ADT attacks BMTA on tour sales

BANGKOK, 19 August 2011 – The Association of Domestic Travel has requested that Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumpol Silapa-acha, hold talks with the Minister of Transport, Air Chief Marshal Sukampol Suwannathat, to halt Bangkok Mass Transit Authority’s tour sales that compete head on with the private sector.

ADT president, Maiyarat Pheerayakoses, said Mr Chumpol should step in and solve this “chronic problem” because BMTA, the main operator of public bus services in Bangkok, is actively selling domestic tours without holding a tour operator or tour guide’s license. Read more

Storm abates in North Thailand

BANGKOK, 5 August 2011 – Seven people have died in flooding across northern Thailand caused by the tail end of tropical storm Nock-ten, which left more than 60 people dead in the Philippines, officials said Thursday.

Rising waters affected the livelihoods of almost half a million people, with 16 provinces inundated since last week, Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said.

Twelve people were injured and four remain missing in floods and mudslides caused by unusually heavy rain across north and northeastern parts of Thailand due to Nock-ten, which has been downgraded to a depression, the department added. Read more

British teenagers die in Thai bus crash

LONDON, 1 July 2011 – Three British teenagers died in a bus crash, while travelling through northern Thailand, officials in London said on Thursday.

The three young men, all 19 and from London, were killed when the bus they were travelling in collided with another bus early Tuesday as they headed for the northern city of Chiang Mai.

Bruno Melling-Firth, Conrad Quashie and Max Boomgaarden-Cook were taking time off to travel before going to university when they died in Khlong Khlung, Kamphaeng Phet province, a government source said.

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Train plan upsets Lao villagers

BOPIAT, 11 April 2011 – The people of Bopiat have particular reason to resent the Chinese workmen drilling in the centre of their village in the mountainous far north of Laos.

Around a thousand of them have been told to move because their homes lie in the path of a planned high-speed railway line, funded by Beijing, that will cut across Southeast Asia’s smallest economy from the Chinese border to Vientiane.

It will be the third time in six years they have uprooted their lives, after they had to sacrifice their first village to make way for a Chinese casino in 2005.

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Sukhothai’s road links poor

SUKHOTHAI, 7 April 2011 – Poor road conditions and transport options to community tourist sites in Sukhothai province deter independent visitors from exploring lesser known attractions.

A TTR Weekly survey of the province’s community and heritage attractions indicates the destination is not convenient for independent travellers who must rely on public transport that is geared to tour group business.

Also roads to most community tourist attractions are in poor condition.

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Vietnam turning pricy

HANOI, 7 April 2011 – Local tour operators report increases in tour prices of 5% to 10% for the coming high season claiming they have been hit by higher operational costs.

According to a report in Dantri International News, Wednesday, tour operators say they have been hit by a variety of negative factors that have increased costs.

They cite higher transportation rentals, rising oil prices and inflation.

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Mekong delta road opens

CAN THO, 15 March 2011 – Vietnam has opened a new road south of the Hau River to connect Can Tho City and the Mekong delta provinces of Hau Giang, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu.

Opening the new road, last week, deputy prime minister, Nguyen Sinh Hung, said Nam Song Hua Road would support development of the country’s industry, agriculture and tourism.

Along with Can Tho Bridge and the Ho Chi Min City-Trung Luong highway, the road will ease traffic flow and improve travelling times in the southwest region.

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Pattaya plans monorail route

BANGKOK, 18 January 2011 – Two new infrastructure projects will alter the face of Pattaya according to chairman of the strategic advisory committee, Visnu Palayanon, who was briefing newspapers on the developments at Thailand’s oldest international beach resort, last week.

He confirmed the city was ready to start two major projects that will change the lifestyle of the resort.  Pattaya is hosting a late-night party at the ASEAN Tourism Forum, Thursday, at the recently opened Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra,  to promote its events related facilities to international buyers.

The first one will offer visitors a comfortable commute around the resort on a monorail as early as 2014.

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Road access to Vat Phou to improve

VIENTIANE, 18 January 2011 – A new road built to facilitate access to Vat Phou temple in Champasak will be ready in time for the 10th anniversary celebration of Vat Phou’s UNESCO World Heritage status next month.

Lao News Agency reported, last week, the Public Works and Transport Service of Champassak province was speeding up construction of a new shortcut road 14 to Vat Phou Temple in time for the 14 to 18 February celebration.

Under the project, US$20 million is being spent to improve road 14 for a length of 31 km. It will be asphalted and 11 new concrete bridges built to replace older wooden bridges. About 11 km has already been asphalted.

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China opens skies to private air firms

BEIJING, 23 December 2010 – After years of waiting for China to lift heavy restrictions on airspace, wealthy travellers and aircraft manufacturers have reason to celebrate – the country’s skies are opening up to private flights.

The makers of helicopters and small business jets are predicting a major bump in sales – France’s Dassault Falcon just moved its Asia office from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, which it called the new “centre of gravity” for the market.

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