His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn pilots
Buddhist pilgrimage flight to Gaya, India, for merit making
His Royal Highness Crown
Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn goes through
pre-flight preparations before takeoff.
His Royal Highness Crown
Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm, Her Royal
Highness Princess Bajarakitiyabha, and His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn
Rasmijoti attend Buddhist ceremonies in Bodhgaya, India.
Thai Airways Corporate Communications
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI)
recently organized a Buddhist Pilgrimage Flight to Gaya, Republic of India
for merit making. His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
graciously piloted this special Buddhist Pilgrimage Flight, departing
Bangkok for Gaya on November 13, and attended by Her Royal Highness Princess
Srirasm, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajarakitiyabha, and His Royal Highness
Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti.
Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI president, said that in the
spirit of THAI’s 50th anniversary, this flight carried the honorable
participants to Bodhgaya, India, where Buddha attained enlightenment, and is
considered to be the spiritual center for Buddhists worldwide.
THAI invited government ministers, businesses, government
entities, and state enterprises to join in this Buddhist pilgrimage flight,
with a total of 100 seats available for a kind contribution of up to 500,000
baht per seat. The entire net proceeds received from this Buddhist
pilgrimage flight will be presented to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
and will go towards His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s
Scholarship Foundation and to His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn
Rasmijoti’s Fund for Disaster Victims.
His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn’s
Scholarship Foundation, set up in 2009, was established to create
scholarship opportunities for young Thai students with financial hardship
but who attained exceptional academic performance in school and exhibited
determination in learning, good behavior and morals. Qualifying students
will be granted scholarships for study in high school, undergraduate
university education to earn a Bachelor’s Degree or the equivalent, and
through to the highest level of post-graduate study. Students who are
awarded this scholarship are considered the future of Thai society, whereby
there is no commitment to pay back the equivalent value of scholarship
through service. Two students (one of each gender) from each province who
fit the criteria will be selected. The first academic class in 2009 has 152
scholarship recipients, while the total currently throughout Thailand is at
300.
Proceeds from the Buddhist Pilgrimage Flight also will go
towards His Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti’s Fund for Disaster
Victims, a fund established by decree of His Royal Highness Crown Prince
Maha Vajiralongkorn and Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasm, to assist those
who face extreme hardship as a result of natural disasters. In the past, His
Royal Highness Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti’s Fund for Disaster Victims
provided medical equipment to various hospitals located on the border of
Southern Thailand. As well, the fund has granted scholarships to train more
nurses, whereby these nurses return to the border area of Southern Thailand
to develop and improve the livelihoods of the local Thai people.
Those who contributed to this Buddhist Pilgrimage Flight
took part in a significant merit making, whereby all Thais nationwide may be
provided the opportunity to study medicine, public health, religion, and
athletics. In addition, Thais who are affected by natural disasters will
receive necessary assistance from the graciousness of His Majesty King
Bhumibol Adulyadej and members of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of
Thailand.
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Nong Nooch elephants celebrate Loy Krathong a day early
Elephants and staff at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden celebrated
Loy Krathong a day early this year.
Patcharapol Panrak
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden celebrated Loy Krathong a day
early with 12 elephants leading a parade at the Najomtien tourist
attraction’s lakefront.
Sattahip District Chief Chaichan Iamcharoen, Tourism
Authority of Thailand Pattaya Director Niti Kongkrut, Najomtinen
Sub-district President Sornchai Thongyangyouen and Nong Nooch officials
attended the Nov. 20 event, as did many tourists.
The elephants, ages 3-13, highlighted this year’s “Charm
of the River” festival, which honors the river goddess of Loy Krathong. Niti
said the events timing a day before area municipalities hold their own Loy
Krathong events ensured the park’s festival will be a success.
Chaichan said Nong Nooch’s resident elephants are always a popular draw
with tourists and tour groups.
TAT looks to Indonesia to fuel Pattaya tourist growth
Travel
agents from 10 Indonesian agencies visit a TAT sponsored travel fair at the
A-One Royal Cruise Hotel.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is looking to Indonesia
as its next big tourist market for Pattaya.
TAT’s Pattaya office hosted 10 Indonesian travel agencies
at a travel fair at the A-One Royal Cruise Hotel Nov. 9. The trip comes as
TAT opened its first full-time office in Jakarta, and budget airline Air
Asia begins new routes to Jakarta, Bali and Medan.
Niti Kongkrut, TAT’s Pattaya office director, said the
hope is Indonesia will be responsible for as many tourists as India. It also
marks the TAT’s continued de-emphasis of Europe, where tourists are shunning
Thailand due to unfavorable exchange rates, and its reliance on China, where
travelers have become skittish of Thailand’s unstable political situation.
Tourist arrivals from Indonesia this year are up 9
percent from 2009 with TAT estimating 200,000 Indonesians will visit the
kingdom this calendar year. The agency hopes to increase that number to
300,000 next year with annual increases afterward of 10 percent. TAT
estimates 60 percent of Indonesians coming to Thailand will be package
tourists.
While Pattaya has been less popular than Muslim-dominated
Hat Yai, and Bangkok and Phuket, Indonesians are interested in Pattaya due
to its low prices, ample shopping opportunities and selection of
accommodations packages, Niti said. TAT Jakarta office Director Nithee
Seeprae was quoted as saying Pattaya is being emphasized more in new markets
like Surabaya while Phuket and Chiang Mai are pushed harder in mature
markets such as Jakarta and Bali.
TAT Jakarta Director Nithee Seeprae said the agency
recently invited 30 Indonesian tour agents and local media to travel via Air
Asia to Thailand. The airline recently launched new service from Phuket to
Bali and Jakarta and added Surabaya and Medan to its existing route map from
Bangkok, which already serves Jakarta and Bali.
Thailand is still unknown to many Indonesians, however,
which can cause problems with the spicy cuisine and local customs. Nithee
said the opening of the Jakarta office - which won’t be fully operational
until the spring - will help ease any problems.
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Bangkok Airways and Air Berlin
announce new partnership
in frequent flyer program
New agreement to be launched with double points promotion
Bangkok Airways, in partnership with its European
codeshare counterpart Air Berlin have announced their frequent flyer program
partnership to offer extra privileges to passenger of both carriers. The
launch of the new agreement will be topped with double points promotion
starting from today until December 31, 2010.
Bangkok Airways’ FlyerBonus members can now earn and
redeem points when travelling with Air Berlin on qualifying fares and vice
versa for Air Berlin’s top bonus members. Frequent flyer program members of
both airlines must quote the membership number when making a reservation and
present their membership card at check-in. In addition, FlyerBonus members
who wish to redeem FlyerBonus points for Air Berlin flight awards must
contact FlyerBonus 14 days prior to the intended date of travel.
Prote Setsuwan, marketing vice president for Bangkok
Airways commented, “I strongly believe this partnership will benefit Bangkok
Airways and Air Berlin passengers to a great extent.”
Stefan Magiera, general manager covering Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar & Thailand for Air Berlin commented, “The partnership offers our
customers an extended route network and frequent flyer program members can
now enjoy additional benefits.”
In October 2009, Bangkok Airways and Air Berlin jointly
announced a codeshare agreement. Under this codeshare agreement, Bangkok
Airways connects Air Berlin’s passengers to Thailand’s key tourist
destinations, including Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai under the same flight
code.
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