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Suanthip Vana Resort wins award again
Staff Reporters
The ‘Suanthip Vana Resort’ has received the
prestigious “Thailand Tourism Award 2004” for Outstanding Performance
Resort Accommodation, Northern Thailand.
 Minister
of Tourism and Sports Sontaya Khunplome (center), flanked by the resort
director Pravidhya Suvaruchiporn and Narin Kajai, the resort sales and
marketing manager at the award ceremony.
Suanthip Vana Resort is a nature lovers’ retreat,
located on the highway linking Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. It is promoted as
a perfect place to achieve a real sense of relaxation, set in natural
surroundings.
The Resort was built in a 35 acre compound consisting of
a high-vaulted lobby, modeled on the traditional architecture of the North,
five individual teak pavilions, housing 30 spacious deluxe rooms and six
Karen Hill Tribe style villas; Baan Pkarkeryor.
Besides the numerous attractions of Chiang Rai Province, guests have a
chance to experience the traditional lifestyles of the ethnic hill tribe
villages in the highlands, tea plantations and macadamia farms and other
activities including mountain biking, and special wildlife observation
hikes.
THAI’s in flight magazine wins WAEA Avion Award
The World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) has
awarded Thai Airways International’s (THAI) Inflight Magazine Sawasdee the
first runner up Avion Award for Best Inflight Magazine. The announcement was
made at the WAEA 25th Annual Conference and Exhibition held in Seattle,
Washington, USA.
 The
award winners were judged by a 26 member international panel included
leading media executives, critics, producers, editors, and academics from
the U.S., U.K., Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, Lebanon,
and Zimbabwe.
Kanok Abhiradee, THAI’s president, said that THAI is
very proud to be recognized in the Avion Award for Best In-flight Magazine,
as his airline has been actively moving forward in improving in-flight
entertainment, including the in-flight magazine.
Last year, Sawasdee won two awards at the 17th annual ASEANTA Awards for
Excellence. The May 2002 issue of the magazine featuring “A Simian
Saga,” written by Jason Gagliardi, won the Best ASEAN Travel Article Award
for its portrayal of the town of Lopburi in Central Thailand, while “Back
in Time on Two Rails,” a feature story about train travel in Thailand by
Morris Dye, won a Merit Award in the same category.
THAI confirms flight schedule
to Mae Hong Son in December
During their winter schedule (31 October 2004 – 26 March
2005), Thai Airways International has confirmed that it will operate four
daily flights on the route between Chiang Mai (CNX) and Mae Hong Son (HGN)
every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and three daily flights every
Monday, Thursday, and Saturday, utilizing ATR 72 aircraft.
The airline assures all passengers that its commitment to
provide regular and convenient services to Mae Hong Son remain unchanged,
especially during the December 7-26, 2004 period, due to high traffic
demand.
For more information, please contact THAI’s 24-hour
reservation office at tel. 0-2628-2000 and 0-2280-0060.
Agricultural fair welcomes
green fingers and families
Phitsanu Thepthong
More than 300 types of organic fruits and vegetables,
highland products, fast-growing bamboo plants, flowers for the garden, and
more will be on display and for sale when the Royal Project Doi Kham Fair
2004 takes place next month.
The annual fair will run this year between December
23-26, from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. at the Arts and Cultural Museum of Chiang Mai
University on Nimmanahaeminda Road.
It will pay tribute to the contributions of Their
Majesties the King and Queen to the Royal Project.
Junnapong Saranak, the director of Tourism Authority of
Thailand’s Northern Office, said the fair would promote high-quality
products from the highland development projects. There will also be
performances by the Royal Project Development Center’s members and cooking
demonstrations by well-known TV and film celebrities from Bangkok.
There will also be food and beverage stalls from the
local food shops and restaurants as well as activities for youths, including
making gift baskets, painting and singing contests.
Expedition Mekong 2002 in perspective
Reinhard Hohler
The International Geography Conference regarding
“Southeast Asia Development and change in an era of globalization” will
take place between November 29 to December 2, 2004 in Khon Kaen, organized
by Prof. Dr. Sekson Yongvanit, director of the Research Center for Mekong
Regional Tourism, Khon Kaen University (email: sekyon@kku.ac.th).
Under this broad heading, it is feasible to showcase the
“Hovercraft Expedition Mekong” that was co-organized by Brooker Group
and Diethelm Travel (Bangkok) in 2002 that covered nearly 3000 km of the
river from Simao Port in Yunnan to its delta in the southern part of
Vietnam. In his address “Mysterious Mekong”, tour director Reinhard
Hohler will try to position, protect, and promote the different
geographical, historical and economic aspects of the river. On hand will be
a representative map of the river and its surroundings plus 72 specially
selected photos to demonstrate the outcome of the expedition.
The 72 photos (available on CD) will highlight the
expedition via Jinghong in China through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia
and to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, displaying the hovercraft, photos of the
six members of the expedition and some Mekong scenery from the Greater
Mekong Sub-region. The transfer of the hovercraft around the Khon Falls will
be dramatically exposed. Also, there is a visit to Angkor and the gravesite
of the famous French shown, while Henri Mouhot in Luang Prabang will give
the exhibition historical notes.
Preparations to hold “Exhibition Mekong 2004” were
completed after its opening ceremony at the Sheraton Chiang Mai Hotel on
March 25 for the PATA Mekong Tourism Forum. The successful display of the
exhibition was co-sponsored by the German Embassy in Bangkok. Now, it can
move on to other venues and hotels that were involved with Expedition
Mekong, such as Sofitel/Accor Hotels within the region. Sponsorship is
welcomed from groups and associations that would value this presentation.
For further information, please contact Reinhard Hohler
by email sara@ cmnet.co.th
Temporary freeze on Lao visas
Jeffrey Studebaker, TTG Asia
LAO immigration authorities have announced no visas will
be issued, either on arrival or through its embassies, for the period from
November 22 to December 1 during the ASEAN Summit Meetings in Vientiane.
The last-minute announcement comes as a shock to tour
operators, who will have to cancel or alter itineraries for clients who do
not already possess visas.
A spokesman for the Lao Embassy in Bangkok said the
decision to suspend visa approvals was made in order to insure security for
delegates attending the conference.
“Many hotels are already fully booked during the
summit, so visitors would not be able to find lodging in any case,” he
said. Meanwhile, in anticipation of hosting meetings for the ASEAN Summit
next month, the Lao Plaza Hotel has opened a new conference room and
renovated its executive floors and suite rooms.
The new 200sq meter Plaza Hall accommodates up to 60
guests theatre-style. The US$2.5 million project also includes renovations
to the deluxe suite and 33 executive rooms, with new desks, work areas, and
pantries.
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