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Nirvana – Perfect Bliss is possible, without dying for it
Nirvana is a state of bliss that we all aspire towards,
but half way between Pattaya and Jomtien, Nirvana can be yours.
Nirvana Place Condo, the third stage following the
Nirvana Resort in Koh Chang and the Nirvana Boutique Hotel in Jomtien
Central, is now accepting clients who wish to be part of this unique five
star development.
Unique is a word that is used too often, but Nirvana
Place Condo does have several features that makes it unique. This is a seven
floor, 55 condominium unit residential landmark with security that far
outstrips the more usual parking attendant at the entrance. With the
security being handled by European Safety Concepts (ESC), the security
company chosen by most five star hotels in Thailand, Nirvana Place Condo
features on-site security personnel, double locking systems, individual fire
alarms and dedicated panic buttons for each unit. Even the car park is
located securely underground, with each resident having electronic swipe
card access to their locked parking areas.
Another unique aspect to the development is in having one
of Pattaya’s top restaurants on-site, which will supply an in-unit dining
service if required. The Mata Hari Restaurant, featured prominently in the
2005 Thailand’s Best Restaurant Guide, under the watchful eye of Louis
Noll, the president of the local chapter of the world’s oldest gourmet
group the Chaine des R๔tisseurs, is relocating to a superbly decorated
venue within the Nirvana Place Condo.
The design for the 55 units includes incorporation of all
the hi-tech features that make today’s living so much easier, such as IDD,
dedicated central email and LAN system, as well as wireless broadband
internet access.
However, the ‘old fashioned’ niceties have not been
ignored either, such as butler and maid service, professional laundry,
valet, limousine service and travel arrangements. Factor in day-care
facility and play areas, health and fitness rooms, swimming pool and jacuzzi
in lush tropical gardens and you can begin to see the total concept of
Nirvana Place Condo. This is the five star luxury you have always wanted. In
one total package.
The rooms themselves have hand-crafted furniture and
fittings to fit in with your choice of overall theme, be that Modern Bali,
Contemporary Thai or New Oriental style architect designs.
And while the interiors are breathtaking, the basic
structural designs have not been skimped, with our on-site Swedish qualified
engineer/project manager overseeing every detail of the construction. We
have even remembered to make access for those people who require
wheelchairs. Nothing has been left to chance.
To find an exclusive development such as this, you would
expect to be situated far away from the busy cosmopolitan tourist areas of
Pattaya or Jomtien, yet Nirvana Place Condo is located half way between
them, high on the hill to enjoy the cool sea breezes. Less than five minutes
from either center.
The word is exclusivity. Within Nirvana Place Condo, you
are sheltered from the frustrations and tribulations of modern living,
within your own secure luxury condominium. You are enjoying the comforts of
five star living in units that can be as large and spacious as 210 square
meters, or a cozy and comfortable 77.5 square meters. This is the lifestyle
you have always promised yourself.
That lifestyle is here now. And yet at prices that are so low you will be
amazed. This is five star living for a three star price! If you believe you
are ready for an exclusive lifestyle you owe it to yourself to make
enquiries by telephoning 09 834 4293 to make an appointment you will never
regret to view the condominium that can take you to Nirvana and perfect
bliss!
Calls for gov’t to
set up independent consumer watchdog
A leading academic and child health activist called on
the government to establish an independent consumer protection agency in
line with the constitution, saying that it would help solve the growing
problem of child obesity.
Dr. Chanika Tuchinda, who leads a campaign against child
sugar consumption and acts as an advisor to the medical council of Siriraj
Hospital, described child obesity as a global crisis that is leading to a
host of related illnesses, including diabetes in children as young as eight.
Calling for urgent action to stamp out the problem, she
said that the government should address childhood obesity as a matter of
serious concern by issuing a raft of related measures.
“Clause 57 of the constitution makes for the
establishment of a consumer protection agency, but this has never been set
up despite five different deputy prime ministers having overseen the
issue,” she noted.
“As a result, consumers are not being fully protected,
particularly when it comes to snack food.”
She noted that other sectors of society also have a
responsibility to help crack down on childhood obesity, particularly schools
and parents, which has a duty to instill correct eating and exercise habits.
At the same time, local communities should be given
equipment to allow children to engage in exercise, while families should be
given more information from the Ministry of Public Health on the dangers of
childhood obesity and how to solve it.
The media, meanwhile, should slap controls on
advertisements for unhealthy snacks, while manufacturers should turn to the
production of healthier alternatives. (TNA)
KRC predicts Thai economy will grow only 5.2% this year
The Thai economy is likely to expand only 5.2% this year
since main components of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in
most categories, except state investment, will grow at a slower pace,
according to the Kasikorn Research Center (KRC).
The leading think tank forecast that the country’s GDP
in the fourth quarter of last year would grow 5.9%, down slightly from 6% in
the third quarter.
The GDP growth for the whole of last year was expected to
be 6.2%, a decrease from 6.9% in 2003.
For this year, KRC believes GDP would grow 5.2%.
Thailand might experience a trade deficit for the first
time since the country managed to weather the 1997 economic crisis, KRC
cautioned.
The trade deficit might be around US$948 million this
year, while last year’s trade was US$1.68 billion in deficit.
Still, the current account is expected to be US$4.1
billion this year, compared with US$7.3 billion last year.
KRC said the slowdown in economic growth and people’s
purchase power signals new loans would continue to gradually increase from
last year, rather than enjoying leapfrogging growth.
At the same time, liquidity in the country’s banking
system would continue to ease, resulting in commercial banks raising
short-term interest rates, perhaps, in the second half of this year.
However, the rates would not be higher than the
repurchase rate set by the Bank of Thailand (BOT).
Overall, the interest rates should be adjusted no more
than 1% from late last year, said KRC.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commerce Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
said yesterday that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra instructed state
agencies concerned to jointly address the trade deficit upon acknowledgement
of the country’s first deficit in nine months.
The premier wants the agencies to accelerate finding ways
to prevent repeating the trade deficit.
The trade balance in January was US$1.48 billion in
deficit, which led to the current account deficit of US$942 million.
“The premier has expressed concern over the deficit and
ordered the committee on examination and monitoring of imports to play a
more active role and the National Economic and Social Development Board
(NESDB) to work out a strategy to cope with the matter in a concrete
manner,” he said.
Anutin said he, however, told the cabinet at its weekly
meeting that the import of products, most of which are capital goods and raw
materials, had significantly increased.
The products were imported to be used for the expansion
of the country’s industrial sectors along with the economic recovery.
He said the oil import has increased in terms of value,
not volume.
Most capital goods, including machinery, gold, and ore,
were imported on purchase orders.
They need not be kept in stock like consumer goods.
He added that state agencies need to undergo major
revamps, particularly for this year, to upgrade the country’s status from
an original equipment manufacturer.
Local manufacturers must be encouraged to boost marketing
and build their own product brands since the country’s industry has
potential to add value to products.
They must focus on using local contents for production,
as part of efforts to reduce reliance on imports and to comply with the free
trade area agreement. (TNA)
Oil price rise to have little impact on loan growth
Higher fuel prices could have a psychological effect on
entrepreneurs, but would have a little impact on the loan growth target,
according to a top banker.
Peerasilp Supapolsiri, president of Bank Thai Plc, said
the entrepreneurs, most of whom are bank customers, would be somewhat
affected by the continued increase in oil prices.
However, he believes they would finally be able to adjust
to the situation because hefty fuel prices have repercussions in every
corner of the globe.
He expressed confidence that the fuel price hike would
not affect the bank’s target for the extension of 20 billion baht in loans
this year, as the bank plans to introduce new financial products including
hire-purchase businesses within the next two months.
He conceded interest rates are on the rise, but the bank
has no plan to raise the interest for now because it has no liquidity
problems.
Sathaporn Chinajit, president of the Export and Import
Bank of Thailand, said he did not expect the oil price increase would put
the global economy in the doldrums. So, it can’t have repercussions on the
overall Thai economy.
Asked to comment on the account deficit in January, he
said the country might experience the deficit in the first half of this
year. Still, it should have no problems unless the deficit exceeds US$2
billion.
He believes the current account balance would turn into a
surplus in the second half of this year.
Sathaporn said fuel prices and the US dollar movement
would remain key risk factors on the economy for this year. (TNA)
French-speaking Rotary Club helps tsunami victims
The Rotary Club of Pattaya Marina, the first
French-speaking Rotary Club in Asia, was founded on December 21, 2004, by
Charter President Nicholas Demet. Immediately after the tsunami tragedy that
hit South East Asia on December 26, the club decided to help the people of
Ban Nam Kem, a fishing village located in Phangnga Province, which was
completely destroyed.
(From
left) Rotarian Yves Echement, mayor of Ban Nam Kem Tawip Chaymui,
President-Elect Pierre-Yves Eraud, and Piangpit Mangonkeow (supplier of
fishing equipment) completed the first step of Rotary Club of Pattaya
Marina’s project to help people in Ban Nam Kem.
One million baht was quickly collected for helping these
people to work again and to feed their families. On February 14, four new
boats with complete fishing equipment, totaling 450,000 baht, were donated
to the people of Ban Nam Kem. This month, other equipment including boats,
vehicles and working material will be donated.
The Rotary Club of Pattaya Marina meets on Wednesdays at 11:30a.m., at Le
Petit Liegeois on Walking Street in South Pattaya.
Tiger Airway increases Phuket-Singapore flights
Tiger Airways, Singapore’s low fare airline, announced
it is launching a second flight to Phuket starting from end March 2005. The
additional flight will operate initially twice weekly, on Monday and Friday
evenings, increasing to a daily second flight for the peak summer season.
 Tony
Davis, CEO Tiger Airways
“Tiger Airways is ahead of forecast budget in all our
current routes in Thailand and there are no plans to cut back on any
existing flights. The second flight to Phuket is a demonstration of our
confidence that the Thai tourism industry is solidly back on its feet after
December 2004. In fact the Singapore-Chiang Mai service, launched on
February 18, is so encouraging that we are considering increasing frequency
to the city from four times weekly to a daily service,” said Tony Davis,
CEO Tiger Airways.
“While other airlines may be consolidating and cutting
back on their flights, Tiger Airways has been able to increase its flights.
We have been experiencing strong performance on our Phuket routes following
the creative co-operation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in
promoting Phuket over the last six weeks,” Davis added.
The second flight to Phuket gives clout to the low cost
carrier’s (LCC) announcement on January 20, 2005 that it is a long-term
player in the region, when it slashed fares to support the Tourism Authority
of Thailand efforts to revive tourist traffic to Phuket. Other carriers had
pulled out of Phuket shortly after the island was hit by a tsunami in late
December 2004.
“Tiger Airways is confident that Phuket will remain a
popular destination with Singaporeans. We expect tickets on our new evening
services to Phuket to prove very popular and our customers should book early
to secure the lowest fares,” said Davis.
Ticket sales began on March 3. To book seats, travelers should visit
www.tigerairways.com or call 02 351 8888.
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