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Eastern hotels to offer more
golf packages in 2013
Phasakorn Channgam
The head of the Thai Hotels Association’s Eastern Region said members will
offer more golf tours and sports-related packages to attract Japanese and
Indonesian tourists in 2013.
 Bundarik
Kusolvitya.
In an interview, Bundarik Kusolvitya said the association
is extremely pleased with the recovery in Pattaya’s tourism market during
2012 and expects even more growth next year. That growth, however, will
require hotels to expand their markets to attract more visitors from smaller
markets.
Japan and Indonesia, she said, are two of those. While Japanese, in
particular, have always been present in Pattaya, their numbers have fallen
substantially in the past five years. However, their high incomes and
considerable spending power makes them a very attractive target, she said.
With 26 quality golf courses, the Eastern Seaboard has strong potential to
attract more Japanese, Bundarik said. So hotels will offer more golf-related
packages to entice visitors.
The hotels chief said she believes the local tourism market will continue to
grow over an impressive 2012.
According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1.8 million visitors -
predominantly Russians and Chinese - stayed in Pattaya during the three
months ended Aug. 31. That compares with only 1.1 million during the same
quarter a year ago.
Bundarik believes total numbers for Pattaya will show the city attracted 8
million visitors who spent about 90 billion baht. Much of the increase, she
said, came from Russian and Middle Eastern tour groups.
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First Baan Munkhong residents to
receive homes in November
Constructions workers look
busy as they try to complete the first phase of 10 houses by November.
Warunya Thongrod
Three years after being offered their first-ever homes, low-income Pattaya
residents finally will be able to move into the Baan Munkhong development in
November.
Wasinee Ruangrit, president of the Ban Munkhong Khao Noi Co-operative,
announced at a meeting Sept. 19 that 10 model homes would be available in
November and 10 more in December.
Baan Munkhong is a 100 million baht pilot partnership between the city and
the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. The ministry
announced last year it would allocate 37.8 million baht to fund 4 percent
home loans for no more than 15,000 baht, and 46.7 million baht for
construction of 290 homes over 15 years. Pattaya earmarked a contribution of
another 15.2 million baht to support the program.
Residents seeking permanent homes in the Nernrodfai and Khao Noi
neighborhoods had been squatters on state property before they were evicted.
They see Baan Munkhong as their chance to own their own homes for the first
time.
Construction on the homes began last month. Residents of the first phase of
the Khao Noi development already have paid for land rights. They now will
have to pay 2,607 baht per month on the houses.
The entire Baan Munkhong Khao Noi phase is spread over more than 12 rai of
land and includes 304 houses and one office building. Phase 1 calls for 79
units.
All the first 20 houses are model houses for other members to use as example
in planning loans and design of their houses. Members of Baan Munkhong Khao
Noi Pattaya must have a part in the corporative meetings to be informed of
the construction plans and management by project committee.
One major obstacle remains: electricity. Despite Banglamung District
allocating 9 million baht to add the development to the electrical grid in
July, Wasinee said no one from the Provincial Electrical Authority has shown
up to evaluate the power installation.
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Airports of Thailand to renovate Don Mueang terminals to support service upgrade
Airports of Thailand (AoT) is planning to renovate the
international passenger terminal and cargo building at Don Mueang Airport to
support low-cost airlines’ passenger and cargo operations.
AoT President Anirut Thanomkulbutra said the renovation will start next year
and is expected to be complete in three years. As a result, the airport will
be able to support around 36 million passengers/year.
Don Mueang Airport last week resumed full service for both domestic and
international flights of low-cost airlines with Thai AirAsia being the
biggest low-cost operator there. The number of flights on the first day was
almost 400 with some 20,000 passengers.
AoT provides shuttle services for passengers from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi
Airports and vice versa free of charge.
Meanwhile, Thai AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Tassapon Bijleveld affirmed
the readiness of Don Mueang Airport as well as its flood prevention measures
in case of future floods.
Thai AirAsia is to increase its aircraft to 48 in four years, while it will
add more routes to China and India. The airline is expected to have up to 15
million passengers opting for its services in the next three years. (MCOT)
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