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Club Mahindra Holidays to expand to Asian countries
Mahindra Holidays and Resorts India has earmarked an
investment worth US$21.75 million to expand its Club Mahindra Holidays chain
to neighboring Asian countries.
Club Mahindra Holidays managing director Ramesh
Ramanathan said, “We have decided to expand our chain to countries which
can be reached via a three to four hour flight from major cities in India.
We are not only looking at countries such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia
and Singapore but also the likes of Burma and Vietnam among others.”
Ramanathan said the locations of the resorts would depend upon on several
factors such as the popularity of the country, location and pricing. (TTG
Asia)
THAI Airways plans a facelift
Thai Airways (THAI) plans to satisfy its passengers with
more comfortable seats and multi-media entertainment on board. The
airline’s president Kanok Abhiradee said, “Although ranked among the
world’s leading airlines, THAI will continue to upgrade its service to the
very best and second to none.”
The national flag carrier will start the facelift next
year. The IT system and multi-media equipment will be installed in 20
planes. The operating cost is about ten billion baht for each aircraft.
Kanok said THAI will also seek US$50 million to buy five more plans. The
plan has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance and is expected to get
approval from the cabinet. (TNA)
Government must solve Bangkok airport’s overcrowding
The government plans to try to solve some of the
congestion at Bangkok’s International Don Muang Airport before the
city’s new international airport is opened in September, 2005. Under the
scheme, the Royal Thai Air Force’s facilities nearby would be used as pit
stops for commercial airlines.
The Don Muang Airport currently lacks the space to be
used as pit stops because of the increasing numbers of flights landing
there. The number of flights and airlines now using the Don Muang Airport
has surged as a result of the government’s open-sky policy, and the aim of
making Thailand a regional transport hub, according to Deputy Transport
Minister Vichet Kasemthongsri.
In the forthcoming winter, three more airliners will
start using the Bangkok’s airport. Existing airlines also plan to increase
their flights.
Officials estimate that inbound and outbound flights to
the Don Muang Airport will increase to 3,805 per week, compared to the
current 3, 524 flights.
There will also be an increase of almost 100 domestic
flights a week. This will further increase the need to find alternative
space for the aircraft to be serviced, the minister said. This has prompted
plans to temporarily use part of the Air Force’s runways and hangers for
commercial planes. The Royal Thai Air Force’s facilities are adjacent to
Don Muang Airport. (TNA)
PM keens to develop multi-link public transport in big cities
Thailand’s Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has plans
to develop a state mass transportation system in major cities that would
multiply link to other means of commuting at a friendly price, said
government spokesman Jakrapob Penkair.
“The prime minister thinks that Bangkok and other major
cities need a mass transportation system that links everything together, and
one that everyone can afford to use it because the government would
subsidize their fares,” said Jakrapob.
The spokesman said Thaksin has authorized Transport
Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit to research the public transportation
systems, and put together a proposal. “The minister will look into what we
have and what we don’t have. He will put together a proposal to develop
what we still lack. The prime minister wants to begin the projects as soon
as possible,” Jakrapob said. (TNA)
Thai AirAsia: the only way
to fly Bangkok-Singapore
Announcing irresistible low fares
Thai AirAsia is going to paint Bangkok and Singapore RED
this month. The latest low fares to take both capital cities by storm, will
be the lowest that the region has seen.
Now you can fly Thai AirAsia to Singapore (from Bangkok)
and return from just 11 baht (S$ 0.49) one way.
Bookings commenced on September 9. These promotional
fares exclude airport taxes and fees and travel conditions apply. This
special fare is only available online at www.airasia.com All bookings must
be made 5 days in advance for travel from 15 September-15 October.
Passengers should book early to avoid any disappointment as promotional
fares are quickly taken up.
“Thai AirAsia has set aside 5,000 seats at the special
fare for the length of the promotion period. Special offers- and low fares-
are something fundamental to AirAsia as we are offering one of the lowest
airfares in the market,” said Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO, Thai AirAsia
While the offer of 11 baht (S$ 0.49) fares comes as a
surprise to many, the airline has previously experienced offering fares that
dip below the S$ 1.00 mark from Singapore or below the 10 baht mark from
Thailand.
Following the announcement of its extended flight
schedule up to June 2005 in August, AirAsia had offered 0.99 Malaysian
ringits (approximately S$ 0.45) one way to Johor Bahru from KL International
Airport.
Thai AirAsia, the sister company of Malaysia’s AirAsia
Berhad - Asia’s first, real low fare airline, presently operates two daily
flights connecting Bangkok and Singapore. The airline initially launched
flights to Singapore in February 2004. A second service was quickly
introduced in March 2004 to cater to the overwhelming demand. Thai AirAsia
has flown over 75,000 passengers to date on the Bangkok-Singapore route. (TTG
Asia)
AirAsia planning third daily to Jakarta
Malaysian based AirAsia is considering the addition of a
third daily frequency on the Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur route following the high
demand for the service. The airline also plans to fly between Kuala Lumpur
and Padang (West Sumatra) and Makassar (South Sulawesi).
AirAsia senior marketing manager Indonesia, Herdjanto
Widjaja, said, “The Jakarta-Kuala Lumpur service sees the highest demand
among other routes we are serving so far, so we are considering adding
frequency to accommodate the demand. However, the other services are also
performing well. Our Bandung-Kuala Lumpur flights for example are running 80
percent load factor and the Medan-Kuala Lumpur service hit 95 percent on the
inaugural dates of August 27 to 29.” Widjaja added that the airline had
flown more than 200,000 passengers between Indonesia and Malaysia since it
started services in April of this year. (TTG Asia)
Tighter security around Thailand’s tourist spots
Thailand’s police have tightened security arrangements
around the country’s main tourist destinations and hotels frequented by
foreign tourists, especially Australians, following the recent car bombing
outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta.
The tourist, marine and highway police across
Thailand’s southern region are closely monitoring intelligence reports and
liaising with hotel owners and tourist operators. Extra security measures
have already been put in place around foreign embassies in Bangkok,
especially the US and Australian diplomatic missions. (TNA)
Singapore emerges as one of Thailand’s major tourist markets
Singapore is fast becoming one of Thailand’s major
tourist markets, which has resulted in rising numbers of inbound tourists
from the island state, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).
TAT reported that the number of Singapore tourist
arrivals at Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport in the first seven months of this
year reached over 220,000, a jump of 43.99% from the same period of last
year. This makes Singapore Thailand’s sixth largest tourist market after
Japan, South Korea, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The increasing number of inbound tourists from Singapore
is due mainly to the operation of low-cost airlines which have opened direct
flights to Bangkok. Value Air is Singapore’s first low-cost airline, which
has offered direct flights from Singapore to Bangkok and vice versa since
May.
More low-cost airlines are lining up to open their direct
flights from Singapore to Bangkok and other major tourist destinations in
the kingdom, including Phuket and the southern business center of Hat Yai in
Songkhla Province. Tiger Airways, Singapore’s second low-cost airline,
will begin to open its direct flights on the Singapore-Bangkok, Singapore-Phuket,
and Singapore-Hat Yai routes and vice versa on September 15, 22 and 29
respectively. Malaysia’s low-cost airlines have also helped boost the
number of inbound tourists from Singapore and Malaysia in the Thai kingdom.
(TNA)
Thai AirAsia to introduce a second service between Bangkok and Macau
Fly Thai AirAsia from 699 baht or 149 MOP
Thai AirAsia, Thailand’s largest low fare airline
continues to strengthen its network to Macau. The airline will commence a
second daily flight between its main hub at Bangkok International Airport
and Macau from October 15th onwards.
To celebrate the launch of its second daily flight,
guests can now fly between Bangkok and Macau from Baht 699 baht or 149 MOP.
Fares exclude airport taxes and fees.
These special fares are only available for internet
bookings at www.airasia.com. Bookings must be made from September 15th to
September 30th for travel from October 15th to March 26th 2005. It is
recommended that guests book early to avoid any disappointment as
promotional fares are usually quickly taken up.
To book, log on to www. airasia.com, or call AirAsia’s
Call Center numbers at 852 3167 2299. Alternatively walk-in sales office is
available at Macau Airport.
Thai AirAsia’s 2nd flight, FD 8330, will depart Bangkok
daily at 6:40 a.m. (local time), and arrive in Macau at 10:25 a.m. local
time. The return flight will depart from Macau at 10:55 a.m., and arrive in
Bangkok at 12:35 p.m. local time.
Thai AirAsia had made history in Macau. The launch of its
Bangkok – Macau service on July 5, 2004 enabled the airline to open up a
new era for Macau International Airport as Thai AirAsia was the first low
fare, no-frills carrier to land in the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
“We are extremely pleased by the results achieved on
the Bangkok-Macau route. In less than 2 months of operations, we have flown
18 000 guests on the Bangkok-Macau service, and achieved a load factor of 93
percent. We are confident that the additional service will be another winner
for us, as we offer additional possibilities to our guests to transfer
easily from Macau to both Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. We expect to carry
over 60,000 guests for the Bangkok-Macau route by the end of the year”,
said Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO Thai AirAsia Co. Ltd.
THAI goes ‘touchy-feely’ with massage
Thai Airways International (THAI) has extended its THAI
Touch pre-flight traditional massage service until the end of October 2005.
The service is provided from 06.00 to 24.00 hours daily in THAI’s first
class and executive-class lounge, by licensed Ministry of Public Health
massage therapists. Traditional Thai herbal drinks are included.
The project was originally launched in April for three
months but has been extended due to the popularity of the service. THAI will
also promote Thai traditional massage by producing an in-flight video for
passengers and a massage (TTG Asia)
Thai national parks closed
during rainy season
The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
Department announced that all Thailand’s national parks will be closed
during the rainy season for the sake of the safety of visitors and tourists.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced on
September 14 it had received notice from the National Park, Wildlife and
Plant Conservation Department that all the of Thailand’s national parks
with bungalows and recreation sites inside their compounds will be
temporarily sealed off from all visitors and tourists from September to
November, the peak of the country’s rainy season. The closure is aimed to
protect the safety of the visitors and tourists, and to avoid any adverse
effects to the conserved natural resources.
The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation
Department will use the period for improving accommodation services and
facilities inside the national parks. The period will also allow the natural
resources to be fully restored. (TNA)
Thailand and Malaysia
to ease cross-border travel
Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to do away with the
system of passes that allows nationals from the two countries to cross the
border without a visa. Under a new agreement, future cross-border travel
will require only the presentation of “smart cards” based on systems
being developed in both countries.
The announcement follows a recent meeting between Thai
interior minister, Bhokin Bhalakuna, and Malaysia’s minister of home
affairs, Datuk Azmi Khalid.
Thailand expects to have its smart card system working by
the end of this year, while the Malaysians plan to introduce theirs by the
end of 2005. (TTG Asia)
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