Cross-border route to link India, Myanmar, Thailand

1,400 km highway and other transport ties are major part of 'act east'policy, Indian ambassador says; world war ll bridges being repaired.

INDIA, Thailand and Myanmar are negotiating a breakthrough 1,400-kilometre highway that will link India with Southeast Asia by land for the first time in decades.

In an interview with The Nation, Indian Ambassador Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi said 73 bridges in Myanmar built during World War II more than seven decades ago are being renovated with funding from the Indian government to allow vehicles to cross the highway safely.

When the repair work is completed in 18 months, the highway could be opened to traffic from all three countries.

The planned highway, which starts in the eastern region of India from Moreh city to Myanmar's Tamu city, has received a positive response from Myanmar's new government following the recent general election.

At this stage, negotiations are underway to conclude a tri-nation motor vehicle agreement for the use of the 1,400km road that will reach Thailand at Tak's Mae Sot district.

 This will lead to land transport connectivity between South Asia and Southeast Asia and increased trade and investment among all partner countries with cargo transportation being the first priority.

However, there are still some security challenges for a section inside Myanmar, which will have to be resolved with the authorities.

The tri-nation highway exemplifies India's "Act East" policy, under which the Asian giant aims to boost its economic and other relations neighbouring countries in the East.

Myanmar's Dawei deep-sea port and industrial estate project near the Thai border is also expected to help further integrate eastern India with Asean.

The planned port can be linked up with India's Chennai port as well as Thailand's Laem Chabang Port on the other side of the ocean.

Under the "Act East" policy, India is also preparing to negotiate a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which includes the 10-country Asean grouping on top of the current India-Asean free-trade agreement (FTA).

Some Asean countries such as Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have become members of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) FTA, so Asean is upgrading its FTAs with major trading partners such as India and China to formulate RCEP agreements, which are more advanced.

India views Asean as a central component of its "Act East" policy. Myanmar shares a border with India, while Thailand is a maritime neighbour with long-standing cultural and other ties, so both nations are India's gateway to Asean.

Thai-Indian trade amounted to US$8 billion (Bt285.5 billion) last year, while 1 million Indian tourists visited Thailand last year. There were also about 300 Indian weddings held here.

Among major Thai investors in India are CP Group, Delta Electronics, Ital-Thai and Pruksa Real Estate, while the major Indian firms operating in Thailand are Tata Group, Aditya Birla and Indorama.

India continues to rack up high economic growth of 7 per cent per year amid the global slowdown, he added.

 India’s recent pact with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal to facilitate free vehicular movement coupled with the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway could potentially increase intraregional trade by almost 60% as well as extract maximum strategic mileage.

A strategic pact signed by India to facilitate free vehicular movement with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal; alongside a proposal to step-up work on operationalising a 3200-km road link from Moreh (India) to Mae Sot (Thailand), are two vital components of the NDA government’s reinforced ‘Act East’ policy.

India’s recent pact with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal to facilitate free vehicular movement coupled with the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway could potentially increase intraregional trade by almost 60% as well as extract maximum strategic mileage.
A strategic pact signed by India to facilitate free vehicular movement with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal; alongside a proposal to step-up work on operationalising a 3200-km road link from Moreh (India) to Mae Sot (Thailand), are two vital components of the NDA government’s reinforced ‘Act East’ policy.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sub-regional-road-connectivity-pacts-from-looking-east-to-linking-east/#sthash.E0idX9lr.dpuf

India’s recent pact with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal to facilitate free vehicular movement coupled with the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway could potentially increase intraregional trade by almost 60% as well as extract maximum strategic mileage.
A strategic pact signed by India to facilitate free vehicular movement with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal; alongside a proposal to step-up work on operationalising a 3200-km road link from Moreh (India) to Mae Sot (Thailand), are two vital components of the NDA government’s reinforced ‘Act East’ policy.
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sub-regional-road-connectivity-pacts-from-looking-east-to-linking-east/#sthash.E0idX9lr.dpuf

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Thailand: ‘Intrusive’ immigration form now mandatory for foreigners

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IF you are planning to visit Thailand’s resort province of Phuket, you will now be required to furnish a host of personal information, including banking account and social media details to the nation’s Immigration bureau.

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Otherwise, failure to submit applications when entering the province will result in consequences, a Immigration official has warned.

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Immigration Bureau’s crime suppression unit Deputy Commissioner Maj Gen Chachaval Vachirapaneegul said the details to be filled in the “Foreign National Information Form”, released last Monday, was now a mandatory requirement.

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“If a foreigner doesn’t want to fill in their information by themselves, they will be questioned for our records anyway. If they don’t fill in the form, we will suspect their reason,” Chachaval was quoted as saying in Phuket News.

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SEE ALSO: Thailand asking foreigners for bank account, social media, and hangout details

Apart from social media and account details, the three-page form asks for foreigners’ contact numbers and email addresses, vehicle registration, and places frequented by the foreigner.

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In the form, visitors were warned that: “Providing false information to an officer, shall be punishable under the Penal Code.”

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According to the paper, the form covers most types of applications for foreigners.

“This form shall be used for making record of information of every alien entering and staying in the Kingdom of Thailand and shall be submit with Notification of residences for Aliens (section 37, 38 of Immigration Act, BE, 2522), or 90-days notification, or Extension of Stays (all purposes), or Re-entry Permits, or in all cases involving alien labors,” the header reads.

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SEE ALSO: Thailand: Foreigners vexed by ‘intrusive’ immigration forms

However, Chachaval did not confirm whether failure to provide certain information would form a basis for applications to be rejected and clarified that the social media account details was optional. He said all other sections were mandatory.

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“We will not force people to provide their social media details,” he said.
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Source: Asiancorrespondent.com/

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Severe coral bleaching threatens popular Phi Phi dive spots

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Coral bleaching is rife in Phi Phi national park - the worst ever recorded in Thailand - alarmed conservation officials reported Thursday.

Many varieties of coral have been affected by the bleaching, which is due to the sea temperature rising to between 31 to 35 degrees Celsius, said an official from the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).

Staghorn coral, lesser coral, mushroom coral, cauliflower coral, and hump coral are all being affected by the bleaching, which is far worse than observed in 2010, said Tikamporn Wongtawatchai, a specialist from Marine National Park and Protected Areas Innovation Center (MNIPC).

"Coral bleaching has been recorded all over the Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi marine national park, but the bleaching is worse at Koh Kai," said Tikamporn.

This is the first time hump coral has been affected by bleaching, indicating that the bleaching is far worse than ever before. The bleaching has occurred in several popular dive spots, including Pileh Bay, Loh Samah Bay, Koh Yoong, Monkey Beach, Koh Pai and Koh Gai.

Conservationists earlier this week proposed closing off Maya Bay to tourists to help restore the bleached coral and other endangered marine life there (story here).

"We cannot control nature. However, we can stop people from disturbing the marine life in these spots. Hopefully, this latest report of the extensive damage will persuade the DNP to take quick action by closing off Maya bay and other spots in Phi Phi national park affected by the bleaching," said Tikamporn.

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Bali Art Festival

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French performers and artists are all set to take part in the annual arts festival that gets underway next month

Around 15,000 artists are expected to take part in the 38th Bali Arts Festival, a month-long cultural festival, which this year runs from June 11 until July 9.

More than 300 traditional and contemporary art performances are scheduled to enliven Bali's biggest and most magnificent cultural fiesta.

Ida Ayu Masyeni, arts and movie section head at the Bali Cultural Agency, says a cultural street parade will mark the opening of the festival on the afternoon of June 11. Hundreds of artists from across Bali will participate in the parade, displaying their best performances.

"Representatives of all eight regencies across Bali will perform," Ayu confirms.

The street parade will take place in the Renon area of Denpasar, and all participants will encircle the Bajrasandhi Monument, a museum built in the form of a giant genta — a sacred bell used by Hindu High Priests.
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 Beside participants from across Bali, the street parade will also be enlivened by cultural performances from France.

"We are expecting more participants from overseas," says street parade coordinator Anak Agung Gede Raka.

Raka congratulated France for its participation in the event. "This will deepen our relations with France," he says.

After the parade, the event will continue with an opening ceremony on the Ardha Candra open stage at the Bali Arts Centre in Denpasar. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is expected to officially open the event.

The month-long fiesta will take place around the Bali Arts Centre. Besides art performances, the event will also feature arts and handicraft exhibitions, competitions, seminars, movie screenings and culinary events where people can enjoy authentic Balinese food.

Located on Jl. Nusa Indah in downtown Denpasar, the Bali Arts Centre is a cultural complex showcasing traditional Balinese architecture. The Bali Arts Centre contains many stages, an exhibition hall and many other facilities for various cultural activities. It was opened in 1973 and was designed to preserve Balinese culture. The Bali Arts Festival was first held there in 1979.

Masyeni says preparations for the festival are 70 per cent complete. As of now, France is the only country that has confirmed that it will participate in the event. The organisers, however, are still open to other countries taking part.
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 "France has confirmed its participation in the Bali Arts Festival. French citizens will participate in the street parade and the opening ceremony," she says.

The organisers acknowledge that foreign participants could be fewer this year as the festival will be held during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadhan. So far, only the province of Central Java has confirmed its attendance at the festival. Last year, at least 14 regencies and provinces took part.

Amandine Grisard, the director of Alliance Francaise Bali, said that French art would be displayed during the parade. Her organisation will collaborate with Printemps Francais 2016, a French-Indonesian Cultural Festival being held in 10 cities across Indonesia, including Denpasar.
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Source: The Nation
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Cambodians flock to Thailand over long weekend

CAMBODIA’S four-day long weekend to celebrate the birthday of King Norodom Sihamoni is expected to result in at least 4,000 Cambodian tourists visiting Thailand per day via Sa Kaew and potentially generate up to Bt80 million for the economy, a senior official said yesterday.

 The holiday finishes tomorrow.

Lt-Colonel Benjapol Rodsawat, deputy chief of Sa Kaew immigration police, inspected the crowded situation at the Aranyaprathet immigration border checkpoint yesterday in a bid to ensure smooth services.

Cambodian families crossed the border to visit popular attractions including in Bangkok and Pattaya. 

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The Tourism Authority encourage Thais to saddle up for bicycle rides "in hidden cities"

The Tourism Authority encourage Thais to saddle up for bicycle rides "in hidden cities"

 THE TOURISM AUTHORITY of Thailand is adding another sub-chapter to its epic "Amazing Thailand" and "Discover Thailand" campaigns this year with the launch of the "Slow Life Ride in Hidden Cities" activity, which aims to encourage tourists, both local and foreign, to take to the road on two wheels.

A follow on from last year's "12 Cities … You Can't Say No" campaign, which was designed to boost local tourism, the new activity aims to promote sustainable tourism and raise environmental awareness.

Organised in collaboration with Nation Broadcasting Corporation, with which TAT has been worked to motivate more Thais to take up cycling, the project begins with a pilot phase that takes cyclists to Phatthalung in the South on May 29, to Rayong in the East on June 26, to Chaiyaphum in the Northeast on July 24, to Nakhon Pathom in the Central province on August 28 and to Lamphun in the North on September 25.

"Bike tourism is still the hottest trend in Thailand," says Sujitra Jongchansitto, deputy governor for domestic marketing of Tourism Authority of Thailand. 

New 100 Million Baht Tourist Attraction Burned To The Ground

A brand new 100 million baht Thai-style wooden house at Ban Phayamai near Pattaya was burned to the ground on Friday morning.
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The new tourist attraction was completely destroyed after taking almost ten years to build as workers put the finishing touches to the interior before opening to paying visitors.
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Firefighters were called to Ban Phayamai in Nong Preu at around 10am and took several hours to bring the blaze under control.
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The large wooden house was built of teak and other precious wood at a cost of 100 million baht and is owned by Khunthong Ou-ngern, a well-known businessman and owner of Poipet market.
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The fire was believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

Fire crews struggle to bring the flames under control as fire rages through the yet to be opened Ban Phayamai tourist attraction in Pattaya, Chon Buri, on Friday morning. The Thai-style wooden house, which took about 10 years to build at a cost of 100 million baht, was completely destroyed. (Photo by Chaiyot Phuttanapong)
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Ps. 1 Euro = 40 Thai Baht.
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Source: Stickboybangkok
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