Indonesia - 2017 Lake Toba tourism calendar released

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 The North Sumatra administration has just released its 2017 Lake Toba Tourism Calendar, comprising a schedule of cultural events in the Lake Toba area.

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Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said the calendar was important to attract travelers. “Schedule and location certainty is important [for travelers]. The days and months must not be altered because it is a reference for the travelers,” Arief stated, as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.

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(Read also: Hundreds flock to Lake Madirda to observe Melasti)

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Arief also stressed the shift of traveler behavior, particularly among young travelers. “Do not expect them to come [to the destination] if they couldn’t find a fixed schedule,” he said. The minister also mentioned that travelers may have booked their travel in advance. “Imagine how troubled they would be if the schedule changed.”

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The calendar of events was released to help promote Lake Toba, one of Indonesia’s 10 priority destinations of 2017. Among the activities included in the calendar of events are festivals, carnivals, music shows and sports events.

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North Sumatra Deputy Governor Nurhazijah Marpaung said all tourism stakeholders in the province were ready to make Lake Toba an international destination. She also explained that tourist activities in Lake Toba were expected to account for Rp 16 trillion (US$ 75 million) in regional gross domestic product, and create 300,000 new jobs in North Sumatra.

Below is the list of events scheduled on the calendar.

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Temple deputy abbot Phra Thatthacheevo of using temple funds to trade in stocks

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Dhammakaya Temple deputy abbot fights charge

Pathum Thani-based Dhammakaya Temple deputy abbot Phra Thatthacheevo on Wednesday morning presented himself to public prosecutors of the Thanyaburi Provincial Court to fight the charge of violating a junta order to present himself before the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) chief. 

The embattled monk, who was accompanied by lawyers, refused to comment to media.

The DSI also accused Phra Thatthacheevo of using temple funds to trade in stocks – an alleged offence that could result in him being charged with abuse of authority under Article 157 of the Criminal Code.

Vietnam to mark World Water Day

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A series of events will be held in Bắc Ninh Province this week to mark World Water Day 2017, said the Ministry of Environmental and Natural Resources.

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The highlights of the March 21 to 23 events include a national rally, a scientific conference on safe treatment and reuse of wastewater, and an exhibition of photos and wastewater treatment equipment.

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The March 22 water day aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce water pollution, reuse water, protect water sources and exploit them effectively, according to the Department of Water Resources Management under the ministry of environment.

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Ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is one of the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which Việt Nam has expressed its commitments, according to the Việt Nam News Agency.

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Within the agenda, by 2030 everyone will have access to safe water resources and have their sanitation conditions improved by reducing the percentage of untreated wastewater and increasing reuse of safe water.

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Some 80 per cent of the world’s wastewater from social activities is released into the ecosystems without treatment and reuse.

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High-income nations treat some 70 per cent of their wastewater, but the rate only comes to 38 and 28 per cent for nations with above and below average incomes, respectively. Low-income nations treat only some 8 per cent of their wastewater.

Some 1.8 billion people in the world are using unsafe water resources and water with poor sanitation, of which 842,000 die per year..

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Troops of monkeys go swimming during heatwave.

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At least a hundred monkeys climbed down a hill to cool off in a pool of water at Wat Tham Sue in Krabi on Sunday.

Krabi has not seen rain for about two months and this particular area has experienced a severe rise in temperature.
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“The monkeys climbed down into the pool, close to where tourists had come down for refreshments. Everyone was delighted to be able to enjoy a surprise appearance by the ‘guests’,” Jamras Sornsuvann, the temple keeper, told the Phuket Gazette.
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The monkeys playfully splashed around in the water and smiled at tourists as they took pictures.
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Jamras warned people to be careful, adding that monkeys become aggressive in hot weather and could end up biting someone.
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“Do not feed them, as they are naturally able to procure food for themselves,” he warned.

He also noted that tourists should only take photos, and not touch, play with or provoke the monkeys in any way.

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Source - TheNation 

Bali to turn into 'Silence of the Land'

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March 28 this year will mark the beginning of the Hindu New Year of Saka 1939. On this annual observance, known locally as as “nyepi”, the usually bustling island of Bali will grind to a peaceful halt for 24 hours.

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Between the hours of 6 a.m. until the following morning at the same time, everyone on the resort island will stop their daily activities, refrain from using electricity and remain in their homes.

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The entire island will come to a standstill, with no scheduled incoming or outgoing flights from the airport. The seaport will also be closed, broadcast stations (including cable networks) will go silent, streets will be empty of all traffic, all shops will be closed and visitors will be confined to their hotel or villa for the entire period.

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Everyone on the island, both residents and visitors, is required to abide by the Hindu religious rules called Catur Brata Penyepian. Encouraging meditation and reflection on this day of seclusion, the rules consist of amati geni (no open fires or flames), amati lelanguan (no pleasurable activities), amati karya (no work or labor) and amati lelungan (no journeys).

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 During this day of dedication to complete silence, community law enforcement officials called pecalang make their rounds to ensure that no persons, no light and no noise are emanating from any homes in the neighborhood.

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Nyepi rituals

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There is a series of rituals conducted before and after the day of Nyepi, which take place in every part of the island. Below are some of the most notable of these rituals.

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The first one is called melasti, a procession that features a pilgrimage to the sea to purify each temple’s religious paraphernalia. Usually performed three to four days before Nyepi, this ritual event incorporates a beach component, with pilgrims from various villages all over the island bearing temple heirlooms making long journeys on foot toward the coast.

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The second is the Bhuta Yajna ritual, which is performed one day before Nyepi, in order to vanquish negative elements and create a balance with God, mankind and nature.

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 On this day, Hindu adherents conduct ritual sacrifices, with different levels of sacrifice determined by the slaughtering of different types of animals, such as chickens, ducks and pigs.

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Just before sunset, which is around 4 to 5 p.m., the ritual of Pengrupukan takes place. At this time, locals parade the streets carrying ogoh-ogoh, giant demonic statues made of bamboo and paper, symbolizing malevolent spirits, while passionately playing a deafening mixture of the kulkul traditional bamboo bell and gamelan music. On the evening after the parade—which is actually the Saka New Year’s Eve, the ogoh-ogoh are ceremoniously burned in an all-encompassing inferno. The burning symbolizes the eradication of all evil influences in the lives of adherents.
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The peak of this religious celebration is on the third day, when people retreat from all daily activities into the silence of their homes."
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One day after the silence, Balinese Hindus perform the ngembak geni ritual, in which they visit relatives to exchange forgiveness.
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Hong Kong has been a much-loved tourist destination

In search of good fortune

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Hong Kong has been a much-loved tourist destination for decades and this year it is celebrates the 20th anniversary of the handover to China by introducing a new list of fortune spots matched with Chinese Zodiac signs by Feng Shui experts.

The Peak is symbolic of the Rooster and will ease the sense of dominance by rising to Hong Kong Island’s highest vantage point and broadening horizons with the view of the Kowloon and Hong Kong Island skyline to help you overcome any challenges in the new year.

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 Those born in the Year of the Dog should head Northeast to alleviate the negative energy at the Lung Yeuk Tau Heritage Trail, Fanling. This scenic journey takes you to the history of the Tang Clan, one of the five largest clans in the New Territories, where a dragon could once be seen leaping in the mountains. The wisdom of Hong Kong’s ancestors is discovered in the stunning architecture that demonstrates how they unwound in these serene surroundings. 

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Those born in the Year of the Pig would do well to head to the Big Buddha and Wisdom Path and appreciate the zen of the large woodcut Heart Sutra scriptures. A trip will help you change the speed and maximise the energy of movement in the year to come.

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Find out more at DiscoverHongKong.com

 

Vietnam - Gov’t set to relax farmland ceiling

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Viet Nam News MEKONG DELTA — The Government is considering relaxing limits on individual farmland holdings, a move largely welcomed by experts despite misgivings about some negative social impacts. 

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Allowing larger land holdings will greatly facilitate modernisation of the country’s agriculture sector, many experts say.

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Currently, the allocation quota of farmland for annual crops for each household or individual must not exceed 2-3 hectares. Many people have been arguing for sometime that this limit runs counter to the needs of co-operatives and businesses engaging in industrialised, large-scale agricultural production.

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The national average land allocation for each household is extremely small at around 0.5-0.7ha. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) reckons that in order to overcome poverty, on average, each rice cultivating household must own at least 2ha.

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In a recent resolution, the government tasked the MARD, the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment, and the Ministry of Justice, to prepare amendments to the existing Law on Land by the end of this year, with the focus on rectifying farmland quotas.

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Vũ Trọng Khải, former rector of the School for Training Rural and Agriculture Development Management Experts, said the government should have done this long ago.

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“The existing allocation quota that has been in place for years has actually hindered agricultural production,” he said.

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Khải pointed out the fact that the Law on Land also contains contradictory clauses, in that it stipulates a ceiling on how much land a farmer can own, but imposes no such limit on businesses.

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“That’s why some people still can work around this limit. Sáu Đức, a farmer I know in An Giang Province, had accumulated some 70 hectares of farmland years ago, despite the restriction. However, the ‘excessive’ land parcels are all registered under his relatives’ names. When he was able to open a company, he used the company’s legal entity to gather back all the parcels, and now he owns some 150 hectares,” Khải said

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