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THAI and USA sign consultation agreement
H.E.
Darryl N. Johnson (second from left), ambassador of the United States of
America to Thailand and Kanok Abhiradee (second from right), president, Thai
Airways International, signed a grant agreement for the funding of
consultation services for THAI’s operations at the new Suvarnabhumi
Airport, to ensure proper security systems and implementation of THAI’s
new facilities at the new Airport. THAI trusts that through these experts in
the field of aviation security, it will set a world-class security standard
through its people, processes and technologies.
Duangtawan hotel enters digital age
Phitsanu Thepthong
Duangtawan Hotel in Chiang Mai has invested 10 million
baht in its IT and communications system, becoming one of the first hotels
in the northern region to go fully digital.
 Surasri
Suwannanont (left), general manager of Duangtawan Hotel, shakes hands with
Noppadol Deerangsarn (right), director of sales and marketing for Genesis
Blue, while Christopher Mospy, IT manager at Genesis Blue, looks on.
(Photo by Nopniwat Krailerg)
Along with IT providers Genesis Blue, the two companies
held the official signing ceremony on October 2, for high-speed Internet
services in its business and Internet center as part of its Digital Hotel
project and security installation.
Arthit Chimpleewat, the manager of IT &
E-Marketing, Duangtawan Hotel, said management had spent about 2 million
baht on the IT system, 5 million baht for the ICT system, and 3 million
baht for other Genesis Blue operation services, security gateway and
Internet corner.
Surasri Suwannanont, general manager of the Duangtawan
Hotel said the hotel management wanted to install the IT, ICT and Internet
services at all its outlets for guests or conference participants, on
every floor.
The wireless IT and high-speed ASDL Internet
installation would improve facilities for meetings and seminars organized
at the hotel.
Prakit Wangpat, TT&T, Upper Northern Region regional director,
added that the hotel used TT&T for Internet connections, using
fiber-optic cables.
Nok Air claims 50 percent
market share in Chiang Mai
Adds two new routes - Phuket and Phitsanulok
Nok Air, one of the low cost carriers (LCC), is
confidently expanding to add two new destinations, Phuket and Phitsanulok,
as it further strengthens its position in the domestic market.
 Patee
Sarasin, CEO Nok Air
Adding to its three existing destinations of Chiang
Mai, Hat Yai, and Udon Thani, which Nok Air has been serving since July
23, 2004, Nok Air will operate two daily flights to Phuket and two daily
flights to Phitsanulok from mid October this year, with reservations
commencing already.
As it grows Nok Air is adding an additional Boeing
737-400 to its fleet. Additional cabin crews are also being selected and
trained in the Nok Air culture, along with complete and thorough safety
training from Thai Airways International.
Patee Sarasin, chief executive officer of Nok Air said,
“We are very excited about adding the Phuket and Phitsanulok
destinations. Phuket is internationally recognized as one of the world’s
top vacation travel destinations. Nok Air looks forward to being part of
the excitement that is the beautiful “Pearl of the Andaman”.
Phitsanulok is the hub of transport and communication of the lower north
of Thailand and is becoming a major economic center. It is a city imbued
with rich history and magnificent natural beauty, and Nok Air is honored
to have the chance to serve those traveling in and out of this prominent
province.”
Patee added, “It has always been our aim to take
Thais to see the beauty of their own country, to see families and family
members that they haven’t seen in years, to allow Thais to travel long
distances quickly and comfortably, and to do all this at prices that are
affordable, and these two new destinations are another step towards
achieving those aims.”
Nok Air travelers have the option to make reservations
on the website (www.nokair.co.th), which provides travelers with the
opportunity to choose their own seating, or they can call the Nok Air call
center (1318). Payments can be made online or via the call center with a
credit card, or at any 7-Eleven throughout Thailand featuring Counter
Service Plus, or at Siam Commercial Bank ATMs (for SCB account holders) or
at any Nok Air airport counter.
Operating Boeing 737-400s, each with a capacity of 149, Nok Air planes
stand out with their dynamic style and colors, as they have the look of a
real “Nok” (Thai for bird).
THAI Signs code-share
agreement with Air Macau
From October 1, 2004, Thai Airways International (THAI)
and Air Macau will begin code-share flights between Bangkok and Macau,
operated by Air Macau’s aircraft with THAI as the marketing carrier. The
code-share flights are:
Bangkok – Macau (every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday and Sunday): NX881/TG6830. Departs Bangkok 9.45 p.m. and arrives
Macau 1.30 a.m. the following day.
NX882/TG3831. Departs Macau 6.50 p.m. and arrives
Bangkok 8.45 p.m.
Suthep Suebsantiwongse, THAI’s Executive Vice
President Commercial Department, said, “This cooperation between THAI
and Air Macau will cater for the demand of travelers between Thailand and
Macau. It will bring the two destinations closer together and provide
better connecting services for their passengers.”
Li Qiang, Air Macau’s Vice President Commercial
added, “I am glad to become a code-share partner of THAI. This agreement
will bring Macau closer to Europe and Australia where connections can be
made in Bangkok from the carrier’s operating network. I am looking
forward to seeing an increase in the number of tourists arriving on the
code-share flights from these two continents,” said Li, “I am sure it
will contribute positively to the tourism industry and the economy of
Macau.”
Air Macau was founded in 1994 and currently operates to
Taiwan, China, Thailand, the Philippines and South Korea. The airline has
a total fleet of eleven passenger aircraft and three freighters.
Local tourism seminar
Three-country tourism potential taken to a higher level
Editorial staff
The tourist potential of Laos, Cambodia and Thailand
will be investigated at a conference later this month, where research
results on the subject will be presented.
The conference, on October 15-16, at the Anandra Resort
and Spa Golden Triangle in Chiang Saen district, Chiang Rai, will deal
with tourism-related development projects along the Mekong River.
The Social Research Institute (SRI) of Chiang Mai
University (CMU) will host the meeting at which papers on potential,
trends and integrated development in tourism linking Laos, Cambodia and
Thailand at both local and international levels will be developed.
Assoc Prof Dr Mingsarn Kao-sa-ard, director of the SRI,
said that the countries located along the Mekong river basin seemed to
agree that Thailand was the regional leader in tourism management.
“Thailand’s northern region can be developed as the
gateway to the Indo-China countries, which are rich in diverse natural
resources,” he said.
Statistics showed that Thailand welcomed over 10
million visitors in 2003, of which 700,000 were from Cambodia and 630,000
from Laos.
“But, some local people at community level still lack
the expertise in tourism management to receive the influx of foreign
tourists and visitors. Moreover, they do not have sufficient information
on marketing and tourism behavior,” he noted.
The SRI and researchers from Laos and Cambodia met to
promote the tourist potential in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) by
exchanging information and research data - including on the Lanna people,
local wisdom and tourism management.
The meeting will be attended by many researchers and academics from
Thailand and abroad. John M. Koldowski, managing director of Strategic
Intelligence Center, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) will speak on
the tourism hub of Asia and the GMS; Prof Zhang Wen of the School of
Tourism Management, Beijing International Studies University, who will
speak on the role of China in tourism in the GMS; and Suparuek Surangkoon,
the president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents will speak on the
expectations of educational institutions from the studies on tourism.
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