|
National park visitor numbers to be limited from July 2008
The number of tourists entering 10 marine and forest national parks will
be limited from July 1, 2008, a senior officer at the National Resource
and Environment Ministry said last week.
Preecha Chansiritanon, deputy director-general of the Ministry’s
National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, said his
department had issued an order on November 20 limiting the number of
visitors to 10 national parks throughout the country, particularly on
weekends and public holidays.
It was an attempt to protect national parks from damage caused by mass
tourism, according to Mr. Preecha. It was also aimed at boosting park
security for tourists.
Among the national parks to be covered by the new limitation were Doi
Suthep-Pui and Doi Inthanond in Chiang Mai, Phu Kradueng in Loei and Koh
Surin and Koh Similan in Phang Nga.
Mr. Preecha said tourist activities such as diving and coral reef boat
trips posed a threat to the eco systems in the national parks. (TNA)
New tourism initiative to
promote Nan province and culture
PRD
A new tourism initiative aimed at promoting the Nan province and its
culture has been announced by Ms Thanpa Nicorathanon, the director of Tourism
Authority of Thailand, Northern Office, Region 2. The ultimate aim of the
initiative is for the Old City areas of Nan and Wieang Phra That Chae Hang to
become a World Heritage Site.
The Nan provincial area has a 700 year long history with unique characteristics,
demonstrated by its beautiful and unique architecture and art, and its culture
and traditions, all set in an outstanding location.
In order to develop and preserve Nan’s heritage, an event entitled Cultural Yard
of Nan is being held at Khuang Muang Nan (Muang Nan Yard) on the second Friday
and Saturday of each month. The activities, aimed at residents and visitors of
all ages, include the wearing of local costumes, a local and hill tribe costume
competition, a Thai courtesy competition, a Northern Thai language competition,
and competitions for local bands, artists, etc.
A seminar will be held featuring local arts and culture, and an exhibition of
Northern Thai language books is planned. The monthly events will include Lanna
music, local arts, local medicinal plants, vegetables and herbs, the 13 tribes
of Nan, local woven products, and modern culture.
The initiative will run from November 2007 through to September 2008. For more
information and details of each event, please contact the Nan Cultural Office,
Tel: 054-711650/1, the TAT Northern Office, Region 2, Tel: 053-744674/5, or
visit the website at www.m.culture .go.th/nan
One-Two-Go launches Bangkok-Chiang Mai frequent links
One-Two-Go Airlines, a subsidiary budget carrier of
Thailand’s privately owned Orient Thai Airlines, has launched an air shuttle
service between Bangkok and Chiang Mai from November 22.
The air shuttle service is different from its previous four flights daily on the
Bangkok-Chiang Mai route with flights scheduled to leave from each city at the
same hour.
The airline began the service with five flights per day from each city and
increased the frequency to nine times daily from December 1.
Founder and chairman, Mr. Udom Tantiprasongchai, said the shuttle service was to
allow passengers to simply catch the flight and go, and if they missed the
flight they could wait to catch the next one within an hour’s time.
He said as part of the new service launching, the airline promised a guarantee
for on-time departure. “If the flight delays for more than two hours,
passengers will get a 50 per cent discount on their next ticket purchase.”
Mr. Udom said One-Two-Go planned to offer the shuttle service at a maximum of 20
return flights a day if the load factor was good. A similar shuttle service
between Bangkok and Phuket was in the pipeline.
Asked whether the airline had managed to restore passengers’ confidence after
its OG269 crash-landed at Phuket International Airport in mid-September, which
left 89 people dead and 41 injured, Mr. Udom said the situation was almost back
to normal with the number of operating flights slated to be increased from 22
flights to 40 from December 1.
Prior to the incident, the airline operated 42 flights. (TTG)
Airports of Thailand acts to ease congestion
Newly appointed president of Airports of Thailand (AoT), Air Marshall Chana
U-sathaporn, plans to encourage airlines operating small jet aircraft to
move their international flights from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the former
international airport - Don Muang.
The first objective is to ease traffic congestion at the one-year-old
Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is reportedly already running near its maximum
capacity of 45 million passengers per year. The second is to better utilise
the 93-year-old Don Muang Airport, which has cost AoT around one billion
baht (US$31.8 million) in losses so far.
Air Marshall Chana said traffic at Suvarnabhumi Airport was particularly
congested during peak hours with a number of small aircraft - with
capacities for 140 to 150 people each - operating during that period.
AoT would offer lower terminal rental charges and overnight aircraft parking
fees for airlines wanting to move their flights (domestic or international,
with or without international connections) to Don Muang on a voluntary
basis, he added.
Don Muang Airport was re-opened as an international airport in March, but it
has only been allowed to handle domestic flights with no international
connections.
Meanwhile, AoT is in the process of seeking the government’s approval for
the expansion of Suvarnabhumi Airport. To date, the airport has handled
close to 42 million passengers and 267,555 domestic and international
flights. (TTG)
|
