The
guests include Thai and foreign survivors and immediate relatives of those
who died, as well as a number of foreign heads of state. To cater for those
attending the various events, a total of 4,500 hotel rooms have been
reserved in the southern provinces of Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi and Trang,
and 5,000 in Bangkok.
Thai ‘home stay’ style accommodation in local
residents’ homes is also being offered as an alternative. Sponsored guests
are being offered two nights’ free accommodation and return air tickets
paid by the Thai government.
Tsunami memorial services are set to be held at 10 am on
December 26 at six locations: Patong Beach; Kamala Beach and Mai Khao
Cemetery in Phuket province; Bang Niang and Nam Khem villages in Phang-nga
province; and Phi Phi Island in Krabi.
On the afternoon of December 26, a foundation-laying
ceremony for a tsunami memorial will be held in Phang-nga’s Khao Lak Lamru
National Park followed by evening religious rituals at Chongfah beach, also
in Phang-nga.
The six coastal provinces of Phuket, Phang-nga, Krabi,
Trang, Ranong, and Satun were devastated by the December 26 tsunami.
The first anniversary commemoration ceremonies and other
activities in the affected provinces are also aimed at rebuilding confidence
in Thailand as a tourist destination. (TNA)
New Thai-Korean airline being formed
A new airline is reportedly being formed in response to
rising Korean tourist traffic to Thailand.
The Bangkok Post said Sky Star Airways (SSA), a joint
Thai-Korean venture, had been registered in Bangkok with capital of 400
million baht (US$9.8 million). Thai individuals own 51 percent of the
airline, with the remaining 49 percent owned by the proprietors of a major
Korean tour company, the newspaper said.
SSA is believed to be one of two new airlines being
established in Thailand by local and foreign investors to capitalize on the
country’s liberalized air travel market and rising business opportunities.
The airline has yet to receive a commercial license from
Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation, but believes that will happen
shortly. If it does, SSA could begin operations as early as December.
SSA is initially eyeing three flights a week between
Bangkok and Incheon and providing charter services. It has already placed a
deposit with an aircraft leasing company for the delivery of two 230-seat
B767-200ER aircraft in December, the newspaper said.
SSA plans to offer a full service with fares between
low-cost airlines and conventional carriers.
Some 900,000 Koreans are expected to descend on Thailand
this year, rising to 1.2 million next year. (TTG Asia)
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