Myanmar the missing link in ADB plans
September 2, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
BANGKOK, 2 September, 2010 – The thick forested Dawna mountain range in southeast Burma is a major obstacle blocking Asian Development Bank ambitions to link Burma’s road network with the East-West-Corridor highways that cross central Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.
A detailed report in the online Irrawady states that “the still-to-be-built 40-km stretch across the mountain in military-ruled Burma is a key to making the Asian Development Bank’s East-West Corridor a reality.”
The Manila-based bank has been promoting the 1,450-km long highway claiming it will improve trade and tourism across mainland Southeast Asia. The East-West Corridor, as it is identified in ADB reports, starts in central Vietnam at the country’s coastal port of Danang and crosses Laos to Savanakhet on the banks of the Mekong River.
Rail track plan for Mekong rolled out
HANOI, 25 August 2010 – A “bold” plan for a railway system connecting more than 300 million people who live near one of the world’s great rivers, the Mekong, was approved last week, officials said.
Ministers from Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam adopted the plan which they called “a bold first step toward the development of an integrated… railway system”.
The six nations’ national railway systems do not link up except for a line that connects China and Vietnam, and Laos has no rail network at all.
Failure to harness Mekong River tourism
HANOI, 25 August 2010 – Nations around one of the world’s great rivers, the Mekong, are tightening transport and other links but have neglected the region’s very heart — the river itself, a Cambodian minister said Friday.
At a meeting of the six countries surrounding the Mekong, Cham Prasidh said the potential of the 4,800 km (2,976-mile) river has been neglected as the region develops road links and “economic corridors”, which he likened to arteries.
Speculation on a new Burmese airline
August 11, 2010 by Rapeepat Mantanarat
Filed under News
YANGON, 11 August 2010 ― A new Burmese airline will be set up to operate domestic services, as soon as this October, according to the latest media report in Yangon.
People’s Daily Online reported last week that a new domestic airline called Air Kanbawza, owned by Kanbawza Group, had gained approval to enter the airline business.
Air Kanbawza will use five 100-seat Canadian-made MA- 60 jets and ATR-72s to start domestic flights. However, reports from other media suggest the deal is far from done and dusted.
A Yangon Today report, published last May, said the airline was affiliated to a local business tycoon, Aung Ko Win, one of the main investors in Kanbawza Bank.
Earlier this year, Kanbawza Bank together with Cooperative Bank and the Tun Foundation Bank formed Royal Myanmar Transport in a bid to takeover Myanmar Airways International.
Royal Myanmar Transport holds 80% of the shares and the Ministry of Transport retains 20% shares in that airline.
The Myanmar Post reported that Kanbawza Bank was also involved with the creation of a new airline to be named Air Inle, which would offer domestic flight using aircraft leased from Myanmar Airways International.
That was followed by a report in the Myanmar Times quoting a Civil Aviation official who claimed that no formal application had been lodged to register a new domestic airline.
“We still haven’t received an official response from the government authorising us to operate a new domestic airline,” the spokesperson of Kanbawza Group told Myanmar Times.
Sa Kaew cited as economic site
August 10, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
BANGKOK, 10 August 2010 – Deputy Commerce Minister, Alongkorn Ponlaboot, said the ministry is preparing a proposal to set up a special economic zone at Sa Kaew province, in eastern Thailand.
If the project gains the green light it would help to promote trade and tourism links with China and other countries via Cambodia and Vietnam.
Commenting on the project, Mr Alongkorn confirmed the ministry was studying three possible sites ranging in size from 700 to 10,000 rai all in Sa Kaew located about 185 km from the capital.
Lao town spruces up
June 14, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
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BANGKOK 14 June, 2010 — Savannakhet provincial authorities will inject 30 billion kip to restore the town’s old quarter, in a bid to draw tourists travelling in Northeast Thailand to cross the river and explore the Lao town.
The town also hopes the upgrade will encourage travellers, who transit the country from Thailand to Vietnam on the east-west corridor road, to spend more time in Savannakhet.
According to the Vientiane Times, deputy provincial governor, Souphanh Keomixay, said most of the funding would be used to improve roads, parks and give the river embankment a facelift. Read more
Mekong products need a tweak
Mekong region tourism players urgently need to adapt their products to fit a growing ASEAN clientele that represents a 56% market share of all visitors to the six-country region.
That was the key conclusion at the two-day forum held, late last week, in Siem Reap. The event attracted around 170 tourism leaders from both private and public sectors.
Mekong countries trapped by Thai crisis
Thailand’s neighbours fear a prolonged political crisis will negatively impact on their tourism industries according to tourism leaders attending the Mekong Tourism Forum late last week.
Addressing more than 170 travel industry delegates, government officials from five Mekong region nations said they were monitoring the situation in Bangkok, as a prolong conflict would damage tourism across the region.
Speakers confirmed for Mekong Forum
April 28, 2010 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News
Organisers of the Mekong Tourism Forum have confirmed speakers for the 7 to 8 May Mekoing Tourism Forum that will be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Speakers include: Cambodia’s minister of Tourism of Cambodia, Dr Thong Khon; Asian Trails group CEO, Luzi Matzig; Tourism Authority of Thailand former governor, Pradech Phayakvichien; Altiva Hospitality managing director, Bill Black; Buffalo Tours Vietnam founder and CEO, Tran Trong Kien; Asian Oasis chairperson, Chananya Phataraprasit; Green Discovery Laos managing director, Inthy Deansavan and Pacific Asia Travel Association CEO, Greg Duffell.
