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)
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