Bangkok - Thousands of passengers stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport after their tour agent fails to show up.

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Thousands of passengers were stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday night after staffs of a company that promised them of a trip to Japan during Songkran Festival did not show up.

Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanawarangkul has to step in by holding a meeting with authorities concerned at the airport. Police have to relocate to new floor those who said they paid fees, ranging from Bt15,000 to Bt20,000, to a firm, Wealth Ever, for a trip to Japan between April 13 and 15, to give space for other passengers. Their numbers are said of them were reported to be about 1,500.

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The airport is already crowded with Thais going out of the country during the long holidays of Songkran. Police are told that there would be a lot more of passengers, about 2,000 who are scheduled to travel with the firm in trouble coming to the airport on Wednesday.

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Source - TheNation

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Indonesia - Tomini Bay festival attracts domestic, foreign tourists

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The 2017 Pesona Teluk Tomini (Tomini Bay Charms) Festival that was held in Parigi Moutong regency, Central Sulawesi, came to an end on Sunday.

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The nine-day festival that kicked off on April 1 started with an international marathon, the Equator 10km, which was participated in by runners from three countries. A Kenyan took first place in the competition.

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Apart from the marathon, the event also featured music performances, a beauty pageant, a craft exhibition, a painting competition and a culinary festival.

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One of the highlighted cuisines during the festival was lalampa, a traditional delicacy made of glutinous rice filled with cakalang fish filling and wrapped in banana leaf. Last year, this dish broke an Indonesia Museum of Records (MURI) record for having the largest number of participants cooking it.

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 “The aim of this event is to showcase how the Equator monument was used for an international marathon. Hopefully the participants would tell how wonderful the monument is when they go back to their respective countries,” said Parigi Moutong Regent Samsurizal Tombolotutu.

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During the festival, the regent also commemorated the departure of several traditional sailboats from Moutong district and their arrival at Kayu Bura Beach, the venue for the festival’s finale. At the closing event, which was supported by the Tourism Ministry, a fashion carnival was held and attended by 100 participants, including foreign visitors.

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Parigi Moutong Tourism Agency head Hamka Lagala said that the region welcomed a total of 383,587 domestic and 3,432 foreign visitors last year. This year, it has set a target to attract at least 400,000 domestic and 5,000 foreign tourists.

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Source - TheJakartaPost

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’Zero recovery’ for corals in back-to-back Australia bleaching

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is suffering a fourth round of coral bleaching this year, after being hit in 1998, 2002 and 2016.

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 SYDNEY, April 10 — Coral bleached for two consecutive years at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has “zero prospect” of recovery, scientists warned today, as they confirmed the site has again been hit by warming sea temperatures.
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Researchers said last month they were detecting another round of mass bleaching this year after a severe event in 2016, and their fears were confirmed after aerial surveys of the entire 2,300km-long bio-diverse reef.
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Last year, the northern areas of the World Heritage-listed reef were hardest hit, with the middle-third now experiencing the worst effects.
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“Bleached corals are not necessarily dead corals, but in the severe central region we anticipate high levels of coral loss,” said James Kerry, a marine biologist at James Cook University.
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“It takes at least a decade for a full recovery of even the fastest growing corals, so mass bleaching events 12 months apart offer zero prospect of recovery for reefs that were damaged in 2016.”
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It is the fourth time coral bleaching has hit the reef after previous events in 1998 and 2002.
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“The combined impact of this back-to-back bleaching stretches for 1,500km, leaving only the southern third unscathed,” said Terry Hughes, head of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, also at James Cook University.
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“The bleaching is caused by record-breaking temperatures driven by global warming.
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“This year, 2017, we are seeing mass bleaching, even without the assistance of El Nino conditions,” he added, referring to the natural climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean.
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The Barrier Reef is already under pressure from farming run-off, development and the crown-of-thorns starfish.
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It was also recently hammered by Category four Tropical Cyclone Debbie, which barrelled through the region last month, mostly affecting southern parts which largely escaped the bleaching.
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The extent of the destruction wrought by Debbie is not yet known, although scientists have said damage could range from minor to severe.
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Hughes warned rising temperatures could see more bleaching events.
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“One degree Celsius of warming so far has already caused four events in the past 19 years,” 

he said. — AFP

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Source - themalaymailonline

SYDNEY, April 10 — Coral bleached for two consecutive years at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has “zero prospect” of recovery, scientists warned today, as they confirmed the site has again been hit by warming sea temperatures.
Researchers said last month they were detecting another round of mass bleaching this year after a severe event in 2016, and their fears were confirmed after aerial surveys of the entire 2,300km-long bio-diverse reef.
Last year, the northern areas of the World Heritage-listed reef were hardest hit, with the middle-third now experiencing the worst effects.
“Bleached corals are not necessarily dead corals, but in the severe central region we anticipate high levels of coral loss,” said James Kerry, a marine biologist at James Cook University.
“It takes at least a decade for a full recovery of even the fastest growing corals, so mass bleaching events 12 months apart offer zero prospect of recovery for reefs that were damaged in 2016.”
It is the fourth time coral bleaching has hit the reef after previous events in 1998 and 2002.
“The combined impact of this back-to-back bleaching stretches for 1,500km, leaving only the southern third unscathed,” said Terry Hughes, head of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, also at James Cook University.
“The bleaching is caused by record-breaking temperatures driven by global warming.
“This year, 2017, we are seeing mass bleaching, even without the assistance of El Nino conditions,” he added, referring to the natural climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean.
The Barrier Reef is already under pressure from farming run-off, development and the crown-of-thorns starfish.
It was also recently hammered by Category four Tropical Cyclone Debbie, which barrelled through the region last month, mostly affecting southern parts which largely escaped the bleaching.
The extent of the destruction wrought by Debbie is not yet known, although scientists have said damage could range from minor to severe.
Hughes warned rising temperatures could see more bleaching events.
“One degree Celsius of warming so far has already caused four events in the past 19 years,” he said. — AFP
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/zero-recovery-for-corals-in-back-to-back-australia-bleaching#sthash.NKFx4KHj.dpuf

SYDNEY, April 10 — Coral bleached for two consecutive years at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has “zero prospect” of recovery, scientists warned today, as they confirmed the site has again been hit by warming sea temperatures.
Researchers said last month they were detecting another round of mass bleaching this year after a severe event in 2016, and their fears were confirmed after aerial surveys of the entire 2,300km-long bio-diverse reef.
Last year, the northern areas of the World Heritage-listed reef were hardest hit, with the middle-third now experiencing the worst effects.
“Bleached corals are not necessarily dead corals, but in the severe central region we anticipate high levels of coral loss,” said James Kerry, a marine biologist at James Cook University.
“It takes at least a decade for a full recovery of even the fastest growing corals, so mass bleaching events 12 months apart offer zero prospect of recovery for reefs that were damaged in 2016.”
It is the fourth time coral bleaching has hit the reef after previous events in 1998 and 2002.
“The combined impact of this back-to-back bleaching stretches for 1,500km, leaving only the southern third unscathed,” said Terry Hughes, head of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, also at James Cook University.
“The bleaching is caused by record-breaking temperatures driven by global warming.
“This year, 2017, we are seeing mass bleaching, even without the assistance of El Nino conditions,” he added, referring to the natural climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean.
The Barrier Reef is already under pressure from farming run-off, development and the crown-of-thorns starfish.
It was also recently hammered by Category four Tropical Cyclone Debbie, which barrelled through the region last month, mostly affecting southern parts which largely escaped the bleaching.
The extent of the destruction wrought by Debbie is not yet known, although scientists have said damage could range from minor to severe.
Hughes warned rising temperatures could see more bleaching events.
“One degree Celsius of warming so far has already caused four events in the past 19 years,” he said. — AFP
- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/zero-recovery-for-corals-in-back-to-back-australia-bleaching#sthash.NKFx4KHj.dpuf

Thailand - What means Songkran

Songkran means: Thai New Year / Water-Festival / Family Days.

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 Songkran is the occasion for family re-unions, temple visits and annual house cleaning. Many Thais observe the holidays by spending time with families and friends. Traditionally, Thais perform the Rod Nam Dum Hua ritual on the first day of Songkran, which is officially the National Elderly Day.
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During the ritual, young people would pour fragrant water into the elders’ palms as a gesture of humility and to ask for their blessings. The second day of Songkran is officially the National Family Day.
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Families would wake up early and give alms to the monks, then ideally the rest of the day would be spent sharing quality family time together. An important religious ritual on Songkran is ‘Bathing the Buddha image’, in which devout Buddhists pour fragrant water over Buddha statues both at the temple and at home. More religious Thais would engage themselves in Buddhist ceremonies and merit-making activities throughout the holidays.
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Water as Symbolism Contradictory to what you may have witnessed throughout Songkran, fun-loving Thais don’t just throw water at each other for no good reason (besides having a kick out of seeing other people soaking wet).
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The real meaning behind the splashes is to symbolically wash off all misfortunes in the past year, thus welcoming the new year with a fresh new start. Traditionally, Thais would politely pour a bowl of water on members of the family, their close friends and neighbours.
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As Songkran has taken a more festive note, a bowl becomes a bucket, garden hose and water guns, and the spirit of holiday merriment is shared amongst all town residents and tourists alike.
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Songkran in Thailand is officially observed between the 13th and 15th of April (three days national holiday), although in reality, celebrations often last the entire week!

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PS 

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In all the cities in Thailand celebrate people the Songkran.

Especially around the tourist areas and bars.

You see business people foret their jobs and the real world and celebrate with all the locals.

All get wet / very wet.

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 Tip / Warning

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When you walk daily on the streets you get really wet.

Put your belongings, like mobiles in a plastic-bag. 

On the streets you can buy special Songkran-bags.

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ENJOY YOUR SONGKRAN HOLIDAYS.

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Bangkok - Changing city landscapes

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RESIDENTS in Bangkok and neighbouring areas like Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan are seeing changing landscapes and new landmarks emerging in different areas – as many mass-transit projects are now under construction.

Several urban and suburban areas of the capital now have elevated structures overhead, with train tracks on bridges crossing the Chao Phraya River, old buildings disappearing, and new junctions in the making. 

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A lot more changes will be visible when many projects – some underground, some elevated and others a combination of the two – are completed in a few years’ time. 

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Many shop-houses and buildings have been expropriated for train stations, both above ground and elevated. Many areas adjacent to the train routes have already witnessed a boom in real estate development, with condominium projects having sprung up for people who prefer the convenience of rail travel to go to work or school.

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Tha Phra Intersection, on the Thon Buri side of Bangkok, will house a key interchange station for the Metropolitan Rapid Transit’s Blue Line. When construction of the Blue Line’s extended section is finished in October 2019, it will complete the circular route – the only one in the country.

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The three-way Fai Chai Junction will become a four-way intersection when construction of a new road is completed. The junction also houses one of the Blue Line stations being built under Charan Sanitwong Road. During World War II, spotlights were installed at this junction to help anti-aircraft guns find Allied bombers attacking at night. That is where its name comes from – Fai Chai means ‘flashlight’. The area saw frequent bombings as strategically significant targets such as a train station and a naval dockyard were located there. 

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Physical changes are also taking place or in set to occur in areas such as Tao Poon, Bang Sue, Rat Burana and Bang Pho in Bangkok, as well as Bang Yai district in Nonthaburi and the Samrong area in Samut Prakan.

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Given there are plans for Bangkok to have a mass-transit network that extends over 500 kilometres, it’s safe to say the dramatic changes to the city’s landscape will go on for some time – over a decade, if there are no further delays.

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Source and more pictures

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Myanmar (Burma) Water festival to help boost tourism

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The traditional Myanmar Thingyan Water Festival this year will be something special, says U Myo Yi, chair of Myanmar Tourism Entrepreneurs Association (Mandalay Zone).

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“On display will be Myanmar’s traditional cultural dances, music and food,” he said.

Speaking on March 28, he added that this year, the water festival will be held, for the first time, in the southern part of Mandalay City’s palace moat.

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“We will make it a truly traditional affair with dance performances and musicians who will capture the heart and spirit of Myanmar culture,” he said.

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This year’s traditional Thingyan will be jointly organised with the cooperation of hotel and tourism entrepreneurs, who are members of Hotels and Tourism Entrepreneurs Association.

Also part of the organising team will be tourist guides and the restaurant association (Mandalay Zone) and will contain ethnic traditional pandals, as well as Sadudita (distribution of free food to anyone).

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U Min Naing, chair of Hotel Entrepreneurs Association (Mandalay Zone), added that there will be entertainment provided by pandals located from 67th Street to 69th Street at the southern part of the moat.

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He added that the free food distribution will be carried out throughout the four days of the festival.

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 “Everybody can take part in the water festivities at the pandals. But alcohol will be strictly banned. We will also provide bowls and water pipes for foreigners to splash water on those around them. We also put Thabyay (Eugenia) sprigs in the water bowls.” he said.

The reason of holding Myanmar traditional culture walking-style Thingyan festival is to improve and to develop the tourism industry and for the tourists to enjoy and see the festival, he said.

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U Min Naing said, “We are trying to promote tourism and culture through the traditional Thingyan festival. We will showcase Myanmar tradition in a systematic and organised manner for the world to see and understand.”

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There will also be a singing contest open to all participants with no age limits. And the winners will walk away with prize money from K1 million to K3 million, said U Myo Yi.

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“Everybody can compete. The people can get the forms at the Myanmar Tourism Association at 68th Street between 27th and 26th streets. Professional singers will not be allowed to take part, though. We welcome amateurs. And there will be 10 Thingyan songs that the participants have to sing and compete,” he said.

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Source - Myanmar Times

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Cambodia - Uber gears up to enter market

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Representatives from global ride-hailing behemoth Uber confirmed the company’s interest in starting operations in Cambodia during a meeting this week with Transportation Minister Sun Chanthol, according to one of the minister’s aides.

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Ken Ratha, deputy director of cabinet of the Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MPWT), told The Post yesterday that Uber executives visited the ministry on Tuesday to explain their business model to the minister and Phnom Penh municipal officials.

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“They are interested in our market so they came to seek the minister’s support by explaining Uber’s business model to him,” he said. “The minister showed his strong support for the company’s project and encouraged more discussions to elaborate on its operating plan.”

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Ratha confirmed that no agreement has been signed yet between the government and Uber, and that discussions are still at an early stage. He added that officials are now giving thought on how to regulate the ride-sharing model in Cambodia.

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“Uber’s business model is new so the minister and relevant stakeholders are currently thinking about which laws and regulations would apply to the company as well as how to best help their activity in Cambodia,” he said. 

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“There are no details right now on how Uber’s entrance to the market will affect the current taxi and transport industries. But so far those involved in the discussion have shown their interest to implement this smart business concept, with the hope that it will help to reduce traffic congestion and accidents.”

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Uber representatives did not respond to press inquiries yesterday, though have previously confirmed to The Post that the company is actively exploring the possibility of entering the Cambodian market.

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US-based Uber operates ride-hailing services in over 570 cities worldwide, pairing passengers and drivers using the company’s smartphone app. The company has faced regulatory hurdles in many markets, including Thailand, where the company’s services were banned and drivers are liable to be fined.

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In some markets it has also faced a backlash from metered taxi drivers, who accuse it of unfairly stealing their business.

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Sambath Sothea, director of local taxi operator Taxi Rouge, which operates a fleet of 110 taxis, said Uber’s entrance into the Cambodian market could ratchet up the level of competition in the sector. 

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However, he said he welcomed new market entrants and the increased competition, though he held some concerns that Uber’s as-yet unregulated ride-hailing model could lead to unfair competition due to its lower operational costs. 

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“We are a fully regulated operator and we will welcome any newcomers who are also fully compliant with regulation,” he said. 

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“We urge the authorities to maintain solid control over who can enter the market and make sure that Uber fully complies with the law in order to create fair competition. In that scenario we would be happy to welcome them in the country.”

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Sothea also took aim at the capital’s existing taxi companies, pointing out that many operate without licences and do not pay taxes, unfairly lowering their operation costs compared to legitimate operators. He added that unlicensed companies sometimes engage in price-gouging practices to gain a greater market share, creating a negative image that affects the entire industry.

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Uber’s absence from Cambodia has created room for home-grown ride-hailing services to blossom. The largest of these, Exnet Taxi, has enjoyed strong growth since its launch in June. Within two months, the company reported it had registered 60 freelance drivers to the application. That number has now grown to 600 drivers who undertake around 2,000 rides a month, according to Hor Daluch, the company’s owner.

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“Now it is much more convenient to use the app than before because the passengers can get a ride in around five minutes, while before it took a lot more time due to the lower number of drivers,” he said.

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Daluch said he was not concerned with Uber’s potential entrance in Cambodia, suggesting the company might end up judging Phnom Penh to be too small of a market for its business.

“Because Uber is a big company, maybe the demand in Phnom Penh might not be enough for them here compared to other cities in Vietnam or Thailand,” he said.

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Authors: Matthieu de Gaudemar and Hor Kimsay

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