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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Bangkok’s new airport opening almost certain to be delayed

Thailand to spend 60 million baht on disputed temple

Cathay Pacific launches “Join and Fly” USA promotion

Air Hong Kong to buy six airbus freighters

Emirates introduces 2nd Shanghai service

Air New Zealand expands codeshare relationship with Air Canada

Phuket turns to ‘health tourism’

Bangkok’s new airport opening almost certain to be delayed

Fears that Bangkok’s new international airport at Suvarnabhumi will not be ready and operational by the scheduled 2005 date triggered a critical meeting which recently brought international airlines to meet with the Bangkok International Airport authorities, the contractors, the consultants and the designers, as well as government officials.

Executives of several leading airlines agreed there were several outstanding issues and that it would be better to postpone the opening date than start with an airport unprepared and ill-equipped.

One airline representative said that this would be “an opportunity to get things right and to build a modern airport that will last and will meet the needs of growing numbers of travelers to Thailand.”

Warren Gerig, United Airlines’ chief in Thailand, who is also the spokesman for the board of airline representatives comprising all the 68 international carriers which fly to Bangkok said that thanks to the personal intervention of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, “There is a new era of cooperation. Under the new Transport Minister Suriya, doors are being opened to the airlines to allow them to make comments and suggestions.”

The new airport was designed to handle 40 million passengers a year, but by the time it opens Thailand may have as many as 45 million visitors a year. Security screening of baggage at the new airport will not meet the international standards that apply from 2006. The second runway will probably not be ready in time for the scheduled opening and not enough has yet been done to ensure the smooth running of an international airport, such as catering, cargo handling, maintenance and cleaning.

Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur’s new airports opened before they were fully operational and airline executives say they would rather postpone the opening than operate under chaotic conditions. (TNA)


Thailand to spend 60 million baht on disputed temple

Thailand is spending 60 million baht on the renovation of the Sdok Kok Thom Temple despite the fact that Cambodia claims the site belongs to them. The eastern province of Sa Kaew is a well-known stopover for people on their way to the Cambodian border. It is also home to a temple that both Thailand and Cambodia claim.

The ruins of the sandstone Sdok Kok Thom Hindu Temple may finally attract tourists. According to Khomchan Thongthongthip, a Fine Arts Department archeologist in charge of the renovation project that began in 1995, the temple is not easy to find. It’s hidden in the forest about 20 minutes off Highway 384 between the towns of Aranyaprathet and Ta Phraya.

Like many Khmer ruins Sdok Kok Thom was built in the 10th century, about 200 years before the Sukhothai Kingdom was founded. When the Fine Arts Department started the renovation, army officers and landmine disposal teams led the archaeologists into the area.

The temple was surrounded by ruined bricks. Sdok Kok Thom Temple is a 30-minute walk from the Cambodian border. From 1975 to 1979, when the Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia, refugees fled into Thailand through this route and some settled not far from the temple. The archeological team had to be very careful in unearthing the ruins in case a landmine was buried under the surface.

According to the archaeologist, more than 60 million baht will be required to restore the temple in a manner which will attract tourists. Like an old jigsaw puzzle, many of the pieces will remain missing and the temple will never regain its former glory.

However, the team has done a pretty good job and tourists are now able to visit Sdok Kok Thom Temple and get some idea of ancient Khmer civilization.

The temple Sdok Kok Thom is small when compared to the other ancient Khmer structures in northeast Thailand. Its true value lies in the fact that it is regarded as the missing link of the Ancient Khmer Civilization study and draws archeologists from around the world.


Cathay Pacific launches “Join and Fly” USA promotion

Cathay Pacific Airways has launched the “Join and Fly” USA promotion through which new Asia Miles members can earn 18,888 Bonus Asia Miles on any Cathay Pacific flight to the United States.

>From now until 13 April 2003 Hong Kong residents who join Asia Miles online, register for this promotion and fly Cathay Pacific round trip from Hong Kong to Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York City will earn 18,888 Bonus Asia Miles.

The miles earned from the flight will be enough to redeem a free round-trip economy class award ticket to popular Asian cities such as Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok and Taipei.

The offer, which will be valid for Cathay Pacific passengers who travel to the United States between 4 Feb and 13 Apr, applies only to newly joined Asia Miles members residing in Hong Kong. The journey must be completed before the end of the promotion and residency is determined by the registered preferred mailing address of members. This offer is valid only on flights operated and marketed by Cathay Pacific.

Passengers can enroll online and register for the promotion at www.asiamiles.com between now and 13 April 2003.


Air Hong Kong to buy six airbus freighters

Air Hong Kong Ltd. (AHK) recently announced its intention to purchase six new Airbus A300-600F “General Freighter” aircraft in order to implement its previously announced plan to expand operations within the Asian region.

The six wide-body aircraft are scheduled for delivery between the second half of 2004 and first quarter of 2005. AHK, the Hong Kong-based all-cargo carrier, also has options on four more of the same aircraft type for possible delivery at a later date.

AHK will be the launch customer for the A300-600F “General Freighter”, which differs from A300-600F aircraft currently being built for other carriers in that it has a loading system and side door capable of handling large items of general freight in addition to small packages.

A final decision has yet to be made on which engine will power the aircraft. Two power plants are available for this aircraft type - one produced by General Electric and the other by Pratt & Whitney.

AHK’s order is in furtherance of its cooperative venture with DHL Worldwide Express, signed in October 2002, to support DHL’s services to major cities in the Asia Pacific region from AHK’s base at Hong Kong International Airport.

AHK Air Hong Kong Chairman Tony Tyler said, “This is a great step forward in Air Hong Kong’s development and its partnership with DHL. This very significant fleet expansion demonstrates Air Hong Kong’s commitment to enhancing Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s leading air cargo hub, and to strengthening the scope and quality of service that we already provide DHL.”


Emirates introduces 2nd Shanghai service

Trade between the Gulf and mainland China has been given a boost with the provision of Emirates SkyCargo’s second weekly freighter flight between Dubai and Shanghai. Emirates plans to launch a passenger service on the route next August.

“We have introduced a second freighter flight on this route in response to customer demand less than two months after the first flight was launched - such is the growth of trade between the Middle East and mainland China,” said Hiran Perera, Emirates’ Cargo Planning and Capacity development manager.

The flights are operated with a Boeing 747-400F with capacity for 120 tons and provide the first-ever direct air link between Dubai and mainland China.

Emirates’ cargo flights operate every Sunday and Thursday. On Sundays, flights depart Dubai at 0940 hrs, arrive at Shanghai at 2100 hrs, depart Shanghai at 2340 hrs, and arrive at Dubai at 0510 on Monday (all times local).

The Thursday flights depart Dubai at 0545 hrs, arrive at Shanghai at 1705 hrs, depart Shanghai at 1925 hrs the same day and arrives at Dubai at 0055 Friday (all times local).

Emirates’ manager for Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos, Soonthorn Suree said, “Emirates operates regular cargo-only flights from Bangkok every Wednesday with the world’s finest freighter the B747-400F on top of a regular passenger flights of 10 flights a week and plans to increase passenger flights to 14 flights a week from March 30. The airline also operates a TG codeshare on the route with six flights a week bringing the total of 20 flights a week to meet the cargo increasing demand from Thailand to the Middle East, Europe and Africa.”


Air New Zealand expands codeshare relationship with Air Canada

Air New Zealand will expanded its current codeshare relationship with Air Canada as of January 23rd to include seating on Air Canada flights from Los Angeles to Calgary and Montreal, as well as the airline’s services operating to Vancouver and Toronto from Los Angeles.

In turn, Air Canada will codeshare on Air New Zealand’s services between Auckland & Los Angeles (NZ 5 & NZ 6) and Sydney & Los Angeles.

Air New Zealand’s senior vice-president Sales and Distribution, Norm Thompson said that the code expansion marks a major shift in Air New Zealand’s relationship with Air Canada.

“As members of the Star Alliance, Air New Zealand and Air Canada have had a co-operative working relationship for some years with reciprocal codeshare arrangements. This recent arrangement is the outcome of our work together to encourage more Canadians to visit New Zealand and likewise for New Zealanders to visit Canada,” said Thompson.

New Zealand has become an increasingly popular destination for Canadian tourists. Visitor arrivals from Canada for 12 months to July 2002 were 37,500 - an increase of 7% on the preceding year.

Air New Zealand currently codeshares on Air Canada services between Honolulu & Vancouver, Honolulu & Toronto, Los Angeles & Vancouver, and Los Angeles & Toronto; while Air Canada codeshares on Air New Zealand flights between Los Angeles & Auckland (NZ1 & NZ2) and Honolulu & Auckland.


Phuket turns to ‘health tourism’

Tourists could soon be flocking to Thailand’s most popular island in search of white sand, turquoise seas – and a few night at a local hospital.

Under plans recently unveiled by the government Phuket intends to become Asia’s medical and health tourism hub, offering medical services ranging from spa treatment and massage to complicated hospital surgery, dentistry and cosmetic surgery.

While Phuket is already one of Thailand’s top tourism destinations, the government is worried that tourists are increasingly traveling abroad for reasons other than simple tourism. Large numbers of international visitors now come for meetings and medical treatment, and that without such services on offer Phuket could fall behind its competitors abroad.

After a joint public-private sector meeting on Phuket’s future as a health tourism hub, Dr Narongsak Angkhasuwaphra, director of the Department for the Promotion of Health Services, said that Phuket is already home to high quality health services, particularly those offered by the priv ate sector, and that its transformation into a health tourism hub for Asia would be a smooth one.

The island is now renowned throughout the world for its various spas and boasts a number of international-standard private hospitals.

Bangkok Phuket Hospital, one of the foremost on the island, already provides interpreters in 15 languages, a department to deal with tourists, and a ward built especially for international patients who number around 20,000 each year.

The hospital’s director Dr Suraphong Luukhanumanchao admitted that attempts so far to turn Phuket into a health tourism tub had lacked publicity and predicted that a concerted public relations campaign could see international admissions to his hospital double. (TNA)