New Thai-Cambodian border crossings upgrade.

Thailand and Cambodia confirmed on Friday they will open or upgrade a slew of new border crossings to facilitate commerce and travel between the two nations. 

The confirmation came at the 5th Meeting of the Governors of Thai-Cambodian Border Provinces in Bangkok. Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng co-chaired the meeting Aug 26-28 session. 

 Both sides agreed to speed the opening of two new permanent border crossings bridging Ban Nong Ian village in Sa Kaeo province and the Stung Bot area of Cambodia; and Ban Pa Rai village in Sa Kaeo and Oneang town in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province. 

Thailand and Cambodia confirmed on Friday they will open or upgrade a slew of new border crossings to facilitate commerce and travel between the two nations. 

The confirmation came at the 5th Meeting of the Governors of Thai-Cambodian Border Provinces in Bangkok. Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sar Kheng co-chaired the meeting Aug 26-28 session. 

 Both sides agreed to speed the opening of two new permanent border crossings bridging Ban Nong Ian village in Sa Kaeo province and the Stung Bot area of Cambodia; and Ban Pa Rai village in Sa Kaeo and Oneang town in Cambodia's Banteay Meanchey province. 

 Source: BangkokPost 

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Beach chairs back on #Phuket sands

PHUKET: After months of indecision and false-steps in the creation of new beach rules for Phuket, the governor yesterday announced a final solution to the island’s beach chair drama.

“There will be slight modifications to the 10 per cent zone system that has been in place up to this point,” explained Governor Nisit Jansomwong. “Beachgoers will be allowed to bring their own chairs, umbrellas and mats, while rental operators will only be allowed to provide mats and umbrellas. However, everyone must keep their beach furniture within the marked 10 per cent zones.”

Rental operators cannot stake claims to any part of the beach with unoccupied mats and will not be allowed to rent out chairs to most visitors. Nonetheless, exceptions will be made, such as for the elderly and disabled, confirmed Governor Nisit.

However, such a loophole in the system is open for abuse, as the governor did not address in the meeting who would be available to rent out chairs to the disabled and elderly or who would be in charge of making the judgment call of who is qualified.

Policies for other beach vendors were also laid out during the meeting.

“There will be no food or cigarettes sold on the beach, while non-alcoholic drinks will be allowed,” said Gov Nisit. “Vendors supplying other goods, such as souvenirs, fireworks or Chinese lanterns will not be allowed.”

Masseuses will be allowed to work within a designated area and there will be no change in policy for operators running marine activities, such as jet-skiing and parasailing, confirmed Gov Nisit.

The announced plan was backed by months of research conducted by the Prince of Songkhla University’s Phuket Beach Management Research team.

“Our team, comprising professional, non-biased researchers, spoke with all stakeholders before putting forth our suggestion,” said Pun Thongchumnum, head of the research team.

The research identified six major stakeholders: tourists, 75 per cent of those spoken to were westerners; beach vendors of all types, as well as local tourism authorities; locals, both those inland and in beach communities; high-ranking members of the local governments; honorary consuls; and the online community.

“Based on the interviews we conducted with tourists arriving and departing Phuket, the number one priority was clean beaches. This was followed by ‘pure nature’ and facilities, with beach activities being the lowest priority,” said Dr Pun.

After speaking with interested parties, the research group was able to divide the facilities category into two groups: paid and unpaid.

“Most wanted to be able to use umbrellas and sunbeds, while having access to beverages – all as paid services. The most important unpaid service was security,”

It has yet to be seen if the recently launched Phuket Beach Police units will fulfill this need (story here).

The study also found that many local people and vendors still disagreed with the 10 per cent zoning system. However, researches suggested that they coordinate their efforts to work together under the provincial beach management committee. - See more at: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Beach-chairs-back-Phuket-sands/61832#ad-image-0

#PHUKET: After months of indecision and false-steps in the creation of new beach rules for Phuket, the governor yesterday announced a final solution to the island’s beach chair drama.

“There will be slight modifications to the 10 per cent zone system that has been in place up to this point,” explained Governor Nisit Jansomwong. “Beachgoers will be allowed to bring their own chairs, umbrellas and mats, while rental operators will only be allowed to provide mats and umbrellas. However, everyone must keep their beach furniture within the marked 10 per cent zones.”

Rental operators cannot stake claims to any part of the beach with unoccupied mats and will not be allowed to rent out chairs to most visitors. Nonetheless, exceptions will be made, such as for the elderly and disabled, confirmed Governor Nisit.

However, such a loophole in the system is open for abuse, as the governor did not address in the meeting who would be available to rent out chairs to the disabled and elderly or who would be in charge of making the judgment call of who is qualified.

Policies for other beach vendors were also laid out during the meeting.

“There will be no food or cigarettes sold on the beach, while non-alcoholic drinks will be allowed,” said Gov Nisit. “Vendors supplying other goods, such as souvenirs, fireworks or Chinese lanterns will not be allowed.”

Masseuses will be allowed to work within a designated area and there will be no change in policy for operators running marine activities, such as jet-skiing and parasailing, confirmed Gov Nisit.

The announced plan was backed by months of research conducted by the Prince of Songkhla University’s Phuket Beach Management Research team.

“Our team, comprising professional, non-biased researchers, spoke with all stakeholders before putting forth our suggestion,” said Pun Thongchumnum, head of the research team.

The research identified six major stakeholders: tourists, 75 per cent of those spoken to were westerners; beach vendors of all types, as well as local tourism authorities; locals, both those inland and in beach communities; high-ranking members of the local governments; honorary consuls; and the online community.

“Based on the interviews we conducted with tourists arriving and departing Phuket, the number one priority was clean beaches. This was followed by ‘pure nature’ and facilities, with beach activities being the lowest priority,” said Dr Pun.

After speaking with interested parties, the research group was able to divide the facilities category into two groups: paid and unpaid.

“Most wanted to be able to use umbrellas and sunbeds, while having access to beverages – all as paid services. The most important unpaid service was security,”

It has yet to be seen if the recently launched Phuket Beach Police units will fulfill this need (story here).

The study also found that many local people and vendors still disagreed with the 10 per cent zoning system. However, researches suggested that they coordinate their efforts to work together under the provincial beach management committee.

Source: PhuketGazette

 

 

 

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PHUKET: After months of indecision and false-steps in the creation of new beach rules for Phuket, the governor yesterday announced a final solution to the island’s beach chair drama.

“There will be slight modifications to the 10 per cent zone system that has been in place up to this point,” explained Governor Nisit Jansomwong. “Beachgoers will be allowed to bring their own chairs, umbrellas and mats, while rental operators will only be allowed to provide mats and umbrellas. However, everyone must keep their beach furniture within the marked 10 per cent zones.”

Rental operators cannot stake claims to any part of the beach with unoccupied mats and will not be allowed to rent out chairs to most visitors. Nonetheless, exceptions will be made, such as for the elderly and disabled, confirmed Governor Nisit.

However, such a loophole in the system is open for abuse, as the governor did not address in the meeting who would be available to rent out chairs to the disabled and elderly or who would be in charge of making the judgment call of who is qualified.

Policies for other beach vendors were also laid out during the meeting.

“There will be no food or cigarettes sold on the beach, while non-alcoholic drinks will be allowed,” said Gov Nisit. “Vendors supplying other goods, such as souvenirs, fireworks or Chinese lanterns will not be allowed.”

Masseuses will be allowed to work within a designated area and there will be no change in policy for operators running marine activities, such as jet-skiing and parasailing, confirmed Gov Nisit.

The announced plan was backed by months of research conducted by the Prince of Songkhla University’s Phuket Beach Management Research team.

“Our team, comprising professional, non-biased researchers, spoke with all stakeholders before putting forth our suggestion,” said Pun Thongchumnum, head of the research team.

The research identified six major stakeholders: tourists, 75 per cent of those spoken to were westerners; beach vendors of all types, as well as local tourism authorities; locals, both those inland and in beach communities; high-ranking members of the local governments; honorary consuls; and the online community.

“Based on the interviews we conducted with tourists arriving and departing Phuket, the number one priority was clean beaches. This was followed by ‘pure nature’ and facilities, with beach activities being the lowest priority,” said Dr Pun.

After speaking with interested parties, the research group was able to divide the facilities category into two groups: paid and unpaid.

“Most wanted to be able to use umbrellas and sunbeds, while having access to beverages – all as paid services. The most important unpaid service was security,”

It has yet to be seen if the recently launched Phuket Beach Police units will fulfill this need (story here).

The study also found that many local people and vendors still disagreed with the 10 per cent zoning system. However, researches suggested that they coordinate their efforts to work together under the provincial beach management committee. - See more at: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Beach-chairs-back-Phuket-sands/61832#ad-image-0

Chiang Mai, #Thailand

Chiang Mai is the largest and the best city in Northern Thailand if you’re up to traveling to extraordinary places, tasting delicious specialities and experiencing glamorous architecture all at once.
This cultural center features over 300 Buddhist temples (for example Wat Phra Singh from 14th century) and holds various traditional festivals such as Songkran, Loi-Kratong and so on.
There are also good news for those who are seeking natural sights. Chiang Mai is an amazing place for long and romatic walks over long green plains and rainforests.

Rites of five religions held for Bangkok blast victims

EARAWAN SHRINE

he PM's Office and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Ratchaprasong community held rites of five religions at the Erawan shrine to remember the victims of the Bangkok blast.

The ceremony was held at 7 am and was attended by several ministers and BMA Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra.

Attending the rites were Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreangam, Social Develoment and Human Security Minister Adul Saengsingkaew, and Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj.

The ceremony was conducted by Buddhist monks, Muslim imams, Christianand Hindu priests and Sikh teachers.

After the ceremony, the officials laid flowers in front of amakeshift plaque with the names of all the victims.

Source: The Nation 

#Bangkok bomb shrine reopens as police hunt suspect

 

BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai monks led prayers Wednesday for the reopening of a Bangkok shrine where a blast killed 20 people, as police hunted a man shown on security footage calmly planting what is believed to be the bomb.

The bomb struck early on Monday evening as worshippers and tourists crowded into the Erawan shrine in the Thai capital’s commercial heart, but no-one has yet claimed responsibility.

The unprecedented attack on the Thai capital left at least 11 foreigners dead, with Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean, Indonesian and a family from Malaysia among the victims.

More than 100 other people were wounded by a blast that shredded bodies and incinerated motorcycles at one of the city’s busiest intersections.

Police said a second explosion at a Bangkok pier on Tuesday that caused no injuries may be linked, deepening fears for Bangkok residents with police conceding they do not know who was responsible.

Around a dozen Buddhist monks led prayers at the Erawan shrine as it re-opened early Wednesday while devotees -- including tourists -- genuflected and held joss sticks, and AFP reporter said.

A relative of the dead Malaysians had laid bundles of clothes at the shrine to represent the lost loved ones, according to a monk.

The shrine -- a popular tourist attraction that typifies the kingdom’s unusual blend of Hindu and Buddhist traditions -- and its surrounding had already been largely restored.

Twisted iron railings were the only immediate sign of the carnage, which police believe was caused by a bomb made up of three kilogrammes of explosives and ball bearings.

One devotee had more reason than most to give thanks.

Tommy Goh, 56, a Thai-Malaysian from Penang, said only a delayed taxi from his hotel spared him from being at the shrine around the time of the blast.

"Every year I come down to this shrine, we were meant to be here around 6.50-7pm but the taxi didn’t arrive from the hotel... so we went somewhere else," he told AFP.

"Ten minutes later and it could have been so different"

Police released images Tuesday showing a man, apparently young, slightly built and wearing a yellow T-shirt and dark shorts, walking into the shrine with a backpack.

In the video he calmly places the backpack underneath a bench and then walks away clutching a blue plastic bag and what looks like a smartphone.

The bomb exploded several minutes later, leading Thailand police to make the man their prime suspect.

A small explosion on Tuesday by a bridge at the city’s Chaopraya river has been tied to Monday’s bomb.

Colonel Kamthorn Ouicharoen, of Thai bomb squad police confirmed the bridge bomb was the same type as the one detonated at the Erawan Shrine

"It’s exactly the same, the equipment used to make it, the bomb size," he said.

"Police will resume collecting evidence this afternoon," he added.

Thailand has experienced a near-decade long political crisis that has seen endless rounds of street violence.

But never anything on the scale of Monday’s bomb.

A festering insurgency by Muslim rebels in the Thai south has claimed 6,400 victims, but is a highly localised conflict.

At least 20 killed, over 100 injured by Bangkok Biggest Attack

Famous Tourist attraction destroyed in Bangkok 

A LARGE bomb rocked central Bangkok's Ratchaprasong area last night, killing at least 16 people and injuring dozens more last night.

Thailand's junta chief on Tuesday said authorities are hunting a male "suspect" seen on CCTV footage near the scene of a bombing that claimed at least 21 lives in Bangkok and wounded scores more.

"Today there is a suspect who appeared on CCTV but it's not clear... we are looking for this guy," Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said, adding he was believed to be from an "anti-government group based in Thailand's northeast" -- the heartland of the anti-coup Red Shirt movement.

 Since 2006 Bangkok has witnessed repeated rounds of deadly political violence, flanked by two coups. Until Monday though, foreigners had rarely been caught up in the bloodshed.

The most recent coup in 2014 toppled the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra after months of disruptive street protests.
Thailand is also fighting a decade-long insurgency in its southernmost Muslim-majority provinces that border Malaysia, which has seen more than 6,400 people killed, mostly civilians.

Prayut's comments suggest the investigation is shifting towards anti-government groups loyal to the ousted Shinawatra family, rather than the southern Muslim militants.

The Red Shirts are a grassroots network of the rural and urban poor, particularly from the country's northeast, that support Yingluck and her ousted prime minister brother Thaksin Shinawatra.

Authorities have blamed them for a string of small explosions in Bangkok earlier this year, a charge their leadership has strongly denied.

They were also initially blamed by authorities for a car bomb on the resort island of Koh Samui earlier this year, but police were later forced to backtrack and subsequently blamed insurgents for that attack.

While hardcore Red Shirts have been known to launch attacks on security forces or government buildings, they have never before carried out a mass casualty bombing.

Thailand's Islamist insurgents are also not know to target foreigners and have also largely kept their violent attacks to the three Muslim-majority provinces in the country's south.

Story: AFP/

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James Bond Island

JAMES BOND ISLAND #Thailand

Baan Teelanka $Phuket.

Baan Teelanka Phuket

Opening Hours: From 10:00-18:00

Location: two kilometres from the North entrance of the By-pass Road.

Price Range: Bann Teelanka: adult – 250 baht, children – 150 baht;

A-Maze-in-Phuket: adult – 150 baht, children 100 baht

 

Baan Teelanka – Upside Down House has opened in April 2014

and is certainly one of the most innovative and original attractions in Phuket Island.

Located on the By-pass Road in the northern outskirts of Phuket Town,

it is a three-storey house built leaning on its roof and adorned

with a maze-shaped garden in its backyard; two different attractions in one place!

Initiated, designed and managed by a charming Swiss-Thai couple,

this well-thought project brings visitors into another dimension

and offers sensational photo opportunities.

In addition to Baan Teelanka and to A-Maze-in-Phuket,

the small complex features already a modern coffee-shop (selling drinks, snacks and sweets)

and will host in a near future a souvenir shop and two other boutiques.

Baan Teelanka is the first and unique (as for today) upside-down house in Thailand;

there are about a dozen upside-down houses in the world,

the first ever to open was Wonderworks Upside Down Building in Florida in 1998.

Baan Teelanka is certainly one of the most accomplished of them with its 13m height

and the outstanding research and imagination it has required to making it so detailed.

Leave all logic behind as you enter the house from its roof.

You will pass the attic before to reach the second floor.

You can visit all the rooms like in a standard house;

the only difference is that you do so as if you would be able to walk on the ceiling!

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Khao San Road #Bangkok.

In addition to being great for adjusting to the culture and climate,

Khao San Road is also a great place to ease yourself

into the intense sensory m-lange that is Thai cuisine.

 Restaurants, shacks and stalls on wheels abound,

and most of what’s sold at them toned down to cater to the unadjusted Western palate.

In particular, the spiciness of curries, salads and noodles is much less than locals enjoy eating.

If you like spicy, the phrase ‘ped maak’ should do the trick.

Don’t think its all tame variations on Thai cooking and Western junk food

(Burger King, McDonalds and Subway are all in attendence).

 

Recent years have seen an upsurge in upscale restaurants and bars,

and the variety and sophistication of the food

available on Khao San Road has rocketed proportionally.

Menus offering interesting fusions of Thai with Western cuisine are now common,

and many establishments and stalls specialist in gourmet international cuisine.

Pizza, sushi, felafel, seafood, fish and chips, and pasta all get a look in.

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Phuket’s Old Town Renaissance

Fifteen years ago, the historic Old Phuket Town district in Phuket Town

was a charming but slightly faded place in danger

of being lost to modern development. However, Phuket residents

and tourism figures saw the potential in preserving Phuket’s fascinating past

and a restoration effort of the Old Town was launched.

In the years since, the five main Old Town streets,

Dibuk, Thalang, Phang Nga, Rassada and Krabi roads, plus Soi Romanee

and other small lanes have been given a facelift.

Much to every photographer’s delight, unsightly power lines along Dibuk

and Thalang roads have now been buried, allowing the beauty

of the centuries-old Sino-Portuguese buildings to shine through.

More power line projects are in the works for other streets.

 

Soi Romanee has seen the most striking changes.

This narrow one-way lane was once a rowdy red-light street

for Chinese immigrants back in Phuket’s heady tin-mining days.

Then it saw a decline, and up until about five years ago

most of its buildings sat in an unused and crumbling state.

Since then, nearly all of the two-storey structures lining

the Soi have been given a bright new coat of pastel-toned paint

and some hip cafes and offices have opened up.

A one-stop shop explaining Phuket’s past is found along Phang Nga road. 

This new Phuket City Information Centre has photos

and displays that explain the meaning behind

the different architectural details of the buildings in the area,

plus models of an old-style well and oven.

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Flying Hanuman Adventure, #Phuket

Flying Hanuman is an adventure

like no other on Phuket.

It shows that the island’s beauty

goes far beyond the sea, sun and sand

that it is famous for. The hillsides of Phuket overflow

with thick forest that is great for exploration and outdoor activities.

 

What Flying Hanuman aimed to achieve was to provide travellers

with exceptional service, enjoyment, excitement and memories without

impacting the natural balance within the forest environment surrounding it.

There is no better way to take in the other face of the Pearl of the Andaman.

 

The site of Flying Hanuman stand almost exactly as it did before construction began.

A wide variety of trees and small animals occupy the 80,000 square metre plot,

and the natural rubber trees are harvested by locals

who are still allowed to live on the hillside. A small creek runs through the land

during the wet months and even the trees within

Flying Hanuman’s reception area have been left untouched.

Flying Hanuman is an adventure because it is part of the forest that surrounds it.

Great care has been used to make sure the zipline adventure

does not have a negative effect on the trees

it uses and the species who call the area their home.

It took hard work to put the course into place, but once it was done,

the forest is what makes the attraction so special.

 

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Tham Morakot, Trang

Tham Morakot one of the fantastic attractions of the Unseen in Thailand

is located at the west of Ko Muk. The exciting journey to Morakot Cave besides

seeing the marvelous nature creation is the way to reach the cave by swimming

one by one into the entrance of the cave.

This can allow only a small boat to pass through during low tide along

the channel of 80 metres long. After passing the entrance to the other side,

one will stand at the large hall roofed by the sky looking like standing

inside the very large funnel. The sand beach will be seen in the middle to the hall

surrounded by high cliffs. Some species of plant are found either on the beach

The sunlight during midday will be straight through the mouth of the funnel.

The reflection of the sea creates the emerald color

as the name “Morakot Cave” which means ”Emerald Cave”.

Tham Morakot is visited by swimming or by small inflatable boats.

Starting from a ship, the swimmer has to enter the cave

until he reaches a water filled chamber,

which is lit by sunlight through a hole in the ceiling.

The entrance passage is rather small and low,

and it is passable only during low tide.

The name of the cave means Emerald Cave.

It describes the emerald colour produced by sunlight filtered through sea water.

Inside the cave is a secluded beach of white sand.

To get to Ko Muk and Morakot Cave, boat service leaves Kuan Tung Ku Pier

at 08.00 hr everyday charging 40 baht per person.

One trip by the rented boat will charge 400 baht and takes 30 minutes to Ko Muk.

Upon arrival at Sapanyao Pier in front of the island,

one have to rent a long-tailed boat to Morakot Cave rested

at the other side of the island (100 baht each).

Another way is to rent the boat from Pak Meng Pier

straight to Morakot Cave at Ko Muk.

The rate is 1,800 baht/day taking about 40 minutes.

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