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Entering into the
spirit world
by Wichan Pradpreung and Eddie Smith
The unseen is the unknown - or is there something
unseen to be known at all? What we see for ourselves is the only
certainty.
Aside from 9 September (9/9/99) being considered by
many to be an auspicious date in time, there was another auspicious day
earlier this month. This year, September 2nd was the seventh day of the
waning moon according to the Buddhist calendar. At the precise time of
7:00 p.m., a sorcerer’s dance to exorcise evil spirits (soong jao) took
place in the area of Moo 6 in Soi Siam Country Club. Many people involved
in such rituals were aware of the time and place and gathered according to
their beliefs to experience rituals performed by sorcerers.
The conducting of the soong jao ritual is not hard to
understand, but may be difficult for some to believe. According to those
who believe in this type of sorcery, protective spirits are called to
return to the body at a prescribed date and time. The specific day is
calculated by sorcerers after consulting their textbook called the 100
Year Life Tables, which lists what days have certain omens for various
occasions. The day is different each year and may even vary according to
the reader’s interpretation.
Behavioral
symptoms begin after one of the spirit angels enters into the believer’s
body.
Spirits called include the tiger, monkey, snake and the
hermit, as well as gods from India and China. Surprisingly to many, the
spirits of the former King from the 5th Dynasty, His Majesty King Phrabat
Somdej Phrachulajomklao, as well as King Taksin the Great, are
“invited” and highly revered. Both are considered to have the status
of angels of great men who passed through the evolving culture, just as
Alexander the Great is revered in some other parts of the world for his
part in history. Most believers also look to Buddhism for their spirits,
and noble monks who have achieved great levels are revered more than
angels.
Possessed
participants exhibit various behavior during the ritual chants performed
by the sorcerer.
The rituals performed during the sorcery require rolled
banana leaves, lighted candles and incense. These ingredients are
contained in either a common metal water bowl or a traditionally decorated
metal bowl that honors all the gods, spirits and angels.
The sorcerer usually arrives close to 9:30 p.m. and the
ritual ceremony begins soon after. Accompanied by traditional music, the
sorcerer recites ritual chants in the local dialect mixed with other
ancient languages used today only by monks.
The great angel spirits and gods are worshiped and
praised during the chants, with all attention focused around the water
bowl offering. The ritual chants ask for the protective spirits to return
to the body for a temporary stay. Once started, the mood immediately
changes with everyone’s eyes appearing different than before.
Unbelievable things begin to happen; some people go into uncontrollable
shakes or cry, some become possessed with the tiger, snake, or monkey
spirit and assume the animal’s behavior. Others possess a look of fear
or as if in a trance caused from the unknown. The tempo of the music
enhances the excitement in the air. Newcomers experience sensations never
known before.
Angels
and gods walking and eating on this earth with humans are called “Samphawesi”,
or the lowest form of gods that must still be involved with humans.
The whole affair is inexpensive, as the normal
procedure is to give the sorcerer what ever you can afford, and maybe a
few drinks, to show respect and gratitude. Some people have turned into
professional sorcerers and can make a living from performing the various
rituals associated with animism; however, it is not a profession that will
make one wealthy.
Not many dare investigate the facts surrounding this
belief, and people able to explain how the belief evolved are hard to
find. If someone willing to try to explain its history is found at all,
the common response is that the information was verbally passed down by
older generations.
The unknown is certainly interesting to investigate, but does anyone
dare to obtain the answers? Some who have heard or witnessed the soong jao
rituals quietly believe the whole affair is a hoax. Some devout Buddhist
followers believe the spirit angels should not be worshiped, while others
believe in both sorcery and Buddhist ways. However, Thailand is a tolerant
society, and the ritual is allowed as a personal belief. There are no
objections from the majority of people who see it as a harmless and
interesting ritual from the past that preserves the culture.
Bazaar Expands
The Pattaya International Ladies Club reports that the
Holiday Bazaar this year looks like being an even bigger event than last
year. With the knowledge gained from the previous bazaar, this has
streamlined the organisation for this year’s event.
Since it is being held on Saturday the 2nd of October,
this means that many Mums have kids in tow - consequently, convenor
Arlette Cykman of the organising committee, advises that there will be
kids’ entertainment plus a colouring competition for the children. Three
categories - ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11-13 with prizes for first and second in
each age group. There will also be batik painting classes with a
competition for the best batik on the day. The categories here will cover
the three children’s age groups, plus teenagers 14-19 and adults.
There is also a “Millennium Raffle” with tickets
only B 50 each with prizes on offer including return air tickets to Hong
Kong or Singapore, two nights stay in suites at luxury hotels in Bangkok,
Chiang Mai and Pattaya, green fees at golf clubs and many dinners for two.
Of course, all the proceeds from this raffle and the
Holiday Bazaar go to the PILC sponsored charities, this being one of the
major fund-raising events for the club.
Pattaya Mail will have more information on the Holiday Bazaar next
week, but if you would like more details contact Arlette Cykman on 300
325, Ann-Laure Hill 716 624 or Ffion Mercer 225 359.
Thai Blind Massage
Institute opens
The newest charity project in Pattaya, the Thai Blind
Massage Institute was opened on August 28th on the ground floor of the
Jomtien Complex Condotel. Just 200 meters from the beach, blind men and
women provide excellent, professional massage at the low price of 120 baht
per hour. While enjoying their massage, customers will also be helping the
blind masseurs/ses and their families. Customers are also invited to enjoy
free coffee or tea in the institute’s “cozy corner”.
The Thai Blind Massage Institute has three
air-conditioned rooms and one big fan room. Privacy is secured by
beautiful, hand-woven cotton curtains, made by handicapped women. The
buttons are “home made” out of coconut shells.
The idea to take care of the blind originated from
30-year-old Khun Sayan. Khun Sayan spent 4 years in the monkhood (from 13
to 17 years of age), which instilled within him kindness and social
awareness. With this idea in mind, he approached his friend, Mr. Henri, to
sponsor the institute, and within 2 months of hard work, 6 units in the
Jomtien Complex Condotel were transformed into the institute.
The
founder and sponsor of the Thai Blind Massage Institute shown here
surrounded by the institute’s blind staff.
The blind have all received thorough training in the
North of Thailand (Chiang Mai) and all have certificates showing they have
successfully completed at least 300 hours of training. Many also have
years of professional experience.
The institute hopes that Pattaya’s residents and
tourists will help support this initiative to help the blind.
The excellent grand opening dinner buffet was arranged by Mr. Rachin
and his staff from the Balcony Restaurant.
Dusit Resort hosts
14th “Beat of Life F&B Night”
The Thai Hotel Association Eastern Chapter and TAT
Region 3 organized the 14th “Beat of Life Food & Beverage Contest”
held at the Dusit Resort Hotel’s Napalai Room on 8 September. Eastern
Region bartenders and hotel staff displayed their skills while competing
for recognition in their fields of expertise.
The
Dance Style of Miss Chadsama Jareunwijitsil from the Montien Hotel - Miss
Bartender 1999.
Each year, the competition helps develop the skills of
food and beverage professionals, as well as being an entertaining
attraction for visitors.
This year, over 1,000 people attended the event,
overcrowding the Napalai Room and causing many interested watchers to
attempt to gain a view from outside the room. Inside, it was standing room
only.
The 1999 contest was the 14th consecutive year the
competition has been held and this year’s competition was more
extravagant than any before it. Dusit Resort General Manager Chachawan
Suphachayanont was instrumental in putting the show together and the
expertise provided by competition directors J.S.L. Company and Master of
Ceremonies Dr. Aphiwat Watnangkoon created an exciting atmosphere filled
with entertainment.
The activities were divided into five categories: the
Miss Bartender Contest, the Bartender Skills Contest, Cake Decorating,
Table Skirt Decorating, and Vegetable and Fruit Carving. In addition, the
audience also selected a Miss Popular Bartender.
The
winner of the Bartender Skills competition Miss Suthathip Ruangphakdi from
the Montien Hotel displays her championship skills.
Sixteen hotels in Pattaya sent their contestants to
compete and 30 people from the business community performed the duties of
judging the different contests.
The highlight of the evening, the Miss Bartender
Competition, was highly competitive. Miss Chadsama Jareunwijitsil from the
Pattaya Montien Hotel, Miss Ratsapha Kan Hong Klang from the Dusit Resort
and Miss Sarinya Saekui from the Royal Garden put on unforgettable shows
and emerged as the top three contenders.
Miss Chadsama Jareunwijitsil from the Montien Hotel
electrified the audience with her perfectly choreographed musical routine.
The audience’s reaction was so favorable, in fact, it certainly made the
judges job an easy task.
However, Miss Sarinya Saekui from the Royal Garden
Hotel gave Miss Chadsama a run for her money with an exciting South Seas
dance. Miss Sarinya dressed Hawaiian style with flowers adorning her arms
and legs and a crown of flowers on her head. Her performance brought
cheers from the audience as she coaxed them with her smiles.
Saen
Sukh Mayor Somchai Khunpleum presided over the opening ceremony.
Miss Ratsapha from the Dusit Resort also gave a
thrilling performance, and at the end of the night she was tied for second
on points with Miss Sarinya from the Royal Garden, which forced a
tie-breaking contest.
Miss Sarinya was considered the favorite during the run
off competition, but a high leg kick athletically perfected by Miss
Sarinya, well appreciated by the male members of the audience and a sure
winner in their minds, lost points with the judges. The feat may have been
viewed as unfair to the other contestants. Or the judges, understandingly
fearing their wives, may have intended to maintain an acceptable code of
conduct for the contestants.
When it was over, the audience and judges chose Miss
Ratsapha Kan Hong Klang from the Dusit Resort as first runner-up and Miss
Sarinya Saekui from the Royal Garden as the second runner-up.
VIPs
gather to congratulate the winners.
Miss Chadsama Jareunwijitsil from the Pattaya Montien
Hotel was declared the champion. Miss Chadsama and the winner of the
Bartender Skills Competition, Miss Suthathip Ruangphakdi, also from the
Montien Hotel, will be going on to represent Pattaya at the national level
competition in Phuket on 24 October 1999.
The Montien Hotel, taking a good portion of the awards,
especially the coveted bartender awards, was declared the overall team
champion. The Montien has won the competition seven times now, including
last year. This also makes the third time that the Montien has taken a
double, winning both top bartender awards.
Other results of the 1999 Beat of Life F&B Competition are:
Table Skirt Decorating
Winners - Mr. Thanet Thapbhumi and Mr. Phaibun
Singthong from the Dusit Resort Hotel. 1st Runner-ups - Mr. Prasit
Singthong and Mr. Siam Ruangnok from the Mountain Beach Hotel. 2nd
Runner-ups - Mr. Direk Phecharangam and Mr. Sutham Sawangtri from the
Sigma Resort Hotel.
Cake Decorating
Winner - Mr. Sarod Pandaeng from the Montien Hotel. 1st
Runner-up - Mr. Khwanchai Thadsanatharn from the Tropicana Hotel. 2nd
Runner-up - Mr. Bounying Ketuma from the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel.
Fruit and Vegetable Carving
Winners - Mr. Anan Rodbhai and Mr. Bancha Obcheuy from
the Montien Hotel. 1st Runner-ups - Mrs. Nongnuch Janthakhana and Mrs.
Jamnong Phayoung from the Tropicana Hotel. 2nd Runner-ups - Mrs. Nuthong
Namsan and Mrs. Diao Plaengrai from the Siam Bay Shore Hotel.
Bartender Skills
Winner - Miss Suthathip Ruangphakdi from the Montien
Hotel. 1st Runner-up - Mr. Somsak Wongmahadthai from the Royal Garden
Resort. 2nd Runner-up - Mr. Phongsakorn Phophedrasen from the Flipper
Lodge.
Miss Popular went to Miss Phimjai Yodnok from the Amari Orchid Hotel.
Philatelist’s dream
Postage stamp exhibition held at Big C to
honor His Majesty the King’s Sixth Cycle birthday
The Chonburi Postal Communications Office from Region 2
held a postage stamp exhibition at Big C from 16-21 September to honor His
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s upcoming 72nd birthday.
The
first stamps in Thailand, printed in 1883, commemorated His Majesty King
Chulalongkorn.
Four sets of new stamps honoring His Majesty King
Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 6th cycle birthday were on display, as well as
replicas of the British “Black Penny” stamp, said to be the world’s
first postage stamp, and replicas of the first postage stamps to be used
in Thailand.
The British “Black Penny” stamp was designed by Sir
Roland Hill and was first printed in England on May 6, 1840. The stamp was
printed in black and white and had an image of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.
Stamps
commemorating His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej entering the Sixth Cycle
in Life were designed by Mr. Thawiphorn Thongkhambai.
The first postal enterprise in Thailand was established
on 4 August 1880 under the reign of King Chulalongkorn. His Majesty had
made many visits to foreign countries and introduced modern ideas into
Thai society. Three years later, the first Thai stamps were printed by
Waterlow and Sons Ltd. in England. The first stamps had six different
values, called “soolod”, meaning the 16 tiers of the Brahman Heaven.
Stamps from Thailand, India, China, France, Italy,
England and Brazil were on display at Big C, as well as many rare and
priceless stamps. An exhibition of the development of the Thai Postal
Service from its inception to present times was also set up.
The
British “Black Penny” stamp, printed in 1840, commemorated Her Majesty
Queen Victoria.
The four sets of new stamps commemorating HM the King’s 6th cycle
birthday were designed by Mr. Thawiphorn Thongkhambai and printed in
Switzerland by Helio Chovoisier. The first two sets of stamps have been
available since 10 September. The next two sets will become available in
October.
St Andrews fun at
Jesters Fair
Those who attended the Jesters Children’s Fair at the
Royal Cliff Beach Resort will agree that the whole day was a grand
success. The day not only helped to raise money for the Fountain of Life
children, but also helped to lift the children’s spirits and put a smile
on all faces.
Young
artists going for the top prize in the St Andrews International School
Kids’ Corner Colouring Competition t the Jesters Children's Fair.
Some very talented artists also came along to the St
Andrews International School tent to enter the Kids’ Corner Colouring
Competition. Congratulations to the winners below:
5 years and under: 1st: Jessica. 2nd: Chrissy Jennings.
3rd: Stephen Hamilton.
6-8 years old: 1st: Guy. 2nd: Cristopher Nordin. 3rd:
Gop.
9-12 years old: 1st: Tawan. 2nd: Wannee (Lek). 3rd:
Napapon Atisan.
St Andrews will contact all winners by telephone and
invite them to come to St Andrews International School to collect their
prize. Below are the telephone numbers and address of St Andrews School.
Please feel free to contact St Andrews at any time with regard to the
competition.
Phone: (038) 893 716-9. Fax: (038) 893 720. Address: Rayong Green
Valley Estate, 23 Moo 7, Banchang-Makham Road (Route 3376), Rayong, 21330.
Dates that do good,
every day!
Did you know that for only 200 Baht you can help some
underprivileged children have a better life for twelve whole months?
What is more, the 200 Baht gives you the ability to
plan your appointments days or even months ahead. If that is not enough,
for your 200 Baht you also get a set of beautiful paintings faithfully
reproduced in colour, to hang on the wall as art. The money will also get
you excellent, inexpensive, really Thai gifts to send to people overseas.
The queue forms here!
Your opportunity to assist the various projects for
needy children comes through the Jomtien-Pattaya Rotary Club, who
commissioned a very special millennium calendar, the sales of which will
go towards funding their charity projects during the year 2000.
The calendar features watercolour paintings done by
local school children in Loei, fast becoming known as the artistic centre
of provincial Thailand. Several outlets have been happy to handle these
prestigious quality calendars, so next time you are out ask for a
calendar. You are buying something of excellent value and helping the
needy at the same time. A true win-win situation.
The calendars are for sale at SE-ED Book Centre at Lotus, the two
Bookazine outlets at Royal Garden Plaza, Thai Wittaya stationers 88/8-9
Pattaya-Naklua Road and Sophon Karnka liquor outlet, near the Thai Farmers
Bank also on the Pattaya-Naklua Road.
ATCC seeking
sponsorship for auspicious event
from HE William Fisher, Australian Ambassador to
Thailand
This is a very special year for all Thais as His
Majesty the King celebrates his 72nd (6th cycle) birthday, which here in
Thailand is a very auspicious occasion indeed.
The Australian Embassy in Bangkok has had the honour of
being invited to hold a special performance in celebration of this
occasion. This is a great opportunity to strengthen links between the two
countries. Several ideas have been discussed as to the most effective way
to honour the King, and promote Australia at the same time, as a cultural
and business partner of Thailand.
As His Majesty is an avid follower of the arts, the
ATCC is proposing a performance that will be choreographed by the highly
acclaimed Australian events management company “ShowStopper”. The show
would involve a visual and audio feast of onstage acrobatics choreographed
to contemporary music, to be held at the Thailand Cultural Centre in
February 2000.
The Australian Embassy is seeking major sponsorships
for this significant and prestigious event, which will be the gift of the
Australian people to His Majesty the King. ATCC is looking for support to
the amount of AUD 12,000 by at least six major sponsors (although any
participation would of course be well received).
ATCC is confident that in a year of such importance for
the Thai people, your name as a sponsor would gain your company great
respect and recognition here in Thailand.
Please call ATCC Public Affairs manager, Jay Tapley, Ph 287-2680 ext
4511 if you could assist, or if you wish to obtain further information on
the possibility of sponsorship.
ISR congratulates
outstanding students
The International School of the Regents (ISR), Pattaya
received its IGCSE results recently and was able to announce that 22
students attained grades A-C in five or more subjects, which is the
Mattayom 6 equivalent.
Dragana
Obradovic
Two students in particular performed outstandingly
well. Dragana Obradovic recorded 5A*s, 1A and 2Bs whilst Rozita Namia
recorded 1A*, 7As and 1B. Both students also passed the Cambridge
Information Technology Certificate.
Dragana’s academic achievements were already
recognised at ISR when she was presented with the Dux Scholaris award on
Speech Day two years in succession. Dragana, an ISR student of five
years’ standing, will continue her studies in the UK where she hopes to
go on to read Applied Science at university.
Rozita
Namia
Earlier this year Rozita was nominated for the ECIS (European Council
of International Schools) Award for international understanding. The award
was offered to a bilingual student who had contributed the most
international harmony during the school year. Rozita, fluent in English
and Greek (also an A* in French!) and president of ISR’s Student Guild
was a worthy winner. Rozita has returned to the UK with her family and has
won a scholarship to Fettes College in Edinburgh which counts Tony Blair
among its alumni.
ISR welcomes new
staff
The International School of the Regents welcomed many
teachers to its staff at the beginning of this school year.
ISR's
new staff gather together at the start of the new school year.
The 22 new teaching staff joining ISR are the result of
a recruitment drive held in England earlier this year. An expanded music
programme, together with a pioneering programme in Outdoor Education and
Community Service has meant an increased number of staff for the School.
While teachers are predominantly from Britain or Australia, many have come
from international schools in countries around the world, including
Brunei, Singapore, South Africa, Kuwait and Spain.
The welcome programme included a visit and presentation
by Khun Preeda Phonsitakvises, providing an interesting start to the year
and an insight into Thai culture for the staff - both returning staff and
those new to Thailand.
Mrs.
Barbara Deveney, Head f Primary at ISR, received expert guidance from Khun
Preeda when she chose some pieces of blue and white porcelain.
Khun Preeda’s passion for traditional Thai houses is
well known and has led him to build a beautiful house in Bangkok which is
open to the public for visits by request. The house is actually composed
of 3 Thai houses that were taken apart, moved, and reassembled in Bangkok.
The result is a tribute to traditional Thai building and a showcase for
his collection of Thai antiques. ISR staff were also treated to a display
of blue and white porcelain which is produced at Khun Preeda’s factory
in Nakorn Pathom.
With staff drawn from such a rich diversity of backgrounds and English
speaking countries around the world, ISR has a truly great team to take
the school onwards into the next millennium.
ITB Berlin gets a
younger brother in Asia
by Imtiaz Muqbil, Executive Editor,
Travel Impact Newswire
A new travel show was born in Asia on September 1.
So, how did it go?
Asia’s newest travel trade show was born on 1
September, the product of a union between global exhibition organisers
Miller Freeman and ITB Berlin organisers Messe Berlin. A total of 230
registered buyers and 333 sellers became the inaugural participants in the
Hong Kong based International Tourism Asia (ITA), the first younger
sibling of its much better known 33-year-old senior, ITB Berlin.
In many ways, the organisers were lucky. As the
two-year economic crisis eases, outbound travel from the Asia-Pacific
region is rising again, with intra-regional travel becoming particularly
popular. Space was selling at US$395 for a ‘raw’ area of 20 sq. m,
with a 10% discount for those who had registered before the end of 1998.
That more space could still have been sold was pretty obvious. Still, the
roomier atmosphere was a blessing for many trade-show veterans tired of
fighting crowds or navigating narrow, colourless aisles at other travel
shows.
The 2.5-day event turned out to be a bit too long given
the rather small number of sellers. But Miller Freeman is optimistic that
having produced a well-organised show this year, there will be a
‘’substantial increase’’ in the number of sellers next year. Said
Bob James, marketing chief of the Central Group of Hotels, Thailand,
‘’They’ve got too much invested in this show, not only the
organisers but these other groupings like the World Tourism Organisation
and World Travel & Tourism Council (which ‘endorsed’ the show).
They’re not going to let it die.’’
This message was reinforced by another show endorser,
the Universal Federation of Travel Agents Association whose
secretary-general Birger Backman said, ‘’UFTAA is very pleased with
what we have seen. We will definitely be back next year.’’ Added Brian
Deeson, CEO of Century Hotels, Hong Kong, ‘’These events take at least
three/four years to make it.’’
By and large, response from the sellers was mixed but
leaning towards positive. In a range of interviews, words like
‘’cost-effective’’ and ‘’value for money’’ rang out,
especially as many of the sellers had been wooed with discounts. Virtually
all the Asia-Pacific sellers interviewed for this report said they would
be back next year and indeed were taking advantage of the 10% discount
being offered by the organisers to sign up.
Perhaps the biggest blessing was that the ITA is a
show, not a mart. Just like the ITB Berlin, there were no structured
appointments, though a special appointment-scheduling session was
organised on the first day for those who still had time to spare. Many
expressed relief at being freed from the 15-20 minutes time restriction at
travel marts. “No sooner that you finish explaining your product that
the buyer has to move on,’’ said one seller. ‘’You then have to
follow-up the conversation at cocktail parties or dinners, which is a bit
unwieldy.’’
Several sellers at the ITA said they would like to see
the ITA format adopted at other regional and domestic travel marts,
balanced between structured appointments and free days for walk-in and
other buyers to make their rounds. Most of them were ambivalent about the
quality of the buyers. Invariably, those who had done their homework and
sought the business, scored. Those who waited for the business to come to
them were disappointed.
Estela Quiambao, Chief, Northeast Asia Division of the
Philippines Convention & Visitors Corporation said some of the
Philippines sellers had indicated a desire to better design the booth in
2000 to allow more privacy in discussions. Penang State Executive
Councillor in charge of tourism Madam Kee Phaik Cheen said she had
developed good leads and much would depend on her own initiative to follow
them up.
From sellers outside the Asia-Pacific, the reaction was
mixed. Willem Coremans of IEE Destination Developers, South Africa, said
he was pleased with the show and would be back in 2000 to tap the outbound
Asian market. But Vlado Tance of the Mediterranean Operators Association
indicated the show had proved to be a disappointment. Asked if he would be
back next year, Mr Tance said, ‘’We’ll see.’’
Perhaps the biggest oversight noted was the paucity of
Japanese and Korean buyers, even though the buyers list showed four from
Japan and only two from Korea. Many of the 34 Chinese buyers who had been
invited became conspicuous for their no-shows. The other buyers included
33 from Hong Kong, 28 from India, 14 from Taiwan and a total of 56 from
Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia. Altogether, buyers from 34
countries were on the list.
The September timing of the show, the source of some
initial muttering, clearly proved to be no problem. In the age of the
Internet, the timing of shows is clearly becoming less important than the
seasonality of travel which varies from country from country. One seller
said timings eventually will become less important than the quality of
participation. ‘’With everybody putting their brochures on the Net,
the faster they get new products out, the better,’’ he said.
Strategically, Miller Freeman is bending backwards to
position the ITA as an Asia-Pacific show, and not a showcase for Hong
Kong. MF’s Asia Director Michael Duck insisted that was one of the most
important features of the ITA. The former British colony had been chosen
because it came out tops in survey responses as the best venue for the ITA.
‘’This is not a Hong Kong event,’’ he stressed at the final media
conference. ‘’This is a show for the Asia-Pacific.’’
He emphasised that ‘’unlike other trade
shows,’’ the event had received no extraordinary support from the Hong
Kong Tourist Association and that show organisers had gone a long stretch
to ensure that the HKTA did not get ‘’covered in glory’’ by having
the event in Hong Kong. Needless to say, Hong Kong-based airline Cathay
Pacific was one of the major sponsors and threw a lot of weight behind the
ITA.
Miller Freeman is clearly seeking to signal to other
regional groupings like the Singapore Tourism Board (which was conspicuous
by its absence at the ITA) that even if it is a major supporter of the
PATA Mart (which is based in Singapore), it can still participate in the
ITA. The ITA is also seeking to distance itself from the other trade show,
the International Travel Exhibition (ITE), held in Hong Kong every June
and rapidly gaining a reputation for showcasing Hong Kong and China due to
the overwhelmingly large number of sellers from these two places.
The Asia-Pacific travel trade show battle is now on
between the exhibition elephants Messe Berlin / Miller Freeman and Reed
Travel Exhibitions, organisers of that other Asia-Pacific event, the PATA
Travel Mart. Reed also organises the annual World Travel Mart in London, a
quasi-competitor of ITB. The PATA Mart is organised by Reed for the
Pacific Asia Travel Association. Seen scouting the ITA was Reed’s
Jackson Loy, Project Director for the PATA Mart. Interviewed later, Loy
found little to fault with the ITA, except saying that it was possible
that Miller Freeman/Messe Berlin had probably not been able to raise the
numbers originally targeted.
Loy insisted that Reed would not discount prices to
attract sellers to the PATA Mart. By the time of the PATA mart in April
2000, Asian buyers are forecast to be back in strength and a greater
representation is anticipated from South Asian and Middle East buyers.
Reed is also going to be experimenting with Internet appointments for the
World Travel Mart this year and if that works well, it will be tried out
for the PATA Mart 2000.
Loy said the quality of the PATA Mart would also be
upgraded with a focus on the MICE market in the attached travel seminars.
This will involve a tie-up with MeetingsNet Asia, which is under the
Association of Asian Convention and Visitors Bureau.
One thing that has changed is the publisher of the
daily newspaper at the PATA Mart. In addition to running exhibitions,
Miller Freeman also publishes TTG Asia and other regional travel titles.
It has published the ‘official’ dailies at the PATA Mart for several
years but lost the rights for the PATA Mart 2000. The contract is set to
go to TTG Asia’s rival publication, a Malaysian-owned group known to
have limped through the Asian crisis.
Meanwhile, the other bacon in the sandwich of exploding
global travel shows is the ASEAN Tourism Forum. The big question: How will
it maintain its edge, at least in terms of attracting buyers? The ATF 2000
is in Bangkok in January 2000 and has space for 490 seller booths, of
which about 10% had been sold by September. The Tourism Authority of
Thailand has plugged into a database of several thousand buyers nominated
by ASEAN national tourism organisations and hopes to have an equal number
of buyers and sellers. With the situation in Indonesia still panning out
at the time of writing, meeting that ratio is going to be pretty much a
last-minute rush.
All told, there was widespread back-thumping among the organisers of
the ITA that it had made a good beginning. In a classic chicken-vs-egg
situation, many sellers had waited to see whether it would produce the
goods. Now that the baby has been born, the proud parents are hoping that
the first birthday next year will truly be a big bash. And just to help it
along, space rates have been frozen, with the same 10% early bird discount
for bookings before 31 December 1999.
Copyright 1999 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek. |
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