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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

SRT to compete with low cost airline

Air India Board approves fleet acquisition plan

“ICE” offers Emirates customers choice entertainment and convenience

Offer made to buy ‘long-necked’ Padaung tribe families

Warm welcome for Dutch journalists

Phuket to receive first international AirAsia flight

Finnair gives fewer points through the Internet

 

SRT to compete with low cost airline

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is promising ‘buy one, get one free’ promotions to counter the fact that the low-cost Bangkok-Chiang Mai airfare will be a full 200 baht lower than the cost of a train ticket. SRT Governor Chitsanti Dhanasobhon said that the SRT was urgently searching for approaches to help ease the situation by the beginning of December.

The SRT’s move followed a deal between Shin Corporation Public Company Limited and Malaysia-based AirAsia to jointly launch the low-cost airline early next year.

Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit conceded the low-cost airline could affect the SRT’s revenue, particularly from its VIP-class customers who could turn to travel via the low-cost airline’s flights, saying the adjustment of the SRT’s strategies was needed to enhance its competitiveness. (TNA)


Air India Board approves fleet acquisition plan

The Air-India Board has decided to recommend to the Ministry of Civil Aviation acquisition of 10 long-range and 18 short-range aircraft for Air-India.

The aircraft recommended for the long-range and short-range categories are Airbus 340-300 and Boeing 737-800 respectively. Both these aircraft will be powered by CFM Engines.

A340-300s recommended for induction will be in three class configuration. Each aircraft will have 272 seats - 10 First Class, 27 Executive Class and 235 Economy Class. These aircraft will be deployed on the India-Europe/United States and India-Saudi Arabia routes.

Boeing 737-800s, in two class configuration, will have 146 seats - Eight Executive Class and 138 Economy Class. These aircraft will be deployed on the India-Gulf, India-Africa and India-South East Asia sectors.


“ICE” offers Emirates customers choice entertainment and convenience

Emirates new $8 million ICE (information, communication and entertainment) system starting in December will feature 100 movies and 50 TV channels on demand, 350-plus audio channels and 40 in-flight games.

The award-winning airline is launching the industry’s most sophisticated on-demand video and audio system, making it the first to show BBC World news updates in-flight, and first to let travelers send and receive email and SMS from any seat for just $1 a time.

On non-stop trips to and from Australia - and next year North America - they will test their knowledge in trivia tournaments, save the world from space invaders, sink a putt at mini-golf, challenge a colleague to a game of Hangman, or try their skill at 10-pin bowling.

Every passenger can also telephone anyone anywhere for US $5 a minute, using an individual handset to access the world’s most widely-used in-flight telephone system.

Emirates is also pioneering Room Service, allowing them to phone over their requirements to the cabin crew at any time.


Offer made to buy ‘long-necked’ Padaung tribe families

Provincial governor thwarts business plan

A businessman offered 10 million baht to purchase members of the Padaung tribe – famous for their ‘long-necked women’ – based in this northern province of Mae Hong Son, in hopes of tapping into vast tourism revenue, according to the head of the tribe, 40 year-old Thulae.

Thulae said that a group of businesspeople from Phuket had contacted him with a proposition to buy 3-5 Padaung families based in Mae Hong Son and with an aim to take them to Phuket to be shown to tourists there, and a sum of 5-10 baht billion was offered.

After discussions, members of the tribe had spoken favorably of the offer, noting that their present income in Mae Hong Son was low, as tour companies were reluctant to pay foreign tourists to see them.

At present, around 20 Padaung families live in Mae Hong Son, earning their incomes from the sale of souvenirs and from tourists who pay to look at their traditional costume, which includes the wearing of several brass rings round the necks of women, producing the famous ‘long necks’.

Thulae said that some of the Padaung families expressed interest and said they would travel to Phuket, where they had been promised 200 baht from every foreign tourist who paid to look at them, with the tour companies paying them on a monthly basis.

But Mae Hong Son provincial governor, Suphot Laowansiri, said that the Padaung had to remain in Mae Hong Son, as they were war refugees who would be returned to Myanmar once the situation there had improved. The province has set aside a special area for the Padaung tribe, with soldiers and volunteers ensuring that they do not escape from the province. (TNA)


Warm welcome for Dutch journalists

Nichaya Chaivisuth, Director of Public Relations of Amari Watergate Hotel recently welcomed Beertje Van Beer, journalist for Squeeze Magazine, on her arrival to Bangkok to interview ‘Nong Toom’ Parinya Jaroenphon about her life story and the film “Beautiful Boxer”. Pictured from right are Beertje Van Beers; Venus Veldhorn, magazine’s photographer; Nichaya Chaivisuth; ‘Nong Toom’ Parinya Jaroenphon, and Kangsadan Charoenpanich, PR Officer of GMM Pictures.


Phuket to receive first international AirAsia flight

AirAsia will commence its first regional flight from Kuala Lumpur on December 8 when it flies to Phuket in Thailand. It will operate a daily service, with fares starting from RM89.99 (US$24) one way. The outgoing flight will depart at 10.40 and arrive in Phuket at 10.45. The return flight will depart at 11.35 and return to Kuala Lumpur at 13.50. Seats are open for booking. (TTG Asia)


Finnair gives fewer points through the Internet

When you book your award flight through the Internet, you obtain it with fewer points charged. Your benefit is 1,000 - 3,000 points, depending on the award’s normal points charge. The benefit affects only scheduled Finnair award flights (Finnair aircraft and the AY code on the flight ticket) and Golden Air flights within Finland.

This advantage applies only to new bookings made through the Internet. Bookings cannot be changed.

Required points for Finnair round-trip award flights: Flights within Finland: 19,000; Northern Europe, tourist class: 29,000; business class: 43,000.

Rest of Europe, tourist class: 39,000; business class: 58,000; Long-haul flights/Atlantic, tourist class: 118,000; business class: 167,000; Long-haul flights/Far East, tourist class: 148,000; business class: 217,000.