TRAVEL & TOURISM
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 

Koh Lipe - Thailand’s Last Secret Island

Bangkok Airways and Etihad Airways announce code - share agreement

LTU International Airlines official name change to Air Berlin

TTM Plus 2009 drawing positive response

38th Skål Asian Area Congress: Incheon May 21-24

Tourist visa exemption now in effect

Seminar focuses on helping homeless children

Aquagym looks to set Guinness world record

Navy joins university sea research

Vietnamese inspect wastewater treatment


Koh Lipe - Thailand’s Last Secret Island

Is this relaxing or what?

Pierre Drake
Most of Thailand’s secrets have long been common knowledge, but there is still one little island - Koh Lipe - which stands out as a slice of paradise and is only now just being discovered.
Koh Lipe (http://www.koh lipemap.com), a small island in the Andaman Sea, is a little gem 60 km off the coast inside the Tarutao National Marine Park. Koh Lipe has become the southern anchor of the busy north-south Andaman tourist route and getting there these days couldn’t be easier with boats arriving from all up and down the coast including Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, Krabi and Trang. Koh Lipe is also the jumping off point to Langkawi and Malaysia.
At its largest, the island is only 2 km long and 1 km wide. With 2 main beaches each with their own distinct character, there is something for everyone. The busy one, Pattaya Beach has a wide beach stretched in a long crescent of fine white sand. In the evening it transforms as restaurants and bars set out chairs and bamboo mats on the sand and lit by candle lit, reggae tunes drift down the beach.

Two storey bungalows right on the beach.
On the other side of the island is Sunrise Beach with views of several small nearby islands and a cool onshore breeze most of the year. Sunrise Beach is the opposite of Pattaya Beach, with just a few resorts and bars, it is very laid back. It also has a very large coral reef with the best snorkeling on the island directly from the beach.
There are no cars on the island, and thankfully few motorbikes so people get around by walking. The whole island can be explored on foot in a couple of hours. Pooh’s Bar (http://www.poohlipe.com) in the middle of the island is run by the charismatic Pooh and is almost an institution on the island. Famous for its live music in the evenings it draws a large crowd.
Karma Bar (http://www.kar mabar.net) at the north end of Sunrise Beach is well known on the backpacker scene with its mellow music and great location. At the other end of Sunrise Beach is Castaway Resort (http://kohlipe .castaway-resorts.com) has stunning sea and island views which viewed from its raised candle lit deck has to be the ultimate in chilled out dining and drinking.
Tarutao National Marine Park has some of the best dive sites in all of Thailand. Within easy boat reach of Koh Lipe are hundreds of coral reefs with an amazing variety of huge hard and soft corals. The corals and seas around Koh Lipe are full of marine life, offering everything from turtles to huge rays. Even if you aren’t a diver you can enjoy the marine world drifting along the edges of coral reefs with a mask and snorkel. Compared to other dive and snorkel areas there is so much to see and no competition to see it.
Koh Lipe still has a lot of cheap backpackers accommodation, with places like Varin offering simple bamboo huts close to the beach. At the top end is Sita Beach with a swimming pool and Castaway Resort with its 2 story breezy bungalows which was described by the Lonely Planet as ‘the most chic on Lipe’.
Tips for Travelers
* If you are travelling from Hat Yai, be in Pak Bara before 11 a.m. to catch the speedboat.
* If you are travelling from Langkawi, the boat journey is shorter and there is a small efficient immigration on Koh Lipe.
* There are no ATM’s on the island so make sure you bring enough cash for your stay, and then double it as you’ll end up deciding to stay longer!
* Varin 2 on Sunrise Beach has the newest and cheapest bamboo bungalow huts.
* Castaway resorts has the chicest accommodation (http://kohlipe.castaway-resorts.com)
Contact: [email protected]


Bangkok Airways and Etihad Airways announce code - share agreement

Chaiyavut Chomsakorn (2nd left), sales & marketing manager Thailand and Mekong Region, Etihad Airways; Florian Preuss (3rd left), manager Thailand and Mekong Region, Etihad Airways; Peter Wiesner (center), senior vice president - corporate communications, Bangkok Airways; M.L. Nandhika Varavarn (3rd right), vice president - corporate communications Bangkok Airways; and Prote Setsuwan (2nd right), vice president - marketing, Bangkok Airways during the announcement.

Bangkok Airways and Etihad Airways have jointly announced the first code-share agreement between the two airlines. The new code-share agreement is set to fly passengers between Abu Dhabi to Thailand’s most popular beach destinations - Phuket and Samui.
 


LTU International Airlines official name change to Air Berlin

LTU announces their re-branding to Air Berlin
on February 24 at Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok.

LTU International Airlines is delighted to officially announce its rebranding to Air Berlin on February 24 at Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok.
Air Berlin and LTU merged in 2006, which made Air Berlin the 5th largest airline in Europe serving passengers from more than 130 destinations worldwide, including Bangkok - Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich and Phuket - Munich.
For the rebranding event, Air Berlin was honored to have H.E. Dr. Hanns Heinrich Schumacher, the German Ambassador to Thailand preside over the ceremony, and Aggaphol Brickshawana, deputy governor for tourism products, Tourism Authority of Thailand as the honored guest. 400 business and cooperation partners were invited as VIP guests to witness the ceremony.


TTM Plus 2009 drawing positive response

Watchiranont Thongtep, TTG Asia
The Ninth Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) Plus 2009, scheduled to be held in Bangkok from June 3 to 7, is expected to help Thai sellers boost business for the coming high season and showcase new products.
Sunshine Hotels and Resorts group executive director, Thanet Supornsaharungsi, said local small- and medium-sized Thai tourism operators, most of whom lack funds for international trade and road shows, would be able to discuss business with overseas buyers at the annual TTM.
“The business discussion may even create business for them in the second half of this tough year,” he said.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) deputy governor for international marketing, Santichai Euachongprasit, said about 280 sellers and 250 buyers had registered for the event. The figures are double that of forward bookings recorded during the same time last year.
Santichai said he was confident the event would meet its targets of 400 sellers and 300 buyers.
TAT is spending 30 million baht (US$828,473) staging the event. A one-day onsite appointment session will be held on June 3 at the Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld, while the mart will be held at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.
Centara Hotels and Resorts sales and marketing senior vice-president, Chris Bailey, said the group plans to showcase its newest hotel in Thailand, the 555-room Centara Grand Mirage Pattaya.


38th Skål Asian Area Congress: Incheon May 21-24

Andrew Wood
The 2009 Skål AA Congress will take place this year in Incheon, Korea May 21-24 (Thur-Sun). Incheon is located close to Seoul and has excellent air links.
For full details of the Congress and registration please check the following site: www.skalkorea.com

The organizing committee is expecting a larger attendance this year, with the success of Visit Korea 2009 promotion. Korea is an important source market for inbound tourism to many ASEAN and long haul destinations and the congress will provide an excellent platform for networking.
As with all Skål Congresses, the National Tourism Office (this year the KTO & Incheon Tourism Office along with the Office of the Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City) play a leading role, supporting and sponsoring the local Skål Club. Therefore all delegates can expect not only excellent value but also a red carpet welcome.
Incheon, Korea’s third largest city with 2.7million people, has been designated as the host city of the 2014 Asian Games and the 2009 Incheon World Expo (Global Fair and Festival 2009).
Special AD 50% discount airfares have also been made available to all delegates. See the registration form for details of how to apply.
The official hotels are the Hyatt Regency Incheon Airport (HQ); Best Western Premier; Ramada Songdo Hotel and the Paradise Hotel Incheon.
See you in Incheon!


Tourist visa exemption now in effect

Tharit Charungvat, Director-General of the Department of Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the cabinet’s decision to exempt the need for a tourist visa for those traveling to Thailand came into effect last Thursday and will continue to June 4.
In regard to the cabinet’s approval on January 20 as part of the economic stimulus package, the need for a tourist visa for all travelers would be waived for three months starting from March 5.
This included the waiving of a tourist visa on arrival and visitors having to apply for a visa to Thailand at Thai consulates and embassies worldwide.
Foreigners applying for a visa other than a tourist visa must still pay the regular rate. (TNA)


Seminar focuses on helping homeless children

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Father Lawrence Patin chaired a seminar on a strategic project to support and develop children. The seminar was hosted at the Pattaya Redemptorist Father Ray Children’s Home on March 5 and 6.

Supachai Satheerasilapin, director of the Pattaya Redemptorist Fr. Ray Children’s Home.

Supachai Satheerasilapin, director of the Pattaya Redemptorist Fr. Ray Children’s Home, and Ticha Na Nakorn, director of Ban Kanchanapisek, invited 40 lecturers and foundation employees to attend the two-day seminar.
Director Ticha, Thongchai Mulphan and Anantanawit Anusasanan from the Office of Welfare Promotions, Protection, and Employment of Vulnerable Groups, were speakers at the seminar.
Director Supachai reminded people at the seminar of the continuing work needed for Pattaya homeless children because the city “has several locations for vice.”
He said more children are moving into the city with their working parents and many homeless and destitute families work by collecting recyclables. Some children have to go out to beg for money from tourists.
The problem affects child support offices, the government sector and private organizations such as the Father Ray Foundation that has homeless children under its care.
Some 200 children are at the Pattaya Children’s Redemptorist Center, another 60 are under the center’s responsibility, 30 are at the Psychological Rehabilitation Home, and 60 are at a home with impoverished families that live along the railroad, he said.
The center gives scholarships so that the children can stay with their families and not lead homeless lives.
Supachai said children at the center come from different family situations, at times resulting in behaviors such as aggressiveness and thievery.
His center’s work continues to support and develop quality of life for children through rehabilitation and development to take care of them and teach them to live in peace in society.
The Father Ray Foundation was established in 1990 and has 159 male and female children under their care and receiving education. Some 400 children have gone out from the center to normal lives in society.


Aquagym looks to set Guinness world record

Aquagym looks to set a world record demonstration of aquatic exercise.

Pramote Channgam
Now the slogan says “Reduce fat, reduce global warming” and as many as 3,000 people are expected exercise in the sea in the world largest Aquagym lesson on Pattaya Beach on April 25, which may set a record in the Guinness world book of records.
But just how does obesity affect global warming?
Non-contagious diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity add to the increasing cost of health services. So diseases and global warming are interrelated as more natural resources are being used up faster than normal for health services, may be the answer given by the organizers of this whale of an exercise.
Chonburi administration is working with Ayuraphaet College, Ministry of Public Health and the Naval Medical Center to organize a campaign of reducing fat.
On March 3 at city hall, Thani Samartkit, deputy governor of Chonburi presided over the meeting to prepare for the Aquagym event with Dr Marut Jirasrattasiri, Prof Dr Somwang Darnchaivijit, Prof. Dr Amorn Leelarasami and Verawat Khakhay, deputy mayor of Pattaya.
Dr Amorn, who is president of Ayuraphaet College of Thailand, said that since this was the 25th anniversary of the college, the big sea water exercise will be held on April 25.
It is expected that around 1,000-3,000 people will participate. Aquatic exercise is said to be good for the elderly and people suffering from knee problems and those that may not be able to run or jog on land. The exercise will take around 30 minutes on Pattaya Beach.
All are invited to apply at http://www.rcpt.org/index.asp from March 10 onwards to become fitter and reduce weight plus perhaps contributing to a Guinness world record.


Navy joins university sea research

Patcharapol Panrak
The Navy signed an agreement with Burapha University to collaborate in a research center to study and preserve rare aquatic species and ones facing extinction in Thai waters.

Vice Admiral Srivisut Rataroon (right), Commander of Sattahip Naval Base, signs a joint research agreement with Dr Suchart Uppatham (left), Dean of Burapha University.

On March 2 at the naval base in Sattahip, Vice Admiral Srivisut Rataroon, Commander of Sattahip Naval Base, welcomed Dr Suchart Uppatham, Dean of Burapha University, and teachers of the university to sign the joint research agreement.
Vice-Admiral Srivisut said that the Navy and the university will use a tower in the naval base as the research center.
He said the main work of the center would be to observe and monitor changes that occur in the ocean that may affect life in the sea to gain a deeper understanding in order to pass this knowledge on to students and the public.
It is important to be aware of our role in our environment and be responsible towards all living organisms, he said.


Vietnamese inspect wastewater treatment

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Bich Dat and 14 ministry officials came to Pattaya to study our wastewater treatment system.
The Vietnamese team came to ask advice on environmental management, especially regarding Pattaya’s wastewater treatment system, which is known to be successful, attracting other study visits from within the country and abroad all year round.

Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn (left) presents a key to the city to Nguyen Bich Dat (right), Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment.

On March 4 at city hall, the Vietnamese team met Pattaya’s management team, having already met with Chonburi Governor Surapon Pongtadsirikun on the previous day.
Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn and Sittiprap Muangkoom, chief of city administration, presented the visitors a key to the city.
Nguyen said that Pattaya has greatly developed its tourism industry and management of public services, especially in environment and the water treatment system.
Sittiprap said that currently Pattaya produces 50,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day, one-third of which is processed through the treatment system handled by two treatment plants.
A pollution control center plans and designs the treatment system so that no wastewater is being drained into the sea.
The system is planned to cope with increase in the flow of wastewater in the next 20 years.
One treatment plant is at Soi Wat Nongyai on Sukhumvit Road, North Pattaya and 2 km to the east on 80 acres of land.
It receives wastewater from Pattaya and Naklua in a system of activated sludge on 28.75 sq. km and can treat 137,500 cubic meters per day. Its construction budget was around 1.8 billion baht.
The other treatment plant is at Soi Wat Boonkanchanaram which receives water from Jomtien in a combination of fixed and activated sludge mode covering 5 sq km of land and can take in 20,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily.
Treated water then flows to Soi Wat Nongyai for further processing.
Studies are being made by treatment plant operators to calculate the right fees to be charged for water treatment.