Archive for August, 2006
Many people have been asking us the following questions:
* If it is safe to fly within Myanmar?
* Which is the most recommended airline by us?
* What kind of aircraft the airlines use?
Here are our answers:
Is it safe to fly within Myanmar?
It is DEFINITELY SAFE to fly within Myanmar (Burma). It is also by far the MOST convenient way to travel. Local trains are NEVER recommended by us for a few reasons; first it is EXTREMELY basic (no a/c and no first class section and etc) and takes forever from one place to another. Unless you have the whole time in the world and do not mind traveling
2 days from Yangon to Pagan so you can try it!
Which is the most recommended airline by us?
There are 3 airlines operating domestic (and some with internaitonal) flights with Myanmar. They are:
Air Bagan
Air Mandalay
Yangon Airways
We always recommend Air Bagan as it has more aircrafts and more reliable than the other 2 airlines. Air Bagan do have 6 planex (2 ATR 72s and 3 ATR 42s - French-made Turbo Double Prop planes) and 1 Fokker 100 Jet
Air Mandalay only have 3 planes (2 ATR 72s and 1 ATR 42)
Yangon Airways only have 2 planes (ATR 72s)
Basically, all domestic airfares are the SAME for all 3 airlines.
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August 28th, 2006
As of September 01 2006, all mobile phone numbers will be changed to ten digit numbers. Those that begin with 01, 06 or 09, will instead begin with 081, 086, or 089 respectively. Old numbers will continue to be connected through to December 1, to allow people time to adjust to the changes. For those that have local mobile phones, please note that you will need to visit your operator’s office to have your SIM card updated. All numbers beginning with 02 (Bangkok land lines) will remain the same as will all upcountry land lines.
August 23rd, 2006
To improve their service, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority will temporarily stop supplying the electricity in certain part of Pratunam in order to expand their main power lines from Wednesday 23rd August 2006 at approx 22.00 hrs until Thursday 24th August 2006 at 03.30 hrs.
In view of their notice, there will be no electricity along certain parts of Petchaburi Road during the above hours. Those of you who will be checking into the following hotels on the above dates are strongly recommended to check with your hotels for full information:
First House Hotel
Baiyoke Suite Hotel
Baiyoke Sky Hotel
Amari Watergate Hotel
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August 22nd, 2006
If you are into antique textile, this is privately-owned Sbun-Nga Textile Museum in Chiang Mai is another place you should not miss!
Museum, the largest of its kind in Thailand. Comprising 5 exibition sections - Tai Lue, Tai Lao, Tai Kaun, Tai Y ai and Tai Yuan - the 1,000 sqm. teakwood Sbun-Nga Textile Museum is located at the Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre in Chiang Mai.
Focusing on a wide range of rare textiles of m embers of the royal family as well as local people dating back 80 to 200 years, the collection at the museum encompasses more than 1,000 pieces of ancient regional Thai textiles of the northern part of Thailand as well as Laos, Vietnam, Burma and China.
The museum is open daily except Wednesdays from 10.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. and the entrance fees for foreigners are THB 100.00 per person (adult) and THB 50.00 per person (child).
August 22nd, 2006
Going to Siem Reap in December?? Why not schedule your dates to join this fascinating Les Nuits D’Angkor??
For 3 nights this December, the m ost enduring image of the golden age of Khmer civilisation, the towering “temple mountain” of Angkor Wat, will be illuminated with the sun’s setting as the backdrop for the enigmatic smiles and sensual performance of the Cambodian Royal Ballet.
Known as “Les Nuits D’Angkor“, this elegant show of control, poise, strength and movement is an embodiment of the history of the Cambodian people, a reconstruction of a cultural nearly lost on so many occasions throughout its history. Due to the increasing popularity of this event, the audience has been restricted to only 1,300 seats per night and visitors should book well in advance for tickets.
Angkor Wat is a major highlights of travel in Asia, its five intricately carved central tower soar skywards representing mythological Mount Meru, the centre of the universe. Angkor Wat’s exterior walls are covered in extensive bas-reliefs including the panel depicting the “Churning of the Ocean of Milk”. The centre of Khmer Hindu tradition for much of the 12th century, exploration of Angkor Wat and the sprawling remains of the Khmer civilisation is made even more memorable in conjunction with a dramatic evening’s performance of Cambodia’s Royal Ballet at the temple itself.
August 22nd, 2006
Suvarnabhumi Airport Code?
There seems to be some confusion about the airport codes. Please note that:
NBK is the code for Suvarnabhumi Airport used for all test flights while Don Muang Airport is still the official airport.
BKK is the code that will be used for Suvarnabhumi Airport as of 3.00 a.m. of Thursday, September 28 2006.
DMK will be the new code used for Don Muang Airport as of 3.00 a.m. of Thursday, September 28 2006.
August 21st, 2006
Will airport taxes (passenger service charge)Â increase?
Presently, the international airport departure tax ex Don Muang International Airport is THB 500.00 per person while the domestic airport tax is included in the cost of the airfare. There are news that the international airport tax will go up to THB 700.00 per person for international departure and THB 100.00 per person which will be effective as of February 2007.Â
August 21st, 2006
Visitors to Lao PDR can now get a visa on arrival for 30 days, up from 15 days previously, the Laotian Foreign Ministry has announced. They can also get an extension of stay of this visa.
The updated regulation will play a major role in helping boost visitor arrivals to Lao PDR, already one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in ASEAN.
Lao PDR reported 1.09 million arrivals in 2005, up 22% over 2004. Of those, 60% were Thais, comprising the largest market share of arrivals.
The vast majority of international visitors to Lao PDR come via Thailand, either over the Thai Lao Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai or by air via Bangkok to the international airports at Vientiane and Luang Prabang.
The extended Visa regulations will be of considerable benefit for business travellers as well as special interest visitors on study tours.
They also harmonise the length of stay eligibility period for 30 days which is granted if the visas are applied for in advance at any of the Lao PDR diplomatic missions abroad.
The visa fee remains unchanged at US$30, except for Vietnamese and Chinese nationals who pay US$20.
Lao PDR has 12 international checkpoints, including three airports and nine overland crossings, of which four are with Thailand.
Overland travel from Thailand to Lao PDR will get another boost in December 2006 with the projected opening of the second bridge between the two countries. Construction of the bridge, linking Mukdaharn province in northeastern Thailand to Lao PDR’s southern province of Suvannakhet, began in December, 2003. The US$69 million bridge was partly financed by the Japanese government.
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand
August 20th, 2006
 2006 KING’S CUP ELEPHANT POLO TOURNAMENT
September 4 - 10, 2006 will be held at Chiang Saen Secondary School, Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand. Spectator entrance is free of charge.
Thailand’s highly popular King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament heads for the hills in 2006. Event organiser Anantara Resorts has recently announced that the 2006 tournament would take place from 4-10 September in the northern-most region of the country popularly known as the Golden Triangle.This annual event, ranked as the sixth largest event on the Thai tourism calendar has, for the past five years, taken place in the royal seaside town of Hua Hin, situated 220km south of the Thai capital Bangkok. The tournament was introduced to Thailand in 2001 by Anantara Vice-President, Christopher Stafford and is a charitable event that raises money for the country’s National Elephant Institute in Lampang, northern Thailand.
In just five years the King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament has gone from a small 2-day event with 6 teams into a week-long extravaganza, which in 2005 featured 16 teams from 3 continents encompassing 55 players from 15 countries. The event now attracts corporate sponsors, which include such global brands as American Express, British Airways, Chivas Regal, Mercedes Benz and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In addition to the world’s top horse polo players, the 2005 tournament saw the return of Bernie Fraser, New Zealand’s former world-ranking All Blacks rugby player plus newcomers, Nick Farr Jones and Peter Fitzsimmons from Australia’s Wallabies team.
“The growing interest each year is enormous,� Stafford commented. “When we started it was more of a weekend knock-round than a tournament. Last year we had a waiting list of teams wanting to take part!�
Explaining the decision for the change in venue, Stafford said: “The tournament generates an enormous amount of international media exposure and over the years has contributed towards raising awareness of Hua Hin as a tourism destination.�
“So by leveraging the popularity of the tournament, we aim to now turn the international media spotlight onto a very unique and special part of Thailand, showcasing the beauty of the natural landscape of the Golden Triangle region,� he said.
Through its own Elephant Camp located within the grounds of the Anantara Resort Golden Triangle, the property’s focus on the future of Thailand’s pachyderm population forms an integral part of the resort’s operations,� Stafford added. “On an on-going basis, resident nature ranger John Roberts works closely with the Thai government’s Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang to develop Anantara’s camp as an elephant sanctuary.�
The Tourism Authority of Thailand supports the King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament and spectator entrance is free of charge. The 2006 event will take place within the grounds of the Chiang Saen Secondary School, located some 60 km from Chiang Rai International Airport and 12 kms from the Anantara Resort Golden Triangle.
Past tournament winners whose names are now engraved on the King’s Cup trophy are Chivas Regal (2001), Mercedez Benz Germany (2002 and 2003), Mobile Easy Thailand (2004) and Chivas Regal (2005).
To date the tournament has raised over US$140,000 for the National Elephant Institute, which provides medical care, sustenance, employment, welfare and mahout training to Thailand’s elephant population. It is estimated that Thailand has around 2500 domesticated elephants and 1500 wild elephants. This is down from an elephant population of around 50,000 in 1950 and 100,000 in 1900.
The modern game of elephant polo was founded in Nepal in 1982 by Englishman Jim Edwards, owner of Tiger Tops Lodge in Nepal and James Manclark, a former British Olympic bobsleigh competitor. The King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament is part of the World Elephant Polo Association World Series. The World Championships take place in Chitwan National Park, Nepal every December and the Ceylon Elephant Polo tournament takes place each February in Sri Lanka’s fort town of Galle.
Further information about the tournament and reservations are available on line at http://www.anantara.com/. Information about the tournament is also available at http://www.elephantpolo.com/
For all International media enquiries, please contact:
Shamini Murugan
Tel: +66 (0) 2476-0022 ext 1719
Mobile: +66 (0) 1904 7344
E-mail: smurugan@minornet.com
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand
August 20th, 2006
How much time should we prepare to leave the hotel for departure flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport?
If you travel by private transportation for departure transfer, we will recommend you should leave the hotel at least 3 hours before scheduled departure time.
August 20th, 2006
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